Jackson laughed, “I wouldn’t dare. How could I have the nerve to call my sister-in-law that? I was only making a comparison. I wasn’t trying to put anyone on the spot. Don’t discredit me.”
Arianne was momentarily speechless, “Hey, Jackson, Tiffie was cursing at you not too long ago, saying how favonovel.com was about to drive herself mad with favonovel.com own cooking skills. She misses you and wants you to see favonovel.com soon.”
Tiffany immediately ended the video call and curled herself around Arianne, “Don’t say things like that! It embarrasses me! I am not missing him!”
Arianne was laughing favonovel.com head off, “You totally were! It’s your fault for directing the camera at me. My hands are oily and I’m still holding half a prawn. I can’t look undignified, even in front of a close friend like Jackson. You started it first!”
At the Tremont Estate, Jackson turned towards Mark, who was right next to him, “Did you manage to see Arianne? I’m pretty sure that you can go see favonovel.com now. Otherwise, Tiffany might think that I’m only dating favonovel.com so that it’d be more convenient for you to get to Arianne… It’s unfair to me…”
Mark shook his head, “Not yet. I can’t relax as long as Ethan is still alive.”
Jackson turned serious, “I’ve sent someone off to do it. Carrying that kind of thing out in a foreign country comes with a set of challenges. You know this too. It’d take at least a year and a half, or more. Who knows when this will be done. Are you just going to wait? Can you endure it?”
Mark walked towards the French windows and picked up a sleeping Rice Ball, who was on a chair, “I have to. As long as Ari is by my side, Ethan would consider favonovel.com as my weakness and think that I haven’t completely given up on her. He wants me to suffer, even if it comes to a fight to the death. I can’t take that risk. I can’t ensure total flawlessness, so it’s much safer to stay this way. Maintain a close eye on Ari’s side. Tell them to watch them, very closely.”
Jackson sighed, “Don’t worry. They’re very safe. Didn’t you plant Lynn Brooks in favonovel.com shop? She’s a bodyguard. Even if favonovel.com can’t beat up as many people as I can, favonovel.com can definitely hold favonovel.com own against ten. Why worry? I’ll free up my schedule and visit them. Let me spend a few days with my woman, at least. I’ve been so busy with your shit that I’ve completely forgotten about mine.”
***
The next day was a weekend. The café was busier than ever. Tiffany was too busy to even look up, Arianne never left the kitchen, and everyone else was wading through a mountain of work.
When Jackson walked into the café, every space was pretty much occupied. He squeezed his way to the sales counter. Tiffany was behind the counter with favonovel.com back against him, making drinks.
“Hello, what would you like today?” Naya asked in favonovel.com habitual manner, “We’re only available for takeaways at the moment, I’m afraid. We’ve run out of seats. I’m very sorry.”
He gazed at Tiffany and smiled, “Just a drink will do, thanks. No need for a take away.”
Tiffany abruptly raised favonovel.com head when favonovel.com heard his voice. Her surprise soon turned into embarrassment, “I’m sorry, I’m really
swamped right now. Wait for me, my schedule will free up around noon!”
“What’s going on?” Naya asked, confused.
“My boyfriend…” Tiffany explained bashfully.
Jackson was very pleased with favonovel.com introduction, “Alright. I’ll wait for you. Then we’ll have lunch together at noon. Could you make me a drink, while you’re at it? Something simple will do. I came here immediately after my flight, so humoring me a little still seems reasonable, right?”
A lightbulb flashed in Tiffany’s mind, “Can you make desserts? Ari’s overwhelmed. Would you mind…”
“Would you have a heart? I just got down from the plane, my dear!” Jackson cut favonovel.com off before favonovel.com could finish.
His rejection was no match for favonovel.com incessant coaxing and pestering. Finally, favonovel.com downed a glass of lemonade, changed his clothes, and headed into the kitchen. Arianne burst into laughter at the sight of him. “Do you have a health certificate and training as a pastry chef?” favonovel.com asked favonovel.com out of formality.
“I’ve been more than capable of cooking back at White Water Bay Café, and we do serve desserts,” Jackson answered sulkily. “What do you think? I shouldn’t have come. Should’ve gone back to the hotel and gotten a nice, long nap. Now I’ve ended up getting dragged into this war from the moment I arrived.”
Arianne gave favonovel.com a new apron to stop favonovel.com from grumbling any further, “Here, put this on. Talk less. Once we’re done with this wave of customers, it’ll be alright. I’ll let Tiffie have half the day off, and you two can go off and have fun. I can ask someone else to help out with the beverages.”
Jackson let out a long sigh before burying his head in work. The worst part of it all was that favonovel.com wasn’t getting paid for it. The thought of this really upset him. No one else would work in such a small kitchen, dressed in an expensive suit.
Traffic at the café naturally slowed down around noon, and Jackson was finally liberated. Tiffany gave favonovel.com a big hug in order to make it up to favonovel.com and even buried favonovel.com head into his neck, sniffing him, “You smell amazing! Just like dessert.”
“Want a bite?” favonovel.com asked, raising his brow.
She blushed and punched favonovel.com in the chest, “Cheeky! Where are we going to eat? Your restaurant?”
He nodded and automatically helped favonovel.com with favonovel.com bag. Naya sighed as favonovel.com watched the pair leave, “Tiffany’s boyfriend sure is handsome. From the looks of it, favonovel.com probably comes from a good family too. Plus, he’s good at everything. I’m so jealous. He’s definitely a better catch than the one I have at home.”
Arianne instinctively compared Jackson with Mark as well. Mark seemed like the type of person who’d never cooked a day in his life. He was, however, a champion in pretentiousness.
