Chapter 144

144 A Sweet Date

I turned to stare at him as my heart seemed to have melted. His words, his attitude and what he was trying to do truly touched me. Despite everything that he’s done and was trying to do, he remained a very humble person.

“By the way, I’m visiting some orphanages that we’re going to sponsor, so I was wondering if you would like to come along with me,” Adrian asked without much confidence.

He turned to smile lightly at me, and I could feel his desire for me to join him on the trip. This was probably what Jason was alluding to when he spoke to me on the phone earlier. I had no idea why Adrian thought that I wouldn’t be thrilled to go on the trip with him because I really was excited and so happy that he had chosen to invite me.

“Of course. I really want to go with you,” I replied, sounding a lot more enthusiastic than I had intended.

“Really? You’ll come with me, really?” Adrian asked with clear surprise.

“Well, is there a reason why you thought I wouldn’t want to come along?” I asked jokingly.

“We’ll be travelling for a few days and it’s not going to be a smooth and luxurious trip so...I wasn’t sure if you’ll be interested...” Adrian replied while looking quite shy.

“Oh no. It’s not like that...umm...I would really want to go. I want to help you out as much as I can on this CSR project. Honestly, I’m very happy that you’ve chosen to help the children at the orphanages...” I replied quickly.

“Really? Well, that’s a relief. Also, there’s a charity event tied to this CSR project. A little like a public launch. If it’s ok with you, I’d like you to accompany me to that event as well,” Adrian invited me with a smile.

.....

“I’ll gladly accompany you,” I replied before smiling brightly at him.

I couldn’t stop smiling at him. Jason made it all sound like a horrible affair, but in the end, there was nothing for me to worry about after all.

...

Adrian’s mansion had such a large and very well-equipped kitchen. Although I was told that this wasn’t the main kitchen of the house, I was still very impressed with it.

“The main kitchen is used by the cook and the other staff to prepare meals. This one is more for my personal use. I don’t cook that often so it’s more like a pantry of sorts rather than a real kitchen...” Adrian explained.

Another prime example of Adrian being very humble. The kitchen might not be regularly in use for cooking, but it surely was equipped to be up for the task. From what I could tell there was virtually everything needed to cook excellent dishes in that kitchen of his.

“I haven’t cooked for a while, honestly, I feel a little nervous about this...” I admitted quite shyly.

It was true that I haven’t really cooked for a while, and I was quite certain that the cooking skills that I’ve picked up during my cooking classes at school have rusted. After marrying George, I never cooked for him or the guests because we always ate out at fancy places. Eating home cooked food at home like a normal married couple wasn’t something that George valued or desired. That meant less burden for me to cook so I didn’t mind at all.

“There’s no need for you to feel nervous. I’m a doctor, not a professional cook. I actually might need your help,” Adrian replied with an encouraging smile.

I smiled back at him easily. Adrian has got a way with words. Just being by his side is very calming and relaxing to me. It was like basking in the warmth of the sun on a perfect day.

“What are you going to make today?” I asked curiously.

“Steak, my special recipe of gravy, and some sides to go along with it,” Adrian replied with a cheerful smile.

“Sounds heavenly. Now I feel like I’m not going to contribute enough...” I mumbled.

“Please don’t say that. Now I feel a little pressured to get it right,” Adrian said before laughing a little shyly.

I ended up laughing along with Adrian while I tried to figure out how not to disappoint him with my cooking. It wasn’t like I came here unprepared. I did review some old recipes that I should be able to pull off without much trouble. Carbonara was a safe choice although it was really a healthy one. Would Adrian mind? He’s a doctor and all...

“What are you going to make?” Adrian asked in return.

“Oh, I was thinking of making some carbonara spaghetti but I’m not sure if it’ll be too heavy or unhealthy. You know, with all the cream...” I replied hesitantly.

“Millie will love it, though. Plus, I’m not on a diet or anything,” Adrian said comfortingly.

It just felt like he was trying to make me feel better and it worked. It’s so easy to be around Adrian. I couldn’t help but wonder why this man didn’t have a real girlfriend. Someone has perfect as him shouldn’t have a need to pay for a contract wife.

“It’s settled then. I want to wish you luck, but I think I’m the one who’s going to need it,” I declared with a bright smile.

After praying silently for all to go well, I started cooking. As expected, I felt quite uncomfortable in the kitchen with Adrian. It was one thing to simply be with him but quite another to be cooking with him. At first, we focused on our own dishes. I congratulated myself silently inside my head for making the right choice of choosing a dish that wasn’t super complicated. After boiling the spaghetti, I left it to the side and started working on the sauce. A little too much cheese won’t kill anyone, I thought to myself as I tossed in more cheese into the mixture. There is no such thing as too much cheese, right?

–To be continued...