Chapter 20 Can't People Mind Their Own Business?
Corran
I am in my office, working away. I have been working from home a lot recently this week because I was taking care of April. I didn’t mind. It was better than her being alone. April starts her new job next week, so it is good that she is feeling better now. She is eager to get started because she is going a little stir-crazy doing nothing.
I rest back in my office chair, trying to decide if I should break for lunch or work through it. Most people will head out for lunch, but I am not really in the mood. A knock on my office door makes me look up. I am surprised to see April on the other side. What is she doing here? She never mentioned anything about coming by. She knows where I work because I told her, but I never expected her to show up. I call for her to come in. Smiling, she pushes my office door open and strolls in.
“I didn’t expect you to show up here.”
“Um, sorry. Shouldn’t I have come?” she asks nervously, appearing in front of my desk.
I don’t mind her being here, but I am worried people will get the wrong idea with her showing up. I don’t want everyone to think I am dating again, but I won’t be rude to April about it because, to her, her being here is nothing but innocent.
“No, you are fine. I am surprised to see you, that is all.” I smile.
“I should have let you know. I am sorry, I didn’t, but I come with lunch and coffee. Can you stop for lunch, or are you too busy?”
It has been a long time since someone has brought me lunch to work. Edin used to, but then she got sick and couldn’t manage. I miss it.
“I can eat, but you didn’t have to bring lunch.”
“It is the least I can do after you took such good care of me. I have homemade potato soup, which was ready not long before I left to come here, along with sweet chilli chicken wraps with a side salad. Do you like all of these things?”
I nod. “I do. Thank you. Please, take a seat on the couch. I will join in a moment unless you want to go outside and sit for lunch?”
“I am fine staying in here, fewer.” She laughs, heading to the couch to sit.
I like her way of thinking. I am not a fan of being around too many people unless I really need to be for work. I sign out of my computer and join her. Smiling, she takes everything out, setting it on the table. I am glad to see she brought some for herself, too, so I am not eating alone.
“Are you sure you are feeling well enough to be cooking and leaving the house?”
If she does too much, too soon, then she will end up sick again.
“I am fine. I promise. You should eat, the soup is still warm.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I laugh, pouring some soup out of the flask and into the bowl she brought.
April really did come prepared with everything. April snickers and takes some for herself, too. It looks and smells amazing. April will be happy she can cook whenever she wants now, since everything is in her place. I take a spoonful and groan. It tastes as good as it looks.
“Is that a good or a bad groan? When it comes to me making soup, it can be a hit or a miss.”
“It is delicious.” I grin, focusing my attention back on it.
I see April smile out of the corner of my eye before she eats her. I am hungrier than I thought. I won’t need dinner tonight after such a big lunch, well, unless April has some soup left and offers it to me for dinner, then I will eat because it is the best soup I have had in a long time.
I walk April to the lift because I need to get back to work. My lunch break ran longer than it should have been because we got to talking and laughing, losing track of time.
“Thank you for lunch, April.” I smile as we reach it, and I hug her.
“You are welcome. If you want some more soup, stop by once you are home because I made way too much.” She laughs, hugging back.
“I will.”
We part from the hug, say a last goodbye, and she disappears into the lift. The second the doors close, someone appears at my side. I turn to see who it is. It is my colleague Darius, and he has a smirk on his lips. I know what is coming next.
“Who was the beautiful woman? Are you dating again?”
I shake my head. “No, I am not dating again. Her name is April. She moves from America to Scotland. She lives in my building. We are only friends.”
Can’t a man and a woman be friends without them dating? Is that such a hard thing to believe?
“That hug said otherwise,”
I roll my eyes. “She is a friend, nothing more. I am not dating again. I don’t plan on ever dating again.”
I don’t give him a chance to say anything else. I don’t want to get it to. I shake my head and walk away, returning to my office. Some people are staring, probably wondering the same thing as Darius. God, why can’t people mind their own business? I knew how people would react. They need to get over it. My personal life has nothing to do with them. If I do start dating, they will be the last to know. I keep my professional life separate from my personal life. I prefer it that way. Everyone puts their personal life out there for everyone to see without thinking twice. That is not me! I don’t even use social media. I don’t need that nonsense. I can do without it.
I close my office door and pull down the blinds, not wanting anyone to bother me. I want to finish my workday and go home. I sit down at my desk and run my fingers through my hair, sighing loudly. I knew April coming here was not a good idea. It wouldn’t be a good idea for her to show up here again, but how do I tell her that without upsetting her or seeming ungrateful? Then again, why should I need to tell her not to come? I don’t have a problem with it. The issue is with other people and their need to know things that have nothing to do with them. I groan, frustrated! God, I shouldn’t be this stressed about a friend visiting me at work. It is all just so new. I have had female friends in the past, yes, there is nothing wrong with that, but April is a little different, even if I don’t want to admit it. There is something brewing, something both of us are fighting against and will need to keep fighting against because none of us is ready to be with someone else, no matter how good the kiss was between us.