Chapter 12 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“Hey sunshine! I’ve missed you too.” Benne said with a smile of his own. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed her until he heard her voice.

“I’ve missed you more. Mom asked you to call me, didn’t she?” Jade asked in amusement.

“Yeah, but I would have called you eventually. You know we are all always so busy and stuff… Have you read of Bryan’s engagement on the net?” Benne asked, wanting to change the subject.

“Bryan? Our Bryan? Engaged?” Jade asked incredulously making Benne chuckle.

“Yeah. He engaged a lady this evening. According to Harry it’s all over the internet.”

“Why do I find it so hard to believe this? It might just be a publicity stunt, I won’t put that past Bryan.” Jade said with a scoff.

“You never can tell, people change. How is work? I hope you’re staying out of trouble?” Benne asked hopefully.

“I’m trying, but the case I’m working on at the moment is kind of complicated. I’ve been receiving several death threata via calls and messages.” Jade confessed.

“What? Have you reported to the police?” Benne asked in alarm.

“Yeah. They’re looking into it, or so they claim. But I’m keeping my fingers crossed. The firm has some men guarding me though.”

“You’re sure you don’t need to leave there for the time being? Your life might really be in danger.” Benne said in concern.

“Well, this is one of those things I signed up for when I decided to be a big shot lawyer. I’ll be okay eventually, and if I’m not, I can always find my way back home.” Jade promised.

“Just take care of yourself, okay? Let me know if and when you need my help.” Benne said before hanging up.

His mother had been right. He needed to check up on his siblings more often, Benne thought before heading to the door when he heard the sound of the doorbell.

He smiled to himself when he looked through the window and saw his pretty neighbor standing by the door with his tray in her hand. She was looking fresh out of the bathroom and dressed in an oversized shirt and shorts, with her eyeglass in place. She looked like a dork.

He walked over to the door and opened it, “Hello neighbor!” He greeted with his most disarming smile.

“I figured I bring back your tray. Thanks for the cobbler. It was really nice.” Celsie said as she handed the tray to him.

“I suppose you’re done settling in? Why not come in for a glass of wine? Or coffee?” Benne asked when she looked like she was going to leave in a moment.

Celsie looked at him uncertainly as she wondered how she was going to let him understand she wasn’t going to be the sort of neighbor to sit around watching television with him. She would rather be in the comfort of room by herself reading a book or surfing the net and… “What are you doing?” She asked when he suddenly pulled her into the house and shut the door behind them.

“You’re thinking too much. Getting to know each other for an hour or less won’t hurt. Just relax. So is it going to be wine or coffee?” Benne asked again.

“Coffee.”

“Wine it is then. You need to unwind. You seem really tense.” Benne said as he walked over to the mini bar and took out the cheap wine while Celsie watched him, wondering why he was being so bossy.

“Here. To being neighbors.” Benne cheered as he handed her the glass of wine.

“I can’t get drunk so I’ll just take a few sips and then be on my way, I need to rest since I have to be at work very early tomorrow.” Celsie rambled on.

“Just drink.” Benne said as he kept watching her, “So how is your best friend Sonia? Have you been able to show her your dare-to-do list?” Benne asked, startling her.

“Sonia? How do you know about Sonia?” Celsie asked in alarm making him chuckle.

“You must really have no memory of our conversations because you were drunk. You told me about her. How you both are the exact opposite of each other. How she has had so many boyfriends while you are yet to find the motivation to get one.” Benne said, making Celsie suddenly remember the moment she had been drunkenly laughing and telling him things at the club.

“Oh my God!” She exclaimed when she remembered telling him how she felt her nipples were too big, “Oh my God!” She exclaimed again, making him chuckle some more since he could tell she had just remembered some pretty embarrassing stuff she must have said.

All attempt by Bryan to get Sonia to leave the room, was met with equal resistance. It was very clear to Bryan that Sonia had no intention whatsoever of leaving him alone and she had every intention of spending the nigh with him.

“Why are you doing this?” Bryan asked when she walked out of the bathroom dressed now in his polo shirt, and one of his boxer pants which he hadn’t give to her.

“Because I can, and because I want to.” She said with a sweet smile. “Shouldn’t we get the room service to serve us something? I’m really famished right now, and I need to eat before going to bed.” Sonia said with a yawn as she sat on the couch and placed one leg over the other on the center table as though she owned the place.

“You can call them and ask them to serve you whatever you want to eat. I’m going to bed.” Bryan said before heading for the bedroom. He needed to rest his head and come up with a plan on how to escape from this lunatic who had just invaded his world.

He briefly considered drugging her and running off in the morning before she wakes up from sleep. But quickly shook his head to discard the thought. He knew without doubt that Sonia could do a lot of damage to his image if he so much as did something like that to her, especially since the public was aware that he had approached her and not the other way around. Thus he had to end whatever was between them in an amicable way.

As soon as he lay on his bed his phone started ringing and he sighed when he realized the call was from his mother. He didn’t need anyone to tell him his parents had probably seen the news since they never failed to check the gossip columns for news about him… Or perhaps Benne had informed her already.

“Congratulations my dearest son! I’m so proud of you.” His mother gushed happily the moment he accepted her call making him wince.

“So who is she? When am I meeting her? When are you getting married?” She went on and on.

“Her name is Sonia Smith.” He told his mother quietly as he massaged his temple. How on earth was he going to get out of this stupid web he had spun on his own?

‘”Awww! I love her already. Can I speak with her? She is there with you, right?” His mother asked eagerly.

“No, she is fast asle…”

“Baby, the food is here, would you like to join me?” Sonia called from the doorway of the bedroom.

“Hand her the phone, I want to speak with my daughter in-law to be.” His mother said excitedly making Bryan sigh as he tried not to glare at Sonia for being so loud.

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