As she grappled with her response, Hilliard turned to leave, striding towards the CEO office door.
âStop!â she called out, a rare command that halted him in his tracks, though he didnât face her.
Throughout their engagement, she had maintained a formal distance, always addressing him as Mr.
Simmons, even privately.
âEven if it involves personal matters, I expect to be informed of your whereabouts,â she insisted.
Hilliardâs reply was blunt.
âI have a date.
â
A date?
Not with her, evidently.
Who could it be?
âWho is she?â Jennifer couldnât hide her mixture of curiosity and dismay.
Hilliardâs silence persisted, his demeanor as reserved as ever.
âMiss Turner, if youâre curious about my plans, feel free to ask as my fiancée.
â
After a momentâs hesitation, Jennifer softened, asking, âAlright, as your fiancée, Iâm curious: who is this mysterious date you have planned after work?â
Hilliard turned, approached her again, and leaned close, his hands finding the armrests of he
chair.
âThe date is with my fiancée.
Did you forget today is your birthday?â
Jennifer was momentarily taken aback.
Celebrating her birthday was something she seldom did, to the point of forgetting the date herself.
âHow did you find out my birthday? Did my mother tell you?â
Hilliard was candid.
âYour mother thinks highly of me.
Sheâs quite the matchmaker.
Plus, you used to make a point of remembering my birthday and phone number.
Itâs only fair I do the same.
â
Jennifer felt her heart flutter; Hilliardâs flirtations, paired with his stoic appearance, grew increasingly appealing.
Before Jennifer could respond, Hilliard had already shut down her computer.
âI spoke with your mother last night; weâre not returning home for dinner or staying in tonight.
â
Taking Jenniferâs hand, he suggested, âCome on, Jennifer.
We have a couple of hours before work ends.
How about we catch a movie first?â
As he took her hand, helping her to stand, Jennifer focused on one detail.
âNot staying in tonight? What do you mean?â
Hilliard began to pack her bag without offering an explanation.
Jennifer eyed him with a mix of astonishment and apprehension.
âAre you suggesting we⦠go to a hotel?â
Hilliard calmly responded, âWeâre adults and engaged.
Our date can include a movie, dinner, or even an overnight stay.
Itâs all quite standard.
â
At a loss for words, Jennifer pondered.