Chapter 19

She started cooking as soon as she reached home. Hugh came after two hours.

"Sorry, I had to attend a conference call." He said while he hung his coat on the stand and gave a bottle of wine to Iris.

"That's okay. Dinner is ready." Iris said. "Wine?" 

"Yes. I know you are out of wine, so I bought a new bottle." Hugh said. 

Iris smiled. She started serving food and wine. 

They had dinner and Iris started talking about her parents. She never had spoken so much. But with Hugh, she could talk and talk. Hugh would listen to her carefully. Letting her speak her heart out. Iris spoke with a smile on her face and looked lost in memories of her parents as she described them, and she made moments with her hands to explain the intense details about them. Hugh leaned forward, rested his elbow on the table, his chin resting in his palms as he listened to Iris talk. 

He didn't take his eyes off her face even for a second and his smile never left his face. He liked watching the moments of her lips, as they turn into a smile, and then her eyebrows would frown, then she would laugh again, and the way her expressions would keep changing with her story. 

“I've known her only for a few days and she has already made a place for herself in my heart, in my life. Will I stop thinking about her once the factory starts? Umm... no, I don't think so.” 

"Right?" Iris asked. Hugh just nodded. He had no idea what she was asking. 

"That's what I told mom. She should get proper treatment done. So, she went to Scotland to meet some famous surgeon but then he was quite expensive...." Iris continued with her story. 

“Will I ever be able to tell her how I feel about her? What if my confession drifts her away from me? I can't afford to lose her. What should I do?” 

"Well, you haven't really said anything," Iris said with a grin. "I hope I'm not boring you." 

"Huh?" Hugh snapped out of his thoughts and raised his brows. "No, no at all." He shook his head. "Your parents, they sound quite interesting." 

"They really were. Coolest parents one could ask for." Iris looked down at the table and said with a soft smile. 

Hugh folded his arms and leaned back in the chair. "You miss them." 

"Yes. I really do." 

Hugh smiled. 

"I should help you in the kitchen," Hugh said and rose from the chair and picked his and Iris's plates. 

They washed the dishes together and cleaned the kitchen. 

"I should leave. It's too late." Hugh said and picked his coat from the stand. 

"Sure." Iris walked near the door. Though it was obvious that they were going to spend the New Year together, Iris still asked him nervously, "So tomorrow is New Years' eve. I'm thinking of making Pork Ribs. Is that okay?" 

"Bollocks!" He exclaimed softly and pressed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. 

Iris creased her brows. "Is there anything wrong?" She asked. 

"I totally forgot to tell you," Hugh said softly. 

"What?" 

"I made plans with my colleagues. Four of my friends from the factory in Middleham have been transferred here with me. They made plans while on the conference call today and I said yes without even realizing that..." Hugh said grimly.