Giovanni seemed chipper that day, and that got Ang thinking. She hadn''t told him about her bathroom encounter with Malia yet because talking about her seemed to be a sensitive topic for him. Ang didn''t want him shutting her down right away the second he''d hear about the woman''s name.


    They ced a massive order from the next-door coffee shop, which Giovanni figured was a favorite among the many KMH employees.


    ording to him, he''d asked the "kind"dy at the front desk—whom Ang had seen wearing the tightest and too-shirt-for office skirt today, she had to make a mental note to remind Gael to enforce an appropriate dress code—and thedy said the coffee shop was their go-to. Not only because they were just right next door but also because they made freshly baked pastries, brewed newly ground coffee, and the service was top-notch.


    Since it was a pretty big order, they couldn''t possibly bring everything with them. The coffee shop reassured them that they would deliver the orders as soon as they were ready. However, to get things going and prioritize the big shots they would meet soon, Ang and Giovanni carried take-out trays of coffee in one hand and a bag of pastries in the other as they entered the lobby.


    Giving the staff a small treat that morning wasn''t really necessary as Gael nned to host a celebratory dinner party on Friday after work anyway. But like the generous bunch that the De Lucas were, the treat was just a small—well, treat.


    After the too-short-skirt-wearing receptionist gave them temporary passes for the elevator and then tantly eye-banging Giovanni on their way over, Ang and Giovanni rode the car to the top floor.


    Ang snuck a peek at the man next to her, noting the tiny smirk on his face. "Will it hurt you to not flirt for one second?"


    "What did I do?" Giovanni had the gall to ask while a grin grew on his face, knowing exactly what he just did—or at least his eyes did with the receptionist.


    Ang rolled her eyes. "If I weren''t with you—no scratch that, even with me next to you, I''m pretty sure that woman would have humped you publicly if you weren''t carrying trays of lethally hot coffee."


    He chuckled. "Is it my fault she thinks I''m hot?"


    "No. But it''s your fault you''re giving everyone that ''I''m avable'' look—"


    "But I AM avable." He winked.


    And that earned him another eye roll. "Of course you are. And why is that?"


    Giovanni drew his brows together, confused at her question. He faced her fully now when he asked, "What do you mean why? You asking why I''m avable?"


    When the question left his mouth, Ang paused, already forgetting why she was giving him gripe. Oh yeah, because she remembered Malia crying in the bathroom and because she had a really strong feeling that Giovanni was still not over her. So seeing him reciprocate the looks given to him was a little unsettling. "I…"


    He cocked a brow, waiting for her to finish what she was about to say. Then she took a deep breath and told him about her bumping into his ex a while ago. When he didn''t respond, she asked, "You talked to her yet?"


    "No." The easy grin on his face slipped, and he faced the front again. Ang could feel the walls around him rising up and shutting her out. Yep—she called it. This man was hurt—probably still hurting—and he was too prideful to talk about it. She couldn''t help feeling a little disappointed, thinking that they were close enough for him to speak to her about it.


    Ang knew it wasn''t her business, but Giovanni was family. And now that being part owners of KMH where bumping into Malia was definitely inevitable—especially when Giovanni would be working alongside Gael for the next few months here—she felt the need for him to address it.


    Feeling like he didn''t have any ns on saying anything else to her, she decided to drop it. "I''m sorry I brought her up. I know you didn''t want to talk about her. You don''t hate me, do you?" She looked up smiling, hoping he wasn''t too salty about her trying to pry.


    His shoulders visibly rxed, and he let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as he nced at her with a sly smile on his face that she now knew too well—Giovanni''s mask was now back on. The elevator dinged, and the doors slowly opened as he told her, "''Course not. You know I adore you and—"


    He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed the change in her expression. Giovanni followed the direction of Ang''s stare and itnded on Malia standing in front of them, gripping the strap of her shoulder bag tightly while giving a nervous look towards Giovanni…and then Ang.


    Thinking that Giovanni would at least greet the woman, Ang was surprised when he pulled his stare away and walked past Malia like he didn''t know her. Like she was no one.


    Unsure of what to do as she stepped out of the elevator, Ang watched as Malia entered the car and pressed the close button while looking down and avoiding meeting Ang''s stare. Ang was about to call for Malia when the doors had already closed, leaving her feeling helpless at what had just happened.


    "God… Not even half a day in this office, and there''s already drama," she muttered to herself as she followed Giovanni towards the left area of the floor where some workstations were set up.


    Gael, who was now holding a coffee cup, smiled as she sauntered towards him. Morgan and a couple of men in suits talked to him eagerly, and Ang could acknowledge that seeing Gael in this setting was a breather. It wasn''t lost on her that he already seemed like he belonged, although it was only his first day here.


    Meanwhile, Giovanni was quick on his feet. He was now leaning against a blonde''s desk with a dangerous smile on his face. Ang didn''t even work here, but she was already worried what kind of shit storm he would make moving forward—what with the way he was with women. She could only hope that Giovanni wouldn''t fraternize with the employees and make this transition hard for Gael.


    While the men were busy mingling in the workstation, Ang decided to organize Gael''s new corner office on the right side of the floor where Keith Perry''s also was—but on the opposite corner. Gael''s office was previously Morgan''s, and thetter had someone clear out his stuff earlier that morning during the press conference.


    The furniture pieces were rtively recent, and though she didn''t think Gael was picky, she knew he''d want to rece some stuff inside. So Ang kept the organizing to a minimum.


    It was so fun ying office that she was excited stocking his desk with new notepads, premium sign pens, sticky notes in yellow and blue colors—and a few in bright pink just because she knew he''d find that color too girly to use and he''d remember her because who else would put it there?—and a few picture frames. There was an old photo of him and his mother from his living room that Ang had reprinted and framed, one of him and Susan, a De Luca family picture, andstly, a photo of them on Valentine''s day after he proposed.


    Happy with how she arranged his stuff here and there, she looked around the office to see if there was still anything else she could do. Her eyes lingered at the picturesque view of Central Park through his window. From where she stood, she could guess Gael''s apartment unit from the other side of the park.


    Everything was new. And from here on out, Ang could only imagine how busy Gael would be soon. Although he was setting his roots here in New York, it didn''t scare her as much as before because she knew that no matter where he would be, she would also be.


    Her dream house was hopefully going to finish its renovations in a couple of weeks, and she couldn''t wait to see it for herself. And just the thought of it got her even more excited. All that mattered was: wherever she would be—New York or Mayne—she would always have a home.


    ***


    As Ang was leaving the office to join Gael back at the workstation, she heard a faint sound of an aggressive voiceing from Perry''s office. Her heart began to race as she stared at the closed door, thankful that his office didn''t have ss walls for what she was about to do. Because before she could stop herself, her feet were already bringing her towards it.


    She didn''t n to eavesdrop. In fact, she tried to convince herself this was a bad idea, considering who the man was on the other side of the door. But when she began to move away, she heard Perry mention "De Luca" which got her stopping in her tracks and moving closer towards the door instead.


    "I fucking know that!" Perry barked. And then he lowered his voice, making it harder for her to hear that she had to nearly press her ear against the wood.. "Well, if you don''t do it soon, then I''ll fucking take care of them myself!" he snapped before the doorknob began to turn.