GOOD FRIEND
CHAPTER 6
— A GOOD FRIEND —
The next morning, the sun filtered through the windows of his Rockwell condo as Jeffrey reached for his phone.
A quiet smile formed as he typed a message, keeping it simple and warm.
"Good morning. How do you take your coffee?"
Christine was in her small kitchen, the scent of bacon and pancakes filling the air. Her phone buzzed, the screen lighting up. It was a message from Jeffrey. She read it once, a soft smile playing on her lips, and replied:
"Macchiato as always."
A few minutes later, a reply came through:
"Macchiato. Noted. Don't eat breakfast. I'll see you at the office. I'm bringing you one before your first meeting."
She read it and shook her head, though her smile remained. He's persistent, isn't he? she thought, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with the stove.
"No need, I have errands to attend to this morning. I'll be at the office after lunch."
His reply came quickly, a hint of teasing in the message:
"Then I'll just have to be patient. But the macchiato will be waiting. I'll leave it with your front desk for when you arrive."
A beat, then another message:
"Have a good morning, Christine. Try not to overwork yourself too much before lunch."
She wore a soft smile as she replied:
"The macchiato will be cold. Maybe just a late afternoon one?"
A brief pause, then his reply:
"Cold coffee with you sounds better than no coffee with anyone else."
"Late afternoon works. I'll switch to an iced macchiato so it's perfect when you get here. Text me when you're on your way."
"Okay. See you."
A moment later, a single reply:
"See you."
Then, almost as an afterthought, another message buzzed through:
"I'll be counting the hours."
Later that afternoon, Christine arrived at the office at 2:00 PM. Jeffrey was standing by the door to his office, iced macchiato in hand, when he saw her walk past the glass partition. Without a word, he steps out and meets her in the hallway, holding the cup out with a quiet, knowing smile.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"Still cold. Just like I promised."
"Thank you." Christine took the cup, their fingers brushing for a brief second. She couldn't wipe the grin off her face.
He gave a single nod, watching her take the cup. "You're welcome."
He tucked his hands into his pockets, a small smile lingering. "How were the errands? Everything went smoothly?"
As he finished his question, a man approached. It was Liam, the CEO of a financial company on the top floor. He had been trying to court Christine for a few months before he was assigned to Cebu.
Liam: "Hi Chris, it's been a while! Glad to see you again." His glance was soft and gentle.
"Liam." Jeffrey acknowledged him with a nod, his voice neutral.
"Oh, hey, I didn't know you were back from Cebu!" She said
Liam smiled at her. "It's unplanned, actually. I hope they don't send me to Cebu again." He chuckle.
Jeffrey stood still at the side, listening. Christine could see a flicker of jealousy in his reaction, a tension in his jaw that he was clearly trying to suppress.
Liam: "Coffee with me later?"
Jeffrey stepped forward, coming to stand just slightly beside Christine. His smile stayed pleasant, but there was a new edge in his voice as he spoke.
"Actually, she's having coffee with me." He held up the iced macchiato with a small, pointed smile. "Cold, just as she likes it."
Christine could feel the tension building between them. She needed to de-escalate.
Liam: "Oh, I see... how about dinner, Chris?"
Jeffrey held his position, neither stepping closer nor backing away. His voice came out measured, deliberately calm.
"I think she has a dinner commitment tonight." He glanced at Christine, giving her an out without deciding for her. "Don't you?"
"Sorry, Liam. I have a scheduled dinner with Jeffrey tonight."
Liam: "Tomorrow night? Deal?"
A beat of silence followed. Jeffrey didn't look at Liam when he responded—his eyes stayed on Christine, his voice even, but with clear certainty.
"She'll be with me tomorrow night."
A pause, then softer, directed entirely at her: "Weekends are ours now, remember?"
Does he realize he's practically claimed the whole weekend? Christine wondered, though a part of her was secretly thrilled by his boldness.
"Sorry, Liam."
Jeffrey let the tension hold for just a beat, then turned to Liam with a genuine, if practiced, smile, extending his hand.
"Jeffrey Reyes. I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm with Reyes Engineering o
On this floor." He said it easily, smoothly bridging the gap.
"If you're ever looking for a reliable partner for a joint project, feel free to reach out." He retrieved a business card from his pocket and offered it.
"Always good to know the neighbors."
He held the card out a moment longer than necessary. When Liam finally took it with a tight nod, Jeffrey's smile remained easy. "Nice to meet you."
He then turned his attention back to Christine, his voice dropping into a familiar, warm rhythm. "Your office or mine for that macchiato?"
"My office." Christine felt the lingering awkwardness of the situation, but Jeffrey's presence was a steady anchor. She looked at Liam and gave him a polite, final smile. "Bye Liam, Nice to see you!"
Jeffrey gave Liam a brief nod, then followed Christine into her office, and the tension in his shoulders visibly dropped as the door clicked shut.
"He seemed nice." The words were flat, his tone carrying the opposite meaning. He set the macchiato on her desk. "But he's got bad timing."
"Yeah, he is nice. He wanted to court me before, but I see him as a good friend."
He stopped mid-step, his hand hovering near the cup. He turned to look at her, a faint, unreadable expression crossing his face.
"Good friend." He repeated the words slowly, almost tasting them. He took a breath, his voice quiet.
"Good to know. For the record." A pause. "He was clearly interested, by the way. But I'm glad you don't see him that way."
"You jealous?" Christine teased, leaning back.
A low chuckle escaped him, his shoulders relaxing as he finally met her teasing gaze head-on. "Maybe a little."
He stepped closer, his voice dropping to something quieter, more honest. "Can you blame me? You're the only one I've been looking at for a while now."
She smirk
"That smirk's going to get me in trouble, isn't it?" He leaned against the edge of her desk, close but not crowding. "Worth it, though."
"Trouble? Why?" She asked
He held her gaze, his voice dropping lower. "Because a smirk like that makes me want to do less talking and more staying."
He leaned in just slightly, testing the space between them. "And I promised myself I'd take this slow with you."
"So, any plans later?" She asked
He glanced at his watch, then back at her, a quiet confidence settling into his expression.
"I was thinking we could head up to Tagaytay."
He said it simply, no fanfare. "Sunset view, quiet table, no interruptions. Just us." A pause, his voice gentling. "Unless you have somewhere else you'd rather be."
"Tagaytay? tonight? Isn't it a long drive?"
He tilted his head, a small, knowing smile tugging at his lips. "An hour and a half. Maybe two on a bad day."
He shrugged lightly, as if the distance meant nothing. "Worth it, though. There's a place I know—quiet, good food, faces the Taal view."
His eyes held hers, patient. "We can leave whenever you're ready. No rush." He added
"That sounds fun. I will clear the office. Be with you in 10 minutes." She said