Chapter 4

Josiah is in my apartment right now at lunch break and he's actually eating what I cooked for him. And I am a bundle of nerves as I watch him finish the whole plate.

"Is it to your liking?"

He looks at me, his gaze soft before a smile plastered in his face. 

"It's actually the first time a woman outside my family had cooked for me"

I let out a chuckle. That's a first and definitely wasn't expecting that one.

"That doesn't answer my question you know"

He lets out a chuckle before nodding his head.

"I think that bit is obvious with how clean this plate is now"

"Good, because that's the first time I cooked for a guy"

I admitted and again the irony of all of it has me reeling in the feeling like we were really fated. He handed me the plate and was getting ready to go back to our office.

"Thanks again Qian"

"No problem"

"Till next time"

"There's a next time?"

I chuckled and joked as I opened the apartment door for him. 

"There will be lots of time to spend in the future so make sure to cook lots of food for me"

He winks as he steps out of my apartment gate leaving me gawking at his now retreating form. Did Josiah Kane just winked at me? And did he just imply a future together?

I let out a sigh as I gave in to fate. What should happen will happen and I'll just accept it. I am too tired to even play with fate again.

"Harriett"

I stopped from going inside when I saw Pierce casually leaning in his car, arms crossed in front of his chest and a stern gaze directed at me.

How long had he been there? Did he see Josh come out of my apartment?

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

I asked as he walked towards me. His stride big and long before he gazed at the direction that Josh went. So he did see him.

"That's Josiah?"

He asked, the coldness almost seeping from his voice and that didn't escape from me. I raised an eyebrow at him but invited him inside nonetheless. I'm really not comfortable with talking with someone outside, especially if the topic is private.

"Why was he here?"

"I just cooked him lunch, we ate together"

Pierce's eyebrows were now raised so high it looked like it'll actually touch the ceiling.

"Harriett you can't cook"

He decisively said and that was in fact the truth.

"Hey, I am learning you know"

"Uh-huh and it just so happens that your best friend wasn't the first person to taste it"

Ahhh he's sulking. I chuckled as I took the remaining food I made and placed it in the table actually inviting Pierce to sit and eat.

"Your highness, your food is served"

I teased and Pierce finally smiled, his white teeth on full display as he excitedly sat, said his prayers and ate. I smiled when I saw his expressions quickly change. His eyes widened before he put another spoonful in his mouth.

"It's good?"

I asked.

"It's delicious. Harriett you can open a restaurant and this would practically be sold out in an instant."

I laughed, it's clear that Pierce is overreacting but his expressions that he wears on his sleeves is such a refreshing sight. That's Pierce for you, never calculating and never hides how he feels.

"Done. I'll wash the dishes"

"Huh? you don't need to do that"

He quickly stood up from his seat and went to the sink to wash all of the dishes that I hadn't washed yet.

"Hey you cooked for me, the least I could do is wash these for you"

And like always he smiles as he does things his way again. I smiled while I stared at his figure washing the dishes. 

"You definitely would make for a good husband, do you know that?"

Pierce's back stiffened and slowly he turned to look at me with a small smile plastered in his face.

"That was a compliment. That wasn't me being mean"

I clarified and he just chuckled before continuing with the dishes.

"I hope you do see me like that for you"

He mumbled and I squinted my eyes at him. What was that?

"Huh? What did you say? It wasn't that audible. Can't you speak up?"

"I said you should've made that guy wash the dishes"

He said as he annoyingly sprayed some water on my face.

"Now that is mean"

I exclaimed as I yelp, he sprayed me with water again and my initial response to that was to spray some water into him too.

"You know I get my revenge"

I laughed as I examined Pierce's now soaked appearance. 

"Well, nice going Harriett. Do you have my shirt here?"

"Yeah it's in my closet and you can't complain, you sprayed first"

Pierce made a face like he always does when he knows he lost because I did make a point. He stuck out a tongue at me and walked towards my room like it's the most normal thing for him to do. I looked at my sink and saw how clean it was making me ultimately smile.

"Hey Kael wanna watch a movie?"

"Is it Love, Rosie?"

I rolled my eyes at his question and turned on my television to check what movies I have that he'll actually like.

"We've watched Love, Rosie like a hundred times since highschool haven't you had enough of it"

He pops his head out of my bedroom door.

"Haven't you had enough of the Hunger Games? We've been watching that over and over since highschool"

Touche. I shrugged and picked Papertowns just so we have a common ground. I laid in the couch and propped up my head in my arm. It wasn't a moment later when Pierce came out of my bedroom and sat on the floor just in front of me.

It's our usual arrangement when watching movies. 

"Still can't wrap my head how we're supposed to believe that paper towns exist"

I let out a chuckle and played with his hair. 

"Yeah well, it does"

I said as I twirl his hair around my finger while I watched the movie.

Halfway through, Pierce asked a question that he must have been dying to ask since he saw both Josiah and me earlier.

"Do you love him? Or do you love the idea of being redeemed from your failed ones?"

And that question hit hard. I couldn't see Pierce's expression and he couldn't see mine so I know I could lie but something about his question had me questioning my feelings too.

"I know what love looks like Pierce, and this isn't like that. At least not yet"

I confessed and the only indication of an answer that Pierce gave me was a nod of his head.

I said I knew what love looks like but I didn't want a love like that. Because a love like that can't be compared to anyone.

Loving someone and having a love like Leonel's was the last thing I wanted to do with my life.