Page 50 of New Growth
I gave a small smirk, shrugging off my coat and laying it across my forearm. “I thought about it. But I was actually interested in this event.”
His eyes locked onto mine, a warm smile spreading across his face. “Well, thank you for taking the time to come out. I appreciate it.”
Those damn ocean eyes.
I nodded and looked away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Yeah. No problem.”
He gestured toward the open space behind him. “Want me to show you around?”
“Sure.”
We wandered through the gallery, weaving between the displays. Distant conversations and the occasional click of heels on the polished floor filled the air, but between us, there was only quiet. He walked a few steps behind, letting me take everything in at my own pace.
The silence was comfortable, but eventually, he spoke.
“So, how’s your day been so far?”
I exhaled slowly, my shoulders sagging just a little. “Stressful.”
“Wanna talk about it?” His voice was warm and inviting, but to me, it felt like a trap.
“Rather not. Personal issues.”
“Oh. I see.”
A pause.Was that too harsh?I was not good at managing the emotions of new people. My tone wasn’t exactly pleasant, either. Add to that the tension from Ma’s text, and I was a ticking time bomb.
I glanced at him. “Sorry. I just—I got a lot on my mind.”
“No, no. I get it,” he said, his voice easy. His hands were tucked into his pockets, his expression unreadable but patient.
I shifted the focus. “What about you? How’s your day going?”
He tilted his head, considering. “Very busy. But at least now I get to spend time with you.”
I hummed, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but the small smile tugging at his lips told me he caught the amusement in my voice.
He studied me for a moment before speaking again. “I like your hair, by the way. It looks amazing.”
I glanced at him, caught off guard by the sudden compliment. “Thank you.”
“And that dress.” His gaze flickered downward, taking in my body slowly and appreciatively. “God. Forgive me if I stare.”
I arched an eyebrow and my lips twitching. The man definitely wasn’t shy about his interest.
“Are you usually this flirty?”
He smirked. “Not always. I just can’t believe I’m this attracted to a woman who has the same name as me. How egotistical.”
A quiet laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “Well, I’m flattered. But like I said before, I’m not interested in dating.”
His expression remained neutral, but a smile was hidden in those eyes. “I remember, Ellie.”
The way he said my name… heat crawled up my chest. “Good. Glad we’re on the same page, then.”
“Yeah,” He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Maybe we should change the topic.”
“Good idea.” I exhaled right along with him. It was only then that I realized how close we were to each other. We held each other’s eyes for a brief moment before we both looked elsewhere. Surprisingly, he was the one to move away first before asking:
