"Yeah, I'm on the road. How about you?" Noelle asked. "I'll be there in half an hour or so.""Yeah, I'm out too. Let's meet up!"Half an hour later, Noelle spotted Charles chilling by the mall entrance, with no car in sight. She stepped out of the car. "Where's your car?""Ronald drove it off." Charles said with an easy grin, one hand chilling in his pocket. His smile was like a warm spring day, totally disarming.Noelle paused, a hand to her forehead, "Oh!" She could not help but think Charles was playing dirty with a smile like that. She never knew a guy could look so good just by smiling.Charles narrowed his eyes, catching Noelle's vibe, a spark of mischief in his gaze. "You don't seem too thrilled.""No way!" Noelle laughed awkwardly, "You're totally seeing things!""I guess I must be," Charles said with a playful smile, "Looks like I'll have to ask you for a lift home then, Mrs. Hoffman!"Noelle was speechless for a moment... Was he for real? "You can just call me Noelle.
It took Noelle a while to catch the hidden meaning in Charles's words. By the time she pieced it together, the moment had slipped away, and she could not find a decent excuse to circle back to that conversation.They walked into the mall and made a beeline for the fresh produce. Noelle usually cooked at home. She rarely went to the mall for groceries, usually sticking to the local market. However, with her job eating up her time, her pots and pans were gathering dust.Charles was in his element, unlike Noelle. Following him through the aisles, Noelle felt that familiar tug of something more than admiration for this guy.She could not put her finger on it, but Charles was not like any rich kid she had ever met. He had this air of elegance and a cool charm but with a sly twist. He had the polish of the well-off without the usual arrogance.Noelle was at a loss for words. However, if anything, Charles was one of a kind.Charles, leading the way with the shopping cart, noticed Noelle
"Oops!" Noelle carefully put back the extra items she had grabbed, "So now we... Ouch!"Before Noelle could finish her sentence, she was jolted by a shopping cart that a customer had accidentally let go of. The cart had come out of nowhere, and even Charles, with his ninja-like reflexes, could not catch it in time.Charles, with a swift move, pulled Noelle out of harm's way, but the cart clipped him, causing his ankle to twist.Noelle inhaled sharply, the throbbing pain in her calf forcing her to clench her teeth.Charles caught the pained look on Noelle's face and quickly shoved the cart aside, crouching down to massage the spot where she had been struck. "How are you? Does it hurt much?"The spot where Charles's hands were was tender, but Noelle shook her head. "I'm fine, really!""Are you sure you're okay? I'm so sorry!" A woman, clutching her child, hurried over, her face awash with remorse. "I was watching my little one and didn't see the cart get away from me. I'm terribly
A warmth spread through Noelle's chest, though she tried to sound annoyed. "Really, what will people think, seeing me in here like this?""It’s either the cart or the hospital. Take your pick!" Charles challenged her with a choice.Noelle's mouth opened, but no words came out. She chose to remain silent.Sometimes Charles could be so overbearing, Noelle thought. However, in a strange way, his assertiveness was kind of endearing.Noelle knew Charles was only fussing over her because of her sprained ankle, and she realized that not every guy would be so thoughtful. She bit her lip and sat still in the shopping cart, twiddling her fingers. She was grateful, indeed, but she was also an adult, and being carted around by Charles was just plain weird.Out of Noelle's sight, Charles let a smile creep into his eyes, a fond grin that made everyone else around wish they had someone to look at them like that.Pushing the cart with one hand and juggling some groceries with the other, Charles
Noelle, believing it was better to avoid making a scene, tugged at Charles's hand to keep him quiet. "We're really, really sorry!""Look, ma'am, you seem like a sensible person. There's been no harm done today, so we'll let it slide this time. However, you and your husband need to watch it from now on. What you do at home is your business, but in public, you’ve got to mind yourselves. Think about it. The mall is huge, with tons of people around. Something could go wrong, you know?""Yes, sir. That makes total sense. We've got it," Noelle said, flashing another smile and quickly adding, "We’re really sorry about this, won't happen again, promise."After her apology, Noelle shot Charles a look that could freeze lava. Noticing Charles's growing impatience, she took his hand and gave his palm a secret pinch. "Hey, it's no biggie, right? We messed up, that's all. Your turn to say sorry.""Me, apologize?" Charles scowled. Noelle's warning glance, however, told him this was not the time f
"What... what?" the guard's eyes bulged, "You're kidding, right?""Do I look like I'm kidding?" Ronald had adjusted his collar, "Next time, pay attention. The big boss does what he wants, especially with his wife."Ronald gave the guard's shoulder a reassuring pat, "You got lucky today, bumping into the boss's wife!"The guard was speechlessNoelle carefully led Charles away, trying to read his mood. She had attempted to slip her hand away from his, but he gripped it even tighter.Noelle bit her lip. "You're not mad, are you?"Charles stayed silent, and Noelle really thought he was mad. She stopped and pulled at his hand. "Don't be so touchy. The guard was right. We did cause a scene, and he was just doing his job."Charles stopped. A ticklish feeling in his palm made him raise an eyebrow, amused. He had put on a stern face to play along with Noelle. Turning to her, he had said, "But you thought I should apologize?"Noelle bit her lip, feeling cornered. She had not expected Cha
"Nelly." He said her name like it was something sacred.Noelle blinked up at him, "Yeah?""It's nothing." Charles inhaled deeply, releasing her gently to avoid frightening her. He grabbed something and started walking. "Come on. We've wasted enough time, and you said you were starving, right?"At his words, Noelle patted her stomach, "I'm totally starving!" She decided not to dwell on Charles's earlier behavior. "So, who's cooking today, you or me?""I'll cook if you drive us home," Charles offered with a smile. "Let's hit the road!"Ronald could not believe his eyes when he stepped out of the mall. There was his boss, the epitome of cool and distant, looking down at Noelle with such warmth, his arms full of groceries.Ronald shook his head in disbelief. The thought of his usually unapproachable boss living a normal life was almost too much. If Peter and Sean caught wind of this, they would never let him live it down.Ronald shivered as he tried to shake off the haunting image.
Noelle was not exactly thrilled by Charles's compliment. She gave a half-hearted smile and said, "So, is this the end of the road for Frotconn?"Charles took a moment, then looked at Noelle with a tilt of his head, a playful challenge in his gaze. "Why? Got a soft spot for it?"Noelle pressed her lips together, a little frustrated. "You know that's not what I’m saying." She tried to keep her feelings out of it but could not help asking, "Does it have to go down like this?""Stay out of the business stuff. There are things I cannot share with you," Charles replied firmly. "You'll be in the loop when you need to be.""Fine," Noelle conceded, letting the subject drop.Noelle could tell there was more to the story than Charles was letting on. It was not just one thing that had him so determined. She smiled half-heartedly. "If Frotconn goes under, what'll happen to me?""You're smart. You'll land on your feet," he said, tapping his knee as if to emphasize his point. "Take a left here.