“You look like you are looking at your own death sentence,” George pointed out from the couch.

Jordan looked at her without any change on his grim face.

“What?” she asked when his gaze stayed too long.

“I am working,” he pointed out.

“You were staring,” she countered.

“At the paper that is related to work,” he shot back, shaking the paper in his hand.

“Thus my remark about your death sentence. It’s not your death sentence, right? What’s your mortal crime?”

“Gagging a woman’s mouth when she should have been minding her own business,” he answered before returning his eyes on the paper. She heard his sigh from five meters away and she laughed. “What is it now?” he asked, his voice clearly irritated. “You never interfered with my work before. Don’t you have reports to finish? Modules?”

Yeah, why did she even bother interfering their usual silent time? It was peaceful one minute ago and she decided to speak.

“I just actually want to ask a question,” she admitted.

“What?” He was back on the paper, his brows knitted together.

“I am allowed to date, right?”

His head snapped right back at her with a ridiculous look on his face. “Date? Who, Jam?”

She gulped. “No. I was just wondering.”

His gaze turned suspicious. “Do you want me to answer your question?”

“Yeah.” But before he could open his mouth, she said, “No. Don’t answer. I already know the answer. I can date, of course. You have your girlfriend. That’s answer enough.”

His mouth opened but he closed it again.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he snapped. “Don’t bother me with questions you can answer yourself. I am in a dilemma here about business and you are talking like usual girls having boy problems. That’s not just you.”

“I am a girl.”

“No, you are a…” Then his face suddenly lit up and a smile slowly formed on his face. George’s eyes almost widened when saw the big change the smile brought to his face. It seemed as if his whole head was cut off and replaced by someone else’s. Sure, she had seen him smile with his friends in Calea, but the one he was wearing that moment was a different kind of smile.

“What’s wrong with you?” For a moment she thought his smile would disappear when he heard her voice, but it only widened and she was not sure if the fact that it was intoxicating was good at all.

“You just gave me a good idea,” he finally said, beaming with triumph. He suddenly went to his feet, carrying the paper with him. “You have to go to the meeting with me.”

She sank lower in the couch. “No. Why? Are you crazy? No! And you don’t have a meeting.”

He pushed a button on his desk phone and ordered Mildred to call the design group for a meeting in five minutes. He turned to George and said, “Now I do have a meeting.”

“No, I won’t go to your impromptu meeting.”

But he was already striding toward her. “Trust me. You don’t have to do anything. You just sit there and say nothing. Come on,” he said, taking her hand to pull her out. She pulled back with all her weight and they were suddenly in a tug-of-war.

“No, Jordan. You said it yourself that I can’t go to your meetings. I am not getting out of this couch!”

“I need you in the meeting. Come on. Georgina, don’t make me carry you in a fireman’s carry. You trained me to do that last week and I perfected that part of the training.”

Of course, he would remind her of that. It was the only part of the training he perfected. So she let him drag her out of the office, past the curious Mildred and into the conference room where five people were already waiting.

“Sit down,” he ordered everyone when they started to rise. “I got the memo and I don’t like it,” he said even before anyone had the chance to ask why she was present in the meeting. Jordan let go of George’s hand and guided her to the nearest seat at the end of the table. He walked right to the other end without looking at anyone and took a seat. “I don’t want to do it.”

“But sir, it has already been decided. The design team had worked hard in coming up with that concept. And it is about time we take a different route,” a man spoke up.

“We haven’t even started long with the men apparels and now you all want women apparels?” Jordan asked the group incredulously. “I don’t want to rush everything just because of the fact that women are better shoppers than men. But we are not ready for that.”

Shoulders sagged and faces fell. No one spoke a word.

“But I have come up with a good idea that would enable us have a better and smoother transition from men to women apparels.”

With that, the room seemed to have suddenly come alive and everyone looked at Jordan with excitement.

“We’re going to make clothes for that lady,” he said, pointing at George.

Suddenly, the spotlight was on her. Everyone turned around to face her with curiosity.

A woman finally tore her eyes away from George who was almost ready to get up and leave and said, “I don’t understand.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I want you all to meet Georgina Lacson,” Jordan said as introduction and the group suddenly gave her a greeting that she would not have gotten if Jordan did not mention her last name. “She goes by George to her friends and she’s an emergency rescuer in the Red Cross. She hikes and does a lot of outdoor activities. She’s the transition we all want.”

George was able to gather everything the group had discussed from the beginning and Jordan’s last words and she finally came up with the idea he was trying to lay out.

“We are going to make apparels for active women like Georgina. A mix of our usual men apparel and the future women clothing line you have all planned. She’s the best transition.”

Heads slowly nodded in agreement and faces started to smile at the idea. Apparently, they liked it. And Jordan was obviously pleased.

“And while we start planning for this line, why don’t we call it ‘Georgina’? I am sure Mr. Lacson would appreciate it if we use his daughter’s name in this new line.”

“No offense, Miss Georgina,” a lady said as Jordan started to get up. “But is Georgina too feminine for this new line?”

“Why don’t we use George?” a man added.

Jordan looked at them, his eyes serious. “Georgina.” There was no question in his answer and that was the end of the meeting.

“Why the hell did you do that?” George demanded as she tried to keep up with his strides. “You should have asked for my consent first!”

“What? About my decision to have a different style? I don’t think you have a say on that. Or maybe it was about using your name? I don’t think you’re the only one with that name. Or was it dragging you in that conference room? Should I have carried you on my back instead?”

George’s nostrils flared as she tried to keep her anger to inside. “All of the above!” she hissed.

“Well, I am sorry. Happy?”

“Change the name of the line,” she ordered.

“No.”

“Why? There are better names out there! Use Jackie’s or Dannie’s. They have great names.”

Jordan stopped in his track and looked her in the eyes. “No. The line will be called Georgina.” He walked away without another word.

“You know it almost sounds like Giordano, right? That’s pretty lame!” she added desperately after him.

“I am not going to change my mind, Georgina.”

George kicked the air in front of her, imagining it was his groin.

*****

When they finally arrived that afternoon, they were bantering about some clothing line.

Hey, Georgie! I thought you don’t care about the business! Why are you arguing about it with Jordan?

Vicky gave me the answer and she narrated what she heard during the drive home. Apparently, Jordan named a new clothing line for women Georgina and it was inspired by her as well. The Georgina line would cater women who spend most of their time outdoors like Georgie.

I was not sure how I should feel about that but for a brief moment, I almost had the urge to shift to Team Jo.

No one had ever done such a big thing for Georgie like that. For all the time I was with her, she was always the one who did things for others. She was never in the spotlight. But right that moment, someone had made her the very center of something big. My Georgie was finally given the attention that she deserved.

And it was Jordan who did it.

Why did that guy have to do such an awesome thing?

But anyway, still Team Ja! And still looking forward for more kissing scenes.

Yes, Jordan, I am an ungrateful cool car.

*****

“You should take him for a walk,” George told Jordan during dinner.

“He’s just acting up,” he answered.

“He’s begging for your attention. And his barks have been killing my ears. Go take him for a walk.”

“You do it.”

“He’s not my dog.”

“Then let Tippy do it.”

George stood up and said, “Fine. I’ll do it. You should have taken Mallows in if you’re not even going to give him a bit of your time.”

She walked away and out the front door to take Mallows who had been barking for the last thirty minutes or so now.

“You have one insensitive owner, you know that? Happy to live in this grand house? I bet you’re not,” she talked to the dog, strapping the leash into its collar. “Come on, buddy, you need some exercise.”

She was unlocking the gate when she noticed Jordan’s presence. “What are you doing here?”

“You’re walking my dog so I decided I should walk you too,” he answered with a shrug, his expression flat.

“Was that a joke?”

“Why?”

“You should have at least practiced in front of a mirror. Your face doesn’t fit the joke well. Come on, Mallows.”

Jordan followed them outside the gate, his hands deep inside the front pockets of his shorts.

“Why are you following us?”

“I told you I’ll walk you.”

She transferred the leash to her other hand and faced Jordan, surprising him with a kick at the back of his leg.

“What the hell was that for?!” he demanded, bending down to nurse his leg.

“So you could enjoy the walk!” she shot at him before walking ahead.

*****

The following day, Jordan brought in some more bad news.

“What? Why the hell would I help you?” she demanded.

“I said I need your consult, not your help. They are entirely different.”

“What for?”

“The new clothing line.”

“No.”

“The board wants a good presentation. They have to approve the idea before it can actually materialize.”

“I don’t really approve of the idea so why would I help you?”

“Because the company is also yours?” he tried lamely. “Okay, fine. Because this is what I want. I want this line to happen because I believe that it is the best path the company should take as opposed to the original plan.”

“You would have to pay me if you want my consult.”

“I’ll let you choose the food we eat the next time you spend the week at my place.”

“Deal.”

“Really? Food? That’s all it takes for you to say yes?”

George gave him a look.

“Okay, deal.”

*****

The rest of the week, they worked on the presentation together.

Jordan would ask what types of cloths were comfortable for certain activities, what kind of fit and what cuts. More pockets for pants or not? How about a jacket that could be converted into a bag?

With all the work they had been doing, George barely had time to think about the things that should not have been bothering her in the first place.

She may not have gotten the distraction she needed last weekend, but working with Jordan did not give her any room to think about her mother, her family and Jam.

The day of the presentation fell on a Friday. The board demanded to see it as soon as they could after Jordan’s sudden change of strategy.

She went with him to the meeting and her father was there as well.

“It’s good to see you getting involved,” Anton Lacson commented when she greeted him outside the conference room.

“I am not. I am here because of Jordan’s stupid idea.”

Her father shrugged off her comment by saying, “It’s a start. Who knows? You may already be enjoying working with him instead of wasting your time riding ambulances.”

She did not say another word for fear that they would cause a scene if they started arguing again. She watched as he went inside the room to join the other board members.

“You don’t look good,” Jordan said to her before they entered the room where her father disappeared to.

“I don’t usually look good when my father’s within the vicinity,” she answered back.

“You can sit this one out. You’ve already done a lot.”

“I can?”

“Yes,” he answered dryly. “And I am afraid that if I force you to join the presentation, you’d demand for more payment.”

She scoffed. “You bet I will.”

He motioned with his head at the direction of his office. “You can wait for me back in my office.”

She was only too happy to oblige.

*****

While waiting for Jordan, she lay on the couch to surf the net.

Her phone rang and she hesitated to answer when she saw it was Jam.

She shooed the feeling of guilt again and decided to answer. “Hey,” she said.

“Hey. Just wondering how you’re doing.”

“I am doing good. Why?”

“Nothing. You’re with Jordan?”

“Not right now. He’s having a presentation.”

“Does he know?”

“Know what?”

“That you’re dating me?”

“Dating you?” she asked incredulously. “I am not dating you.”

“Well, we kissed.”

“That does not mean we’re dating. And as I said, we’re not kissing until I ask for one.”

“Does that mean you’re thinking of asking me?”

“No, not at the moment. Did you call me to talk about dating and kissing?”

“No. I also want to know what you’re up to this weekend. You’ll be back in your apartment, right?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Don’t know what you’ll be up to this weekend or don’t know if you’ll be back in the apartment?”

“Don’t know what I’ll be up to.”

“How about you spend it with me?”

“I’ll let you know,” she answered, not sure she would want to see him that soon. “The boys might have some plans.”

“Let me know.”

“Sure.”

“’Bye. And George, I think it is okay if you tell Jordan some other guy is hanging around you. He has a girlfriend. He’ll understand.”

“I’ll tell him whatever I want, Jam. Don’t push it.”

She heard his laughter at the other end and it was sort of intoxicating. “Okay, okay. Hope to see you this weekend.”

“’Bye.”

*****

“How did it go?” she asked Jordan the moment he stepped inside the room. For some reason, she was anxious as to how the board took the presentation they both prepared.

His expressionless, flat face stared at her for a few seconds before that disarming smile of his slowly appeared and he announced, “They voted for it.”

George jumped to her feet without any intention to with the excitement. “They did?”

Jordan’s smile widened. “Yes, they did.”

For a long time, they stared at each other smiling and when they realized they were, they looked away almost at the same time.

Jordan’s flat affect was back and he cleared his throat. “We should celebrate.”

“You can buy me food and that would already be a celebration. In case you forgot, we missed lunch.”

Jordan checked his watch and he said, “Why don’t you call your friends? We’ll celebrate with them.”

“We will?” she asked with disbelief.

He shrugged. “My friends had been celebrating a lot of success with me in the past and I feel more comfortable hanging around yours at the moment because of our situation. I don’t have to be careful around them because they know the whole story.”

“Okay, sure, I’ll call them. Where do we celebrate?”

*****

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The boys and Dean and Troy were in Jordan’s lawn. Around a garden table. Playing with the dog. Talking. Drinking. Celebrating.

They looked happy and they were laughing about Jackie’s unlucky encounter with the vending machine.

And Jordan was laughing with them.

I wondered which school he learned to do that.

He was not the type to know how to smile at all and now he was laughing?

This was not good.

Vicky asked me why.

Because he looks okay when he smiles. And he looks really good when he’s laughing. That’s not good at all, Vicky. Team Ja had such a great lead this week and now Georgie has been staring at Jordan like she is seeing a Crispy Pata. And Crispy Pata is her favorite food of all food.

Vicky commented that I should be happy but I was not. Tata said she was with Team Jo and that was how she and Vicky became friends.

I did not mind their arguments. I was deaf to them. I had other worries in my metal engine brain at that time and one of them was the fact that Jordan had a girlfriend!

And Georgie should be careful before she could fall for the wrong guy.

Team Ja better score this weekend!

*****

“I didn’t know you own this house,” Troy said to Jordan. “My parents have a house just a block away.”

“I didn’t know.” Jordan gulped his beer before continuing with, “We should have dinner some time.”

“They spend most of their time in their farmhouse outside the city though,” Troy said. “They are like a newlywed couple and they like spending a lot of alone time together and make everyone uncomfortable with their…” Troy trailed off with a cringe. “But they will love to have dinner with you. You guys can talk a lot about business.”

“I’ll take you home now,” Dean’s voice rose over the conversation and everyone turned to see Jackie’s head leaning against his shoulder. “You should have watched your bottles.”

“You should have watched over me,” Jackie said under her breath.

“I am not your father,” Dean said, standing up while holding her head in both his hands. “Come on, get up or I will leave you here.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Yes, I can. Jackie, come on,” Dean said, bending down to help her get up. He turned to Troy and Jordan. “A little help here?”

“Why do our get-togethers always have to end this way?” Dannie asked no one in particular.

“Because it’s more fun, Danica,” Troy answered with a smile. “Get Jackie’s shoes.”

Dannie sighed and grabbed Jackie’s shoes from the ground.

“Why did she get drunk anyway?” George asked. “She only had three bottles.”

“She’s not in the condition to drink,” Dean answered he lifted Jackie with Troy and Jordan’s help. “She’s been working hard all week and…God, Jackie, you’re heavy. Maybe that’s why Beatle’s been acting up lately.”

“You should get a bigger car, bro. Something like Tata,” Troy answered.

George chuckled as she watched her friends walk toward Dean’s car and loaded Jackie inside.

When they finally drove away, Jordan returned to where George was sitting around the table. “Why do you guys name your cars?”

George shrugged. “I don’t know. Troy named his when he found out we named ours to spite us. Dean already calls his car Beatle even before we knew him. Jam named his bike Nomad. I don’t know, maybe it’s just you who doesn’t.”

Jordan was frowning at her. “So you know Jam’s bike’s name?”

“He told us.”

Slowly, he nodded, but his frown was still there.

“What are you doing this weekend?” he asked.

“Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

“I don’t know yet. Jackie and Dannie may have plans. Not visiting my mother because I want to give her more time to work on my father about our stupid arrangement.”

Again, Jordan just nodded.

“How about you?” she couldn’t help but ask.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “What about me?”

“What are you doing this weekend?”

Again, he shifted in his seat. “Stay at home, I guess. Cassie’s coming home for the weekend.”

George did not blink. She did not even react. Or maybe she forced herself not to. Then she forced herself to smile. “Good. You can finally have some fun time with someone who makes you feel comfortable.”

He just nodded with a weak smile.

She jumped to her feet and let out a breath. “I should go to sleep. I should be gone before your girlfriend comes home tomorrow so…”

“George, you don’t have to avoid her.”

“I am not avoiding her. I just don’t want her to feel uncomfortable. ‘Night, Jordan.”

As she walked to her room, George realized it was the first time he called her “George”. She didn’t know if she liked it. She was used to him referring to her as Georgina.

She shook her head. It was just a name. She should not feel bothered.