Miss Josefina: Nobody's Princess

Chapter 68

Josefina was irked by the message. Why did this guy have to be such a pain? After a moment of contemplation, she decided to make a move. It was better if she met Oliver out there than to have him come down to her office. If Oliver showed up at her workplace, it would surely cause a stir, possibly affecting her job.

She made her way to the café and, upon entering, instantly spotted Oliver. He was sitting in a corner, waving at her with that indulgent smile that seemed to light up his face. His eyes had a certain charm that was hard to ignore.

Taking a seat across from him, Oliver handed her a wet wipe with a casual, "Clean your hands, let's eat."

Josefina didn't find Oliver's presence unpleasant. Quite the contrary, being around such a gentleman, who took care of everything, was rather endearing. But there was something he said that kept echoing in her head. Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

"Oliver, did you need to see me about something?" she asked.

"Let's eat first. We'll talk after," Oliver replied with a nod. It was already noon, and Josefina hadn't had lunch yet. What if she was starving?

Just as she was about to claim she wasn't hungry, her stomach betrayed her with a loud grumble. Josefina was embarrassed. So much for trying to keep it cool!

Her eyes roamed over the spread of delicacies brought in from Gourmet Galaxy, each dish a crafted masterpiece that looked as good as it tasted. Without holding back, she picked up a piece of BBQ ribs with her fork, savoring the tender meat that melted in her mouth.

Oliver poured her a glass of juice, thoughtfully adding a straw for convenience.

After two helpings of rice, a bowl of soup, and a glass of juice, Josefina paused to catch her breath.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" she ventured, a tinge of nervousness in her voice. Could he possibly want to confess his feelings for her?

Her mind was racing with wild guesses when Oliver dropped a bombshell. "You want to partner up? Your company wants to collaborate with me? Oliver, are you pulling my leg here?" Her big eyes widened in surprise, a mix of playful and polite disbelief.

Oliver looked at her fondly. "What, can't I work with you?"

Josefina glanced at him skeptically. "As far as I know, your firm doesn't deal in women's fashion."

With a meaningful arch of his eyebrow, Oliver's gaze deepened. "Josie, you seem pretty informed about my business."

Her cheeks flushed instantly, a mix of embarrassment and surprise. "Well, who doesn't know about your company's moves?"

Holding her gaze, Oliver poured her another glass of juice, "We're branching out and planning to launch a women's line."

Josefina's mind was a whirl of emotions. A partnership like this was not an opportunity to be missed. Without bringing up anything else, Oliver seemed to have lowered her defenses considerably.

Considering the state of her company, Josefina was leaning towards a refusal.

"Josie, this is a partnership of mutual benefit. If you're going to reject my offer, I'd like a reason," Oliver stated plainly.

The problem was, Josefina couldn't find one. If Oliver was keen on a partnership, why not? After all, who could say no to money?

"Alright, let's partner up."

A graceful smile curled on Oliver's lips as he extended his hand towards her. "Pleasure doing business with you, Josie."

Taking in his long, well-shaped fingers, Josefina admired them briefly before shaking his hand. "Pleasure doing business with you."

As their hands met, Josefina felt a jolt, like electricity coursing through her veins. Oliver's gaze was intense. His palm was cool and dry, but it set Josefina's heart racing. She quickly withdrew her hand, and Oliver watched her retreat, amused by her rabbit-like escape, finding her all the more endearing.

While Josefina was smoothly navigating through her affairs, Ruby was like a cat on a hot tin roof, restless and uneasy.