After she returned home the next day, carrying her canvas with her, she carried on with life as normally as she could. Chase remained in contact with her, calling her once a day between his jobs to check up on her. It remained like this for a week.
On Thursday, the new manager was being brought into her department. She had already prepared everything for the new hire, having spent hours gathering and organizing everything from her past manager. Her new manager was rather bland. He was the leader she had expected him to be, and handled is job well because of past experience.
It made it much easier on her.
Hikari sat with her coworker, Elizabeth, during lunch break, carrying on a casual conversation. The woman was middle-aged, a few greys in her short hair, but she was the closest thing to a friend she had at her job. The manager flew into the break room, his face a bit red as if he had been rushing around.
"Up, up! We have to get busy again, the CEO is bringing a new potential partner through the department and he made it clear that we needed to look alive." He said a bit breathlessly before he hurried back out.
Hikari and Elizabeth glanced at each other with disappointment, leaving their lunches half eaten to return to their desks. They would head straight back to the break room after the CEO left, after all.
Hikari sighed as she settled herself down, her hand resting over her stomach for a brief moment before she turned to her computer to resume her work for the time being.
The sound of her typing drowned out other noises. She could tunnel vision through her work long enough for the CEO and his partner to pass through. That is, until she remembered how much the CEO's voice carried. His deep voice had the tendency to carry throughout the entire department, and it was rather hard to maintain her focus.
As the CEO's voice grew closer, she allowed herself to peek up out of curiosity.
Wait.
She had seen him before. She reached up, using the back of her hand to rub against her eye before looking again.
Snobby looking, dressed impeccably, a face that seemed frozen in a stoic, judgmental stare, and unmistakable platinum hair? She had seen him for sure. Almost a week ago that evening in the bar, the man that Hayden had been speaking to.
What was his name again?
Her brow furrowed deeply as she tried to remember, her fingers frozen on her keyboard.
Gerald? George? It definitely started with a G. It was itching at the back of her mind, it was there, and she knew it.
Suddenly she realized she was staring straight into shockingly light blue eyes. She blinked quickly a few times, bringing herself out of her daze. How long had she been staring? Her cheeks colored with embarrassment.
Hikari saw the look of recognition in his eyes before she turned away from him, returning to her work to try and hide herself.
Why was he here? At her company, coming as a potential partner? Was this what he meant about bringing business to the island?
She heard footsteps approaching her desk, and she looked up once more to see the man standing in front of her desk. "Well, I didn't know that you worked here. You're Chase's pregnant girlfriend, aren't you?" He asked, his arms folding across his chest.
Hikari could feel herself heating up, a nervous sweat beginning to form. Why was this man so intimidating? He practically radiated social superiority and it irritated her. "I'm not his girlfriend, but I believe the CEO is waiting for you." She said, looking pointedly back over to the CEO.
She saw him speaking with the department manager, engorged in whatever conversation they were having. She let out a heavy sigh in her mind.
"I have a moment, it seems." He said, never moving his focus from her. He was obviously scrutinizing her. She shifted uneasily, her fingernail tapping lightly against her keyboard. "So, what was your name again?" She asked, trying to ease the silence that had almost overtaken them.
"Gill, I'm the mayor's son. I also happen to be one of Chase's close friends." His hand outstretched to her, and she shook it stiffly. She didn't know how to feel, it was as if Chase was following her everywhere she went in one way or another.
"You said you weren't his girlfriend, yet you're carrying his child? Perhaps the rumors of it being a one night stand were true." Gill questioned, his eyebrow forming a seemingly perfect arch. It pissed her off how flawless his appearance was. Other than the one cowlick in his hair, he was utterly perfect.
It pissed her off even further how he stuck his nose straight into her personal affairs. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, clearly displaying her annoyance with him. "I don't believe that's your business." She said, trying to keep her tone as professional as she possibly could.
For a moment, she could have sworn he smirked at her. "Of course, my apologies. I shouldn't pry." His arms folded behind his back. "I hope to get to know you better while I'm at your company, miss…?" His voice trailed.
"Hikari," She answered, "I'm only a secretary, so I doubt you'll ever have business with me again." She added quickly. "We'll see." Gill stated before he turned and returned to the CEO and manager to listen to their discussions.
Hikari turned her head back to her computer, his parting words nagging at the back of her head.
For the rest of her work day she tried to distract herself, filling in her empty moments with even more work or snack breaks to avoid thinking about Gill's presence in her company. By the time she was back at her apartment, she was ready to eat and rest in a warm bath.
As she took out a frozen dinner to heat up, she found herself missing the meals that Chase cooked those two days. She simply didn't have the patience to wait so long for food when she was ravenous. Chase did a good job of keeping her hunger sated.
Her thoughts roamed over Chase, his eyes, the fervent kiss they shared before she left. She jumped when her phone vibrated loudly against the kitchen counter, wide eyes looking to see who was calling her.
Chase, of course. It was around time for him to call, and naturally he had to call in the exact moment she was thinking of him.
Hikari answered, her fingers fumbling with the device for a moment. "Hey." Her greeting was a bit shaky, still caught off guard from his perfectly timed call.
"Hey, I know this is last minute, but I was wondering…" His voice trailed, and she heard him take a breath through the other side. "Tomorrow the town is having an event called the Firefly Festival. It's sort of a day to remember our family that has passed on. It's also kind of a date night, so… I wanted to invite you to come with me."
She paused, her microwave beeping about her finished food in the background. "Like the Day of the Dead?" He laughed at her.
"I guess so, the reason is the same but it's celebrated entirely different."
Hikari chewed on her bottom lip, her hand pressing against her stomach where she felt a flutter. "I don't know… It's pretty late notice, and I don't get off of work until 5 in the afternoon. I don't even know if I can catch a boat that late, and-"
"Please, Hikari." Chase's plea was soft, almost sounding as if he was already defeated. "It would mean a lot to me."
Her thoughts trailed back to how he behaved when she asked about his parents. He had seemed so closed off, but vulnerable. Maybe he was trying to open up to her by letting her come to an emotional event? Then again, would it be wise for her to even let this happen?
She felt her heart hang heavy at the thought of him being alone. It bothered her more than it should have. She blamed her hormones for it, but a small part of her knew it was because she could empathize with her father being so close to death. An even smaller part of her was yelling it was because she felt something for Chase.
She smothered that voice out quickly.
"All right, I'll try to make it. But I don't know if I will be on time." Hikari sighed, rubbing her forehead tiredly. She turned and popped open the microwave, pulling out her dinner so that it could cool off.
"Thanks, I really appreciate it. My next job is starting, so I need to hang up. I'll be waiting at the dock for you tomorrow." And with that their call was ended.
Typically they would talk for longer, but tonight he seemed rather busy. She set her phone down, her stomach restlessly turning. Was she actually feeling butterflies? What was she, a high school girl? She took a bite of her meal, sputtering when it burned her tongue.
She pushed it aside in frustration, walking away to start her bath. She was going to eat while she soaked in her bubble bath of emotions, and no one would tell her otherwise.
That night she slept restlessly, tossing and turning between intervals of rest.
Hikari laid in a sort of trance, stretched out on her side in only her panties. It had been far too hot for her to wear her shirt as well. It was one of those nights, she guessed.
There was a soft click from her door, and when she looked back she saw Chase padding in. He watched her with the eyes of a lustful predator, pinning her down with his gaze like that night. With a few strides he was at her side, his hands on her, groping, his lips on hers.
She didn't understand what was happening, but her mind was so hazy that she didn't want to try and understand. Her body burned with desire for the same feeling he gave her that night.
She responded to him eagerly, clinging onto him and rolling her hips up against him, though it was awkward with her baby bump limiting her. His slick tongue pried open her mouth, invading her with a passionate hunger.
His fingers went straight for her panties, dragging them down and off of her. His fingers found purchase between her legs, making her gasp and buck against his hand. Chase pulled back, watching her with a smirk as his fingers plunged into her, his thumb stretched out to rub her bud.
Her hands fisted in his hair, dragging him back down for a heated kiss. He chuckled against her lips, then moved to whisper into her ear as she felt her core tighten. His tongue trailed the edge of her ear, then he gripped onto her and flipped them, bringing her to sit on her knees over him.
Hikari moaned softly, freely riding his hand as he pleasured her, his other hand running between her breasts and to her stomach. She felt her body on the brink of ecstasy, her breath hitching.
And then it was gone.
She stared up at her ceiling, panting from the dream that had been so vivid it felt real. She sat up, holding her head in her hands. Her heart was beating so hard in her chest it was taking her breath away, and her stomach fluttered like crazy. She assumed she had woken her baby with so much sudden activity.
She heaved a sigh, leaning back against the pillows and laying on her side. She rubbed her stomach, forcing her eyes to close. She had to sleep, even if she had to take a pill to help her do so. It was only 2am and she needed the rest.