Published: March 25, 2019----Sept.30, 2020

"Kate, when are you going to use your voucher?"

"I am not sure yet," Katelyn answered Tess while twirling the pasta on her fork.

"Is it because you don't have a date?" Nicole asked. She is the new addition in Kate's circle of new friends and their senior at work.

They had lunch before once on their first day, and then yesterday. Nicole approached them while they were eating and asked to share their table. Today, before they go out of their office, she dropped in her desk and asked if she can accompany them again during lunch.

"Well..." Katelyn then raised her fork to eat the pasta. Before feeding herself, she looked at them and saw them intently waiting for her answer. Their stare made her smile. She immediately put the food on her mouth and chews.

"You're so frustrating, I was anticipating what you are going to answer, but all you did was smile and eat that." Tess pointed on her pasta, and the way she uttered those words made the disappointment on her voice more pronounced.

"You also felt it, Tess?" Nicole asked while winking at Tess. "I thought I was the only one. Just admit it if you don't have a date. I can help you with that." She added while taking a bite on her steak.

Katelyn swallowed first the food in her mouth before answering, "No need, Nicole, I don't want to impose on you."

"I will be happy to help you, Kate, so don't worry. As long as it is not our CEO, we can manage to find for each one of us."

"Why is that we can't dream of dating him?" Tess turned her eyes to Nicole while Kate continues eating her pasta.

"Well, in the first place he has a girlfriend already and then...second, where can we meet him?" Nicole looked at them with raise eyebrows and then continued, "I had been here for three years, but I only have seen him during our Annual Anniversary."

"How come, Kate and I saw him yesterday on the elevator?"

"Are you kidding me? He has his elevator that goes straight to his floor."

"But we did saw him yesterday" Tess looked at Kate, who had finished her pasta and drinking water, "it was Mr. Steele whom we met yesterday, right Kate?"

'Yeah, it was him."

Nicole said with a puzzled look on her face, "It is the first time that I had heard him using the common elevator."

"Let him be if he wants to use the elevator used by all the employees. As long as he will not cause traffic in there," Katelyn told them to dismiss Jared's topic. Though, she too was curious about the reason.

"You are right," Nicole straightened herself and arrange her hair," so from now on, I have to be extra careful of my appearance. Who knows he will use the elevator again on the time that I am inside?" Nicole chuckled.

"Don't tell me, Nicole. You will give up those future dates you will have and preoccupy yourself in front of the mirror or running after Mr. Steele. Tsk, Tsk, so sad."

"He will be worth it."

"Oh!" Tess pouted and then held Nicole's arms and said, "So how about the date you will set up for Kate and me?"

"Of course, I will not forget it, Tess." Katelyn was not sure if the prospect of meeting Jared on the elevator was on Nicole's mind or purely the thought of finding them a date, which made her voice sound excited as she answered.

"Are you sure you are not dating anyone?" Nicole clarified, which made Tess guiltily grin.

"Oh! You are dating; I am so happy for you, girl," Katelyn reached out her hand to pat Tess's arm."

"Going to...not dating yet," Tess corrected.

"Still, I am happy for you."

"Wow! Who is the lucky guy?" Nicole asked.

"He is the guy that I knew in college, and he told me that he saw me yesterday in the mall with a colleague."

"When we went to have our lunch inside the mall?" Katelyn interrupted.

"Yeah, it was at that time. He said that we were in a hurry, so he did not try to approach me."

"So, where did he get your number?" Nicole asked.

"My cousin, they were classmates before."

"He is so fast and resourceful." Nicole commented and then added, "so the single population in our office will be deducted as you have a prospect already," Nicole told Tess and then turned her attention to Katelyn, winked at her and continued, " Don't worry Kate, we will look for our future..." and then she chuckled and the sound of her laughter made them laugh too.

"Seriously, Nicole, I don't want to look for anyone yet. Work is my priority as of now." Katelyn can only try to make excuses.

"Don't tell me that, Kate. I remember that during your age, that was also my way of thinking. It was when I become a regular employee of the company that I started dating. So look, I am already twenty-eight but still single and searching. It is nice to meet new people and try to learn what makes them who they are, but sometimes, it is good to have someone who will always be there."

To hear Nicole, who looks so joyous and always makes fun of dating as if it is her daily routine, was also tired made Katelyn realized. In the end, a person also wants to be with someone that will always be there.

"Better start at an early age so you will have enough time to get to know a guy. Besides, you can do it simultaneously." Nicole assured her, and after saying all that, she laughed again. Once she saw everyone had finished eating, she stood up and told them, "better for us to go back to our work now."

"By the way," Tess said while standing up on her chair. They both turned to her, "Remember I told you, Kate, about the party on Saturday?"

"Yeah, I remembered,"

"Well, I will extend my invitation to Nicole." Nicole laughed again and answered, "As long I can meet any cute guys, I am always ready."

Tess looked at Katelyn with questioning eyes upon seeing her unsure expression.

The truth is that Katelyn wanted to make excuses not to attend the party, but then she remembered that Meme was still on the cruise. There was no reason for her and Jared to go to her house. Besides, she's sure that Jared will be busy with his date.

She then smiled at Tess and nod.

"I thought you are going to make excuses not to go," Relief was on Tess's voice as she talked, "so that settled then, on Saturday."

Jared arrived home from his trip. To find his wife asleep was not a surprise as it was past one in the morning already. He directly went to their bathroom and prepared himself to bed.

Once he entered their bedroom, he saw her position on their bed, which was unlike earlier. He had noticed that when she's relaxed in sleep, she usually moves around. Like now, she is more on his side.

A smile came off his mouth at the thought that Katelyn tried to reach out to his warmth. He immediately runs to his side of the bed. Slowly he removed Katelyn arms on the mattress and held it while he lay down and then positions her arms on his waist. With her in that position, it made him feel relaxed. Immediately he was lulled into sleep.

Katelyn walked up to a feeling of blessed, " to awaken hugging a pillow is lovely,'" she thought to herself and then tried to squeeze it tight to herself only to realize that it was not cotton but more of muscles she felt. Then it dawned on her that surely she was not hugging Jared. Slowly she then took a peek and saw a pajama top.

"So he went home while I was already asleep. What time did he go home?" Katelyn mused. She slowly untangled herself from him as not to awaken him and brought embarrassment to herself again.

She tiptoed to their bathroom and took a shower.

Without her knowledge, Jared was already awake but only pretended to sleep so he can savor the feeling of having her tightly on his embrace. But once she was inside the bathroom, he got up and went to the terrace.

END OF PART 5

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