Sofi's POV

Later in the evening Dare dropped her off at Toyin's place; they were going for Farrah's Bridal shower in a resort near the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

He went up to Toyin's Apartment with her to meet her best friend for the first time and they really hit it off. They were gisting like buddies, Toyin even confessed to him that she was against them dating in the beginning because she thought he was a bad guy. She told him all about how her friend used to rant about him every day.

"I didn't know she was camouflaging her crush," Toyin said and the two of them laughed wickedly.

****

Thursday afternoon she was eating lunch with Ada in the office Cafeteria when his text came in.

Dare: Looking good

Their Office cafeteria is an open space in the outdoor Atrium of the building; you can view it from the hallways of the 3rd to 5th floors. The other part of the building that gives a clear view of the cafeteria is his office balcony.

She giggled when she read the text but she didn't look in his direction.

Sofi: Stalker

Dare: It's not stalking if you're mine.

Sofi: Have you had lunch?

Dare: Yes

Sofi: are you sure? This one that you're watching other people eat

Dare: Had a business brunch with some board members

Sofi: Big man

Dare: So... free tomorrow night?

Sofi: ........Maybe 😏

Dare: Akin recommended a nice restaurant in Ikoyi, very private and quiet just how you like it 😑

Sofi: where is that?

Dare: Masséna

She has never heard of it! It's like these rich people live in a parallel dimension in this same Lagos. She even sharply googled it but she couldn't find anything about it, not even a social media page.

Dare: it's Mediterranean, I know you like seafood 😊

Dare: cmon... we should get some air this weekend, let's go on a real date.

Awwwwwwwnnnnnnn

Sofi: Yes!

Dare: I'll pick you up by 8pm.

Sofi: Okay

She was blushing like a fool when she put down her phone then she saw Ada looking at her judgmentally.

"Your vibe is different these days, what is going on with you, do you have a new boyfriend?" Ada eyed her with suspicion in her eyes.

"Did you give me boyfriend?" She lied, replacing her smile with a frown real quick.

She felt bad for lying to Ada, but she has to. Ada is not just her friend she is also her coworker, THEIR coworker! Once they're ready to go public she will be the first to know here in the office.

***

She wore a sexy satin slip dress for the date, this was their first real date and it felt so freaking good. Dare is such a fine, cultured man. Sometimes she feels like his gentlemanliness is too much sef. He opened the door for her, he pulled out her chair at the table despite the fact that the waiter wanted to do it. He helped her with her jacket then (taking a break from being a gentleman) he whispered "finally" in her ear as he slipped the sheer organza jacket off her shoulders revealing her curves.

"You are such a gentleman, why were you bullying me in the beginning?" She asked after the waiter took their order.

He denied it at first but then he admitted he was a 'little bit' harsh on her, especially during that first meeting when they had that CSR debate.

Then she remembered Banky! Earlier today, she went to the Bakare mansion and she met him. The boy reminded her of the endorsement deal she 'promised' him and she didn't even know how to break it to him that the new CEO has cancelled all endorsement deals so she just told him to give her more time.

Now that Dare mentioned the CSR, and is obviously in a good mood, she decided to use her 'girlfriend privilege' to help Banky's ministry.

"So....are you going to bring back the celebrities?" She smiled flirtatiously.

He put down his phone and smiled back at her "Sweetheart, I am so sorry I hurt your feelings that day but my position still stands, we are not going back on that one" He said seriously.

"What is your beef with the Celebs?" she whined.

"Seriously? I thought that whole thing was Mr. Bakare's doing you're also in on it?" He looked slightly disappointed.

"No....You don't understand. See most of the time the Local Chiefs in the host communities just embezzle the money and it doesn't get to the grassroots this is one thing that discourages Chief too" She knows he is right but.... Banky is a charity case at this point because now that Chief is back, things are much worse for him. He even told her he is going to live with Yinka for the month because he is tired of fighting with his old man.

"Then don't give them cash, there are so many ways we can give back without creating an avenue for looting, giving it all to celebrities in Lagos is a lazy alternative," He said seriously.

"The Company pays Niger Delta Development Levy already nau," She pouted and crossed her arms. She knows damn well that, the officials at NDDC loot that one too but she continued riling him up to heat up the debate.

"That's compulsory this is CSR" He wasn't smiling anymore.

She tried to build a case for the artistes, she said they are creating jobs and putting the country on the global stage. She mention Burna boy and Wizkid's Grammy wins, mentioned how Nollywood movies trend worldwide on Netflix these days, how entertainment will be the 'new oil' and how they should support the entertainment industry.

"That's not our cup of tea we are not the Federal Government" She could see that he was already getting tired of her work talk but she is a coconut head so she continued.

"You are not the Minister of Health either, but you're funding a healthcare NGO," She said.

(A corper Doctor in his NYSC CDS group started a Charity that is developing an app that will connect doctors to people in remote areas for free medical consultation and Dare is funding the whole thing out of his own pocket.)

"Two different things Sofi" He shrugged. "You people are giving more money to artistes that have 'blown' already"

"No now, some of them are still upcoming" She lied.

"Like who?" the smallest act on that list is on the same level as.....let's say Naira Marley and I know Naira Marley is huge"

She was surprised that he knew that, and he even knows who Naira Marley is. She brushed her shock aside first, to hustle for Banky; she will get back to the Naira Marley mention later.

"Okay, what if we start working with upcoming or struggling artistes instead?" She said softly and made a baby face.

He sighed "Then I'll reconsider it" He said as the waiter served appetizer and she smiled like a fool "Can we stop talking about work, please" He added in frustration as he grabbed a fork and she smiled remorsefully.

Mission accomplished!

She kind of felt guilty for doing that when she is the same person that said she wants to 'separate the boyfriend from the boss' but, she promised Banky.
He is a rich kid, but rich kid problems are valid. The boy needs all the support he can get right now. He might not be talented but he is passionate and strong willed about his music.

She dropped her fork to take a picture of the appetizer before destroying it because it was very pretty. When he saw what she did, he picked up his own phone and took a picture of her and she laughed her ass off.

They talked about other things, he was asked her about her Aunt and cousins, they talked about travel, their families, growing up. He told her about all the countries he has lived in, thanks to his mother's job.

"Come with me to London for this trip now?" He said but she just smiled. Honestly, she would love to go but, if she disappears from the office with him, they will just be asking for attention and she can't join him during the weekend either, Farrah's wedding is on Saturday.

He informed her about the trip last week, he is leaving on Wednesday because the conference is on Thursday. She's going to miss him but at least she'll be busy with Farrah's wedding preparation.

"Wait, so you know Naira Marley?" She asked him.

"Yes, I'm a huge fan" he answered and she gasped in shock.

"You? Ewwwwwww" She hates Naira Marley and his annoying Marlians.

"You're staring at a Marlian" He said with a smirk as her jaw dropped.

"Do you even understand the lyrics?"

"No, but I know most of it nasty.... and naughty" He smiled mischievously but she just continued staring at him in disbelief.

He has to be pulling her legs right now because.....how?

He seemed to be enjoying her shock so he continued teasing her.

"No belt gang, baby!" He added and she gave up. He is really a marlian lol..

"At least now I know you have a flaw" She said "I always knew you were too good to be true," She said and he laughed.

"You have to be a Marlian now that you are with one"

"God forbid!"

When they started the main course he stared at her intensely at a point then lowered his voice and said with a straight face;

"I can tell you're not wearing a bra right now" and she almost choked on her wine. "That's prime Marlian behavior"

****

"Bring it up in our next operational meeting," He said to her when they got into the car.

"What's that?"

"Your 'upcoming artiste' case, you should always defend your ideas and opinions to the end no matter what"

"But you just agreed naw?" lol she thought she had succeeded.

"No I didn't, I said I'd think about it"

Wow, this man!

"You actually have a solid case for your upcoming artistes and if you had explained it back then like you did today I would have considered it" He said.

Lecture time!

"Don't back down like that next time no matter who it is. The corporate world is cruel, you have to be tough," He said it casually but he was serious.

"I've noticed your strategy is 'playing nice' that's not going to work when you get to top management level baby, it's much more brutal up here I learned that the hard way because I rose too quickly" He brushed her hair aside and looked her in the eyes deeply. "Don't fall for intimidation tactics again"

The love and respect she has for this man ehhhnnnn.

Saturday

Unfortunately, Chief cut their time short the following morning. He had to fly to Abuja with Chief for 'something urgent' very early in the morning.

She suspected it had something to do with the gas bidding and she didn't like it. The announcement of the winners has been delayed for a week now and they have been hearing all sort of rumours about the award, very soon, it will become a controversial issue and she doesn't want Dare to be dragged into any naija mess.

Dare has very high ethics and she loves him for that. Like, this is why he is good person. He is not even very religious, but he has strong values instilled in him and that is what she loves the most about him.

Hope Chief is not using him to do some underground lobbying in Abuja, they should not spoil her baby o.

He left very early that morning and he called her later in the afternoon to inform her that he will not be returning with Chief that Saturday because he wanted to see his Mum.

He was apologizing profusely but she told him not worry, she that goes to Ikeja almost every weekend to see her family?

She slept over at his place on Saturday. He had flowers and a box of chocolates delivered to her that evening then video called her later in the night to show her his childhood room and all his power rangers merchandise. She had a good laugh over his nerdy collections. She didn't even feel his absence that night plus she was in his in his bed, in his shirt.

She has grown accustomed to sleeping in his clothes, his tees especially. They smell like him.

On Sunday, she did some meal prep for him, packed them in his freezer before leaving for Toyin's place.

***

They were watching Bridgerton in Toyin's living room, Sofi started gushing over how handsome Regé-Jean Page is, and Toyin was like;

"Mtsswwww, your boyfriend is finer than him, I don't know what you people see in this guy sef" she rolled her eyes.

LOL Toyin is now Dare's biggest supporter. She has even changed her mind about love because of Sofi's relationship and she has stopped thinking about marriage. She has decided to wait for love because now she believes 'there are some good men out there, it's just that they're like 1-5% of the whole male population' in her own words.

"I still feel like he is too good to be true," Sofi said when they started the third episode.

"Duke of Hastings? But he doesn't want to mar..."

"No! Dare," Sofi said sadly as TY paused the movie and sat up on her couch.

"I just feel like we won't last, like something is going to come up. I feel like something bad will happen to us....,"

"Stop it Sofi! don't you dare self-sabotage this!" Toyin scowled at her "Don't even start. Let me tell you, this is what true love feels like. We are so used to trash that our standards have fallen so low and now we have trust issues with a normal relationship," Toyin said.

"He is not too good to be true Sofi, he is a Man that is in love with you and he is sure of himself, I see the way he looks at you, that it is just..... love, don't be afraid" Her friend said to her.

"And you deserve it! you are an amazing person, you're a good woman and it's only a genuinely good man like him that can recognize and appreciate that" Toyin was getting emotional too at this point.

"He is lucky too you know, so don't you ever feel like you don't deserve this. You deserve so much more, you have been through so much but it never changed you, you are not a toxic person, you are good human"

Toyin was crying too.

See how Dare has turned the two of them to cry-cry babies! She thought to herself as she wiped her tears quickly.

Maybe it is PMS sef

She realized she was being insensitive right now considering the fact that Toyin just broke up with the guy she was dating (Gbenga).

She said 'things didn't work out' between them but Sofi suspects, it has something to do with that Osaze guy.

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