What the heart wants

43. Heart To Heart

(I have done some changes in the last portion of last chapter where Hazel arranged Jade's party and edited out the makeout session. It seemed out of place.)

He was staring at me with an inexplicable emotion on his face. I remember this look in his eyes, it was yearning. I remember it because I have seen it before, the night that we spent in a hotel six years ago, the day when we were locked in that room in the mansion and we kissed for the first time, the night in the club when we had a full make-out session.

Once he averted his eyes back to the ground, I let out the breath I was holding for so long. The clothes I was wearing smelled like him, like home. But he wasn't my home, he never was. It's been four years and a lot has been changed in these years.

I spotted the towel that he probably brought for me by his side. Moving forwards, I sat down on the bed beside him and dried my hair with it.

"How long did she live after Jade?" I asked. There were so many questions in my mind but I couldn't decide if I had the right to ask them.

He gulped, his jaw ticking slowly. "Almost two weeks." he replied.

Thinking about Jade made me sad because she didn't get to experience the love of a mother. I'm sure Xavier is a wonderful father but sometimes, a girl needs a mother and I know this because I never had one, even though mine was alive.

"Jade is such a well-mannered kid." I said, smiling at the picture of him and Jade, placed on the wall in front of me. They both were dressed in mickey mouse clothes and by the look of it, the place looked like Disneyland.

"Hmm." he smiled.

His eyes shifted to me and for a moment, our gaze locked with each other. His eyes still had the ability to numb my mind with their blueness and that's what he was doing right now.

"You didn't move on." he said, assessing my face with in a calculative manner.

"I did. I'm at the peak of my career." I smirked proudly.

"You know that's not what I meant." he commented, exhaling loudly.

I knew what he meant but I didn't know what to say in response.

After pondering over the best possible response for two minutes, I finally spoke, "I am single because I want to, not because I was mourning the loss of some unrequited love or because I had no potential suitor."

He nodded, as if understanding. "I'm sure there are hundreds of potential suitors lined up for you." he gave me a brief smile.

"I won't say hundred." I chuckled.

"Why not? You're smart, beautiful, intelligent, kind, opinionated, everything a man would want." he said softly and I blushed at this praise. I have been called these things before but not from his mouth.

"Well, I haven't met someone who had all these qualities as well." I said.

On hearing this, he turned his face to me and his eyes lingered on my face, to the point that it became difficult to breathe under his observation. "You will." he smiled and stood up.

"Jade must be waiting for us. I'll go check on her." he mumbled and I nodded, tucking wet strands of my hair behind my ears.

...

The next few days passed without any further contact with Xavier. To be honest, I missed Jade and her cute way of talking more than I missed talking with Xavier. All the while I was preparing for her party, we built a bond.

"Hazel," I picked up my head from the file when I heard someone calling my name. My secretary Ross was standing in front of me, waiting for me to acknowledge him. "The girl whose birthday party you arranged is here. She wants to meet you."