Chapter 24

Chapter 24

We stopped in front of the fountain in the middle of the garden.

"So?" I began.

"So..." he replied, oblivious.

"So, what are we doing in the middle of the garden?"

He smiled then looked down the ground.

I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Hey!" I snapped, he looked up and laughed.

"I don't know."

"What?"

He shrugged and scratched the back of his head.

"Are you serious?" I slapped his arm lightly.

He laughed, "Come on, let's get out of here." He grabbed my hand, "I'll show you something."

My eyes darted to our interlaced hands and my mouth suddenly felt too watery that I had to gulp. My stomach felt light and troubled at the same time. And my chest? A trembling mess on the inside.

What is happening? Are these butterflies? Why am I acting like a teenager? God, this is some straight out of a high-school-storybook shit.

My eyes stayed glued to the way my hand looks freakishly small next to his and for some indescribable reason, I can't bring myself to retract it.

"What's wrong?" he stopped walking.

"Huh?" I immediately averted my gaze from our hands and looked at his eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Wrong move. Those blues were full of curiosity and concern, and yet somehow, I can see calmness.

"Yeah," the corners of my lips curved up in a sad attempt to hide the baffling questions in my head – all as if I'm not screaming on the inside. I tried my best to focus on the trees ahead because my eyes will give everything away. Growing up, Noelle always said that my eyes betray me every time; that I had to work on it if I don't want to be caught in a lie.

"Alright." He squeezed my hand and we continued to walk.

I looked back at our adjoined hands then up to his face, painted with a satisfied smile.

Oh. So, he's very much aware of the hand-holding situation? Was he purposefully doing this? Another part of the game?

"Hey." He said, catching my attention. "It's okay." He smiled then raised our hands to his lips and kissed the back of my hand.

"You- you can't do things like that."

"Why?"

"Just..." I exhaled shortly and I can't seem to find the words. I can't believe it, I'm speechless yet again.

"It's not like we haven't kissed already." He said as a matter of fact.

"Yeah, but it's not the same."

"Why? Because we made out and this is innocent?"

"No..."

He smirked, "Is this a make out invitation?" he leaned it.

"No!" I pushed him a little. He laughed.

"C'mon, I'm just joking. Let's go to the park."

"What park?"

"Fort Tryon Park?

I squinted.

He scoffed and cocked his head to the side in disbelief, "Are you serious? Let's go."

We continued walking but we stopped by a small restaurant on the way and picked up some to-go sandwiches. It took us about ten minutes to get to the park. My feet were killing me because I'm wearing heels that we had to stop by the nearest bench in the park and just eat there.

"So, you're telling me you have no idea of Fort Tryon park?"

I shook my head.

His brows shot upwards, "How long have you been living in New York?"

"6 years." My voice was muffled by the sandwich.

"Oh, that's why."

"Alright, smug guy." I put my sandwich down to my lap. "How long have you been living in New York?"

"Born and raised."

"Really?" my back straightened.

"Yeah, my Dad takes us here when we were kids." He exhaled, "New York is a big part of who I am, maybe that's why I can't seem to leave the state for good."

"Right. Because actors thrive in L.A., right?"

"Yeah. I have to go to L.A. multiple times in a month that I practically live there but I can't leave home."

"That's understandable," I nodded. "You must be close to your family that you visit them often."

"That's the funny thing though, I haven't seen them in almost a year now."

"Oh..." I tried to hide the disappointment in my voice.

He laughed, "It's alright, judge me however you want. What's stopping you now?"

"No, um, you must have a good reason... that I will not squeeze out of you. So, how many siblings do you have?"

"Is this an interview, Grant? You know you can just Google that, right?"

"Yeah, and I told you, where's the excitement in just looking you up?"

He smiled, a genuine one, "Okay. I have two siblings."

"And does your siblings have names?"

"No. My parents were barbarians. But props to them; they knew I was special, so I'm the only one who got a name."

"Ha-ha, very funny."

He chuckled, "I try. They're Gavin and Amelia, but we call her Mia."

"Uh-huh," I nodded. "And where do you fall in that order?"

"Youngest." He said out of reflex then winced, immediately regretting it.

"Oh, I get it now."

"You're the one to talk, you're also the youngest." He defended.

"Hey! How did you know that? I haven't told you."

"I had you checked, remember?"

I scoffed, "Right. Son of a bitch."

He laughed at my remark and I laughed with him.

As our laughs faded, awkward silence filled the air but the birds chirped in a distance. The wind picked up and it didn't go unnoticed how Axel slid his hands inside his coat pockets. I tugged my coat closer to my body. I hate for it to sound so much like Game of Thrones, but winter is coming.

"Okay, as much as I want to be spontaneous, I actually had something planned for us," he said, breaking the silence.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, let's go."

"Where?"

"If I told you, I'd ruin the surprise."

I smiled at him amusedly. He looked away, "Oh, come on, at least let me be spontaneous in your eyes."

"Okay, okay. We're totally being spontaneous right now because I have absolutely no idea where we're going." I reached for his hand and dragged him out of the park.

"You're leading the way..." he said, amused.

"Yeah, and so?"

"Do you know where my car is parked?"

That stopped me, "Uh..."

"Uh-huh?" he pressed on.

"Well... It must be at the Met Cloisters. Let's go." I yanked his hand as I continued to walk. He chuckled.

Sure enough, I spotted his Tesla when we got to the parking area.

I smiled at him smugly.

"Alright, smartass." He snorted in amusement and fished for his keycard from his pockets.

"Yeah?" I crowded him. "Is that a little smile there?" I teased.

"Whatever." He was about to open the car door but I saw him smile at the ground.

"It is!" I'm so amused, I can't hide it.

He shut the car door close and leaned on it, facing me. "You know I like to see you gloat." He finally brought out that lopsided smile of his. "Didn't even know you were capable."

"Oh, believe me, I am." I leaned on his car as I finally cool down from the hilarity high.

"But do you know what I'd love to do?"

I looked to my side, where he is, and found that he's moved closer.

"I'd love to wipe that smug off your face. Just like last night." He continued.

My grin faded. The birds chirped from the trees and I can't seem to say something. I focused my eyes on his nose. I heard somewhere that if you want to avoid eye contact but don't want to look like you're avoiding them, look at their nose.

Then he burst out laughing, "Oh my God, you should've seen your face."

"What?" that snapped me out of the haze.

"Are you fucking kidding me? I... Ugh, let's just go." I said, frustrated.

The smile on his face doesn't seem to faze, "Whatever you say, milady." He said then opened the car door. I entered immediately, trying to hide my face from him. God, this is too embarrassing.

He entered the car and let out a low chuckle as the engine came to life.

This is really our dynamic – one minute we're fighting, the next it's like nothing happened. An absolute red flag. That's why I decided that I'd never let this go further than the promised five dates.

*       *       *

It took us about an hour to get to Central Park. I looked around and took in the beautiful fall foliage of the park as Axel was busy getting stuff from his frunk.

I looked his way as he closed the frunk with a picnic basket hanging on his right arm.

"A picnic. Really?"

A lopsided smile appeared on his face, "Oh yeah. Don't go falling for me now, Grant."

"Who says?"

He walked closer to me until we're face to face. "I happen to know that the ladies dig it when the guy plans." We started walking towards the park. "You talk about spontaneous but you have to admit that you like it when a guy plans the dates – where he doesn't milk you to think where you want to eat."

I looked up to him with a small chuckle, "And just where did you learn that?"

"Mia."

"Oh, your sister. I'm guessing she's the eldest?"

"Yup."

I placed my hands inside my coat pocket, "And you knew that because she told you?"

"Nope. Just had to watch every slam of her door and her calling her best friend and them talking about how frustrating it is to go on dates and the guy just wings it. I mean, effort matters. It shows. Not just with dates but with everything in life."

"Huh, you surprise me every time, James."

"I hope that's a good thing," He said. "Hard work pays off. My job is a testament to that but the good looks help too."

I rolled my eyes, "Alright... Alright..."

He laughed at my remark, "And just think of how beautiful our babies would be."

I choked on my own spit.

He stopped walking and faced me, "Hey, are you alright? I'm just kidding. You take things too seriously."

"Jeez. Don't joke like that." I said, coughing.

He smiled, "Look, let's just settle there." He pointed at a nearby tree.

I shook my head as I took a deep breath, still recovering from the choking incident, "Sure."

We made a beeline towards the tree and he took out a red flannel blanket from the basket.

"Can you hold this, please?"

"Wow, he says please."

"Yeah, I'm civilized. Eat that."

"So much for civilized."

He laughed, "C'mon..." he nudged the basket towards me.

"Sure," I said and took the basket from him.

He carefully placed the blanket on the ground and sat satisfied. I followed suit and sat next to him, placing the basket in front of us.

"Aren't you scared of the crowds? The paps? Being a celebrity must be exhausting for your personal life."

"Yeah, it's a pain in the ass sometimes but I'm my publicist's pain in the ass." He chuckled, "I gotta get my money's worth."

"Oh my God, I can't imagine filling your publicist's shoes."

"Then it's good you aren't her." He smiled. "Oh, before we eat... Here, I got you something." He fished from his pockets and brought out a white box then handed it to me.

'THE MET' written in gold on the cover.

"Oh, you shouldn't have."

"Well, I figured you should have a little something to remember this date by." He leaned his head a little closer, trying to take a peek of what's inside as if he didn't pick it out himself. "Although, a date with me is something one would never forget."

I shoved him playfully, "You're so full of yourself."

He chuckled.

I opened the box and there lies an intricate pendant in the form of U-shaped leaves that has split down the middle – big and noticeable; its chain made with tiny pearls. I held it in my hands and felt the so-called leaves, bronze painted green.

"It's rosemary," He said.

I turned to look at him, to find out he was staring at me, "You really shouldn't have, but it's beautiful. Thanks." I said looking back at the necklace and putting it back inside its box.

"Won't you wear it?" his eyes alarmed.

"Um..."

"C'mon, I'll put it on you."

"Alright." I hesitantly handed him the box.

He moved behind me. The sound of the carton bumping each other filled the silence as he opened the box.

The strands of my hair went up when his fingers grazed the nape of my neck. I felt myself jerk when he moved all my hair to one side.

"Easy there." He chuckled then rubbed my shoulder a little bit.

Oh God, this is getting out of hand.

The coolness of the brass leaves hit my collarbone. "There," he said in satisfaction as he put my hair back in place. My fingers thumb the sizeable pendant, feeling the nooks and sharp edges of the leaves.

He moved to see how it looks on me, "Perfect," he said with a smile, "Now let's eat."