We Broke Up

13 - The Counter Offer

I felt his strong hands slip around my waist and a slight pull closer to him. We were hugging, actually hugging and it didn't feel awkward at all. It felt kind of wonderful like a cloud wrapped us in softness and warmth then carried us to a different world of flower gardens and rainbows. I could get used to that.

A series of snickers and joshing around us made me remember where we were. "Uhm... Jay?" I whispered as I patted his shoulder.

"Hmmm?" He hummed, seemingly still lost in that brief moment of affection that we shared.

I pulled away to look at his face and smiled. He stared back at me tenderly, as if caressing every line and curve of my features from my hair to my eyes, my nose and my lips with his gaze.

"Yes, Miss Naveah?" He asked in almost a whisper, the sound of his voice sent shivers down my spine and made me blush.

"Anong oras ang out mo? Pwede ba tayong mag-usap?"

"Ha? A-ano?" He looked confused but there was still a soft smile on his lips as he continued to stare at me. "Pwede naman tayong mag-usap ngayon." He spoke in the same low voice as before.

"Nasa trabaho ka pa di ba? Dito. Sa resto bar." I told him as I gestured towards the sign on the wall of the restaurant. His eyes followed the direction my hand was pointing and looked around.

"Oh sh... Sorry, Miss Naveah... ano... " He looked at his watch. "Thirty minutes. Out na po ako in thirty minutes." He said.

"Don't apologize. It was my fault. Ako ang unang yumakap. Nabigla lang ako. I... I was just really happy to see you."

"Ako din po, Miss Naveah. Masaya akong makita ka."

"Good. I'll go back to my table. And I'll have a latte please while I wait for you." I smiled.

"Yes, Ma'am." He then went back to work and I returned to my table.

Half an hour later, he came back. "Jay, halika. Sit with me." I told him.

"Miss Naveah, medyo malalim na po ang gabi. Hatid ko na po kayo sa hotel." He said.

"You know what? You're right. Let's talk in the car." I suggested. He nodded and held his hand out to help me stand up then walked with me to my car.

"Here." I smiled as I handed him the keys.

He quietly stared at me for a few seconds but whatever questions he had in his mind about why I willingly gave him my keys without hesitation, he kept those to himself. He took the keys and opened the passenger door for me before getting in the driver's seat.

When I said we would talk in the car, I did not really anticipate how sitting alone with Jay in a confined space could make me feel like a sixteen-year-old on a first date. We remained quiet for the very short five-minute drive, in which time, I silently reprimanded myself as I tried to figure out how and why I was feeling such strong and crazy emotions towards a guy who is practically a stranger to me. I was not sure if he was as affected by all of it as I was but his quiet stolen glances, the redness on his cheeks and ears and the beads of sweat on his forehead in that 22 degree celsius temperature might give me some idea. Just might. I didn't want to assume.

He turned the engine off and then there were no other sounds other than the deep breaths we took which made us look at each other. I felt heat rise up to my cheeks and my heart started beating really fast inside my chest.

"Focus, Naveah. What the heck is happening to you? You're here for business and you ARE going to talk to him ONLY for business." I reminded myself and it almost worked until he leaned towards me. I held my breath as Jay's arm went over my waist to reach for the lock of my seat belt, his angelic face only a few inches from mine. I could feel his breath on my shoulder and smell his fresh and musky scent on my nose. He smelled good not from some expensive perfume but from a unique scent that was his and some light cologne.

Jay clicked the seat belt open and pulled away. He smiled at me sheepishly and I thought I saw him blush as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. He got down from the car and circled to the passenger side to open the door for me and help me out.

"Thanks." I mumbled and pulled my hand back from his strong and calloused grasp.

"N-nagusap na po kami ni Riza." He told me as we walked towards the hotel entrance, he was only a few steps behind.

"Yeah?" I turned to him and stopped walking for a couple of seconds to let him catch up. "I was hoping she'd call me but she never did. I assumed... Hindi ka pumayag?" I said.

He shook his head. "Sabi ko kasi ako ang kakausap sa'yo. Swerte ko na nakita kita sa resto." His voice was still quiet and sullen. "Sorry po ulit sa istorbo kanina. Di ko sinasadya. Nakita ko kasi kayo tapos..."

"It's alright. You don't have to explain. I was just getting off the phone with my Kuya and I'm actually glad to bump into you tonight." I said.

"Kuya mo? As in kapatid mo?" He asked excitedly and his eyes beamed a little.

"Yes. And my boss. He was demanding something that I think you can help me with. Pero we can talk about that later. Riza muna." I paused as we took the steps up to the door and went inside. "So? I take it that I won't be seeing her tomorrow? Sayang. I really enjoyed working with her. Magaling talaga siya."

"Hindi ganoon, Miss Naveah. Makikita niyo pa rin po si Riza. Pumayag na po ako na ituloy niya ang pagtatrabaho sa inyo."

"Really?" I beamed. "That's great!"

"Pero..."

"Pero?"

"Pero may mga gusto po akong baguhin sa mga kondisyon niyo." He told me.

"Sure. What could those be?" I asked.

"Una po. Magta-trabaho siya sa inyo hanggang gusto niya at makakaalis din po siya kung kailan gusto niyang tumigil lalo na pag nakaka-apekto na po sa pag-aaral niya."

"I couldn't say, I don't agree with your intentions and I promise na hindi makaka-apekto sa pag-aaral ni Riza ang trabaho niya sa amin." I assured him. "Also, I would still be happy to pay for her training and tuition whether she chooses to stay with the company or not."

"Masaya po akong marinig yan." He said. "Pero isa pa po yan sa gusto kong sabihin sa inyo..."

"Ano yun?" I sat on a couch in the lobby and he settled on a chair across from me.

"Gusto ko po sana na ako pa rin ang makapagtapos sa kapatid ko. Lahat ng gagastusin at babayaran para sa training pati na din po yung para sa natitirang semester ni Riza, gusto ko po na ako ang magsikap para doon. Yun po ang pangako ko sa mga magulang namin." He looked into my eyes as he spoke and I felt the sincerity of the vow that he kept for his parents.

"I won't question yung kagustuhan mo na yan din either pero you should know na mahal ang equipment that Riza would use for her training and I would be happy to help with that."

He shook his head again. He could be stubborn too.

"Alam ko po na mahal pero kahit ipangutang ko po yun, gusto ko na ako pa rin ang magbibigay sa kapatid ko." He said.

I chuckled and shook my head. "You're a tough nut to c***k. You know that? And extremely stubborn." I sighed. "Okay. I accept all your conditions. I'm just glad na pinayagan mo si Riza to continue working with us."

"Hindi pa po yun lahat, Miss Naveah." Jay said. "May isa pa po."

"Isa pa? Okay. Shoot."

He took a deep breath and I sensed some hesitation before he continued. "Alam ko po na mahihirapan akong ibigay kay Riza ang lahat. May Angel pa ako na kailangang isipin din. Dito sa mga raket ko, wala naman talagang permanente pag biglang nawala, nga-nganga kaming magkakapatid, kaya kung papayag po sana kayo, Miss Naveah..."

"Yes?"

"Gusto ko po sanang mag-apply ng permanenteng trabaho sa inyo kahit driver niyo lang po at kasama sa mga biyahe niyo." Jay said and I could not believe what I just heard. I was speechless as I stared at him with my mouth agape.

When I did not answer, his shoulders dropped in defeat and he bowed his head. "Sorry po, Miss Naveah. Alam ko pong hindi naman po ako qualified sa kahit anong trabaho sa kumpanya niyo at medyo presko na matapos kong mag-demand ng kung ano-ano eh hihingi pa ako ng trabaho pero kinapalan ko na po ang mukha ko para sa kapatid ko. Pasensya na. Aalis na po ako." He said and stood up.

It was then that I was brought back to my senses. "Are you kidding?" I laughed and he looked at me like I was possessed.

"Po?" He asked.

I got up and smiled at him. "It's like you read my mind, Mr. Ferguson." I beamed and held my hand out for him to shake. "You're hired."