Half an hour after learning the bidding results, Callie had already left the venue. Jaquan’s people called to inform her, “Miss Marsh, thank you. We got the project.”
Callie smiled. It was expected since most of the bid proposal was written by Nelson himself. He hadn’t personally written anything for years and his work was highly valued.
“I know.”
There was a pause on the other end. “Our Mr. Scott would like to invite you to dinner to express his gratitude. Would you honor us with your presence?”
The traffic light ahead was red, and Callie stood still for a while. “No need. Please tell him that I’ve repaid this favor. From now on, we can pretend not to know each other.”
The person on the other end was stunned, and Callie had already hung up the phone.
After hanging up, she took out her phone and sent a message, typing each word carefully: “Are you free today?”
No reply. She continued: “I want to cook at Reuben’s place. Will you come?”
Still no reply, probably busy. Callie smiled slightly, put away her phone, and turned towards the market.
Reuben was diligently doing his rehabilitation exercises at home. When he saw her carrying many things, he was surprised. “You bought so much; we can’t finish it all.”
Callie smiled mischievously. “It’s okay. Today, I’ll show off my cooking skills. It’s been a while since you had my cooking, right?”
Reuben looked at her fondly, full of regret. “Yes, it’s been a long time.”
“It’s your fault for sleeping so long and missing out,” Callie said while cleaning the ingredients.
Reuben sat down to help her. The father-daughter time was rare and they cherished it.
“That Dr. Tobias, you two have had quite a bit of contact these past four years,” he teased.
Callie laughed. “Yes, Tobias has taken good care of us. Without him, I wouldn’t know what to do these past four years.”
Reuben nodded. “And you? Did you ever like him?”
The topic shifted quickly. Callie smiled and shook her head.
“Really not?”
“Really not.”
“So you just like Nelson?”
Callie’s hand paused while peeling a potato. After a moment, she nodded seriously and said, “Yes, I like him.”
Reuben understood that his daughter wouldn’t settle for anyone but Nelson. He nodded slowly. “Alright, that’s good.”
Callie never thought that admiration for someone could turn into love. The process was magical; she wanted to stop but couldn’t.
She planned to stop all doubts and be open with him. If he felt the same way, that would be best.
Callie’s cooking skills were excellent. Remembering Nelson’s love for spicy food, she made several Sichuan dishes, filling the table with steaming, tempting food.
But every time she checked her phone, there was no reply from Nelson.
She bit her lip and walked to the balcony to call him. He didn’t answer. The long ringing tone made her feel down. What was he doing? Was he too busy to check his phone all day?
She sent another message: “Not coming?”
Still no response.
The sun had completely set, it was dark, and the news broadcast had ended. By 8:30 PM, the food had gone cold, and Nelson still hadn’t shown up.
Reuben saw his daughter’s silence and guessed most of it. Half-jokingly, he said, “You remember your dad loves spicy food. Not bad, let me try some.”
Callie forced a smile and served him a bowl of soup. “Okay, but you can’t eat too spicy. The doctor said it’s bad for your health; just taste a little.”