"Hello," William greeted, dressed in a casual t-shirt and pants, making him look far more informal than usual. This was the first time Tina had seen him dressed so casually. She always saw him in suits, which she thought he looked best in. But seeing him like this made her wonder what it would be like to see him in other outfits too.
She was shocked to see him in such a relaxed look, but more than that, she was focused on his appearance. Can a man really be this handsome? she thought, holding a cooking spoon in her hand, which she quickly hid behind her back, making him smile.
"Can I come in?" he asked, his smile widening as he noticed her confused state. He understood this was her first time seeing him dressed like this, and he could tell that many thoughts were running through her mind. I like him, she thought, surprised to see her own feelings taking over as she realized how different he looked from his usual formal self.
She was taken aback, but William's presence felt so comfortable. She was now noticing the little things about him—like how casual and charming he looked. And, for the first time, she noticed how comfortable she felt in her own skin too.
Tina was dressed more homely today, with an apron on her waist, looking natural and beautiful. It dawned on William that he'd never seen her with makeup on—just her pure, radiant beauty. He liked it.
"Come on in," she finally said, offering him a seat in the living room. She explained it was too soon, and that he had arrived a bit early while she was just about to set the food on the table.
He quietly sat down with a gentle smile on his lips. "I'll go now," she added with a playful tone. "Here's the remote for the TV, and I also have a newspaper about you." She laughed softly. "But I'm sure you've already read them, so you can just watch TV if you want."
William simply turned toward the TV without saying a word, a calm and collected presence. Tina walked back to the kitchen, returning with a glass of water before him.
"I'm studying hydration right now, so here we go," she said, offering him the glass while trying her best to hide her nervousness. This was the man she had admired all through her high school and university years. And now, here he was, sitting in her mother's house, with her cooking for him. If this isn't a miracle, then what is? she thought to herself.
"Have some water first. It's very important to stay hydrated," she added, her voice soft but sincere. William nodded as he watched her place the glass on the table.
This lady is darn beautiful, he thought to himself, watching her as she walked back to the kitchen. Her dress was above her knees, accentuating her legs, and she walked with a gentle grace.
Tina tried hard to control her steps, carefully managing her movements so as not to seem like she was trying to seduce him. People often told her she had a perfect body, but somehow, the moment she met William, she felt like she lost all confidence in that. Unlike others who would openly compliment her looks, this man had once told her she was trying to seduce him.
She didn't want him to think she was intentionally swaying her hips, so she walked carefully, trying not to draw attention to her movements.
"I hope William doesn't think I'm stupid for cooking this for dinner," she muttered aloud, dishing out the food from the pot.
"What about William?" he asked, startling her.
She turned to face him, feeling embarrassed. "I said that you were faking this formality stunt. When you see me, you act formal, but behind closed doors, I sing it like a song." He spoke, smiling as he made his way to the sink. There, he found the soap and began doing the dishes.
"Please stop, sir! You can't do that," Tina protested. "It's not right. You can just stay at the dining table. I'll be done soon." She tried to take the dishwashing sponge from him.
"No, it's fine. I can do them. I do the dishes in my house," he replied, his eyes signaling no argument.
"But you're a CEO! What will people think if they see you doing this?" she asked, concerned.
"Stop worrying about what people think, Tina," he said, still washing the plates. His movements were more skillful than she expected.
"I don't care what people think when I decide to do my stuff," he continued. "You don't know me well enough yet, so you're still thinking that way. Personally, I don't care. I do my own cleaning, and I'm generally a very neat and composed person."
Tina nodded, admiring the way his fingers moved so deftly.
"What were you saying about me not liking what you cooked?" he asked, breaking her thoughts. Tina looked up, wishing the ground could swallow her. His gaze was deep, making her feel shy, but it also stirred something in her heart—a feeling she wanted to last forever.
"Hmm, actually... I... I was thinking, because I made rice and stew, I don't know what I was thinking," she admitted. "Thinking about it now, I don't think it's really good for dinner."
William maintained eye contact with her, his expression warm. "I love the flavor of the food," he said. "It's not even 6 PM yet, so I think it's fine. I know for some people, it could be complicated, but you can always ask me directly instead of assuming or blaming yourself."
"Okay. I'll remember that next time. Thank you," she said, relieved. "I'll just serve the food in the dining room." She carried the dishes to the table before quickly running to take a bath.
When she returned, she found William chatting with her mom. They were laughing, almost as if they were having a great time, until they noticed her.
"Speaking of Tina, here she comes. She's sure going to have a long life," her mum said, both of them watching Tina come downstairs.
"Here I come?" Tina thought, wondering if they had been talking about her. She couldn't help but feel a little suspicious, glancing between her mum and William. How had they gotten so comfortable with each other so quickly?
They all sat at the dining table, with Tina still looking at her mum suspiciously. She couldn't help but wonder what they had been talking about. And as for William... Why was he so easy to get along with her mum so quickly?