Yes-man 189

Hugh Summers chimed in, “Yeah, Ms. Gilmore, want to join us?”

olitely

dy have p

Noreen shook her head politely. “Thanks, but I already have plans,”

“Guess I won’t be the third wheel then,” Hugh said with a laugh. “Let’s save this dinner for another time.”

Seth and Bianca didn’t try to convince him otherwise.

They probably really did have a date lined up.

Unlike Noreen–her excuse was just that, an excuse.

She simply didn’t want to eat with those two. She worried it would ruin her appetite.

The moment Noreen stepped out of Aurelion Group’s building, her phone buzzed. Healy was calling.

She saw his name but ignored the call.

Honestly, she just didn’t feel like talking to him.

Healy had been calling nearly every day lately. She hadn’t picked up once.

But whenever Chase called, she always answered.

This drove Healy crazy.

He was genuinely eager to work with Noreen, but she wouldn’t give him the chance.

Meanwhile, his father kept pushing him, anxious that another auto company would swoop in and steal the deal.

The smart car market was evolving at breakneck speed–every day counted, and missing out could be a costly mistake.

Healy was feeling the pressure.

When his call went to voicemail again, Healy vented his frustration in the group chat.

“Guys, I pissed off a woman. Any advice on how to make it right?”

Jude replied instantly. “Seriously? You, of all people, are asking that? You’re the resident playboy–can’t believe you can’t handle a woman!”

Healy typed back, “This is different. She’s not like the others. The usual tricks just don’t work on her.”

“Oh? Got it bad, have you?”

“Why does everyone have something going on? Dylan’s got his drama, now you do too. Am I the only one left out? Should I light a candle at St. Anthony’s and pray for a miracle? At this point, I’d settle for any kind of luck.”

Nobody bothered to respond to Jude’s whining.

Healy tagged Seth. “Seth, any advice?”

19:32

Chapter 189

Seth was out to dinner with Bianca, but shot back a quick reply: “If she likes money, give her cash. If she likes romance, send flowers.”

“Blanca, is Seth always this blunt?” Jude couldn’t help but tag Bianca.

Bianca replied, “He’s already done both.”

Jude: “I set myself up for that one!”

Healy, for his part, didn’t say anything else.

The next morning, as soon as Noreen arrived at the office, a courier was waiting for her with a huge bouquet of sunflowers.

Healy had chosen sunflowers because of a photo he’d seen a while back–Dylan had given Noreen sunflowers, and she’d looked genuinely happy. That smile had stuck with Healy.

So, when he placed the order, he’d subconsciously picked sunflowers, hoping to see that smile again.

Sophia, her coworker, glanced over curiously. “Noreen, is there something you’re not telling us?”

Noreen searched through the bouquet, looking for a card, but found nothing.

The courier didn’t know who’d sent them, either.

While she was still puzzling over it, a text from Healy popped up.

He must have known she wouldn’t answer his calls, so he’d sent a message instead.

“Did you get the flowers? Do you like them?”

Ten minutes later, Noreen replied.

“You should ask the garbage bin outside our building. It’s got the answer.”

Healy was speechless.

When had Noreen gotten so feisty?

He’d always thought of her as meek and easy to handle–pretty, sure, but nothing more. Just a pretty

face.

He honestly couldn’t understand why Seth had kept her around for seven years.

Even the fanciest meal gets old after seven years, right?

So when Seth finally chose Bianca, Healy hadn’t been surprised at all. Bianca was more talented, came from a good family, and just seemed like the better match.

But now… Healy was starting to regret all those assumptions.

10:23.