It was not that Dean Gamboa would give her a daily dose of his arrogant attitude in the office, but it was not always, or rather never had he shown her any kind of kindness or friendliness. Never. As a matter of fact, no one in the office, apart from Joseph, ever experienced this side of Dean Gamboa.

And now everyone knew that he gave her a Coke and then smiled at her a few hours ago. It was not for long before rumor would start spreading in their office and travel up and down the building of Collins Corporations.

Jackie thought it would boost up her story of being his girlfriend and would help her finally get rid of Brian. But she was also well aware that people would start acting on their curiosity. They would stalk her Facebook account. And they would look for Dean Gamboa.

The only consolation she had was the fact that she made Dean Gamboa’s fake FB account private it wouldn’t show up when searched.

But they better not look through Brian’s Facebook friends. Or better yet, they wouldn’t ask him because if they did, God knows what that sick bastard could say? She had never heard from Brian today and she wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not. It could be that he was just waiting for the right moment to act on his crazy impulses. Or it could be that he was starting to give up.

She crossed her fingers that her boss would continue being nice to her for as long as necessary. But she had to be careful. Eyes would eventually follow her and her boss around. She was sure of that.

  *****

By lunch time, Dean Gamboa proved everyone wrong.

They thought he could only give Jackie a Coke--or exchange drinks with her--and smile at her?

Oh, no. He did more than that.

Everyone was so full of curiosity by the time they went back behind their desks because downstairs, at the cafeteria, they witnessed the most uncommon sight.

What was it?

Going back an hour earlier, when Jackie and Karen were just preparing to go down for lunch, Karen’s phone rang. Her mother was rushed to the hospital.

Jackie went with her to Dean Gamboa’s office so she could ask permission to take the rest of the day off.

“Of course,” Dean immediately said when he learned of the emergency.

“Thank you, sir!” Karen cried out and turned to Jackie.

“Please text me once you get there,” Jackie told her, worried.

“Of course. ‘Bye.”

And then her friend was off. Jackie finally realized that she was still inside Dean Gamboa’s office.

“Uh, uh…guess I’ll go get my lunch,” she said, stammering, when she saw him looking at her. He still looked like Dean Gamboa, the boss, but there was something in the way he was looking at her that made her wonder again. What happened last night?

“Jackie,” she heard him say behind her when she started for the door.

She stopped. He was calling her Jackie. She kind of liked it. “Yes, sir?” she asked, turning around.

He was already standing and walking around his desk. “I know you take your lunch with Karen so I guess you don’t have anyone to share it with today?”

Her heart started to beat faster. Was he thinking what she was thinking? “Yeah.”

“Then, let’s go.”

She kept rooted in her spot as he walked past her and to the door.

“Jackie,” he called.

She closed her mouth, which had been hanging open since he said ‘let’s go’. “What?”

Dean Gamboa frowned. “Let’s go have lunch.”

“Lunch? Me? With you?”

He nodded. “We need to talk about the things you never raised during our last meeting.”

“Huh?”

Impatience started to appear on his face. She knew she was sounding so stupid, but what the hell! Her boss, her fake boyfriend, the one who was saving her from Brian without knowing, the drummer of Anon, was asking her to have lunch with her! “Is there something stopping you from eating lunch with me?”

“No, no, of course not! Sure! Let’s go! Right now! Why not?” she said the words without pause and walked ahead of him out of the door.

The few people who were still in the office followed them with their curious looks as they made their way to the elevator doors side by side.

  *****

“What are you having?” Dean Gamboa asked Jackie.

“I usually get salad for lunch,” she answered.

He looked at her and shook his head. “You’ll need a heavy meal. You don’t look so good.”

Jackie’s mouth fell open. Did he just say she didn’t look good? “Excuse me?”

“You look like you lost weight,” he explained, turning at the man behind the counter. “Two chicken meals, please,” he said to the man.

“It’s because I stayed up late last night, remember?” she asked in a whisper.

He turned his head and looked at her in the eye. “I do remember.”

There was something in the way he looked at her that told her something really happened last night. What the hell could it be? It was not her spilling her secrets for sure because he wouldn’t share lunch with her if that were the case. In fact, she would have already packed her things and left without a job. So what happened?

“And since I am treating you to lunch, I should make the order,” he said, snapping Jackie out from her mental wanderings.

“You’re paying?” When would Dean Gamboa stop giving her mini heart attacks?

He just looked at her and handed the guy behind the counter some cash.

“Why?” she nudged.

He did not answer.

“Why?” she repeated, in case he didn’t hear.

She heard him take a deep breath and then he looked at her one more time. “Just because. There shouldn’t always be a reason.”

“Really?”

She could tell he was losing his patience with the way he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Yes, really.”

“Hmmm…interesting,” the words escaped her mouth before she could stop them. She turned around to hide the flush on her face and said, “I’ll go get us a seat then.”

Two minutes later, Dean went to where she was sitting with a tray. “You picked my usual spot.”

“I know your usual spot, sir.”

He didn’t say a word and sat down across from her.

“What?” she asked as she took her food from the tray he placed before them. He was looking at her intently and it was starting to take effect on her. He never looked at her like that before.

“You don’t really remember anything from last night, do you?”

She thought about it for a moment. “Why? Should I remember something?”

He just stared at her for a while before he shook his head and said, “Whatever it is you should remember, it might not be important. Eat, Jackie.”

He’s still calling me Jackie, O-M-G, she thought as she forked her food. Jackie cleared her throat. “So, what are we going to talk about?”

He raised his eyebrows, munching his food.

“You told me you’re going to talk to me about the things I never talked about during our last meeting,” she reminded.

“Ah, yes,” he said, swallowing. “So, what do you have in mind?”

“You’re asking me now. Why?”

“Because you don’t speak up what’s on your mind whenever we have our meetings. Now is your chance.”

“Why are you suddenly interested in what I think?”

“Because it’s my job to know what my people think,” he answered instantly. “We are the events planning team for a reason. I hired you for a reason. Prove it.”

Jackie was not satisfied. “You never did this before.”

He took a breath, indicating she was asking too much questions. “It’s a new strategy. I noticed that most of you don’t speak up whenever we are in a meeting. I just thought it would be a good idea if I talk to all of you one-on-one, in an atmosphere where you are at ease.”

“Oh, I see,” Jackie said, somewhat disappointed. “Well, I’m thinking about Panaad Festival.”

He frowned. “Panaad?”

She nodded. “We’re going to promote a drinking product, right? And how do we make people drink it? We give them food, right?”

He nodded. “That’s a given. We always have food during such events.”

“But it would be very great if people would enjoy the drink as much as they enjoy their food, right? And since Panaad Festival is coming in a week, it would be a great idea.”

“What are you suggesting, really?”

“Well, why don’t we take the Panaad Festival inside Sugarland Hotel? We don’t have to take all the mini buildings of the different municipalities, of course. We’re just going to take in the foods. We will set up different booths around the place where people could go around and the drink will be everywhere.”

“You do realize that it will take a lot of time and effort, right? What our clients want is just a simple program where the media and the leading restaurants in Bacolod would be.”

“Exactly. There will be the media and the different restaurants in Bacolod. They will love the concept, really. They won’t be there for the product. They will be there because they are curious. And they have the invitation. You know that.”

He thought about it for a long time, his food forgotten. “I’ll think about your suggestion.”

Jackie thought she heard a round of applause everywhere. Did Dean Gamboa just consider her suggestion?

“But you have to be prepared if the clients approve of it.”

“Prepared?”

“You suggested it. If they approve, you’ll have to work on it.”

Jackie nodded. “Of course! It’s my job, right?”

Dean Gamboa just nodded his head and motioned his hand toward her food. “Eat.”

  *****

“We will play again at Art District this Saturday. Nikki will be there and she asked me if you and your friends will be coming.”

Jackie was momentarily pulled away from her own thoughts when her boss spoke up during their ride back up to their floor. “Saturday?”

He nodded without looking at her.

“We might swing by,” she said with a smile. “I like your cousin.”

This time, Dean turned his head and looked down at her, his face bare of any emotion. Jackie wanted to reach up and smack it open to reveal what he was really feeling. “And she likes you, too, I guess.”

“Well, then, see you Saturday, boss,” she said with a small laugh as the doors opened. She stepped out and walked to her table, very much aware of the curious gaze her officemates were throwing her.

  *****

“I think this is getting a little bit too much,” said George when they met up that afternoon after work. We went to this secret place they have which was outside of Bacolod. It was a barren land full of tall grasses and though it was privately owned, no one was really watching over the place. It was supposed to be a big mall a long time ago, but people said the company went down before construction even finished. The unfinished building now stood in the middle of a wide, grass-covered land.

The boys would often take me here with them if they were out of budget and they just wanted to spend time together away from the apartment. The sunset at the back of the unfinished building was great for an afternoon stay with beers and chips.

“Come on, he didn’t really ask me to go. He just asked if we are coming because Nikki wanted to see me.”

Dannie frowned. “I don’t know, Jackie. His sudden change of behavior towards you, as what you have put it, is kind of weird. What did you do to him last night?”

“I don’t know! I can’t remember,” she shrugged, leaning against my hood. “So, we’re coming, right?”

“Of course, someone has to watch over the two of you,” Dannie said, looking at Jackie and then at Georgie.

“Okay, fine. No one’s drinking more than the limit,” George said and Jackie jumped on her feet.

“You guys are awesome! Just be patient, okay? Just let me have a few more time with Dean. I’m sure Brian will back off once he realizes that I am going steady with the boss.”

  *****

Jackie and George waited for Dannie and I to arrive from church that Saturday and when we did, Jackie urged the other two to dress up prettily. Of course, they didn’t. They went out that night as themselves.

As we drove to Art District, I prayed real hard that no one was going to do some puking and kicking around this time.

“Oh, Troy is here,” uttered Jackie. “Great. He better take great shots this time.”

“If you can keep him and his friends away from Nikki,” uttered Dannie bitterly.

That came out a bit off, but we didn’t comment. Dannie never had anything good to say about Troy since I met them.

Hey, Tata, I heard your boss came home drunk last time. I’m afraid he’s still alive? I asked Tata as Dannie parked me behind her.

  *****

Jackie, Dannie and George approached Troy, Miguel and Lee without a tinge of excitement. That was what the years of familiarity brought to them. It was pretty much the same as coming home to your own family.

“What do you boys want?” Troy asked.

“Don’t give them any beers, please,” Lee uttered. “I can still remember last time.”

“Shut up,” George snapped and waved her hand to a passing waiter.

“Don’t drink too much, please,” Dannie said with a sigh.

Jackie was already busy looking at the band. They were already done setting up. Dean raised his head from whatever he was doing and met her eyes. She gave him a small smile and waved.

He just nodded his head and looked away.

Nikki saw her and she waved with excitement at Jackie who returned the gesture with the same enthusiasm.

And then she remembered she had to keep Dean Gamboa’s FB account alive. She fished her phone out of her purse and signed in her boss’ fake account.

She had transferred the photos Troy had managed to take of her and Dean from the last time they were together. There were not much, thanks to Nikki, but some were enough to be uploaded.

She wasn’t planning on exposing Dean’s secret identity so she decided to upload the photos of them taken around the table when the band took a break.

Dean had already gained a few friends, but it didn’t matter with Jackie. What mattered to her was that Brian was one of them and he would see everything.

The band played a new set of songs that night, starting with Slow Down Sister followed by some Beatles songs. The band surprised everyone when they changed instruments. Like literally. Dean stood up and went behind the keyboard while Rene went to take the guitar from Phil who went behind the drums. Kurt had taken down his guitar and was now holding the bass guitar from Spike who took the microphone. Nikki further awed everyone when she revealed a violin.

“What the hell!” Troy and his goons cried out.

“Whoa!” Jackie cried out and started clapping.

The band started playing their version of Love’s Lookin’ Good on You. Jackie realized that the band seemed to be playing a lot of Lady Antebellum songs now that Nikki was in the picture. Not that she was complaining because she liked the group as much as she was starting to love Anon right now.

Things would have went on pretty well if Jackie didn’t receive a text message from Karen.

Where are you?

Jackie frowned.

Why? Is your mom okay?

She just had a bad stomach. Where are you?

Jackie had a feeling that her friend was out right now. She would love to invite Karen over at Art but now was not the right time.

She decided not to answer. It was better she didn’t.

I’m on my way to Art right now. I’m with friends. Would you like to join us?

“Oh no,” she uttered.

Art District?

Yes! We just arrived. Come! :)

Jackie panicked.

“What’s wrong?” George asked.

“Karen’s coming.”

“Karen?” asked Troy.

“My friend at the office. She’s coming!”

“Will be coming back after our short break, guys,” Nikki said after their last song. The band started to walk away from the set and toward their table.

“What’s wrong then?” Lee asked.

“Don’t you get it? Their boss is here…” George was saying but Jackie didn’t hear the rest. She was already on her feet and walking, then running toward Dean who was walking beside Nikki.

“Come!” she said in haste, grabbing his hand.

Surprised, he frowned at her. “What’s wrong?”

“Let’s just go! You need to hide!”

“Why?”

“Let’s just go!” Jackie said in desperation. Nikki and the rest of the band were looking at the two of them with curiosity.

“Jackie, what’s going--”

She cut off Dean’s words by saying, “Karen’s here! She’s here!”

Without a word, he let her pull him out of the bar just as Karen and her friends were coming in.