Chapter 446 It’s Happening
“This is a great idea. I just hope that what I’m making is going to be edible...” I replied with my only concern.
“It will be. Don’t worry, even if it tastes horrible, I’ll eat it and tell you that it tastes great,” Ace replied jokingly.
“You seriously think that it’s going to end up tasting bad, don’t you?” I asked as I narrowed my eyes at him.
“It’s up to you to prove me wrong,” Ace replied with a laugh.
I let out a sigh as I shook my head in disbelief. The truth was that I wasn’t confident in my cooking skills; however, the dishes were simple enough and we were given ample instructions along the way. I had to admit that it felt fun and kind of relaxing at the same time. This sudden change in pace turned out to be exactly what I needed to get away from all the stress.
“This looks like it’s coming along very well,” Jacky commented before showing us a proud smile.
“Thanks to your advice,” I replied.
“We’ve set up the table for you two on the second floor. Sorry that you have to walk up, and the stairs are quite narrow but you can enjoy a private dinner together up there,” Jacky informed us with a bright smile.
“Thank you very much,” Ace thanked her.
“I’ll get my team to help carry up all the awesome dishes that you’ve cooked,” Jacky announced as she waved over some of her team members to help out.
...
Jacky wasn’t lying when she told us that we could have a private dinner with just the two of us. Half of the second floor of her home had been transformed into a dining room with many tables. This was probably where people ate the result of their hard work during their cooking classes after they were done. The place wasn’t at all decorated to appear luxurious, but I found myself really drawn into the homey vibe of the place.
Since Ace and I were her only students for the evening, there was no one else there but us. After setting up the table and helping to place our food on the table for us, we were left alone in complete privacy.
“Wow. I have to say that it turned out much better than expected,” I said as I eyed the food in front of me that we had cooked together.
“It’s not a bad exercise before dinner, right?” Ace asked with a chuckle.
“I actually enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. Thank you for thinking of this and arranging this,” I replied with a smile.
It wasn’t a candle-lit dinner in a romantic luxurious restaurant, but it warmed my heart and made me felt so happy. I wished that the food would taste delectable so that it wouldn’t ruin the mood.
“Shall we?” Ace asked invitingly.
“We shall...” I replied as I picked up my fork.
I could feel Ace’s eyes on me as I forked up some food before putting it into my mouth. The mild taste filled my mouth and I realized that we were probably a little light on the seasoning; however, that just added to the homemade feel of the dish which ended making it taste more pleasant.
“How is it?” Ace asked with clear excitement.
“Good. I like it. It feels and tastes very homey. You should give it a try,” I replied.
“I was just checking to see that you won’t die from eating it,” Ace replied playfully.
“Using me to test for poison, aren’t’ you?” I teased back.
We ate the food and shared small talk as I waited for him to get the point of what he really wanted to talk about. Since figuring out that this was more like a marathon for us than a sprint, I had learnt to take things slow so that I could make it to the very end.
“I wish I could cook...like for real...” I said wistfully.
“Why don’t you start taking cooking classes?” Ace suggested.
“I don’t think I’ll have the time for it,” I replied.
“I’m sure that you can find time if you want to. Don’t overwork yourself at work and make sure that you have time to pursue some personal goals and passions,” he began lecturing me.
“It’s easier said than done but noted, I will try to find time,” I replied.
“Maybe when things settle down after the merger,” Ace said softly.
My ears perked up when I heard him mention the merger. I also did not miss the fact that he spoke about it as if it was going to happen. My eyes must have lit up with expectation because Ace started to chuckle at my reaction. I guess I couldn’t hide anything from him, and he could really read me like a book. n--OvelbIn
“Well, about the merger...” I began asking before showing him a smile.
Although I had decided not to ask him about it, he was the one who brought it up first and he had already caught on to the fact that I was more than interested and curious to hear more about it. It felt like there was no need to hold back any longer at that point.
“It’s going to happen,” Ace announced simply.
It’s finally going to happen...
“Really? Wow...like...for real?” I said breathlessly half in disbelief.
The certain look that Ace had on his face as he nodded his head firmly confirmed that it was finally going to be a reality. The merger was really going to happen after all the hard work that we had put in.
“For real. I shouldn’t be telling you this and Elizabeth will probably freak out if she finds out that I’m letting you know in advance when it’s still supposed to be confidential. Anyways, it’s happening,” Ace confirmed with a satisfied look on his face.
I couldn’t even begin to imagine how Ace was feeling. Of all of us, I was absolutely sure that Ace was the one who had put in the most effort to make sure that the merger would take place.
--To be continued...