Perry's palm worked like magic. Phoenix could feel her lungs once more.
"Are you okay?" he inquired, a hint of worry in his voice.
Phoenix gave a reassuring nod, signalling her agreement.
"Drink up." He had replaced the wine glass with a water bottle.
Phoenix gulped down half of its content. She had to take it to lessen his shift in emotions. But....
Why does she feel new to this kind of treatment?
Perry knelt in front of her, one hand gently resting on her shoulder, while he held the bottle with the other. His eyes reflected a solid concern, indicating he was ready to support her through this moment.
"Thanks for..."
Phoenix couldn't find the right words to describe the situation they were in. Perry stood up to clear the air. He gave her space.
He was now in front of his window, hands in his pockets.
Did he just lose control right now?
He glanced at his reflection in the glass, noting how even a single day without her had stirred a sense of urgency within him. What was unfolding in his life?
He has never felt so deeply affected by a woman before. Despite his close ties with family, this experience is unlike any other.
And what was that look in his eyes? He just expressed his feelings for her. What was she going to think about him?
It was no surprise that he felt a deep sense of inadequacy the instant he understood she wouldn't attend the ball.
Geez....
He raked his fingers anxiously through his hair.
Perry..."
He heard her call his name.
"I... I really should be heading out now. I need to get ready for our dinner," she said with a sharp tone and quietly left after that.
Perry chose not to glance back. He understood that she had run out of words, especially after witnessing the depth of emotion in his eyes.
"Can you come here immediately?" He quickly called out to John. Almost instantly, John was right behind him.
"Did she mention anything before she left?" he inquired after a moment of silence.
"Yes, she said I should remind you about your dinner." John relayed the information to his boss.
He had wanted to ask Phoenix if the contract had been successfully signed after she came out of his office.
But, the lady looked like someone who was lost.
"Remind him about the dinner please!" She quickly said, like she was rapping. Then she briskly walked to the other end of the elevator.
What had happened between them?
John felt uncertain but chose to keep his thoughts to himself. He noticed that Perry seemed to be struggling and appeared overwhelmed.
"How did the contract go?" He asked after a few seconds of thought.
"It went well, and I see great opportunities for improvement," Perry thoughtfully noted.
"Stylish and FACE are officially partners." He told John after composing himself.
"We need to celebrate this."
He was back to himself. John did the sign of the cross. He felt a sense of relief wash over him now.
Both men sat down. Perry took his old seat whilst John sat opposite him.
"We do?" John asked out of the blue.
"Is it right? Have you thought about it with Phoenix?" He curiously asked, wanting to know what had happened minutes ago in here.
"I'll discuss it with her at our dinner. Don't worry about it." Perry assured him.
"I'm done here."
"Are you dismissing me right now, because I want to know what happened between you two?"
Perry laughed at his comment, then gestured towards the door and stated,
"You know what to do."
John quietly walked out, stealing a glimpse of Perry before finally walking out.
This guy!
*****
What.....
"What was that?" Phoenix asked herself.
How did she get so close to him?
Phoenix finally found her sense of relief. She was safely inside her car. The driver appeared taken aback by her sudden outburst at that moment.
"Don't mind me," she told the driver after realising he was observing her through the rearview mirror.
She did invite him to dinner at her place. How was she going to prepare food? What was she even going to prepare?
She just invited him without a second thought about it.
Wilmar won't let her off if she hears about this.
What in the world?
.
.
.
.
"Wilmar, I really need your support right now," Phoenix spoke earnestly during her call with her best friend.
"What can I help you with this time?" Wilmar asked gently, her voice tinged with concern. "I noticed you didn't seem to take my advice before. Is there something troubling you?" Despite her friend's frustration, deep down, she was genuinely glad to be there for her.
"Perry is coming to my place tonight." Phoenix spilt the beans.
"Is that true?!" Wilmar exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief on the other end of the line.
"How did you do that?"
She was only interested in the aftermath and not the prologue.
"Wilmar, you are not helping."
"Sorry, sorry. Please tell me what happened. I know you went to his company to discuss the contract. How did it go?" Wilmar asked, joy evident in her voice.
"We worked on the contract and ...." Phoenix was in a daze. She didn't know how to tell her friend that she noticed profound feelings reflected in Perry's gaze.
"What's next?" Wilmar anxiously asked.
"I wanted to apologise about the ball. And I offered dinner at my place." Phoenix spoke softly, uncertain of her friend's reaction.
"Wow. You did what? I can't believe you asked him on a date." Wilmar was on fire.
"It's not a date or anything like that. It's just that it's at my place, and honestly, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed because I don't know what to cook." Phoenix finally shared what was weighing on her mind with Wilmar.
"Cook anything. Girl, be yourself." Wilmar advised.
"Don't think he's some kind of a god, so you're going to behave abnormally. Come on, be yourself. Have fun. I bought ingredients for you. So you have everything to prepare for your dinner date!"
"It's not a date...."
Wilmar had already hung up the call.
"This ... Wilmar."
She went upstairs, changed into something comfy and came down to cook dinner.