Thrust Into His Arms Chapter 23

I didn’t an to scare you."

Of course he didn’t. Why was I scared like a rat stealing food? I was not stealing the cookies. Yet. Maybe it is because I am the only one who ever cos to the pantry instead of the cafeteria. I like the Pantry’s bread and chocolate butter cookies a lot more than the new dietitian’s cooking. The chocolate butter cookies is top excellent. I even sneak so ho for and Annie sotis. The cookies and bread are supplied daily from the forr dietitian’s bakery. She was a lot better cook than this new one. Everyone else thought differently. Hence, I am the only one here during lunch breaks.

"Hey."

"Hey." He cos in and makes himself instant coffee. Stirring it for longer than necessary. "Listen, I. . . actually want to ask you sothing." He says. "Okay."

"That wedding of my best friend and my ex that I told you about, would you like to accompany as my plus one?"

"You are going?" I ask and stare in disbelief at him.

"Yeah. If I don’t, it will seem like I am heartbroken. And going alone would be. . . . awkward and pathetic. I will like a cuckold husband."

"Makes sense." I take a straw sip from my hot, cold orange juice. "Think of it as doing a favor, please."

I was giving it thought when I rember, "Hold on, wait. You did ntion that you were already interested in soone else. Ask that person to go with you." I point out.

"I. . . I can’t tell her now. I don’t know how it would make her feel." He lowers his head and stirs his coffee. This shy attitude, he must really like her.

"Don’t overthink it. Fire away. She would understand. You are a great guy." I advise.

"Think so?"

"Yes. I do. Seize the mont. You don’t want her to be taken by soone else, do you?"

"Alright. I will tell her. But you gotta go with to the wedding. You are the only person I have told about it."

He then adds, "Pretty please. . . .?" He pleads persuasively making roll my eyes. "Fine."

"Great. I will co pick you up at your place tomorrow."

"You know where I live?"

He sheepishly nods up and down. Perhaps feeling like he shouldn’t have made that slip. "I asked for it from Veronica. I was planning to co see you. You know, as a courtesy of humanity."

"That is so unexpected of you." He smiled, I smile too.

"Is this a party, people?" A voice spoke. Laurel again. What is she doing here?

"We will talk later about the arrangents for tomorrow." He said on his way out.

"Arrangents for tomorrow?" She wiggled her brows at when he leaves.

"It is not what you are thinking Laurel." I rush to explain.

"What do you think I am thinking?" She perches besides , looking at my face intently. "You and Raymond? Really? Our departnt is going to be the center of a scandal."

"Nothing is going on between and Raymond." I clarify. "Even if there is, it is not scandalous because I am no longer getting married."

"Huh? Why, did sothing go wrong?" I ended up roughly summarizing everything to her. "I am sorry. That is quite sad." She said sympathetically.

"No it isn’t." I shrug. "I am finding new purposes."

"Is that new purpose Raymond Holt? I had always known there was sothing from the way he looks at you." The corners of my mouth quirks up in a mocking face gesture. Laurel Cirnwell is an ultimate romance delulu. and Raymond just recently started speaking to each other.

"Let it go." I assert. I turn back when I almost reached the door. "And keep your mouth locked. If you must speak about it, fully explain the part that I am single now. Understood?"

NO ONE’S POV

"I think she must have mistakenly made the call without knowing she did."

"Hmmm."

GWENETH

First. . . second. . . third. My anxiety grew with each ring. Just when I thought it would go unanswered, it finally connects on the fourth. "Hello?" A male voice spoke.

"H-hello." I forced out sound from my voice box. "Who. . . am I unto?"

"It’s -- Gweneth. We t at Cherry’s nightclub last week Friday. . ." I trail off as that would be enough to jog his mory to rember unless he has anterograde amnesia. I silently clear my throat and continue in a conjured soft voice that I made sure does not sound overly soft and cute before using it. "You left a note with this number on it." I add when nothing but heavy silence ca from his end. "I do rember that." His tone of voice is flat—like the systematic AI. Shouldn’t he be like. . .happy that I called? I introduced myself. He didn’t. I tap my fingers on my knee as the disbelieving silence cos again. I fold my lips in, thinking of what else to say. I should not have made this call. This is so damn awkward. Outlandish. "What is your na?" I asked.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry! I have suddenly forgot my manners." He suddenly speaks like he had been half asleep and was jolted awake. "My na is Ronnie Rickson. I am 25. I am six foot one inches tall. . ." Dude begins giving a detailed background of himself like I am an employer at an interview. I listened but only heard the part where he says his na and age. Ronnie Rickson. Not bad. Age twenty five is also not too bad as it is just a one year age difference between us. But I do prefer guys that are older than . I have never been in a relationship with a younger guy before. But I guess it will not hurt to try though. I can give him a chance.

"You didn’t have to go that far." I said laughing after he was done with his full self-introduction. "Your na is all I need to know for now.