Finding myself (18+)

Chapter 44

"Is Andrew here?" Furrowing my brow, I pivot from his office's closed door to his secretary.

"No. He just left for lunch."

I press my lips together and give her a curt nod. I thought of having lunch with him because he leaves for his trip tonight.

It was an excellent opportunity to come here to surprise him.

"He's in the restaurant on the corner." She signs with her hands, showing the way, and I nod.

I took the morning off for another interview, and my self-esteem is quite down after another rejection. The clock is running against me, my internship is ending, and I only have a little more than a month before losing my visa. The deadline is tight.

Following the secretary's instructions, I entered the Italian restaurant on the corner of the same street Andrew's company is located in.

I walk in a hurry, pushing up my sleeves, a fluttery feeling in my chest. He may be alone, and he may want company too. Eager, I walk through it, searching for him. But he's not the one I see first. Is Alicia.

Her hair is now short but still black and shiny as I saw her last.

Andrew has his head close to hers, whispering and smiling. My cheeks flushed with jealousy from seeing them so close and intimate. He's showing her something on his phone. Yet it doesn't sit well. I'm still trying to understand the change in their relationship. And even though it bothers me, I have no choice but to accept it.

She grabs his phone to look at it closely, and her mouth opens in astonishment, then she covers it with her hand. He's explaining something about it while I'm reaching them.

My fist tightens around my purse's shoulder strap, and I force a smile on my face, not hiding my curiosity when I glance at his phone, ignoring the shock of seeing them in this position.

They jolt apart, and my smile falls. Andrew yanks his phone and hides it inside the pocket of his suit. Too fast, almost dropping it.

I glance at his suit pocket, still curious. My jaw hurts from clenching my teeth.

He smiles at me, surprised and panting, "Kels...what are you doing here?"

"Lunch with you."

"Have we planned it?" He scratches the back of his head, and I grimace at his question.

Alicia stands up, looking at her watch. "I'll let you do it. I have an appointment." She nods, avoiding my eyes, before leaving us alone.

"Am I disturbing?" My eyes shifted from him to Alicia's retreating form, pressing my hands against my burning cheeks.

"Of course not," he stands up and places the chair behind me so I can sit. "We had some business subjects to resolve before the trip." He sighs, his hands protectively closing around his pocket where his phone is located before he sits back on his chair. "We'll finish it later." He gives a small smile and calls for the waiter.

I shove the uneasiness out of my head, that feeling of them being too comfortable around each other. Like I caught something I shouldn't. Like they are hiding something, and something other than business.

"What were you checking on your phone?" I asked after we ordered our food.

"Nothing important," he dismisses it with his hands.

"Can I see it?"

He looks away immediately, his cheeks flushing.

"It was just the possible location of our offices," he takes a sip of his water, still facing away from me. It's hard to believe it when he can't even look me in the eyes.