The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)

"Just me?" Noelle looked up, pointing at herself in surprise. "What about Arya?"

"She's got another project to keep an eye on!" Brian explained, giving Noelle a once-over. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Not at all!" Noelle flashed a grin. "Why would there be any problems?"

"Great!" Brian tapped on Noelle's desk. "You're looking good-seems like you had a pretty good New Year's, huh?"

Noelle grinned. "Yeah, actually!" Setting aside the few downers, she had been having a decent time lately. "And you? How're you doing?"

She suddenly recalled the New Year's call to Teresa, where Brian's name came up. Teresa's voice had been all over the place, making Noelle wonder if something was brewing between her and Brian. However, she had known Brian long enough to know that reading him was not easy.

"Something on your mind?" Brian caught Noelle zoning out and asked, "Anything else?"

"Nope, all good. I just need to sort out some stuff. I might be out for a good chunk of tomorrow."

"Got it!" Brian nodded. "Get busy, then!"

Once Brian was out of sight, Arya sidled up and gave Noelle's shoulder a nudge. "What was that all about with Mr. Parker?"

"Oh, it was nothing!"

Noelle shook her head. "So, what's up? You needed me?"

Arya giggled, leaning in like she was about to share a secret. "Guess what? Our Mr. Parker's got himself a girlfriend!" Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

Noelle's eyes widened in surprise, and she could not help but sneak a peek towards Brian's office. "Mr. Parker's got a girlfriend? How'd you find that out?" If Brian was taken, what about Teresa...

Noelle chewed on her lip, her face a mix of curiosity and concern.

"What's the matter? Not thrilled that

Mr. Parker's taken?" Arya nudged Noelle's shoulder with a sly grin. "You're not crushing on Mr. Parker, are you? She chuckled. "I gotta say, he is quite the catch. Sure, he's no Mr. Hoffman, but he's still a

LOV

heartthrob. Half the women here are head over heels for him, so it'd be no shock if you were too. But..." Arya's eyes dropped to Noelle's hand, and she let out a shriek. "Noelle!"

"What is it?"

Noelle rolled her eyes, taken aback by Arya's over-the-top reaction. "Seriously, Arya, we're at work. Keep it down, will you?"

"Your ring!" Arya pointed at Noelle's hand, her face a picture of shock. "You're wearing a ring, you..."

"Shh!" Noelle put a finger to her lips, signaling Arya to lower her voice. "Not so loud!" She continued, "I'm married now, so you can stop guessing about me and Mr. Parker." Noelle seemed unfazed as she confided in Arya about her marriage. "But it's kind of a secret. Not many people know, so..."

"Say no more, I won't tell a soul! Got

it!" Arya nodded, her curiosity

piqued. "When did you tie the knot? You kept it so hush-hush." She scrutinized Noelle's ring again, unable to figure out its story. "Your hubby... didn't exactly go all out,

huh? There's not a single sparkle on

there. It's so simple."

Arya thought Noelle's hubby was an average Joe looking to save money. "You only get married once, right? Your husband... He can't be as well-off as Mr. Parker, can he?"

Noelle bit her lip. Should she let Arya

in on the secret that her

plain-looking ring was actually a masterpiece of craftsmanship? It was tough to make and supposedly the only one of its kind in the world, which meant it probably was not cheap.