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I knew what she wore when she was happy versus stressed—it was all in the shoes, really.Flats versus sneakers.
I watched as she picked at the food she didn’t like but still ate some of it to be polite.She hated stem vegetables.She would eat the leafy ones, but any of the harder vegetables she avoided like the plague.She also wasn't a coffee person.I had not seen her drink any since she moved in.
Lastly, and most importantly, I knew how much she loved Bella.
Her heart was a beautiful thing.Her life might have been hard, but she didn’t let that twist the beauty of it.
A ping from my laptop pulled my attention to it.There was a small notification from my secretary.
You have a lunch delivery.
A lunch delivery?I didn’t order anything.
I’ll send them in.
My fingers were on the keyboard, ready to tell her to turn them away, but then my door opened.Fuming, I stood, ready to rip into whoever decided they were important enough to walk into the CEO’s office without prior notice.
But all of it died on my tongue when Bella’s sweet face peeked around the door.Her hair was pulled back into two braids at her crown that held it back while the bottom part was curled.I could just make out the twin bows sitting at the back, matching her white-and-black plaid dress.
“Surprise!”she squeaked and pushed open the door to show me Juliette wearing a very similar outfit.
My cold-hearted mask was usually on, but it melted when I saw the two of them together.Especially when they decided to match.Bella craved the connection that I couldn't give her, and I was grateful for what Juliette was doing.
“You left so early this morning you didn’t even have breakfast,” Juliette said and shut the door behind her.“We thought you’d appreciate at least one home-cooked meal today.”She blushed before adding, “It was Bella’s idea.”
My office was my space to think.To make money.To make big decisions that could potentially cost us millions—or billions—of dollars.
It was sacred.
I never wanted anyone in my office, especially uninvited.
But that didn’t apply to this moment.Especially as I watched an eager Bella holding up a lunch box, one of hers, and placing it right on my desk.
I loved everything about the situation.
That they surprised me.
How happy Bella was.
How thoughtful it was.
The matching outfits.
All of it was more than I’d ever imagined I could have.
And it was Bella’s idea.She was thinking about me.
“Thank you, Bella,” I said around the knot in my throat.“Where’s your lunch?”
“We’re going to the diner after this to get pie!”Bella said.“I wanted to take you too, but Juliette said you were probably busy.”
“Unfortunately, I am today.The end of the month comes with a lot of meetings and reports that are due.”
Bella nodded, a frown on her face as she backed away to stand at Juliette’s side.
“That’s okay, we were just popping by.We will leave you to it?—”
“But since you’re here,” I said and stood, fixing my suit coat as I stood.“Do you want a tour?”