21: You should eat more

Nova sat on the perfectly laid bed, the brown theme of the room made her feel like she was in a hotel but it soothed her conscience. She found herself checking her phone often to see if she had gotten another text from Roan but she hadn't.

With nothing else to do, she decided to explore the room. The bathroom was standard, nothing special compared to the one she had been in previously but it was still far better than anything she had used before. There was a single wardrobe and no special doors, the bathrobes in the wardrobe were the usual white, the spare linens the same.

Time went by quickly but she still hadn't gotten a text from Roan or had a maid come to invite her to dinner. She wondered if Roan had forgotten or if he was occupied by something else, and she told herself that she didn't feel hurt by that at all.

The sun had long gone down and her phone let her know it was well past eight PM. If Roan had forfeited their dinner, she could just eat by herself in her room… then why was she making no move to request dinner?

Her dilemma was solved when there was a knock on her door, she shot to her feet with anticipation, opening the door to see Roan looking down at her.

"Ro- Mr. Reyes," She corrected herself nervously, doing a terrible job of hiding her excitement that he had been the one to show up. "You didn't have to come get me yourself-"

"It's Roan, Nova," He interrupted her, his eyes flat. "And you didn't have to wait for me when I wasted so much of your time," He continued, his voice gentle.

Nova found herself floundering, it was easier to deal with Roan when she saw him as her boss - well, more like it was easy to explain things to herself when she saw him as her boss, like why they were having dinner together.

"I don't mind," She murmured, stepping out. "I'm not the busy one."

Roan looked past her to the guestroom, an impassive look in his eyes, "Let's get you food."

Nova agreed and walked alongside him, wanting to ask about what had held him up but uncertain. Sure, she was his personal assistant but she technically wouldn't begin till he returned from his trip so they made their way to the dining room in silence.

It was on the second floor and smaller than Nova had been expecting. It was lavish, of course, just like every other room in the mansion, it was just that she had been expecting a conference-sized dining room but was led to a table that sat only four.

The dining room was completely lit up by chandeliers and lampstands, lending a dreamy quality to the room. Roan holding out her seat for her was a habit he had done ever since they met so Nova was rather accustomed to it now.

They were served promptly by uniformed maids who made themselves scarce afterward, and Nova found herself watching Roan intently. She noticed that he hardly ate so she couldn't help but be worried about him.

This didn't go past him so she found herself being questioned, "Is something the matter?"

Nova caught herself and sat back, realizing that she had been studying Roan so intently that she forgot to eat, she had even leaned slightly over the table to get a better look. "N-No! There's nothing," She stuttered, keeping her eyes focused on her food.

"Are you sure?" Roan's voice reached her and she could hear the amusement behind his words.

She could also hear the sound of him pouring himself a drink and didn't know when she blurted out her thoughts, "You should eat more."

Nova's eyes widened at her words and she clamped her lips shut so that she wouldn't worsen the already bad situation by saying something else.

Roan's response was even more surprising than her accusation, "I should but I have no appetite," He replied honestly, right before picking up his silverware.

Nova couldn't say anything to that, regretting bringing up the topic at all. She was really in no position to be nosy and bossy towards Roan but she was a bit satisfied at the sight of him eating. Maybe after a few months of working under him, she could learn his preferences and make his meals - as his personal assistant, of course.

"Do you need me to help you pack for your trip?" She offered helpfully when dinner was coming to an end.

Nova expected a yes or no answer, she didn't expect Roan to intently study her with an odd look on his face.

"There are maids for that, it's not your job," He said instead with an almost concerned look on his face.

She wanted to argue that it was kind of her job, especially as she was his personal assistant. She would be privy to the details of his trip so she would know what kind of outfits he needed but she nodded obediently and rose to her feet.

"Thank you for dinner, goodnight sir." She said formally, leaving the dining room.

She would have offered to help clear the dishes at any other time if she hadn't just had a disagreement with him over something similar. Old habits died hard and she also didn't mind doing the chores.

It was easy to find her way back to her new room, she just had to go down the grand staircase to the foyer and she had arrived. Knowing that Roan would be too busy preparing for his trip for them to see him again that night, she took off her clothes and got comfortable in a bathrobe.

The room felt too empty and there was literally nothing for her to do, it made her want to get back her possessions the very next day. Organizing her things would be a good way to pass the time, also, she could revive her old laptop and try to learn useful tips about being a personal assistant.