Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 123

“Hey, how about you treat me to a meal tomorrow? Timothy’s voice was crisp, with a hint of coquettishness at the end. “I’m still worried about that injury on your wrist, you know.

Gotta say, his emotional intelligence was off the charts. | pinched the bridge of my nose, about to decline, but then | remembered Timothy was a die-hard fan of FreeMan and quickly changed my tune. “Sure, how does Aurora Eats sound?”

Any clue was still a clue. The next second. Timothy’s hearty laugh came through the phone, “Whatever you say.” Since | had to head out to Meadowbrook in the afternoon, | made plans to grab lunch with Timothy.

After wrapping up my work. | headed downstairs. No sooner had | stepped out of the building than someone blocked my path. | looked up to see Timothy, all cool and playful in his shades. standing in front of me.

He was decked out in a black shearling collar jacket, paired with matching casual pants and Doc Martens, looking like he’d just stepped out of a fashion spread as a motorcycle model Quite the eye—catcher.

| didn’t expect Timothy to show up at the office. Then | heard a sigh. “Come on, Xaviera, is that all the reaction | get? Aren’t you even a little bit surprised to see me?”

Thinking of the business card | had handed out earlier, | asked. “What brought you here so early?”

“Just picking you up.” Timothy quipped with his usual humor, “I mean, getting a chance to eat with you? | gotta be proactive.” Confidence and flamboyance were in his DNA, thanks to his fancy family background.

He actually made me chuckle, and | half—joked. “Where’s your noble steed for this chariot ride. then?”

Timothy probably didn’t expect me to play along, and after a second’s pause, he bowed slightly and gestured with his hand, “Right this way.”

Total drama king. Just as we were about to leave, Cecilia’s unexpected greeting rang out from behind us, “Xaviera, so you’re here.” | turned around, puzzled, and there stood Cecilia and Hogan not too far away.

Why on earth was Hogan here in the middle of the day? After a brief pause, | asked Timothy to wait for me in the car and approached them.

Cecilia cocked her head, glanced at the Maserati nearby, and gossiped, “Xaviera, He looks 1/2

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Chatter 121

familiar. Was that Mr. Temple from the art show yesterday?”

Cecilia’s memory sure was better than | thought, and her eyes were sharp, too.. | didn’t bite, just glanced at Hogan and asked, “Mr. Zade, you needed to see me?”Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

“It’s not Hogan, it’s me. Cecilia jumped in, all serious, “Here’s the thing, | have a friend that was enrolled at the same university earlier than me. Her family runs a hotel business in the southern part of Meadowbrook. | was hoping to ask her to keep an eye out for FreeMan, and i was planning to visit her folks with Hogan.”

| was taken aback and momentarily lost for words. The whole convincing FreeMan thing was supposed to be none of Cecilia’s business anymore.

But the kind-hearted gal couldn’t stand to see me stressed and went out of her way to pull some strings. And wouldn't that just warm the cockles of Hogan's heart?

“| was actually hoping to invite you along, but now,” Cecilia paused, and then added, “It seems you might be a bit tied up.”

Her eyes flickered meaningfully toward the figure behind me. We worked in the same building. separated only by a glass door. If Cecilia had really wanted to let me know in advance, why wait until now?

Curling my lips into a knowing smile, | replied, “| appreciate the thought, Director Irwin, but as you can see. I’ve got plans.”