To Love A Maiden: An Enemies To Friends To Lovers Romance ✓

Chapter 10 - At The Conference

Before Cristiano could respond, Manny was walking towards Angel who still had no idea that she'd been found. He downed the rest of his drink; and without thinking, began following after Manny. But he stopped abruptly when he heard someone call out his name.

"Cristiano. I've been looking for you all night."

He turned around to find Celeste smiling at him as she approached him.

"I was in the other drawing rooms, and I was getting bored. The speaker is about to start. Well -" she checked her wrist watch. "The speaker will be starting in a few minutes."

Cristiano raked his fingers through his hair. He'd missed half of what she said.

"Cris? Did you hear what I said?" Celeste asked before following his gaze to find Manny talking with a maid.

"Cris?" She returned her attention to Cristiano who returned his gaze to her. "Yes." He nodded half-heartedly. What the heck was Manny thinking trying to talk to Angel?

"Did you want to get a quick snack so we can go grab a seat before the speaker begins?"

Cristiano didn't want a snack. In fact, he didn't want to be seated to hear a group of boring speakers speak. And the fact that Angel was entertaining Manny wasn't sitting right with him. Without sparing Celeste another glance, he nodded, taken aback slightly when she hooked her arm in his as they walked out of the drawing room.

~~

"See? I told you I'm a friend of the family. Cristiano is my best buddy," Manny said, his eyes scanning the young lady who seemed like she wanted to be anywhere else but here.

"Well, good for you, sir. I have to work, if you would excuse -"

"Angel."

She turned back to face him. And that was when he took that as his cue to continue. "Where are my manners? I'm Emmanuel. But most people just prefer to call me Manny. You can call me either one, my lady," he said, bowing slightly before extending one hand towards Angel who just stared at it with irritation before leaving his presence.

"Man, she's hot," Manny whispered to himself before leaving the drawing room to go find his best friend.

~~

"Which one did you say it was again?"

At this point, Angel just wanted to be done for the night. She turned slightly to face Melinda before responding, "The one sitting next to Cristiano on his left."

"The black guy?" Melinda asked, narrowing her gaze to get a better view of the man Angel had described.

"Yes," Angel replied.

"Hmm he is hot, but maybe Cristiano told him about you."

Angel shook her head before nodding at a passing guest. She hated that she and Melinda had to wait and help out instead of moving around like the other maids. Mrs Kingsley had specifically told them to pause on the movements for now until further instructions.

"I don't think so," she replied. "Besides, I hadn't met Cristiano at that time," she added.

"True. True. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he is hot. You said his name was Manny?"

"That's what he said. And please stop with this hot thing you always say about every guy," Angel said, releasing an irritated sigh. And Melinda giggled lightly before facing forward.

Another thirty minutes passed before both ladies received word from Mrs Kingsley that they could resume serving drinks to the standing guests.

And as soon as Angel turned around to follow Melinda, she heard her name. She turned back around to find Manny smiling away at her.