CHANGE
CHAPTER 27 — CHANGE
They walked back toward the office together, their conversation drifting from work to little moments from the morning, interrupted now and then by easy laughter.
When they reached Christine’s office, Jeffrey stopped beside the door.
“So… back to work?”
“I guess so.”
He stepped a little closer, leaving only a small distance between them.
“Thanks for lunch.”
Christine smiled. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“I did.” He paused, his voice softening. “See you later.”
She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. “See you.”
She had barely turned toward her desk when Jeffrey cleared his throat. “Can I get another one?”
She looked back over her shoulder, already smiling. “Maybe later.”
He let out an exaggerated sigh. “Okay…” He paused, then looked at her hopefully. “…Please?”
Christine shook her head, trying not to laugh. “Come here.”
He didn’t waste a second. Crossing the distance between them, he cupped her face gently and kissed her again, slower this time. When they finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead lightly against hers.
“I love you, Chris.”
“I love you too, Jeff.”
A grin spread across his face. “Okay.” He took a step backward. “I’ll actually let you work now.”
She laughed. “I’ll believe it when you leave.”
“Fair enough.” He pointed playfully toward the hallway before disappearing through the doorway.
Christine waited until he was out of sight before turning back to her desk.
A few minutes later, she picked up a sleek leather folder and crossed the hallway. She knocked softly before stepping into Jeffrey’s office.
“Hey, Jeff.”
He looked up from his laptop. The focused look on his face eased the moment he saw her.
“Here’s the first draft of the marketing contract between our firms.” She placed the folder on his desk. “My team finalized the scope of work and the campaign timeline for your upcoming construction projects.”
“Perfect.” He slid the folder closer. “Just put it there.”
As she leaned over the desk, he glanced up at her, a quiet smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “That was fast.” His voice dropped into a playful murmur. “You’re efficient today, Ms. Javier.”
Christine rested one hand lightly on the edge of his desk. “I have good motivation, Mr. Reyes.”
Before Jeffrey could answer, the office door swung open. Ken stepped inside carrying a folder, nearly bouncing with excitement. The moment he noticed Christine, he stopped and straightened immediately.
“Oh—sorry, Boss. Ma’am Christine.” He gave her a polite nod before looking at Jeffrey with a grin he made no effort to hide. “I knew it.”
Jeffrey raised an eyebrow. “Knew what?”
“I knew the cashier’s nod meant it was you.”
Jeffrey calmly opened the contract folder. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, Ken.” Without looking up, he turned a page. “If that’s the construction site materials report, you can leave it with my assistant.”
Ken laughed. “Oh, come on, Boss. Don’t pretend.” He looked toward Christine. “Ma’am, you should’ve seen the lunch rush after you two left the carinderia. The cashier announced that lunch had already been paid for.” He shook his head, still smiling. “Project managers, engineers, HR, marketing—even the security guards. Everyone from our building who was there ate for free.”
Christine slowly turned toward Jeffrey. He suddenly seemed very interested in reading the contract.
“Jeff…” Her voice carried more curiosity than accusation. “You went back to the cashier?”
Jeffrey kept turning another page.
“The cashier tried to keep it a secret,” Ken said with a laugh, “but she’s terrible at lying.” He tapped the folder against his palm. “The company WhatsApp groups have been going crazy. Everyone’s talking about it.”
Jeffrey let out a quiet sigh. Without lifting his eyes from the papers, he muttered, “…I was really hoping nobody would find out.”
Jeffrey finally looked up and leaned back in his chair, lifting both hands in surrender. “Alright, alright.” A reluctant smile crossed his face. “You got me.” He glanced at Ken. “It was supposed to stay anonymous. You’re ruining my reputation as the strict boss.”
Ken laughed. “I think that reputation disappeared the moment seventy employees got free lunch.” He set the folder on the desk. “I just came to drop off the site updates… and to pass along everyone’s thanks. People downstairs are still talking about it.”
He nodded politely to both of them. “See you later, Boss. Ma’am Christine.” With that, he slipped out of the office, quietly closing the door behind him.
Silence settled over the room once more. The contract remained open on Jeffrey’s desk, forgotten for the moment.
Christine looked at him without saying a word. Jeffrey avoided her eyes, pretending to reread the same page for what was probably the third time.
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A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “An anonymous benefactor, huh?”
Jeffrey rubbed the back of his neck. “Well…” He shrugged lightly. “You’re the one who said everyone has a name… and a story.” He finally looked at her. “I just thought the people building our projects deserved a good lunch.”
Christine stepped closer. Without a word, she slipped her hand into his. Their fingers intertwined naturally.
“You know what I like most about that?”
Jeffrey looked at her. “What?”
“You didn’t do it because anyone was watching.”
He gave a small shrug. “It wasn’t supposed to be about me.”
She held his gaze for a quiet moment, then she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I told you…” she said softly. “We’re learning together.”
A brief silence settled between them. She smiled. “But today…” Her voice softened even more. “I think I learned something from you.”
Jeffrey searched her face for a moment before letting out a quiet breath. “I guess…” He smiled sheepishly. “We’re even now.”
Christine laughed softly. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”
He chuckled. “Then I suppose I’ll have to keep learning.”
She nodded once. “I hope you do.”
Their smiles lingered for a moment before Christine reluctantly let go of his hand. “We should probably finish that contract.”
Jeffrey glanced at the stack of papers on his desk and sighed dramatically. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
She laughed again. “Back to work, Mr. Reyes.”
“Yes, Ms. Javier.”
Still smiling, Christine turned and walked toward the door. Jeffrey watched her leave before lowering his eyes to the contract again. This time, he was actually reading it.
The afternoon slowly gave way to evening. The contracts had been signed, the folders neatly stacked, and the office had begun to empty.
Christine tapped her laptop closed and stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh. “Finally.”
She reached for her leather folder just as Jeffrey appeared at her doorway, watching her with an easy smile. “Ready?”
She smiled back. “Yup.”
He held out his hand. “Let’s go.”
They walked toward the elevator with their fingers intertwined.
“So, any plans for tonight?” Jeffrey asked.
“Just dinner, then rest.” Christine glanced at him, a faint blush warming her cheeks as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m… still a little sore.”
Jeffrey slowed to a stop. The teasing smile disappeared from his face. He knew exactly what she meant. Turning to her, he gently took her other hand.
“Hey.” His voice softened. “Are you okay? I tried to be careful, but…” He hesitated, searching for the right words. “Let me take care of you tonight. No big dinner plans. I know a place that might help.”
Christine smiled, a little embarrassed. “Jeff, it’s just normal. Really.”
“I know.” He brushed a gentle kiss against her forehead. “Just trust me.”
She looked at him for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh. “Okay.”
Twenty minutes later, Jeffrey pulled into the valet of a secluded wellness spa. Christine looked at the elegant entrance, then back at him.
“Jeff… wait.” She stopped walking, her brows knitting together. “We can’t go in there. This place looks expensive.” She shook her head. “You know I don’t like spending money on things like this. A warm bath at home would’ve been enough.”
Jeffrey smiled. One of the things he admired most about Christine was how little luxury impressed her. He stepped closer and rested his hands lightly on her waist.
“Chris… look at me.”
She met his eyes.
“This isn’t about spending money.” He held her gaze. “You’re sore, and they have therapists here who can actually help.” A small smile touched his lips. “I just want you to feel better.”
Christine looked from the entrance back to him. She let out a long sigh. “Fine.” A reluctant smile appeared. “But only because my lower back is starting to complain.”
His grin returned. “I’ll take that.”
The scent of lavender greeted them the moment they stepped inside. An hour later, Christine felt the last of the soreness melt away beneath practiced hands and quiet music.
She turned her head slightly. Jeffrey lay on the massage table beside hers. When he noticed her looking, he smiled, and she smiled back.
By the time they left the spa, Christine felt lighter than she had all day. Jeffrey slipped an arm around her waist as they walked toward the parking lot.
“Better?”
She nodded. “Much better.” She looked up at him with a sheepish smile. “…And I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“You were right.”
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll remember you said that.”
She laughed softly. “Don’t get used to it.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
The mall beside the spa was beginning to fill with the dinner crowd.
“I’m starving,” Christine admitted.
“Perfect.” Jeffrey pointed toward the food court. “No fine dining.”
“I like the sound of that.”
They wandered from stall to stall before settling on potato fries, siomai, and fresh fruit shakes. Finding an empty table, Jeffrey instinctively pulled a tissue from his pocket and wiped the plastic chairs before Christine could sit.
She watched him with an amused smile. “You’ve made this a habit.”
He looked up. “What habit?”
“Wiping the chair before I sit.”
He gave a small shrug. “I don’t even realize I’m doing it anymore.”
She smiled and took her seat. They ate slowly, stealing fries from each other’s paper trays, debating whose fruit shake tasted better, and laughing over nothing important. For a while, they weren’t the CEO and the head of marketing; they were simply Jeff and Chris.
Jeffrey reached for the soy sauce, but his elbow clipped the small plastic cup. It tipped over, and a splash of sauce landed across his pants. He stared at the stain for a long second.
“…Well.”
Christine pressed her lips together, already fighting a smile.
“Don’t.”
“I’m trying.”
She managed another second before laughter escaped anyway. Jeffrey looked down at his pants and sighed. “I’ve been beaten by a siomai sauce.”
That only made her laugh harder. Still smiling, she pulled a packet of tissues from her bag and leaned across the table. “Stay still.”
He obediently froze while she dabbed at the stain.
“Am I making it worse?” he asked.
“A little.”
He nodded solemnly. “Good to know.”
Christine shook her head, still smiling as she folded the used tissue. “You’ve built skyscrapers…”
“And I lost to siomai sauce.”
She laughed again. “I’ll never let you forget this.”
“I figured as much.”
The laughter faded into another comfortable silence as they finished the last of their food. By the time they stood, the long day had finally caught up with Christine. She tried to hide a yawn, but Jeffrey noticed anyway.
“Tired?”
She nodded. “A little.”
He held out his hand. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”
The drive back passed quietly. Neither of them felt the need to fill the silence. The city lights drifted past the windows while soft music played in the background. Every now and then, Christine glanced at Jeffrey. He caught her looking once and, without a word, reached across the center console for her hand.
She smiled and intertwined her fingers with his.
A few minutes later, Jeffrey pulled into the basement parking of her condo.
“I guess we’re here.”
“I guess we are.”
He got out first and walked around to open her door. “My lady.”
Christine laughed. “You’ve been watching too many movies.”
“Maybe.”
She slipped her hand into his, and together they walked toward the elevator. The ride up was quiet. Jeffrey kept hold of her hand the entire time, gently rubbing his thumb across the back of it. When they reached her floor, they walked slowly down the hallway until they stopped outside her unit.
Christine turned to face him. “Thank you for today.”
He smiled. “For the spa?”
“For everything.” She held his eyes for a moment. “Today was… really nice.”
“I’m glad.”
A comfortable silence settled between them. Jeffrey reached up and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Thank you,” he said quietly, “for trusting me.”
“I always will.”
He leaned in and kissed her—slowly, tenderly. When they finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers.
“Get some sleep.”
“I will.”
“And if you’re still sore tomorrow…” A small smile tugged at his lips. “…tell me.”
She laughed softly. “I will.”
He brushed one last kiss against her forehead before taking a reluctant step back. “Good night, Chris.”
“Good night, Jeff.”
Christine unlocked her unit and stepped inside. Before closing the door, she looked back one last time. Jeffrey was still standing in the hallway, waiting until he knew she was safely home.
She smiled. “Go home.”
He smiled back. “Yes, ma’am.”
Only after she closed the door did Jeffrey turn and walk toward the elevator. Inside her condo, Christine leaned against the door for a moment, a quiet smile lingering on her face.
Tomorrow suddenly felt a little closer.