Melissa slipped the ring in her necklace hiding it under her shirt as she walked into the office. Mark had left the room sometime in the night, hoping to see him in the morning Melissa got up early but he was not in the house and he had not called.
Saying hello to her officemates she sat on her desk chair checking the pending work she had. Opening her drawer she got a red rose flower and a heart shaped card with a love message. Sniffing the card she smelled the so familiar cologne. Though the card had no name on it she knew who had kept it there. With a smile on her face she looked at the two lady's but no one paid much attention to her. He must have sent someone to deliver the card but non of them seemed to have any idea. When she messaged to thank him for the card he declined to share how he got the card to her office.
"Girl's I'm buying lunch today." Jenifer said waving her hand when they were preparing to leave.
"Taking us somewhere special to celebrate?" Nancy asked her eye's glued on her laptop screen.
"Really special." Jenifer said placing her hand on Nancy's desk to get her attention.
"Aah! wow congratulation, you got engaged." Nancy jumped when she saw the ring on Jenifer's finger.
"Goodness Nancy don't scream like that, you almost made me jump out of my skin." Melissa exclaimed placing her hand on her chest. Touching her ring, reminded her of her own engagement but she was not ready to tell them yet. They hugged Jenifer congratulating her.
"Wow! Look at how it sparkles. When is the wedding, I have to be one of the bridesmaid." Nancy asked touching the ring.
"In a months time and definitely you two will be my maid of honor." Jenifer assured them.
"Why so soon? We won't have enough time to arrange everything." Melissa asked.
"My fiance is leaving the country and he wants us to get married first."
"He is afraid to lose you. Hmm! Why can't I get someone like that? To sweep me off my feet." Nancy said leaning on her desk placing her cheek on her hand.
"The is so beautiful, ss a gift, Nancy and I will pay for lunch." Melissa offered reading the invitation card Jenifer gave her.
"What, she offered to take us for lunch why do we have to pay?" Nancy complained taking her bag.
They hired a taxi to take them for lunch. Driving off from the office building to the hotel, Melissa saw the questioning look on one of the bodyguard's face as he spoke on the phone. They had not been introduced but Adams had told her who they were when she saw them at the villa.
"Is that car following us?" Nancy inquired looking back as they drove off the busy highway.
"No, I don't think so." Melissa said putting her off.
"Slow down let see if they will stop." Jenifer told the taxi driver. She also had seen the car take off when they were leaving. The car drove past them without slowing down. Just then Melissa got a message from Mark, asking where they were ending to.
A few minutes in the hotel, Nancy looked agitated and unsettled staring at the man seated a table away from them.
"What wrong Nancy?" Melissa asked after noticing her weird behaviour.
"Is that man following us? I've seen him park his car across the street from our office several times and I saw him when that car drove past us earlier. Wait, I'll go confront him. Find out what he is after."
"Nancy wait." Melissa tried to stop her.
"Let her be, once she gets an idea in her head you can't stop her." Jenifer stopped Melissa from going after Nancy.
"But we are in a public place, she can't go accusing people like that." Melissa said worried they will find out.
"She wants a reason to speak to him, just watch."
They watched Nancy walk over, she tapped the table making the man look up. He was tall well built from intense workout wearing a well tailored black suit with a white shirt. Taking off his dark glasses he smiled, gesturing her to take a seat beside him at the table. Shaking her head, Nancy declined warning him to stop following them or she would report to the police. Turning she stopped, looking at the entrance.
"Oh no!" Melissa said looking at the entrance.
"What wrong?" Jenifer asked turning to look at the same direction.
Melissa had informed Mark the restaurant they were ending to, to stop him from worrying or sending more security men after her. Now there he was standing at the hotel entrance with James beside him. He scanned the room his eyes settling on Melissa. With a smile on his face he turned to the bodyguard.
"Sir" Surprised, the young man stood up to receive them, directing them to the table.
The manager rushed to welcome the them as the customers looked to see who the important guest was. It was not likely for someone with Mark's status to dine in the restaurant. Having him leave a complement about the hotel would improve their business greatly.
"Mr Johnson sir, you remember me I'm Nancy." Nancy shock his hand looking from the stranger she was confronting to Mark. Mark asked them to seat as he and James joined at the table. "Thank you for inviting me sir, I'm here with my two friends can they join?" She inquired pointing at the table Melissa and Jenifer were. After getting his consent she waved them to get over.
"Ms should we serve the wine?" The waiter asked Jenifer when they moved to Nancy's table.
"Yes, thank you." She told the waiter who served them as they made their order. The manager directed for the most expensive wine different from what Jenifer had ordered to be served.
"What are we toasting to?" James asked raising the glass.
"We are cerebrating Jenifer's engagement." Nancy responded enthusiastically.
They clinked the glasses together cheering. "Congratulations Jenifer. when is the wedding?" Mark asked taking a sip.
Responding, she took out an invitation card from her bag. "A month from now sir, your invited." she handed him the card.
"Thank you, I will make a note to show up at the wedding. My secretary will send an early gift to your office from me and my fiancee." He said looking at Melissa over the lim of the glass.
"Thank you so much sir." He stopped her when she got up to go knee before him. "Sir please send my regards to your fiancee for me, again thank you sir." She said bowing.
"I'm sure she receives it." He looked at Melissa who was busy with her food avoiding his eye contact. "Ms white right, your awfully quite. I don't see a ring, thought your married."
"What?" She was lost, savouring her food's spicy taste reminding her of the time she spent in the island with him.
"Oh no sir she is not, I don't think she is even dating. She spends so much time in the office," Nancy interjected. "..ouch." She winched in pain when Melissa stepped on her foot under the table.
"Is that so?" He questioned raising his eyebrows.
"Don't mind what she says, she is too excited." Melissa said. Jenifer smiled seeing Melissa try to stop Nancy.
"Actually Nancy is right, too bad your engaged sir you two could make a lovely couple." Jenifer winked at Melissa, making her chock on the food she was swallowing.
Mark gave her a glass of water to ease her Cough. "Sorry, guess the food is too spicy." Nancy patted her back comforting her.
"I'm okay, thank you." She said wiping her mouth.
"Too bad, ha ha ha sorry." Said James laughing, teasing Mark. Out of the work environment they were best friends, James often teasing him.
"I don't think she would mind a little competition." Mark said cutting his stake.
"Sure she would mind especially if she catches you flattering with other women." Melissa said place her glass on the table.
"You think so? Hmm! Then I should stop " Mark said looking deep into her eye's.
"Definitely you should." She agreed breaking the eye contact. "We have to get back to the office, our lunch break is over." She said turning to the waiter to get the bill.
"Don't, I'll pay." Mark said handing his credit card to the waiter.
"Thank you."
After the meal he offered to take them back to the office. In the limousine Melissa sat beside him as the two lady's sat silently on the opposite side and James joined the chauffeur. To avoid making any conversation Melissa kept herself busy looking out of the window while Mark concentrated on some office work. Going through the documents he occasionally looked at her at the corner of his eyes.
"I will catch up with you, It seems I dropped my name tag in the car." Melissa told them reading a message on her phone. She went back leaving her Nancy and Jenifer to get to the office.
"She's making an excuse to see Mr Johnson privately." She heard Nancy tell Jenifer as the elevator doors close.
They had dropped them off at the building entrance but the message she got directed her to the private car park. James opened the car door when she got there as he and the driver stepped out.