Alabang Boys Series #1
Jaesie Rosenthal knows what she brings to the table, and love is just another luxury she doesn't have any plan to buy. But a multi-million-peso agreement is something she will consider when it comes to business.
When Rico Dard...
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RICO WAS scanning the place. Wala pa siyang limang minuto sa loob ng café pero parang ang dami na niyang nakikita.
"I love the place," he said while nodding. Akyat-baba ang tingin niya mula sa kisame hanggang sa sahig. Pinasadahan pa niya ng hintuturo ang ibabaw ng counter sa may cashier. Tumango na naman nang walang makitang bahid ng alikabok o dumi roon.
Wala akong tiwala kay Rico. Hindi naman sa hindi siya katiwa-tiwala, pero ang dami kasing dahilan para hindi ko siya pagkatiwalaan.
He brought me a bouquet of red roses. Ang usapan kasi business meeting, so hindi ko maiwasang lagyan ng kulay ang pagdadala niya sa akin ng bulaklak.
"Coffee is not that evident in your interior, but the smell is. The place is cozy and welcoming. Two years pa lang itong café pero mukhang maganda na ang itinatakbo ng business. You understood the assignment, huh."
Hindi ko naman ikakailang hindi nga siya tunog manliligaw ngayon. He was really inspecting my coffee shop like a sanitary inspector. May background siya sa food industry, he is the son of a famous businessman, hindi ko makita ang dahilan kung bakit ko kailangang kuwestiyunin ang credibility niya to inspect my business as an investor.
I followed him as he checked the whole café. It was like he was looking for a single flaw to change his decision about investing in my coffee shop. And there I was, examining his whole presence in my place.
Rico Dardenne is hot as hell. That body hidden inside his blue dress shirt is an almost perfect creation of God. The first time I saw his half-naked body, I literally drooled. Captivating din ang mga mata niyang matingkad ang pagkaka-green na slight yellow kaya iniiwasan kong tingnan. Sobrang distracting kasi since hindi naman common ang eye color niya. Dominant ang Hispanic-Caucasian features ng mukha at kutis, dala na rin siguro ng may lahi ang both parents niya gaya ng kuwento nina Patrick. Ang tangos ng ilong. Cupid's bow pa ang labi. Nahiya ako sa labi kong kailangan pang lagyan ng lipstick para lang maging pink. And he stood like he was prepared to play for the Philippine basketball team—puwede nang sentro.
He's charming—charming enough to get a straight "yes" without asking any straight questions from any lady.
"You think my investment in your café is worth the price?" he asked, meeting my eyes with a serious face.
Nagtaas naman ako ng mukha at may kompiyansang sumagot. "Of course, yes."
"What if hindi maibalik ang investment ko after a year, ano kaya'ng puwedeng kapalit sa . . ." Huminto siya sa paglalakad sa bandang veranda ng café at mukhang nag-isip ng susunod na idudugtong sa sinasabi niya. And I thought that wasn't a good sign at all.
"Let's be professional here, Mr. Dardenne. I don't want any monkey business on my table," seryoso kong sinabi. Napansin ko namang tumaas ang magkabilang kilay niya at unti-unting namuo ang ngisi sa mga labi na nagpakita ng mga ngipin niyang talo pa ang ngipin ng mga model ng toothpaste.
