Minutes Before The Miracle

CHAPTER - 21

Happy reading!

-x-

Thought of the chapter :-
The universe is always speaking to us... sending us little messages, causing coincidences and serendipities, reminding us to stop, to look around; to believe in something else, something more.
            - Nancy Thayer

-x-

STEVEN

Some coincidences are meant to be.

"Not bad. Definitely not bad," Stephan throws a comment.

"What?" I ask.

"That chick whom you have been staring at since the last five minutes." He gives a wink along with a lopsided grin.

"I am not interested and I am not staring," I state.

"Looks like she is available then." Saying so, he walks towards the corner booth.

Two things. She looks lost AND my brother is the last person whom I trust when it comes to females.

So, I sashay past Stephan and settle next to Emma with him across us.

"Excuse me... Oh!" Emma throws me an incredulous look and then replaces it when she realises that it's me.

"Hello honey. Seems like you are in serious need of company. Any plans this weekend?" Sometimes, Stephan can be so candid that I almost wish he wasn't my brother. Had he not been painfully good with numbers, he would have been fired from my company long ago. But there is not a single soul who can swap Stephan in finance. Atleast, not one whom I have come across.

However, right now he isn't the Chief Financial Officer of Bradshaw Enterprises, he is just a handsome man with a charming boyish smile, who knows his way around making girls drool all over him.

"Actually, yes. She does have plans this weekend. She is going to work with me 'cause she took half a day off," I reply without hesitation as soon as Emma parts her lips to answer. She throws me a glare as if I am bothered about it.

"Who works in the weekend?" Stephan's voice sounds almost painful. "Wait a second... she works in your company?"

"Yeah. I am hired temporarily for the journal." Emma speaks up before I can.

"All the more reason to be with you. Had I known a little earlier, I would have definitely preferred lunch with you over plans with my brother." He flashes his charming grin which is specially reserved for girls.

"Umm... Okay but you may go out with your brother," Emma says with a soft smile.

"I am already done."

"He's your brother?" Emma spins her head like a bolt of thunder, to which I lift a brow and shrug a bit.

"I know he's absolutely boring and way too bossy. Isn't he?" Stephan questions Emma teasingly.

"Don't invite inferno, Steph," I warn.

"I am out of this." He puts his hands up, picks his coffee and walks out.

Good for him!

"Seems like you were contemplating something." I look at Emma.

"Definitely. You and your brother are poles apart. He is so easy to talk and you are just... you," she replies fingering her fries.

"Well, I am well aware that I am who I am."

She mumbles something about typical narcissism and that somehow makes me chuckle.

"How did the dinner with your friends go?" I did have work the day before but did I finish it up because I am a workaholic or did it on purpose to evade the dinner is still a matter of internal debate.

"Good," she answers, staring into space.

"Was it a dinner that deserves a plain, simple 'good'?" I push a tad more.

"How does it matter?" she snaps her eyes at me and that glare feels like my undoing. "It's none of your billion dollar business. So, please stop badgering me." The upscale in her voice is a reflection of her exasperation.

"Alright. Let's talk something which bothers my business. Get the next set of reports done when you drop by at my place this weekend."

"Why should I go to your place?" she enquires.

"The reason is extremely basic. I want you to. This weekend then." I get up.

"You are talking as if we are going on a picnic," she snaps again.

A sliver of thought passes my brain and the words purge out before I could register their meaning,"You could place a bet on that. You never know."

Where has the damn control vanished? This girl, this beautiful girl right next to me is definitely going to be my undoing.

-x-

Just a filler chapter.

Hope you enjoyed.

Vote and comment.