No Filter

Chapter XLIX (49)

I look out to the sky through the window and saw the snow slowly falling. The ground was slowly being covered by snow. There was a forecast of a blizzard heading this direction that will be covered with two feet of snow. I hope that's not true. I won't be able to leave and pay a visit until Liam clears the fields. Speaking of which, I need to ask for his consent. I don't want him to say no to me for this one. I need to do this since I've skipped out on it for the past couple of years. I couldn't bring myself down here to actually visit.

I button my thick coat and put on my winter boots. I put on a beanie and observe myself in the mirror. I spin around to make sure every thing was alright. I exit the room and saw Jade walking with Bear in the hallway. "Hi, Jade," I greet.

Jade stops and smiles, "Hi, Ally. Where are you going? You look very warm."

"I was a tad cold," I answer. "And I am going to ask Mr. Payne something."

"What?" Jade asks.

"Just to visit one of my family," I answer.

"He'll probably let you, considering he has a thing for you," Jade said, a little salty.

My brows furrow, curious to know where she got an idea like that from. "Pardon?"

"Nothing," Jade shakes her head, frowning. "I should probably take Bear downstairs. I promise him to help wrap his present for his dad."

She lowers her eyes. Bear smiles at me and says, "Ms. Hernandez, do you want to help as well?"

I shake my head and grin. "Thank you for the offer, Bear, but I have to talk to your father about something." Bear nods his head, a little disappointed, but he holds Jade's hand firmly.

Jade seals her lips and continues to walk down the stairs. I wet my lips, too curious to know what she meant by that. I follow, and once we reach the bottom step of the floor, I said, "Jade, wait."

Jade stops, along with Bear. She lowers eyes her on Bear and tells him, "Bear, can you please go ahead? Ms. Hernandez and I have to talk for a little bit."

"Okay," he says. He lets go of her hand and walks into the dining room.

Jade faces me and crosses her arms. "Okay, what do you want?"

"Is everything alright?" I ask.

She shrugs. "Yes," she replies. "It's just...I've been working with him for years, and...and he hasn't acknowledge all the things that I've done for him. It's unfair for me because you just came along, and he gives you so much privilege."

"I can talk to him if you want," I offer, but she declines.

"No. It's okay. I'm not really worried about that. It's just..." she pauses, and I take a step closer. Her eyes twinkle, and I recognize the look in her eyes.

"You like him, don't you?" I ask.

She chuckles. "He can be a big jerk sometimes, but I've seen his nice side, and I just think how drawn I am to him. He's just someone I can't have."

"What makes you say that?" I ask.

"He's never going to look at me and open up to me like he does with you," she says.

I shake my head. "Don't worry about me," I said. "You have a chance to be with him if you just ask him. And he might say yes. I can't speak for him, but he's single. And you're single. I say take the chance before he has someone. I know what that feeling feels like."

"You sure? I just don't want to make myself look like a fool," she says. "We work together, and we've known each other only as co-workers."

"Better than being friends because you're in the friend zone," I said.