While he was doing his seatbelt, he kept a flower bouquet on my lap.
Blush pink roses for me.
Beautifully decorated with baby breaths on the side.
Another one, baby pink coloured flower bouquet was in his hands.
That's when my eyes also went to his chest's boutonniere pocket.
One rose, the same blush pink rose from my bouquet was in his boutonniere...
He had matched my dress with his boutonniere. A pleasant smile had take over my lips my now, he had started driving, giving me the other bouquet too.
"This is for Cecily and her daughter."
He informed while handling the steering wheel, keeping his focus on the road.
"Oh no!" I gasped.
"I forgot to buy a gift for Cecily and Ayla!"
During the whole time, I was busy preparing for the interview then the office, I had gotten so much on my mind within these few days that the thought to buy them a present had totally left my mind.
"What should I do now?" I asked from Luca, looking worried while he was fully relaxed.
"Don't worry, I have bought some gifts for her, you can gift her the same thing."
"But... you are the one who bought it, you should be the one to gift her that ... I'll just apologise and buy something for her tomorrow."
"Who said I was telling you to gift her all by herself..."
He Snickered.
"Ms. Laurel, don't forget that you are no longer single, you have given yourself to me...so that means you are mine and the gift is going to go from both of us...not just any one us..."
I nodded slowly, my mind was still processing his words.
I had given myself to him?
I'm his?
After arriving at the venue, the valet had taken the keys from Luca before driving the car in alloted parking area.
We had entered the venue together, hand in hand.
We could feel the continuous stares of everyone on us, the past me would have gotten flustered on this much attention, but now maybe it was because of how Laurel's character was, or maybe this is because of the man standing next to me.
The firm grip of his hand on mine was like a reassurance to me.
Cassian was standing on the door with Kalix, greeting everyone who was entering.
But as they saw me and Luca coming in together, both of them were frozen on there place.
I was holding the bouquet that Luca had bought for Cecily, while he himself was Holding a small box with two men behind him who were holding the big boxes, that were also apparently a gift for Ayla.
Luca walked to Cassian and Kalix, shaking hands with them and I walked to the table near the stage...where I had spotted Cecily sitting with her daughter in her arms.
Greeting her, I hugged her, giving her the bouquet....while the two men, placed those big boxes on the table where the other gifts were also present.
"Thank you so much Laurel, this is so pretty..."
Cecily cooed, she looked quite better and refreshed than before, the dark circles that had formed beneath her eyes, the tiredness that used to reflect in her eyes, all of it had gone.
It was replaced with something pretty, she looked very adorable, plus with the baby pink dress she was wearing, that was doubling her beauty.
"This is from me and Laurel." Luca who had came out from behind me handed Cecily the gift he was holding and said making my flinch as I smacked him playfully.
"Luca!" I gasped to which he simply chuckled.
"From you and? Laurel?" Cecily's eyes were filled with questions, she seemed uncomfortable.
"Yes, from me and my girlfriend." He was stating our relationship with so much pride as if I was some sort of huge personality.
"You are...dating?" The way she was reacting, it could be easily said that she was not happy with this news at all...and why? I don't know.
"Yes." This time I was the one who replied holding Luca's hand in a loving gesture as he then excused and went away to where Kalix and Cassian where standing, still greeting the guests coming, since there was still some time left for the event to start.
"Since...when did you started dating Luca?"
Me who was busy playing with Ayla, got a bit conscious at the question.
"Me and... Luca? Well not that long."
I replied keeping the answer simple.
"So are you happy with him?"
Her question had gotten weirder this time, I turned my face towards her, seeking the visibile awkwardness, and sadness on her face.
"Why are you acting like that? We are friends remember? and you should be happy that I have a boyfriend...and I am very much happy with him."
My eyes turned shiny when I talked about him, unconsciously my eyes began wandering in the whole open garden, and stopped when I saw Luca who was standing there with different men, and amongst them was also Kalix and Cassian...
That's when he also looked at me, maybe felt the heat of my stare?
He passed me small smile before again continuing with his conversation.
I smiled back to him and then turned to Cecily.
"We had gotten quite close ever since I shifted in the complex, and then he asked me out and I said yes."
Cecily was looking at me in disbelief, her face had that weird kind of look, a broke look.
"What happened Cecily...why are you looking at me like that?"
She shook her head, and I also didn't press her further either, thinking that it might be some thing personal, however I had taken Ayla in my arms now.
She was staring at me with her doe eyes, following the movement of my hands as I swung it in the air Infront of her face.
"Ms. Cecily Valor, congratulations on your daughter."
A sweet voice entered my ears as I quickly turned around.
Sweet voice, soft as honey, smooth like butter.
Light brown hair, emrald green eyes.
"Thank you so much Elodie!"
Cecily's cheery reply confirmed my suspicions.
That woman, Elodie looked at me with bewilderment as I had Ayla in my arms.
Cecily followed her gaze as her eyes ended up on me and began a simple introduction.
"Oh, yes Elodie, she is Laurel, Laurel Miller, Kalix's younger sister...and my friend."
"And Laurel, she is Elodie, she is our company's executive director, Abnerd West's, only daughter."
"Cecily, no need to introduce her to me, I know her very clearly, like who wouldn't and even if someone had forgotten her...the news last week was enough for everyone to remember her..."
She snickered...her tone was filled with, fire, liquid fire.
No way! she can't be her, Elodie West was never someone who would hurt a small insect let alone a human, even if that human had hurt her many times.
My eyes had started to burn for keeping them open for more than usual.
"Cecily why would you say that? That was just stupid rumour, actually, it was Laurel who had saved my life, if she had not been there for me that night, me and my daughter we both would have died that night..."
Before anything, Cecily was the one who stopped Elodie from using those words for me, defending me.
Elodie didn't argued any further, even though I could tell from her face that she had intended to do more than that, but just ended the topic with a scoff.
Her eyes on me were speaking things...
No maybe I'm thinking it, and within a matter of seconds I could feel millions of eyes over me, even though no one actually was looking at me, but it did feel like it.
Feeling the tension, I quickly handed Ayla back to her, and went to Luca, who was still busy talking to other businessmen there.
I need to leave as soon as I can.
Thankfully Kalix and and Cassian had gone away from there.
Thank god, they have to look after the arrangements.
"Luca...can we talk?"
All the men there started teasing Luca as he just passed them a shy smile and walked with me.
"What happened Laurel?" Luca asked as we stood in the corner, but his eyes had a genuine concern in them.
"I'm sorry, you were talking with your friends and I disturbed you."
"It's fine, I was already thinking about coming to you, all that business talk, it had started to sound so boring now, to be honest, it's mainly because of you, you look so pretty right now...that I can't take off my eyes from you."
I was astonished at the choice of his words.
An un expected giggle erupted from my lips, because of which Luca's eyes softened furthermore, as if it had been just me and him there.