THE GOOD SISTER

Chapter 18 - Footer

Hurray for extended weekends! My kind office declared today as a non-working day, thus giving me five straight days away form the office since Saturday! I love how things fall into place when you least expect it :) 

As you know by now, I launched the twin book Vanilla last night, and I thank everyone for the warm welcome. Iba talaga kayo pag harot ang usapan, hahahaha. Complete attendance, mga mems. Thank you :)

I agree with most of you that it's time Dei and Jay made their relationship official, and rightfully it was Dei who sealed it sweetly.  You would wonder though, how Kat will take it?  Abangan next chapter.  This is chapter reveals how Richard's relocation to Manila is taking shape, and how serious he is to make things work between him and Dei. 

Read on, I'm sure you will like his plans and feel happy for them both. Happy happy muna tayo ok? Enjoy this chapter and the two days off starting tomorrow. Lovelots, guys :)

 

Dei was back in the office working out the details of Pageturner's business contract with Richard. She estimated the edits to take a month and two weeks for all three books, and she herself would be doing the edits because Richard wanted it that way.

It has been a week since she first saw him again after more than a year of no communication. It was unbelievable how easy things had slipped into place this time for their relationship, unlike back in Evanston when every single thing seemed to magnify how difficult it was to keep going. Maybe Richard was right in saying it just wasn't the right time for them back then, that it wasn't her fault things didn't work out.

Her phone vibrated, it was a text message from Kat, asking if she could have dinner tonight. This was the third time she was begging off from Kat, feigning work reasons, and it was making her guilty. But Kat would be flying out again tomorrow to Japan, and that would give her a breather from worrying about Kat and Richard. She knew even Richard was avoiding Kat, knowing how Dei felt threatened by her.

Although she and Kat were in a better relationship now, she knew Kat still envied her. It wasn't a malicious kind of envy though, it was the kind of envy one felt for someone admired. Kat always talked about Richard with a hint of admiration in her voice. Countless times, Kat said the same line over and over again.

"If I were you, I would've snatched Jay a long time ago."

She didn't know what went on in her sister's conversations with Jay. Did she ever try to flirt with him? Talk him out of getting back with her? How did he respond, if indeed Kat flirted? Did it ever cross his mind that Kat was a better person than she was?

But that was all in the past now. She made her choice to have a relationship with him, and she saw how happy he was with her decision to go public about it. She also changed her relationship status on Facebook, flooded her Instagram account with pictures of them together. She knew she was acting like a lovestruck schoolgirl, but she couldn't help it. She was in love.

-----

Richard pushed open the door to the conference room of Faulkner Restaurants Group and was met by hoots from his brother Dominic and sister Rizza. Both siblings have been trying to persuade him to open a restaurant in Manila as an excuse to see him more often. Who would have thought that his writing would lead him to the one thing he was avoiding in the past? He did not want to get involved in the family business, wanting to strike out on his own as a serious writer.

But now that he and Dei were in a relationship, he was thinking of the future and how to make himself financially stable. Opening a restaurant outlet with a steady following seemed an easy answer. He sat in front of his sister and brother, shaking his head.

"Tuwang-tuwa kayo ha."

"Of course. Imagine, you left the business to pursue writing, met the girl of your dreams, who would lead you back to this business that you disliked. Kelan ba namin siya makikilala para makapagpasalamat?"

"Soon, guys. I don't want to share her yet, we just reconciled and want to savor our reconciliation. Ang tagal din before we finally came together like this."

"Where are you planning to set up the outlet?"

"Based on my research, Pasig seems to be a good area. Same with Mandaluyong or San Juan. So any of the three locations are fine with me."

"Sige. We already made arrangements for the house you liked, and dad didn't want you to go around without a car so may company car assigned for you."

"Ang kulit ni dad, I said I'd buy my own car eh."

"You can't spend all your money just like that Jay, ok rin na may company car ka, you'll use it for the business din naman. Things are done differently here so you'll need a crash course on restaurant management and the regulations needed, especially the permits."

"Great, thanks so much for the help kahit short notice. I'll be going back to Miami five days from now. I hope I'll get things done quickly para makabalik agad."

"Sige, we'll let you know about the location choices two days from now. You want to build from scratch or kahit may structure na?"

"If the structure fits our design theme, ok lang."

"Sige, bro......"

-----

At four in the afternoon, Richard walked into Dei's office, surprising her receptionist by kissing her full on the mouth. This made Dei blush and slap him in the arm.

"Si Miss Dei nahiya pa. Happy for you po......" Jean, her receptionist teased.

She just smiled and pulled Richard into the conference room, locking the door as usual.

"Ang harot mo talaga Mr. Richards."

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"When we're in my office, you're my client."

"Ganon?" He teased her with a lascivious look, hooking his hands behind her to prod her closer to him. "How do you treat clients lusting for you?"

"I ward off their advances," She said while looking at him with equal desire.

"Sige nga, how?"

"I push them away," She said, still staring at him, her eyes on his mouth. She was weakly pushing him away, but gasped when he pulled her back.

"If you keep looking at your clients that way, you'll never succeed in warding them off. You'll just give them a hard-on."

"Shut up Faulkner and kiss me."

He happily obliged, cradling her back with one hand while cupping her butt with another. She raised one leg and wrapped it around his, making him groan.

"Dei.....you're killing me," He murmured against her mouth. His lips nuzzled her warm fragrant neck, sucking at the tender flesh beneath her ear. She giggled and finally pushed him away, tenderly brushing her fingers through his hair to fix it in place.

"Ang guwapo mo, Mr. Richards. With all due respect, I know you're a very good writer, but I'm sure women will buy your book once they see your picture at the inner flap."

"Ganon? But I want them to buy the book because it's good."

"I'm sure they will. But I'm sure more than a few will buy it because of how good looking you are. Sorry na lang, you're taken."

"Yes I am. Sayo lang ako, Dei."

"Good. You're stuck with me. I love you, Jay. You, not the author."

"I love you too. And just because I do, I have a proposition, Dei."

"Hmmmm, what proposition?"

"Come back to Miami with me. I want to introduce you to my parents."