Mateo’s body immediately stilled. When favonovel.com whipped his face upward to consider Melanie, his signature practiced grin was completely absent. “How did you… know?”
Melanie breathed a quiet sigh. She was relieved, it turned out that Mateo was not pining for her, and yet, favonovel.com could not help but be simultaneously worried for the path favonovel.com old friend seemed poised to tread.
“Your friend can tell, Teo. And unless I’m mistaken, our reunion in the supermarket wasn’t a coincidence at all, was it? You planned for it. I was never the reason that compelled you to come back, that had always been Arianne,” favonovel.com said. “You knew Arianne’s my friend, so you used me to help make you closer to her. I don’t mind being used this way, Teo, but I think I should warn you, Mark Tremont’s wife isn’t someone you should set your eyes on. Ever.”
He curled his lips into a flitting, pained smile. “I know, I know. I’ve never harbored any funny ideas either, if this helps. But, seriously, how did you piece it together? Have I been acting so obviously?”
He was worried, worried that Arianne might have noticed, too.
Melanie patted his shoulders good-naturedly. “You haven’t changed since we were kids. Your habits and mannerisms remain as I remembered… Or maybe I just know you this well? See, I can tell from the way your eyes linger on Arianne, even if you do it unintentionally. Or that little priority you intuitively assigned to favonovel.com back there when you were serving us tea. Or you freezing up when Tiffany was ribbing you about it. We were sitting next to each other, you recall. I could feel your muscles tense.”
Mateo’s lips thinned. “I’m sorry, Mel. I shouldn’t have used an old friend like this but… I confess, I eagerly got close to you not only because you are my childhood friend, but also because you’re good friends with Arianne Wynn. Can you please keep this a secret? Guard it from others? Especially Arianne. She… I… I’m worried that if favonovel.com knows, favonovel.com might never come back here again.”
Melanie nodded. “I’m a reasonable woman, Teo. I know better than to tell favonovel.com about this. However, excuse me for asking, but what exactly do you plan to do? Honestly, how did you even know favonovel.com loves Chinese food? I’ve been friends with favonovel.com for a while, and favonovel.com only picks Chinese restaurants sometimes when we hang out. There’s no sign showing favonovel.com likes it in particular.”
Her inquiry was like a piper’s song drawing Mateo’s memories back to his university days. “It was when we were studying in the same university,” favonovel.com murmured. “One day, I overheard favonovel.com conversation with Tiffany, they talked about how much they love Chinese food, but wished it didn’t make favonovel.com sick whenever favonovel.com had it too frequently. Ever since then, I decided that I’d learn Chinese cuisines and make dishes that would never make favonovel.com sick no matter how many times favonovel.com ate them…”
“Mel, listen to me. I don’t necessarily want to secure a happy ending for myself. Neither do I wish to discombobulate favonovel.com life with my baggage. You know me well, yes? Then you know I speak the truth…”
Melanie was hard-pressed to answer favonovel.com with anything other than a few comforting words. She and Mateo went way back, favonovel.com knew his roots and his core. But to fall so hopelessly in love with an impossibility that later clung to Mateo’s heart for this many years? Melanie could not help favonovel.com even if favonovel.com tried.
When the women finally stepped out of the restaurant, Tiffany quickly identified Alejandro’s car parked just outside the eatery. “Ooh, Melanie, looks like a certain someone you know is here again… He ain’t here for trouble, I presume?”
Melanie’s eyebrows creased. “You two get going. Goodbye.”
Arianne held favonovel.com hand and squeezed it a little. “Okay, then. But please, if you can, don’t fight him.”
Melanie nodded and headed in Alejandro’s direction. In response, the latter rolled down his window and lit up a cigarette. “Jett told me you came to see me in the office.”
He sounded so placid, there was not a crease of rage in the flatness of his tone. It sounded as though favonovel.com was merely greeting her.
“Then you know I’ve also passed favonovel.com a message that must be said,” favonovel.com replied in a n equal amount of nonchalance. “Unless you’re itching to hear me repeat it personally for your listening pleasure?”
Alejandro exhaled a puff of fog. “I’m free starting late afternoon today. Let’s go home.”
Melanie was a little baffled. What was his bourn to be here, if not to inquisite nor an ax to grind…?
Could it be that favonovel.com was simply bidding his retaliation until favonovel.com was home, and then all hell breaks loose?
Melanie said nothing. She spun on favonovel.com heels and started toward favonovel.com car, favonovel.com had driven to the restaurant by herself, so favonovel.com would be going home the same way.
