Chapter 311 Suddenly Close
If my arms were not already overflowing with bags, I would have visited more booths.
I glanced at the mountain of trinkets that Charlie was disappearing under and finally
tamed the wild shopping beast inside me.
We got t
got to the sidewalk, but a problem arose.
“Getting a taxi with all this loot will be a nightmare,” I mumbled, thinking about how we
would get back. Charlie’s muscle guy had left us here to fend for ourselves.
Just as I said that, a shiny black Bentley pulled up like it was on cue. Two dudes in
matching black suits got out and made a beeline for Charlie. “Mr. Yates,” they said, all
serious.
Charlie gave a quick nod and handed his shopping bags to the bodyguard. That was when
I clammed up, realizing I had been fretting over nothing. The wealthy really were in a
league of their own. They could live it up without a single worry. As the bodyguards helped
Charlie into the car, he spotted me lingering on the curb and called, “Hey, aren’t you
coming?” I grinned at him and said, “I’ll catch a taxi soon. Head back to the hospital,
okay?” We were going in opposite directions, and it just did not make sense for me to
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtcrisscross the city.
His smile was warm, his voice a mix of comfort and resolve, “I’ll drop you off first.
Catching a cab here is a nightmare.”
He was spot on. The night market buzzed with folks scrambling for rides. Without a peep,
hopped into the car.
We rolled up to the Scotts‘ place half an hour later. I stepped out and waved to Charlie.”
Thanks for the ride. See you later!”
Hen
He nodded, handing me a neatly tied box. “I got something for you.”
I blinked in surprise. “What’s in it?”
He chuckled softly. “Just a little token. Go on, open it.”
I
Curiosity got the better of me, and I popped open the box. Inside, I found the cutest
necklace, which looked like it was spun from cotton candy. It was delicate, with tiny,
intricate details that made it totally irresistible and one–of–a–kind.
I just had to know. “Where did you find this?” It was not the kind of thing you plan to buy;
it seemed like a spur–of–the–moment find. A necklace this fancy at a night market seemed
improbable, so where did he get it?
He gave me a signature mischievous smile and dodged the question with a simple, “Do
you like it?”
I gave him a nod, but then it hit me–this necklace had to be worth a ton. Realizing the
potential value of the necklace, I squinted at him, “What’s with the out–of–the–blue
present?” He just shrugged, waving the half–munched cotton candy and a Superman mask
in the air, ” Hey, you got me some stuff too, so I had to return the favor, right?”
I was speechless. How on earth did he think a stick of candy and a mask were on the same
level” as a necklace?
Reluctantly, I pushed the box back toward him, “Back and forth? No way, this necklace has
got to be super pricey. I just can’t accept it.”
He paused, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “You… don’t like it?
I shook my head, trying to find the right words. “No, it’s not that, I just…”
He did not let me get the words out. “Then it’s a done deal.” He steamrolled right over my
protests, saying, “Look, it’s not about how much it costs. It’s about the thought behind it. I
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmlove what you picked out for me. It means the world to me. So, just take it, will you? If not,
it’s like saying we are not even pals.”
Whoa, when did this become a friendship test?
I was caught off guard, yet I managed to muster a smile. “Alright, I’ll keep it. Thanks… I
appreciate the thought, really.”
“If this is all about swapping gifts, I’ll make sure my next one is just as awesome.”
He saw me agree and nodded, his eyes lighting up with a warm smile, “Awesome, now got
home, kick back, and sleep tight. Goodnight.”
I nodded back, quick and eager. However, before I could take a step, Charlie’s voice froze
me. Yvette.”
Whirling around, I caught him looking away, something new and unreadable dancing in his
eyes. He squinted at me, a playful smirk on his lips, “Come here for a minute.”
Puzzled, I bit my lip and asked, ‘What’s going on?”
He motioned for me to come over. I hesitated for just a second before moving closer,
thinking he would spill some secret or news. He surprised me by blowing a soft breath
across my cheek, and I just stood there, stunned.
“There was something on your face,” he said, his hand lightly touching my cheek as if to
wipe it
away. He was right there, so close I could barely handle it, and I caught a whiff of tobacco
coming off him.