Facade of Love

Chapter 311 Suddenly Close
If my arms were not already overflowing with bags, I would have visited more booths.
I glanced at the mountain of trinkets that Charlie was disappearing under and finally tamed the wild shopping beast inside me.
We got t
got to the sidewalk, but a problem arose.
“Getting a taxi with all this loot will be a nightmare,” I mumbled, thinking about how we would get back. Charlie’s muscle guy had
left us here to fend for ourselves.
Just as I said that, a shiny black Bentley pulled up like it was on cue. Two dudes in matching black suits got out and made a
beeline for Charlie. “Mr. Yates,” they said, all serious.
Charlie gave a quick nod and handed his shopping bags to the bodyguard. That was when I clammed up, realizing I had been
fretting over nothing. The wealthy really were in a league of their own. They could live it up without a single worry. As the
bodyguards helped Charlie into the car, he spotted me lingering on the curb and called, “Hey, aren’t you coming?” I grinned at
him and said, “I’ll catch a taxi soon. Head back to the hospital, okay?” We were going in opposite directions, and it just did not
make sense for me to crisscross the city.
His smile was warm, his voice a mix of comfort and resolve, “I’ll drop you off first. Catching a cab here is a nightmare.”
He was spot on. The night market buzzed with folks scrambling for rides. Without a peep, hopped into the car.
We rolled up to the Scotts‘ place half an hour later. I stepped out and waved to Charlie.” Thanks for the ride. See you later!”
Hen
He nodded, handing me a neatly tied box. “I got something for you.”
I blinked in surprise. “What’s in it?”
He chuckled softly. “Just a little token. Go on, open it.”
I

Curiosity got the better of me, and I popped open the box. Inside, I found the cutest necklace, which looked like it was spun from
cotton candy. It was delicate, with tiny, intricate details that made it totally irresistible and one–of–a–kind.
I just had to know. “Where did you find this?” It was not the kind of thing you plan to buy; it seemed like a spur–of–the–moment
find. A necklace this fancy at a night market seemed improbable, so where did he get it?
He gave me a signature mischievous smile and dodged the question with a simple, “Do you like it?”
I gave him a nod, but then it hit me–this necklace had to be worth a ton. Realizing the potential value of the necklace, I squinted
at him, “What’s with the out–of–the–blue present?” He just shrugged, waving the half–munched cotton candy and a Superman
mask in the air, ” Hey, you got me some stuff too, so I had to return the favor, right?”
I was speechless. How on earth did he think a stick of candy and a mask were on the same level” as a necklace?
Reluctantly, I pushed the box back toward him, “Back and forth? No way, this necklace has got to be super pricey. I just can’t
accept it.”
He paused, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “You... don’t like it?
I shook my head, trying to find the right words. “No, it’s not that, I just...”
He did not let me get the words out. “Then it’s a done deal.” He steamrolled right over my protests, saying, “Look, it’s not about
how much it costs. It’s about the thought behind it. I love what you picked out for me. It means the world to me. So, just take it,
will you? If not, it’s like saying we are not even pals.”
Whoa, when did this become a friendship test?
I was caught off guard, yet I managed to muster a smile. “Alright, I’ll keep it. Thanks... I appreciate the thought, really.”
“If this is all about swapping gifts, I’ll make sure my next one is just as awesome.”
He saw me agree and nodded, his eyes lighting up with a warm smile, “Awesome, now got home, kick back, and sleep tight.
Goodnight.”
I nodded back, quick and eager. However, before I could take a step, Charlie’s voice froze me. Yvette.”

Whirling around, I caught him looking away, something new and unreadable dancing in his eyes. He squinted at me, a playful
smirk on his lips, “Come here for a minute.”
Puzzled, I bit my lip and asked, ‘What’s going on?”
He motioned for me to come over. I hesitated for just a second before moving closer, thinking he would spill some secret or
news. He surprised me by blowing a soft breath across my cheek, and I just stood there, stunned.
“There was something on your face,” he said, his hand lightly touching my cheek as if to wipe it
away. He was right there, so close I could barely handle it, and I caught a whiff of tobacco coming off him.