12

Anthony's POV

As soon as I parked my car in front of the restaurant, I turned off its engine and glanced at Sandy who acted as if she didn't realize we were already at the restaurant. She was just focused on her phone, smiling at whatever was displayed on her screen.

"We're here," I announced, and she just spared the restaurant a one-second glance before looking at her phone and tapping on it.

"Hm," she said.

I sighed. "What's got you smiling like that?"

"Oh… it's Mr. Flintwood."

At the mention of his name, my appetite left. I glared at the phone and then at her. I was trying to understand why he was making her smile the way she was doing.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked and she dropped the phone. Finally.

"We exchanged numbers after he left your office and we spoke before you came into my office. He's so good-looking, don't you think? He's the only handsome guy I know that works at the company."

My heart felt a sharp pain when she made mentioned him being the only handsome employee. Did she forget that I existed but come to think of it, Sandy has never acknowledged my good looks.

"He's new and you're already friends?"

"And what's wrong with that?" She asked in a tone that implied that she was at the edge of feeling offended.

"I just don't like him. There's something shady about him."

Sandy chuckled in the light way that I always loved hearing.

"Chill, man. He wants us to be friends and since he'll most likely be my next boss and his new assistant, we're trying to get to know each other," she replied.

I did not want that. I wanted Sandy with me even when I advanced into being a CEO. She was my best friend. We have been tied at the hip since we graduated high school and college. There was no way I was going to allow that man to separate us. 

"Too bad, I might as well make you my assistant and give them a new one," I said and she gasped.

"You're so mean! What did he do to you?" She shoved me in my shoulder with an added chuckle.

"Come on, let's go eat. I'm very hungry."

Π•Π

"This is so delicious," Sandy said as she ate her food.

I nodded in agreement as I forked my spaghetti into my mouth. I chewed on the food and looked out the glass window. I was not surprised to see a media van and its photographer sitting in the car, taking pictures of us. I wiped my mouth with my tissue and groan. Even though we needed them to boost our story, I was still exhausted from their invasive behavior.

"We've got paparazzi on our ass again," I said to Sandy who raised her head sharply to look at me.

Her long brown hair framed her face and her light blue eyes were wide in shock. She side-eyed the window before swallowing her food. She twirled more spaghetti around her fork and brought it to her lips.

"They could say we are on a date on any article they publish," she said and put the food in her small mouth.

I watched as the food stained her plump lips and the side of her mouth, making my lips twitch into a smile. She was always a messy eater. She chewed on her food innocently while I contemplated on either letting her embarrass herself or cleaning it for her. I sighed and chose the latter. I grabbed my tissue and stretched my arm toward her.

Once the tissue came in contact with her lips, I noticed her visibly flinch. I have always wanted to ask her why she did that when I touched her as I wasn't sure if I was hurting her or doing something wrong. She always seemed surprised when I touched her and it's been going on for years. I ignored it and wiped her lips, feeling the softness of her lips on my fingers when they brushed them.

Sandy was a beautiful woman but I was never going to admit that to her face to inflate her oversized ego. She had features that made me feel like bragging because I had a pretty best friend. She always got the attention of my friends whenever we went out partying and I always tried to hook her up with them but they always came back complaining that she rejected them. This girl needed a man for once in her life.

Her phone dinged and she picked it up while I still had the tissue on her lips. She smiled at the screen and my throat tightened as I had a feeling it was Trent again.

"What is it?" I asked. 

"Oh, it's Trent."

I dropped my hand and pulled it back to myself. I got angry but controlled myself.

"Trent?"

"You see, I had your secretary show him around but he said he didn't understand a word she said. He even got lost on his way to his temporary office," she said with a big smile on her face.

It was weird seeing her fawn over a man. It wasn't something she always did but whatever she saw in that bastard made her happy. I was one to be happy for my best friend, but this wasn't one of those days. 

"You know, Trent seems like a nice man. I don't know but I think he is my type."

I cleared my throat and took a sip of my water before nodding my head. I didn't understand why I was reacting this way.

"Maybe that rule of yours could work with him but I'm just saying, so I'm not sure yet. He's got charms, and he's funny."

"Remember that I'm your fake boyfriend. Whatever interest you have should not come so soon, seeing that we have to pretend for the public for a certain period," I said with my voice laced with an emotion I wasn't sure of.

Sandy made a face like she was annoyed but rolled her eyes and continued to eat while I wondered when Trent Flintwood was going to leave. 

Π•Π

Once the elevator doors opened, Trent Flintwood was standing in front of us. Upon sighting us, he smiled but at Sandy who waved at him.

"You're back," he said and I wrapped my arm around her slim waist.

Sandy craned her head and looked at me with those doe eyes of hers. Her long lashes fluttered in confusion and her arched eyebrows furrowed. I only smiled and looked back at Trent who was staring at my arm around her waist. Good.

The doors started to close and he stopped it with his hand.

"I'm glad you're back. I need you to show me around now," he said and I tightened my hold on her.

"I—"

"Babe, we have a meeting in my office," I cut Sandy off and grabbed her hand, then dragged her out of the elevator.

I don't know what I had to do to stop whatever was going on in that head of his. Sandy was off-limits to him.