<b>Chapter </b><b>73 </b>
<b>Jared’s </b><b>words </b>caught me <b>off </b><b>guard</b><b>, </b>and I couldn’t <b>help </b>but stare at him. He didn’t even notice the awkward look on my <b>face </b>and just snorted <b>low</b><b>. </b><b>“</b>You dress <b>so </b><b>nicely </b><b>every </b>day now.
“<b>I </b>bet a lot of guys have noticed you. Victoria, you need <b>to </b>understand that outer beauty will never beat inner beauty. You don’t have to dress so shy just to impress me every day.”
I honestly thought Jared was out of <b>his </b>mind. I dressed up to feel good about myself, not to please him. “Honey, if an ugly freak stood in front of you, would you care about its inner beauty?” <b>I </b>asked with a smile.
“That’s boring,” Jared said, taking two sips of his <b>coffee </b>before standing up. “You’re noting tonight? Yvonne said she wants toe over.”
“No,” I said with a little anger this time. Jared thought I was being unreasonable and didn’t bring it up again.
As evening fell, I left work. Melissa suddenly invited me to her and her boyfriend’s ce for dinner. <b>If </b>I hadn’t been in such a bad mood, I wouldn’t have wanted to intrude on their time alone.
But maybe catching some of their good energy would help me, so I said yes. On the way, I bought a bunch of fruit.
When I got downstairs, I struggled carrying it all and set it down by the elevator door, leaning against the wall to catch my
breath.
“What are you doing here?” a deep voice said behind me, surprised.
I turned to <b>see </b>Nathan holding two bottles of red wine. He was dressed casually. The light shone down, and as he looked at me against the light, his gaze was clear.
I nced at the elevator, then back at Nathan. I felt like there was some secret I didn’t know about between them. ‘Melissa is ying matchmaker<b>?</b>‘ I thought.
“Is it too heavy? I’ll help you carry it upstairs,” Nathan said, reaching out and easily lifting my big bag of fruit.
“Thanks,” I said, my scattered thoughts calming down. I hadn’t made any secret ns with Nathan. I was just going to a friend’s house with him, so it didn’t cross any lines.
“What’s wrong? It’s the first time I’ve seen you blush,” Nathan smiled, asking as we rode the empty elevator.
I touched my cheek and said, “The car was parked too far, so I had to walk.”
“Oh,” Nathan said, his voice dropping a bit.
<b>“</b>Is <b>it </b><b>a </b>custom in your hometown to bring a gift card when visiting someone’s new home for the first time?” he suddenly asked.
“Ah,” I was surprised. “<b>Is </b>this the first time Melissa’s boyfriend is staying at his new ce?”
Nathan nodded. “Right, I brought a gift card. Since we came together, if I gave one and you didn’t, it might seem off.”
I opened my purse right away. “I’ll give cash.”
Nathanughed and quickly slipped his gift card into my bag. “Forget it. I’ll just give him a bonuster. No need for a gift
<b>card</b>.”
I looked at the gift card in my bag, ready to take it back, but then I heard him quietly say, “Just <b>keep </b>it for now. My pockets
Chapter yo
are shallow<b>, </b>and if it fell out, <b>that </b><b>wouldn’t </b><b>be </b><b>good</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>I </b><b>didn’t </b><b>know </b>what else to <b>say</b>. <b>He </b>cared about me. <b>The </b>elevator arrived. Melissa had already opened the door, waiting for <b>me</b>, but she didn’t <b>expect </b>us both to show up.
<b>“</b>Victoria, you and Mr. Hallman have some luck. In a city as big as Hachester, you meet in the same elevator,” Melissa said <b>with </b>a smile, helping with the bags. “Thanks for the gift, Mr. Hallman.”
Nathan chuckled softly. <b>“</b>Ms. Murphy bought the fruit. <b>These </b>two bottles of wine are for Zachary,”
AD