8

Chapter 8

Rosebud Martinez

“Hey!” Bruce smiled and waved at me the moment I stepped inside the five-star restaurant situated behind a fountain.

Bruce changed the location at the last minute, though I had no idea why.

“Hey! Am I late?” I smiled nervously, walking over to him.

“Not really. I just got here too. Please sit.” He said, tapping the chair beside him, and I muttered a thank you before sitting.

“I'm sorry I had to change the location.” He apologised, a smile plastered on his lips as he looked at me. “I didn't do my research well. The water view restaurant is not active at the moment.”

My lips curled as I mouthed an ‘oh’.

My heart fluttered as our eyes locked. The way his charming eyes gazed into mine made something snap inside me. Something I couldn't explain.

Heat caught in my throat as I gulped down nothing, managing to turn my face away from him.

I couldn't help but notice how hot he looked in the black shirt he was wearing. Holy fuck!

I could barely concentrate on admiring the gorgeous fountain in front of the restaurant. I was so nervous that I barely took in the ambiance of the fountain.

“Waiter!” he called out to the waiter who walked up to us. It was a young man in his late twenties.

“My order, please.” Bruce spoke first. Even before the waiter could greet us.

The waiter bowed and said, “I will go get it, sir.” I watched as he walked away, wondering what Bruce had ordered. Isn't he supposed to ask me what I would love to eat? But then again, maybe he remembered my favorite dish back in school.

The atmosphere became tense and getting awkward when Bruce came to save the day as he handed me his phone out of the blue, and said, “Do you still remember that?”

“What's this?” I muttered, my fingers zooming on the picture displayed on his phone.

“Who is this?” I whispered, my heart fluttered with jealousy when I saw a female student sitting on a window. I recognised the place was our former school, but who the heck was this?

The thought of her being one of his admirers made something sting inside me.

“Whoa! You really don't know who that is?” He chuckled, reaching for the phone, and as his hand brushed mine, I felt a warm feeling course through my body, and my breath hitched.

He skipped to the next photo, relief coursed through me and a smile crept up my face when I saw that it was myself in the picture.

I chuckled, covering my mouth as I looked at him. “When was this?”

“I took it while in the basketball court.” His face brightened with a smile, his eyes boring into mine.

“Why are you still keeping this all these years?” I chuckled nervously, lowering my gaze.

“It's for memories.” He said simply, and I looked to find him still smiling.

“You didn't come to watch me play basketball as usual that day, so I was wondering what happened when I saw you talking with your friends there.” He scoffed.

“Wow!” My cheeks flushed.

“I miss school days… It was really fun back then.” He stared into space, as if trying to have a flashback of then.

As I stared at him, only one question echoed in my mind. Did he ever for once notice my feelings for him?

Perhaps I wouldn't have ended up with Mathew if I had summoned courage and told him how I felt then, but then, the fear of being rejected. I wouldn't have been able to continue my friendship with him out of embarrassment.

“Your order is here, Sir.” The waiter's voice disrupted my thoughts as he shuffled two plates of seafood, consisting of all my favourites. Catfish, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, and salmon.

My stomach sparked up with excitement, and I couldn't hide my excitement as my face brightened with a smile the moment I saw it. Damn it! I knew I could trust Bruce's taste.

“You used to like seafood, so I thought why don't we try it? I hope you'll like it.” Bruce glanced at me and smiled.

“I love it!” My mouth was already salivating as I waited to devour it.

“I'll help you with that.”

Bruce helped me peel the shrimp while I ate to my satisfaction.

I had almost forgotten how it felt like to be happy, but Bruce brought back that feeling. I could only be thankful that he invited me out here. I didn't know I needed this hangout so much more than I imagined it.

“So…”

My heart skipped a beat when Bruce spoke up while cracking one of the crabs open for me.

“My company is celebrating its nine year anniversary next month. Do you think you can be present?” He asked casually, not sparing a glance.

“Don't I need an official invite?” I teased him, knowing that I wouldn't miss that event for anything in the whole world.

He scoffed, turning to look at me as he squinted his eyebrows. “You are not there as a special guest, Rose. You are attending as my friend, so why do I need to give you an official invite?” He emphasized on ‘official invite’, his voice was soft, calm, and so soothing that it sent warmth all through my body. Is he flirting with me?

“I'm just kidding…” I chuckled nervously, turning my face away. “Of course, I will be there.”

“Will send you the details later in the week.”

“Hmm.” I nodded.

I was glad Bruce didn't mention Mathew until the end of the date, and I drove back to the company.

I had just settled in my office when a knock came on the door, and Hannah walked inside.

“You have a package, Ms. Martinez. It came in a couple of minutes ago.” Hannah handed me a brown envelope, and I squinted my eyebrows confusingly as I wasn't expecting a delivery.

“Thank you. I will check it.”

Once Hannah left my office, I picked up the brown envelope and tore it open as curiosity was eating me up. However, a scoff tore through my throat when I saw what it contained. There were about fifteen pictures of Mathew and Megan, hanging out in different locations. Her apartment, a hotel, restaurants, beaches, and even taking a walk together while holding hands.

I felt nothing as I stared at the picture. No anger. No jealousy. Not even resentment, but one thing I was sure of, was that I was really going to fuck them up big time for playing me for a fool all these years.

I was still flipping through the pictures when Matthew's call came in, and my jaws tightened when I saw his name.

I hesitated, but answered the call, pressing the phone to my ear as I waited to hear what he wanted to say.

“Honey…” his annoying voice echoed on the other end. Calling me ‘honey’ made my skin crawl in disgust.

“Hmm.” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“I was just thinking about you, and I thought to call and hear your voice.” His voice reeked with lies. How many years of practice did it take him to be able to lie so smoothly without being suspected?

“Have you had lunch yet?” He asked, as if he cared.

“Hmm.”

“Are you alright, honey? You haven't said anything to me.” He sounded genuinely worried. I would've been convinced if I didn't know his motive.

“Hmm.” Again, I hummed, waiting for him to get the fuck off my phone.

“Alright, honey. I will pick you up for our date tonight. I love you, honey.”

“See you.” I muttered, not sure if he heard him, disconnecting the call afterwards.

‘Fix an appointment with me and Mr. James, Hannah. Schedule it for tomorrow’.

A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips…