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

Chapter 13 - Rivals?

Cristiano was amused. "Yes, me again. How have you been?" He asked, squatting to her level. He then began to pull up his sleeves to his elbows. And Angel watched him in shock as he began plucking some of the small weeds around the green beans.

"What are you doing?" She asked, staring at him as he worked the beds.

"Helping you. Is that too strange?" He asked without meeting her gaze. Angel sighed and got up. And Cristiano found himself pausing what he was doing as he got up as well. He realized again that she didn't seem to be no more than maybe 5'4". If anything, he found her quite cute the way she was looking at him now with those serious and almost intimidating eyes.  He swallowed and dusted his hands off. "You didn't answer my question about how you've been?"

Angel glared at him. "You shouldn't be here. Please just leave."

"Not until I know how you're doing."

Angel felt impatient. "Well, I'm doing fine. Now please go. I really don't want Claire or anyone to find you here. I'm not in the mood to deal with any stupid questions."

Cristiano stifled a chuckle. And she continued to glare at him with her arms folded across her chest.

"Okay." Cristiano said as he walked over to one of  the outdoor faucets by the garden and rinsed his hands before drying it with the automated air dryer. He then came back and stood in front of her, both hands in his pockets. When it didn't seem like he was budging, Angel slumped both shoulders and shook her head before turning back around and squatting to resume her garden work. "I'm sorry about your dad, and your mom. I - I guess I just wanted to make sure you were really okay." Cristiano said from where he stood. He made no effort to walk over to her. Clearly, she didn't want his company.

"Thank you for asking." He heard her voice before he completely turned around. But then he turned back to face her, instantly captivated by her eyes and the innocence on her face. And before he knew it, he was asking her, "Was that why you were at the graveside that Friday when I first saw you? It - that was you then, right?" He asked, remembering that day he'd seen her for the first time even though he'd barely seen her face then. But he knew.

"Yes." She answered and then went back to continuing her work. 

"Will you be serving dinner tonight?" Cristiano asked, mentally chiding himself for speaking so plainly. God, could he get any more obvious?

But to his surprise, Angel had simply nodded and answered, "Yes." And Cristiano found himself saying, "good" before he spun around and went inside the house.

~~

Angel hadn't seen much of Celeste, but the few times that she'd encountered the woman who commanded attention whenever she walked and spoke, Angel knew that there was something about her that she didn't like. And now, even as she joined her coworkers in serving dinner at the table, she couldn't help the dislike that erupted within her at the sight of seeing Celeste at the table with the Kingsley's, smiling and laughing with them as if she was a part of the family. But what seemed to make Angel even more annoyed was the fact that Celeste seemed to be very familiar with Cristiano. Before tonight, Angel would have thought that she was Hano's girlfriend. But nothing about the way the woman was all over Cristiano told her that. In fact, if Angel may be so bold, she would conclude that Celeste was Cristiano's girlfriend. But even the thought of that made Angel feel sick. And she hated that feeling. She hadn't known Cristiano for too long, and from what she'd heard from the other maids, he hadn't been around for a while. He'd been away for eleven years and only visited once in all of those years. She pushed the thoughts out of her mind as she tried to focus on pouring the drinks for the diners.

"This is good." She heard Celeste say. And then a giggle followed. And Angel thought even that sound was annoying. "I forgot how warm and delicious having dinner here always feels." She heard Celeste say to nobody in particular. "Of course." Ada Kingsley spoke. "You know you are always welcome here, Celeste, dear." She added. As soon as Ada's words were out, Angel began to wonder if the woman was even aware of Celeste's nasty attitude. Or was she the only one who could see beneath all that sweetness the blond woman was spitting out?