CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Tracy's stomach rumbles loudly.

"Fuck." She muttered under her breath.

A serene silence descends the office and it looks bright, calm, and frosty. None of them said a word to each other after the last call, even Martin doesn't drink water to quench his peppery throat. He seems to be untimid by that. 

Tracy looked across at him. He wasn't a male model anymore but he should have still been. The lush, mother lode- gold hair he groomed so carefully had a rippling quality, his beetle- brow stood out perfectly and they sometimes knitted in frustration. His only blemish was a sign of his rude health.

The aquiline nose he spotted complemented his prominent cheekbones. He is handsome in an understated way, his  basalt jaw and spartan shoulder spoke of strength.

His Mariner blue eyes were round and darted constantly as he looked into the computer, a gleam with delight and the vigor of youth. They shine brightly, like two sapphires dipped in a milky pool.

He had a manly, Samson physique. His cold face spoke of cruelty and gruesomeness, covered with a lot of secrets and hurt. But the expression he pulled, when he drank the coffee, spoke differently.

Tracy sighed softly, then thought of how her mother and sister would be so happy, even Kimberly wouldn't be left out, when they heard she's been employed back.

A meek smile crossed it out of her mouth.

She was happy savoring the pleasant moment until her rumbling stomach ruined it.

She was actually rushing not to be last, that makes her miss her meal this morning, and she has no dime with her.

Martin shot her a deadly glare, immediately her tummy grumbled.

"What sound is that?. It's disturbing my hearing." He said, hotly. Tracy pressed her lips together in embarrassment.

But the heartless worm never ceases to disgrace her, as it rumbles again.

"Were you that poor to afford a sumptuous meal for the growling worms?."

She felt the words hit her like a dagger, she almost cried but she wouldn't show him her weakness. 

With a dry smile, she muttered gently, "I missed my meal."

"I don't want the rumbling sounds of your stomach," he packed some documents in his briefcase and stood up. "You would be accompanying me to the meeting." He dropped the briefcase on her table sharply, and said delicately.  "Let go."

He strode out of the office immediately. 

Tracy scurried her handbag and the briefcase before scurrying out briskly.

She got out just to see his car parked neatly in the park drive, Sunny leaning on it.

'He must have been the one that drove it here.' She thought, because the car wasn't there when she came in the morning.

"Good afternoon, boss." Sunny bow slightly, in a humorous way. Martin never bothered answering him as he walked straight into the car.

"Hi." Tracy said.

"Hi, Young miss, my name is Sunny, I am a young master driver, I have been working for..

"Get your lazy ass in this car, I am running out of time." Martin growled.

"Am sorry, sir." He apologized, after he got in the car.

"Start the fucking car, I don't have all of today." He said, tiring.

"Okay, sir." Sunny pressed the clutch so hard, and moved into high gear.

"Aaah." Tracy whined, as she hit her head on the car side slightly.

"What are you driving, you old fool."

"Am sorry sir. Young miss, pardon my driving. I was trying to come out of the bend." He looked at them through the mirror. His eyes pleading with him.

"Look at the road." Martin sneered, then closed his eyes and rested his head on the headrest, enjoying the natural breath, as the driving became peaceful, only the zooming sound of the car was heard.

"Stop there." Martin said, after some minutes of driving.

"Sir?. This's Hanwen Restaurant." Sunny replied in shock.

"More like am blind or dwarf to read." He Snicker, as his face became adamant to melt like an unmelted ice.

Tracy rolls her eyes at how rude and pompous he always sounds.

"You can join me to save the growling worms, rumbling your stomach." Martin said rudely.

Reluctant and shocked, Tracy refuses to answer him but the rumbling sounds and itching of her stomach makes her succumb to the situation.

She hopped down the car, and joined him in the prestigious restaurant, then sat with him on the table.

"What can I get you?" A waiter asked, immediately they sat down.

"Where is your menu?." Martin demanded.

"Here." The waiter replied, ushering him to the menu.

He roamed his eyes round the menus, and said. "Get me macaroni salad with elderberry wine."

"What did you want, miss."

Tracy was mute as if the cat caught her tongue. She felt shy and ashamed to even utter a word.

"Get her the same as mine." Martin said, after some minutes of silence.

"Thank you, sir." She muttered inaudibly, but he could hear her.

Martin just looked at her without answering. He takes his attention to his phone.

At first, Martin thought she wouldn't dine with him, but when she took her cuttery; he was expecting slow and steady eating but what a shock when she rushed her meal like she's been chased.

Martin almost laughed but suppressed it by biting his bottom lips.

Just like she forgot, she with her boss, a stranger. Perhaps, her worst enemy. Tracy ate with freedom and emancipation. Enjoying every single spoon-feed.

"We don't have less than three minutes." He said. He only drink the wine, and left the food untouched more like he came to the restaurant because of her; her growling worms, like he said earlier.

"Some minutes, please, I'll be thro---" Cough cough cough" Tracy cough, she closed her eyes immediately, holding her chest with her hand.

She opened her eyes to see Martin stretching a glass water to her. She never thought he could be this nice, even the look on his face speaks of affection. That she felt terrible for judging him.