The Mr. Jones

"Spill."

Celia avoided her friend's questioning gaze.

"How on earth are you acquainted with the one and only Mr. Jones?!"

Valeiry nearly ripped her hair while Sandra watched her friend carefully, not missing any detail.

"If I tell you that it's my first time meeting him, face-to-face, would you have believed me?"

"Huh?! First time?! NO WAY IN FU--"

"LANGUAGE!!"

Valeiry interrupted before Sandra could cuss and turn her attention to the subject.

"See? You asked me and I answered truly."

"Then how?"

"That's a question you have to ask Mr. Jones. You have been with me ever since I moved here, you should know better than anyone what I do during my dailies."

"I hate the fact that I can't even refute that."

"Yeah...since both of you always hung around me because of food."

"Well, you do love us."

Celia rolled her eyes at her friends before digging through her memories if she had an encounter with the infamous Mr. Jones. 

Ever since she started her new life in Candberra, there was never a moment, except at her store, when she was alone. Most of the time, she's surrounded by people, be it her friends, staff, or employees, maybe even a bodyguard just for extra protection.

"I really can't recall where have I ever met Mr. Jones, no matter how much I recall even if I have to dig through my memories."

"Well then, how did he know your name and address?"

Everyone was silent, deep in thought especially Celia. This question bothered her and it was this that she somehow forgot to ask him since that night he personally sent her back to her villa.

"Yeah, how did he know me if we never met?"

"The only explanation we could get is that, he's THE Mr. Jones. Anything is possible within his grasp."

"That's agreeable. I don't think there's even a thing that he can't get for himself."

"Hah, well except for a relationship."

The girls looked at each other before bursting out of laughter. 

"That's funny! I don't think Mr. Jones is desperate for a partner that he would start getting to know me. Maybe he's just intrigued because of how popular my business has been. And as a businessman, maybe he just wanted to know the owner and how I operate, thinking if it's worth investing his time."

"Or..."

"He has been charmed by you and your awesomeness."

Celia looked at her friends before clutching her stomach in pain from too much laughing. She wiped her tears before looking at her friends like they had grown two horns and a long nose right at this instant.

"That's the MOST funniest thing you've ever said. That was really good."

"Think about it, ever since he escorted you back to our table during that night, from your little trip to the bathroom, he hasn't really left your side. I did recall that he was basically glued beside you and never left, even his friends joined our small table. Well, of course, I do understand that Val had somehow taken the attention or should I piqued the young master Garblev's interest. But that's for another discussion."

"Forget that stupid guy, but yes, Sandra is right. That Mr. Jones hasn't really left your side. Remembering about our girl's night, it seems like his eyes can't seem to move away from you."

"You're kidding."

"No. We're not."

"That guy was practically like a gum stuck to your hair strands and could not be removed no matter how much you tried to find a solution."

"Although the thought of having THE ONE and ONLY Mr. Jones, clinging to you, I wouldn't say it's the luckiest lottery you could win. It's a blessing and a curse at the same time."

"Gaining his attention would equal you getting his crazy pursuers, especially those young ladies from the wealthy district."

"Girl, you will have a lot on your plate if that ever happens."

"Well then, I think it's due that I set up an appointment with Mr. Jones. I have to figure out what's his real intention in approaching me, then cut it off before it's too late."

"That is if you can."

"Of course I will."

If only she knew the power of words, she wouldn't have said those words. At all. 

Following the man in front of her, Celia contemplated if she should quietly disappear or make an excuse to go to the bathroom and run for her life. 

Celia didn't plan on meeting Mr. Jones, she only wanted to eat her lunch in a nice restaurant while doing her work but, as if the universe had another plan to wreck her unorganized self, they decided to put her in the very same place where the man she claimed to cut ties with. Hilarious, right? No.

Just as if the universe heard her prayers, she met the person in subject right at the restaurant where she had plans to have lunch. Right at that weekend.

Right now, Celia wanted the earth to swallow her and she swore, everyone could hear her loud heartbeat as the nerve slowly ate her confidence to tackle the problem that was about to happen.

Anderson turned his head and saw the woman with frowned brows. As if repulsed by the scene, he involuntarily touched her brows as a bright pair of eyes looked up at him in surprise.

The distance between them was enough for a child to pass through. He could have moved towards her but he doesn't want to scare and make her run away.

'One step at a time. Baby steps.'

Comforting himself, the finger that touched her skin felt hot as he tucked them inside his pocket, looking cool. But inside, he's squealing with delight like a teenage boy.

"If you keep frowning, wrinkles will appear and you'll start to worry about those lines. They're my mother's words."

"...Ah...umm...thanks, I'll remember that."

"Hmm... were here."

"Mr. Jones!"

Anderson paused and looked back as half of his body is between the doorframe.

"I think I better go, I'm not really hungry and just came to grab some... you know...snacks for later... in case I got hungry... so yeah, thanks for the invite but I think I may have to do a rain check..."

"You--"

*GROWL*

Both stared at each other before Anderson smiled and went inside the private booth as if he hadn't heard a word she said. Meanwhile, Celia felt so embarrassed she wished she could just disappear in thin air and never appear again. Maybe she would have reincarnate in a thousand years from now. That would be perfect.

That's only if the universe heard her prayer.