Love At Last

CAYDEN

We both laughed so hard, it felt good. Suddenly, she stopped smiling and looked a bit worried.

“Jarod?” I tried to guess what could make her switch moods that way instantly, turned out I was right.

“Why would Jarod do that to me? We’re supposed to be friends, right? I mean, he’s the only male friend I’ve had over the years,” she said with so much sincerity written all over her.

I felt for her a bit. I tried to understand her. I knew for a fact that she felt betrayed and that was absolutely normal. I listened to her patiently while she complained to me and told me how she felt.

“It’s okay Lily,” I placed my hand on her shoulder to comfort her when she bowed her head and covered her face with both palms to hide the fact she was tearing up already. “Why do you always try to hold your tears in, Lily?” I asked tenderly. “If you feel like crying, then just do so…,” I urged, “if you don’t want me staring, I could go in and come out when you’ve cried to your satisfaction,” I continued.

She raised her head up and cleaned her eyes. “I’m fine,” she chuckled.

“Sure?” I asked with concern and she nodded. “You bet,” she replied.

I looked toward the door. “It’s still pouring hard outside. How about I get you something to eat and you spend the night here?” I suggested with concern and she shrugged. It looked like she wasn’t going to buy my idea. She stood up and walked to the window to look through.

“It’s pouring really hard,” she said.

“Told you, didn’t I?”

“But still, you don’t expect me to accept your offer, do you?”

“Why not? I asked, confused on what exactly she meant.

“What do you mean, ‘why not?’?”, she fired.

“I still don’t get what the real issue is here, miss. Why can’t you spend the night here?” I asked. “Few minutes ago, you asked me to lay on your lap and felt nothing and now? …” I paused and continued, “we’re not even going to sleep together, so why the fuss, miss?”

“How could you be so brazen?” she retorted.

“Wha…,” I scoffed, “what?!!!” I exclaimed and stood up. “Brazen? Are you being serious right now?” I was surprised she actually called me brazen. “I’m only trying to be nice here, okay? Don’t get the wrong ideas,” I blurted outrightly.

“Wrong ideas?”

“Yes, wrong ideas, miss. Wrong ideas!!”

“You wish.”

“It’s very obvious you’re letting your imaginations run wild right now. That much is clear to me. If not, what’s the big deal in spending the night here? Or do you think I’m trying to seduce you right now?” I argued.

“Seduce me?!” she exclaimed. “Listen and listen real good, Mr. Cayden. Even if you were the only man in the entire universe, I won’t even budge. I’d rather spend my whole life in a nunnery,” she retorted.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“What did you just say?” did she think that lowly of me? That hurt a bit though. To prevent the fight from escalating any further, I yielded. “Do you think that lowly of me?” I lowered my tone.

“Listen to me. It is improper for two unmarried people of the opposite sex to spend the night together under the same roof, and I have to be in my bakery early enough tomorrow as another supervisor would be dropping by, okay? Don’t go around imagining things, it’s bad for your health,” she rounded up her argument and sat down. It was obvious I conceded to her; the argument was over. I sat down too.

“I’m sorry if I ticked you off though,” I apologized and she looked away. “Please?”

“It’s fine,” she replied grudgingly.

“I still need your help, and urgently. I’m under a lot of pressure as the event I told you about is close at hand,” I said.

“Close at hand?”

“Yes.”

“How close?”

“I should get a woman for myself in two days.”

“Two days?” she asked.

“Yes. Now do you understand the kind of pressure I’m under?” I asked meekly. “I need you, Lily. My job, my means of livelihood depends on this,” I pleaded.

“If it’s that urgent, why not hire an actress to play the part?” she asked with concern.

“No. Even though it’s going to be brief, I’d love a bit of genuineness to make things go smoothly. If I should get an actual date, I could ask her to accompany me and it would feel very natural…,” I paused to scrutinize the expression she had on her face, “do you understand?” I completed my statement.

“I think I do,” she heaved a sigh. “Okay, how about we do this?”

“What?”

“Let me play the part,” she voiced and I was a bit shocked.

“You?”

“Yes. Why not?” she gestured.

“I thought you’d rather be single than be with me,” I teased.

“Really? … And here I am trying to be of help to you. You’re not serious,” she scolded. “Suit yourself then.”

“It’s okay, miss. Someone else and not you, please. I wouldn’t have us arguing unnecessarily in front of everyone, okay?” I teased and giggled, infuriating her the more.

I had thought of making Lily play the part but I didn’t like that she was the one who suggested it first. I had to save face; I didn’t want to seem easy going. I turned down her offer but deep down, I knew I was going to regret sooner or later.

“Get me a date, miss. Please”

She stood up, ready to leave. “Come drop me off.” She seemed angry.

“But it’s still pouring outside,” I crossed my leg and gestured towards the window.

“We’re not going to be walking in the rain, are we?” she retorted. “Take me home please,” she said with a frown.

I understood she was cheesed off and decided not to hold out for much longer.

“Fine, fine,” I raised my hands to signify I yielded. I wasn’t ready to engage her in another argument again. “I yield, madame. Okay?” I giggled.

She walked out the door and stood at the corridor as she didn’t want to get herself wet. I walked in to get an umbrella. In no time, I rushed out with the umbrella and we both walked to my car under it.

Through the ride home, I tried so many times to speak with her but she didn’t seem the least interested in whatever I had to say. I knew I had to give it up, so I just turned on the music and let her be.