"We got everything covered. You don't have to worry about anything, especially that we made everything accessible online. You can view the room in 3D and see what it looks like. We will replicate the room of your house, fix it and you can send you photos and videos through email for final approval."

The interior designer named Ruby gave a lengthy explanation that made Luke more confused. He had no idea that they do things the way it was described.

"May I ask why you have to go through the process of setting up a mock room when you can just directly fix the room?"

"Our clients don't like their private place to be invaded," she said with a smile.

"Some people don't like strangers in their private space. The mock place was actually a brilliant idea. No wonder you are well- recommended by your previous clients."

"Thank you, Miss Zimmerman. We are looking forward to working with you."

"I tried to give all the measurements at whatnot that you requested. I hope I got everything right since starting this mid-week I'll be busy with work and I don't have time to walk you through everything. That is why I would prefer that you see my place, at least once, refer to what I gave you, then send me the final output, by then, we can schedule a day where you put everything in my place."

Luke just enjoys his pineapple shake. He gave up following the discussion Jess was having with the interior designer. They looked at his place and told him how he should design his apartment. He has a blueprint kind of thing that he just has to follow.

He was fine with it. It was quite helpful since he doesn't have to think about how to fix his apartment. They saw the place, they saw the furniture he has, they told him where and how to fix his apartment.

And that was it. Now, they were talking about Jess's apartment. He didn't expect that Jess wanted a lot of changes in her house. She has lived in her apartment for around four years but didn't do anything major in her place, until now.

"Okay then," she said as she stood up, "Let's go to my house."

"I will follow you in my car," Ruby said.

The drive to her house didn't take that long because it wasn't rush hour yet. She parked her car in the basement parking area exclusive to the building residents.

Ruby -- the interior designer that Florence recommended will be parking at the regular parking lot located next to the building and has to go through the lobby and be escorted to her floor by security personnel.

While she and Luke will just take the elevator to her apartment and wait for Ruby at her place.

They just got in the elevator when her phone chirped. She didn't give it much thought just thinking that it was Ruby telling her that she was already in the building lobby, however, when she checked her phone the message was from Noah.

[Minx, this business acquisition is giving me a migraine. Be a sweetheart, and have dinner with me tonight.]

She was chewing on her bottom lip all the way to her apartment. A dinner invitation is not something she expects from Noah after everything she had told him.

"Was it Noah?"

She was startled by Luke's question, but her answer was suspended because the elevator ding opened.

"Why do you think it was Noah?" she asked, keying her pin to the electronic keypad of her door.

"You have this stupid look on your face when it comes to Noah." Before Jess could say something, he added something more, "Your reaction towards Noah has been changing, Jessica."

"Changing how?"

Luke looked at her knowingly, but said nothing other than, "Open the door, Jess.". "Your interior designer is at the door." He did not wait for Jess to answer, and went straight into his room.

Ruby was very efficient and works with such precision that everything was completed in under thirty minutes. Jess walked her to the door and as they parted, she promised her that everything would be ready in two weeks.

She closed the door and decided to take a shower first before making dinner. She was about to enter her room when the guest room, where Luke was staying opened and Luke came out with a small duffel bag in his hands.

"Where are you going?" she asked, staring at the bag he was holding.

"I'll go back to my apartment."

"But why?"

She followed Luke to the door. "You said that it was best if you stayed here to watch over me, and I could watch over you as well. Your shoulder isn't that well, yet."

"Don't worry about me, Jess. "I'm going to my apartment so that you and Noah can talk privately," he said casually, but his voice was dripping with innuendo that she and Noah...

"There is no need for you to leave. "Did you forget that Noah is our neighbor and I can pop into his apartment whenever I like." She said with pursed lips.

She dreaded the thought of her going to Noah's apartment. The first and the last time she visited his place was an unpleasant experience for her.

"You got me there. I was just going out to meet a friend. I'll call you tomorrow, Little Miss Jessie."

She couldn't say anything to stop him from leaving. But since he said he'll be back tomorrow, she decided to just make use of Luke's given opportunity for her.

She dialed Noah's phone but it was busy. 'He must still be in his meeting,' she thought, listening to the voice prompt that was telling her that the number she dialed was unavailable.

Jess decided she needed a shower before she started preparing dinner for two. She grinned at her reflection in the mirror when she passed by to the shower stall.

There was still no reply from Noah after she showered and decided that she had enough time to soak in a bath. Which she did.

She trod to the kitchen naked, except for the towel wrapped around her head, she picked up a bottle of wine, went back to the bathroom, and prepared herself a bath.

She put some Epsom salt on her bath water, lit up her favorite candle that her old nanny personally made and shipped to her from home, put on her bathroom playlist, and stepped on inside the bathtub.

While sipping a glass of wine, she stretched her legs to the length of her tub and hummed to her favorite music.

And just like that, she forgot the time. She was startled when the song that was playing from her phone was disrupted because of the incoming call from Noah — she put a special ringtone for his number.

It sounds so cringy and so high school but she likes it. Besides, no one will know that she put a special ringtone for his number.

She scrambled to answer his call and that was when she realized that she had been in the bathtub for about an hour!

She quickly left the tub, grabbed her silk bathrobe, removed the towel from her head as she answered Noah's call.

The phone was on speaker for she was playing some music, and the moment his voice echoed in the close space of her bathroom, Jess felt like she needed another cold shower.

"Hey, got your text," he said in his throaty voice. "What time should I pick you up?"

"About that, I was thinking, I don't really want to go out for a meal —"

"Little Miss Jessie, the promise of a dinner with you was the only thing that kept me alive through that ordeal. Please, don't leave me hanging, huh?" He said in a soft, gentle tone Jess hadn't heard before.

"I have no plan to back out from our dinner plan...I was just going to say, if you let me finish what I was saying, was that — uhmm," she cleared her throat.

She suddenly felt embarrassed with the idea, and clenched her robe, trying to gather her courage.

A while ago, she thought it was a great idea, but now that she was talking to Noah, she got tongue-tied.

"Jess?" he asked because she went quiet for a few beats on the other line. He looked at his phone screen and saw that the call hadn't been cut. Jess just stopped talking.

"Baby, are you still there?" he asked, grinning. He imagined Jess's reaction with the endearment he used.

"Noah…"

"Yes?..."

"What do you think of steak for dinner?"

"Oh, so you don't like Matsugen...sure steak is fine. I'll get us a reservation in…

"In my house."

"Wh-what?" he asked in a whisper. His heart was thumping with anticipation, yet he was scared that he just misheard Jess.

"I'll make us a steak." She said then dropped the call. Her heart was about to leap from her chest.

Jessica Joy, get a grip on yourself. It was just dinner!" She shouted loudly to no one in the house. For Luke won't be home tonight. And Noah will be coming over for dinner...