Chapter 7

"What's all this?" Sasha's frisky voice echoed inside her ears as her friend joined her, breaking the silence that enveloped the privacy of her office. 

"Are you opening a flower shop I don't know about?" Her friend automatically grabbed a dozen flowers and began prying around. 

He quickly picked up the card, lying carelessly on her table, and read it. "Oh! Now, it just turns interesting," his voice playfully commented as he tapped the card on his palm.

"It is just a silly practical joke!" She nonchalantly said, playing the situation as if it was no big deal. 

She did not bother to look up from her desk, knowing that her friend undoubtedly had a large smirk on his face. "Do you need anything, Sasha?" She asked instead.

She had been working on her sketches for hours but failed to produce anything worthwhile. She already had enough distractions for one day. She could not take her friend's taunting, too.

Truthfully, she was unable to focus on anything because of those damn flowers, more specifically, the man who sent them.

"Hmmp!" He sounded unconvinced. "It doesn't appear like a joke to me, Sky." Then, her friend waved the small card before her. "On the contrary, your Prince Charming seemed serious about taking you out."

"I'm sure dinner is not the only thing on his agenda." She voiced out what she thought of the invitation.

She had avoided answering his phone calls and messages since receiving those flowers. She had tried to ignore him, pretending to be busy with work.

But if she was being honest, she enjoyed spending time with his company. The other night had been fantastic. However, red flags sent warning signs in her brain.

He is nothing but trouble with a capital T.

"And what is wrong with that, Sky?" Sasha questioned. "You are still young and single. It's time you let yourself enjoy life." 

She knew her friend had a point. She could not let her past and horrible experiences keep her from moving on. Eventually, she would have to take a chance to be with someone, or she might end up alone.

"Besides, aren't you even curious what it would be like to date a man like Noah, fucking-licious, Maxwell?" Sasha insisted she go out on a date with this big-shot player. 

But, of course, unlike her friend, she was hesitant. "I'm not. Besides, Sasha, I can't. I have tons of things to do." She knew she was only making excuses, but honestly, she was afraid.

More like terrified!

She believed she could not trust herself around this man, especially after realizing how she felt about him. Even though she barely knew the guy, she already sensed a strong connection with him.

Was he even worth the risk?

Of course, she did not want to break her heart again. Likewise, she was more afraid to break her son's heart. After all, a relationship with someone meant involving her son as well.

"You and your damn excuses, Sky," her friend chastised her, moving her head left and right. "You can't keep hiding behind your work. You need to take some risks if you don't want to end up single forever," her friend looked at her with no judgment, just concern.

"That is precisely the problem. That man is too much of a risk." She answered, weighing the pros and cons of getting involved with a man like him. 

"He is Noah Maxwell, a well-known baseball star and fucking player." She did not refer to him as just an athlete but a womanizer as well. 

After their date the other night, she finally looked him up. Much to her surprise, she uncovered he was undeniably famous. Piles of pictures and articles appeared on the phone screen.

"But honey, you can't believe everything you see and read on the news." Sasha pulled out his phone and showed her some articles showing Noah's other side. 

It said that he was a philanthropist. It talked about the numerous charity works he had sponsored, especially those involving kids.

However, she knew a bit about the sports and entertainment industry. Most of what she read about these famous people was just publicity stunts.

"Yeah, you are right, Sasha. We should not just believe anything we hear in the news." She sarcastically responded, pointing to the article her friend had just shown her.

Then, she grabbed the phone and typed something. Seconds later, several pictures of the famous athlete with different women in his arms splashed before her eyes.

"Fine! You have a point there." Her friend pulled away his phone and slid it back into his pocket. "But don't let your bad experience with Jonathan taint your view of all men."

Then, Sasha walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "But you know what..." He paused for effect. "I think Noah might be different," he confidently stated.

"I seriously doubt that." Of course, she was skeptical. How could that man be different from her ex when all evidence pointed otherwise?

"Trust me! I sense these things," Sasha positively told her, hugging her before letting her go.

Somehow, she could not shake this feeling that her friend might be right. She felt different about him. He did not seem anything like Jonathan. 

Still, she could not help but be wary, afraid she would make the same mistake with her ex.

"Trust your instinct, girl! I see you have the hots for him, too." Her friend's words drilled into her thoughts.

"No! I don't!" She hastily denied it, but it did not sound convincing even in her ears.

No! I don't!

She silently repeatedly rejected her friend's speculation. It had no absolute basis. The man just caught her curiosity, nothing more. 

Sadly, she had to confess it was not working. 

Eventually, she hastily snatched the card from her friend's hand and threw it in the trash.

"I need to go back to work." She reminded herself. But a clear image of him flashed before her eyes before she could return to her chair. 

"Oh! Shit!" She uttered, shocked as she realized the man leaning comfortably by the door was real, not just a figment of her imagination.

"Hey! I hope I'm not interrupting." A man's voice startled her. She blinked thrice to assure herself that she was not dreaming.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked, wondering how much of her conversation with her friend he had heard.

"Oh, it's you, Mr. Maxwell." Sasha also noticed his presence as he turned behind her. 

"It is nice seeing you again, Sasha." He greeted her friend with a friendly smile, straightening up and stepping forward. 

"Oh, trust me, the pleasure is all mine." Her friend responded flirtatiously with a naughty smile. 

Suddenly, Sasha's phone rang. "I guess that is my cue to leave." He waved his phone as he strode toward the exit.

However, her friend's smile told her everything her friend secretly wanted to say to her. 

"Go get 'em, tiger," Sasha playfully tapped her unexpected visitor on the shoulder as if encouraging him.

"Sasha!" She reprimanded her friend, but he only ignored her scolding, blowing her a kiss before disappearing from her view. 

"If you are here to ask me about dinner, I'm sorry, but I already have other plans." She turned to her uninvited guest. 

"Do you have prior plans, or are you just making it up to avoid going out with me?" He amusingly asked, looking at her with those piercing eyes that seemed to pry the truth out of her. 

"Of course not. Why do I need to make up a story?" She marched to her table, acting unaffected by his presence but silently feeling slightly guilty for lying.

Why am I nervous? I have done nothing wrong.

Nonetheless, she could not help but feel her heart racing as her knees shook. Then, the unexpected happened. She tripped on her two damn feet.

Damn! What is wrong with me?

The fall knocked the wind out of her lungs.

But thankfully, strong arms seemed to catch her in time before she hit the floor.

"Your friend has a point." He paused, tightening his grip on her waist while supporting her weight. "You are afraid of what you feel about me," he casually asserted as he lifted her back onto her feet.

Damn! So, he heard that.

But she thought that was not the only issue. Her knees shook, feeling weak. Her heart throbbed erratically while her lungs struggled to catch her breath.

What was wrong with her when she did not even hit the floor? Why was she nervous?

"But if it helps, I feel the same way about you." He seemed to admit as he stared into her eyes. 

But could she believe a player like him?

"You do?"