Chapter 50: A Devoted Lover and A Gig
"Was it her?"
Rose didn’t look up when she asked. She kept cutting through the food on her plate, as though she was testing his words.
Adrian paused.
The answer depended on what Rose had actually seen. If she’d only caught someone leaving, he could brush it off. If she’d seen Jenna’s face, lying now would only make things worse.
And Rose had already made one thing clear. She didn’t want him bullshitting her.
"Yeah," he said. "That was her."
The knife stopped against the plate with a quiet scrape. That was probably Rose’s version of putting down a warning sign.
"Why was she here?"
"Beats me." Adrian reached for his glass, buying himself half a second. "She knocked while you were downstairs. I didn’t answer."
Rose finally looked at him. "What did she want?"
"I don’t know."
"You didn’t answer?"
"No."
"Did she leave a message?"
"No."
Her eyes returned to his face.
She wasn’t angry. Not visibly, anyway. That was worse. Angry Rose was easier to read, this Rose seemed entirely new to him.
"That’s all that happened."
Rose studied him for another moment, then looked back at her plate. She resumed eating, but the rhythm had changed to something more careful.
Adrian didn’t rush to fill the silence. He’d answered her questions. Anything more would sound like a defense against an accusation she hadn’t made.
Rose pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Adrian’s eyes followed the movement. Then, apparently, forgot where they were supposed to stop.
Rose took another bite. Then her eyes followed his to her nude breasts; specifically her nipples.
She stopped chewing. "Adrian."
He immediately looked back at her face, his tone innocent. "What?"
Her cheeks were already beginning to color. "Do you always have to be a pervert. You literally don’t have to look just cause I’m nude."
That sounded like the opposite.
"What’d I do?"
"I’ve caught you looking."
He glanced down again.
"Oh. First time today?"
Rose’s eyes narrowed. "Don’t tell me."
He laughed. "I’m just saying, you just noticed. I’ve been looking since you took your clothes off. I lost track somewhere around..."
"Adrian." Her cheeks went noticeably redder. He chuckled. "Calling you a hentai is becoming an understatement."
He couldn’t help it. He laughed again.
A beat passed.
Rose lowered her arms and rested one hand beside her plate. The teasing disappeared from her expression.
"Is there something going on between you and Jenna?"
Shit. That was way too specific. Still, he had to play it cool. He put his fork down.
"No."
"Adrian." Her voice was quieter now. "I’m asking seriously."
"I know."
"Then don’t just say no."
Right. This wasn’t really about Jenna’s visit. She had just developed her suspicions from Jenna’s consistent care. And, judging by the way she’d asked, Daniel wasn’t far from the conversation either.
"There isn’t anything going on with her."
Rose said nothing. Adrian leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table.
"I’m serious. Whatever Jenna wanted, I didn’t invite her here. And I’m not interested in her."
She paused. Then her fingers moved against the table once.
"And what you said earlier?"
"About you?"
She nodded.
"I meant it."
Her eyes stayed on his.
"I’m not here because you were convenient. I’m here because I wanted to be with you."
Rose looked down. After a moment, she picked up her fork.
"Okay."
He waited.
She took a bite, chewed, and swallowed.
"I believe you."
Adrian nodded once.
"Good."
He left it there.
The tension didn’t disappear. Rose simply stopped asking and he didn’t push his luck.
Rose’s phone buzzed against the table.
She glanced at the screen, silenced it, then frowned when it buzzed again.
"Hey, Annika. What’s-"
She stopped.
Whatever Annika said changed her expression almost immediately.
"Wait. Seriously?" Rose straightened. "When?"
A pause.
"Okay. Yeah. Send me the contact. I’ll call you back."
She ended the call but kept staring at the screen.
Adrian watched her.
That had gone from annoying phone call to something important in about ten seconds.
Rose finally looked up. "I got a gig."
"A gig?"
"I forgot to tell you." She glanced at her phone again. "I paint."
Adrian blinked. "You paint?"
"Mm."
"I didn’t know that."
"Never came up."
She was trying to sound casual, but the smile she was failing to hide gave her away. "I mostly take commissions through Fiverr. Mostly small ones."
A beat. "My friend, Anika,connected me with someone who wants to meet about a commission."
She looked at the message again.
"Not a small one, either." Her smile returned. "This could actually be big."
"That sounds... good."
"It is." She unlocked her phone and opened the message Annika had sent.
"The meeting’s in the city." Her excitement faded slightly. "And they want to see me today."
She looked at him. "I can’t go."
"Why not?"
"We have plans."
"Then we’ll change the plans."
Rose looked at him. "But..."
"Rose." Adrian gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "Go get it."
She hesitated.
"We can have our date another day. Come back and tell me how it went."
She blinked, then the tension left her shoulders. "Okay."
Rose got dressed quickly, still checking her phone between movements.
She smoothed her clothes over her hips, grabbed her bag, then checked the message one more time.
Apparently, the opportunity wasn’t waiting around for her.
Rose leaned down before she left. Her lips touched his. Brief. Warm. Then she pulled back.
"I’ll be back."
Adrian caught her wrist before she could straighten.
She looked at him.
"Don’t let them lowball you."
Her expression softened.
"Please." A beat. "They couldn’t even try if they had the chance."
He smiled.
He let go and then she pulled away. The door clicked shut behind her.
Adrian stayed where he was for a moment.
Rose’s chair was empty. Two glasses sat between them, along with plates that needed washing. The morning had started with him answering questions about Jenna.
Now Rose had left for a painting opportunity he hadn’t even known existed.
His gaze dropped.
Right. He was still naked.
Adrian stood, gathered the plates, and carried them to the sink. He rinsed them, set them aside, and turned toward the bedroom.
His phone lit up on the counter. He glanced at the screen.
The System. Of course.
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DAILY TASKS
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☑️ Eat one proper meal. Preferably in the company of another person. ⓘ
☐ Maintain personal hygiene. ⓘ
☑️ Accumulate 90 minutes of physical activity.
☑️ Get at least 7 hours of sleep. ⓘ
☑️ Have at least one meaningful social interaction. ⓘ
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Adrian scanned the list.
Four completed.
One remaining.
Hygiene. Fair enough. After his private time with Rose, he completely agreed with the system.
He picked up the phone and headed toward the bathroom. Then, another buzz came.
Bzzzt.
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INVESTMENT ANALYSIS UPDATED.
Target: Rose West
Investment Potential: 56 → 60%
Investment Type: Romance
NEXT LANDMARK: Devoted lover (80%)
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Adrian stopped.
Sixty percent.
He’d watched the number climb, but this was the first time the next landmark actually felt close enough to matter.
Devoted lover.
Adrian stared at the words. What exactly counted as devotion?
He had no idea. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out by asking.
He sighed, tuning into his Spotify as he arrived at his bathroom door.
That would matter soon enough. But for now...
One shower, and the last task would be done. Then he could finally check what the System had available in the store.
Adrian tapped his Dj playlist, stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower.