Secretly Married to the Billionaire

Chapter 5

|Tamara|

 “What the f**k, Tei!” I cussed at her while whispering as she faced me again. She’s grinning from ear to ear when she caught my attention.

 “What? Oh, right! I forgot to inform you. I invited them to have dinner with us,” she answered feigning ignorance.

 “Are you serious? You didn’t even bother to tell me beforehand,” I sounded like someone who is fully unconvinced of herself.

“Oh forget it, Tammy. Just go with the flow. Instead, you should be thankful for me. Supposedly, it’s only me and Neil who’ll have dinner tonight, but as a supportive friend, I don’t want to be the only one who will have a love life that’s why I thought of you. So, I decided to invite Geoff, too. Thanks to me, right?” she gave me a meaningful wink.

I don’t know if I will thank her or have her salvaged by a criminal. I looked like someone who is so desperate to have a boyfriend. Ugh, the way she thinks is so out of the world.

Oh, wait! So he likes Neil? I thought it was Geoff?

 “Were you talking about us?” I scrambled on my seat as I heard Geoff’s voice from beside me. I was so shocked I got choked with my own saliva.

Thea and I looked at each other before she averted her gaze and looked at Geoff.

“Hmm, actually yes. Tammy and I are just so happy to have dinner with both of you. Right, Tammy?” Thea said politely. She signaled a meaningful wink at me after she said that. I just gave her a mean look. Geoff might misunderstand what she’s saying.

 “U-Uh, right! You may take your seat,” I frantically showed the two available seats around the table.

 “Thank you. I thought you were talking about how drop-dead handsome my cousin is. I was about to get jealous,” Neil said kiddingly and gave us a pout. They immediately sat after that. 

Thea and I are just sitting adjacent to each other. Geoff and Neil did the same. Only that Neil is facing Thea which leaves Geoff, hmm well obviously right in front of me. The fact that Geoff is sitting in front of me makes my whole body and soul celebrate with glee. Hay, just the sight of him heightens my appetite.

It was only for a few minutes when our orders arrived. I don’t know what Thea ordered since she’s the one who will pay the bill. As soon as I saw the waiter bringing our food, my eyes widened in shock.

My jaw dropped when he placed the food on top of our table. It was a shiny, gigantic, red lobster. Then next were a platter of scallops!

“What the heck? What is this? Are we gonna have a mukbang?” I gasped as soon as the waiter left the table.

All of them laughed at my reaction. It’s not that I don’t like lobsters. Actually, I really love lobsters, especially now that I’m so hungry.

 “Don’t you like it?” Geoff asked while looking at me. Immediately, his sweet smile captured me. s**t! Looks like it’s not only my underwear that fell because of his looks but my heart also fell on the floor.

“I like...you. . .” the words came out of my mouth before I can stop it.

“Pardon, Tammy? You like what? I didn’t hear you,” Thea immediately distracted me. That was when I realized that Thea caught me looking at Geoff’s luscious lips. So she really wants to tease me huh?

“The lobster, Tei. Come on, you can afford to reserve a table from a grandiose restaurant yet you can’t even buy cotton buds for your ears,” I returned at her mockingly.

She twitched her lips like a kid as she raised one of her brows at me. I heard a gentle laugh from Neil and Geoff because of it.

 “You know what, both of you look adorable whenever you tease each other,” said Neil.

I got surprised when Thea slapped her hands with her thighs. Aba! Did she really get fooled by those words?

I was about to get the cracker but Geoff got it first. I almost touched his hands because of it. I suddenly glance of his big hands.

What would it feel like?

 “Let me do it for you,” he insisted. Well, I couldn’t say no since I’m not really good with this stuff. I might embarrass myself later on when lobsters fly around the place. I’m sure I will really do a bad job because I kept on being distracted by Geoff.

“Sorry about this. Our dinner came too early. Maybe we disturbed anything you have to because of this,” Thea simply gave me a look before she gave her sweetest smile at Geoff and Neil. 

 “You don’t have to worry. In fact, Geoff and I were just waiting for this dinner, right cous? We got nothing else to do today, anyway,” Neil reassured us as he looked at Geoff and tapped his shoulder.

 “What’s true is that we're already hungry, too,” Geoff said as he caressed his tummy, abs rather.

 “Then it’s settled. We all just have to eat. Let’s start?” Thea first picked a part of the lobster and we followed too. It’s tastier compared to other restaurants which made it more appetizing. Not to mention that my front view looks yummy too. I giggled at my own thought.

Geoff really hits me differently. Hays.

The dinner went smoothly. We got to know each other more. Even if Geoff’s too famous in the field of golf, he always tries his best to keep a low profile. Well, I can say it’s effective because you can seldom see his face on the internet as what Thea has informed me.

Geoff and Neil started playing golf when they were 12 years old. Since then, they always tag along with their fathers during weekends. It’s just that, it was only Geoff who had the potential and talent with the said sport so he practiced even more. It was only for a few years when Neil realized that his passion is not for golf so he diverted himself to try a different sport.

 “So you were at the golf course yesterday because you’re practicing more, right? Do you really need it? You’re already too good in golf,” I asked him. He didn’t answer immediately. He paused to think about it.

 “Hmm. Sort of,” he let out a forced smile and looked at his food. I furrowed my brows because of his answer. Why did his mood shifted suddenly? Did I say something wrong?

I was about to ask what he meant by that but was stopped when Thea joined in our conversation.

 “Girl, you like this, right?” she asked me while pointing at the scallops. Without waiting for my answer, she shoved a spoonful of scallops on my plate.

 “Hey, that’s too much, Tei!” I told her. She scooped one more from the dish and added it to my plate before she stopped.

 “No, Tam. I know that you’re hungry and you like this, right? Come on. Finish it. Don’t be shy.”

 “Yes, I’m hungry but I can’t eat this much. I’m not a pig!” I snapped at her and slowly started to eat the scallops. It gets dull when you eat too much of it. Uh!

The long and fun dinner ended. In fact, it was great. In the short span of time that we were with them, I can say that Geoff and Neil and are a good companions. If I didn’t know better, I wouldn’t have thought that they are famous. They were both humble, which made them more attractive.

 “Bye! Take care!” Thea waved at them with exaggeration as they entered their respective cars. I also waved at them. But my eyes were glued at Geoff’s. They were too far away so I know that they wouldn’t notice where I was looking.

 “Bye Thea! Bye Tammy! Let’s see each other soon!” Neil said and went inside his car. Geoff entered his car too and started it.

We followed their car with our eyes as they slowly fade from our sight. The then looked at me. She put both her hands on her waist and took a deep breath.

 “Girl! What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know anything about Geoff? Haven’t you done a little research on him?” Thea asked me curiously. I knitted my brows. What’s with the sudden question?

 “What do you mean?” I only answered her query with another question. Did I really say something bad awhile ago?

“Geoff had a car accident last year. It resulted in a fracture on both his arms. He underwent many surgeries just to keep his hands functional and to be able to play golf just like before. I don’t know if the rumor was true but they said he isn’t as good as before. I think there’s still something wrong with his hands,” she continuously informed me about Geoff.

I massaged my temples because of the information I just heard.

Did I just asked him a sensitive question?!

Seriously?! I was such a fool to ask him about that topic! I was so insensitive!

Then, I remembered the uncertainty in his voice as answered my stupid question. Urgh, it’s a good thing that Thea interrupted me since I was about to ask more. I even told him that I am so amazed by all his achievements without knowing that he had an accident. I was so stupid earlier. 

Obviously, he was practicing to condition his body especially his hands. It’s not confirmed yet but you never know, right?

 “s**t, Tei! What should I do? I should apologize to him, right? You should have briefed me before they came here,” I couldn’t help but worry about Geoff. I’m sure as f**k I did hurt his feelings with my stupid question.

“I don’t know, Tam. But if I were you, if you ever meet again, just let it go. At least now, you already know what questions not to ask. We still haven’t confirmed yet if it was really true despite his reaction to your question awhile ago. I guess we shouldn’t judge quickly,” she reassured me.

At least, the guilt I felt slowly subsided away because of Thea. Still, there’s a part in me that wants to apologize to Geoff. The problem is, I don’t know how?

It was exactly ten in the evening when I reached our home. My mom was already on the couch reading some magazines. I went straight to her to give her a kiss.

 “I’m home, Mom,” I greeted her as I planted a soft kiss on her cheeks. She did the same.

“Oh, you’re already here. Have you eaten your dinner? I’ll just ask Lena to cook something for you,” she started to close the magazine she was reading. She was about to get up but I stopped her.

“There’s no need, Ma. I already ate outside,” I told her. She just smiled at me and went back to reading.

“Okay, then. I assume you were with Thea. How is she? It’s been a while since she last came here,” she moved a little bit to give me some space. She tapped the vacant seat beside her.

“She’s fine, Mom. I was just too busy that’s why she wasn’t able to visit us here,” I answered back. She just nodded at me and caressed my hair that was resting behind my back. My mom always does this every time I sit with her. For her, I’m still her baby girl.

Daddy suddenly appeared from the doorway and went in our direction. He’s already wearing his white pajamas.

“It’s good that you’re already here. Were you talking about something?” daddy asked me with a smile as he slid beside Mom.

“About what exactly, Dad?”

“Your upcoming birthday. You’ll be having your birthday in a few week's time. We should start preparing for it,” he excitedly said.

“Dad, I’ve already told you plenty of times. I’m not a child anymore that needs an extravagant celebration. Besides, I’ll just stick to doing charities. In that way, I’ll be able to help the less fortunate,” I explained to him.

Every year, he always convinces me to have an extravagant birthday celebration even just once in my whole life. Well, I don’t like it. It’s a waste of money when we can donate it to those who really need it.

“Then at least have a party with the kids. You haven’t done it with the kids, right?” Mom suggested. I immediately thought about it. Actually, it’s a good idea.

“She’s about to say yes,” dad tickled me as he said those. I can’t help but to smile at him. Dad sometimes acts like a kid.

“Well, we can try it,” I answered back.

“We’ll invite your friends so that you’ll have a company to entertain the kids,” said Mommy. Without a split second, I immediately thought about Geoff.

Did I just think about Geoff instead of Thea?

The next day, I went with dad to go to the office. I have nothing to do in the house anyway since Thea has worked too. I just decided to tag along with him in the office.

I got bored inside the office so I decided to step out for a bit. I wandered around the office and talked with some of the employees. It felt like I was away in the company for a whole year. All of them greeted me with a big smile except for one. Without any hesitation, I entered the head engineering office.

“Why so gloomy, huh?” I greeted Nikko who was immersed in front of his laptop. He frowning his brows while staring at the screen. It seems like a problem that cannot be fixed.  

Nikko is the head engineer of our company. He is on the cheerful side that’s why we became friends easily. We’re of the same age so it’s not that hard to go along with him.

He didn’t even bother to look at me so I teased him once again.

“I didn’t know monkeys look cute when they’re silent, huh. Did you miss me a lot? Awww so sweet,” I rested my face using my two hands as I sat in front of him.

“At least I’m still cute, right?” that’s when he decided to give me attention.

“What’s the wrong that? It seems like your screen has done something that is f*******n,” I stood straight and pointed at his laptop using my mouth.

“Nothing. Just engineering stuff,” he said and shut off his laptop. I gave him another pouting look.

“Just admit that you’re watching pornographic videos. That’s prohibited in here!” I playfully glared at him.

“I know that’s why I just downloaded it,” he winked at me and stood up from his swivel chair.

“Jerk! Hey! Where are you going?” I asked, still sitting in front of his table.

“Come on. Let’s have some coffee. My treat,” he said. My face instantly brightened up because of what he said. There’s a pantry in our office but it really tastes different if we buy it from a coffee shop.

“This is what I like about you! Okay! Let’s go to my favorite coffee shop,” I immediately took my handbag and followed him out of the office. It was quick though because he still has a conference meeting to attend to.

In the afternoon, I went inside daddy’s office to help him with some paper works. I decided to put my own table in his office so that he can’t say no if I want to help him. My daddy is just too good to refuse me.

The past few days have been a routine to me every time I go to the office. Somehow, I am slowly adapting this light work.

I was just simply looking over the reports of our shipments for the past few days but I feel that this will take longer. Well, it’s okay for me since I have no other work to do anyway.

I just came from the port to personally assess the shipments. I want to make sure that there wouldn’t be any delays in the schedule.

It wouldn’t look good if they know that I can’t manage simple tasks such as this.