Chapter 531
“This beer is perfect with this. Can I take a picture and post it on my feed?” The assistant looked over at Dane as he spoke. Dane understood instantly. “Go ahead.” The assistant quickly snapped a shot, but he was careful not to capture anyone’s face. Only Dane’s and Claire’s hands made it into the photo.
Not long after he posted it, his notifications blew up with comments.
Wait, isn’t that Dane? Those hands and that watch are unmistakable.
Am I the only one excited Dane’s actually peeling shrimp? Nobody does it more stylishly than him.
Is that a girl next to him? I sense some romance brewing.
Dane at a street stall? Never thought I’d see him so down-to-earth.
Why couldn’t I be the one on this business trip? I want shrimp too.
The overwhelming attention made the assistant, Leland, start to panic a little. He glanced at Dane, who caught the look right away. Dane nonchalantly dropped a peeled shrimp into Claire’s bowl and then turned toward Leland. “Something up?”
Leland cleared his throat, a little nervous. “It’s nothing, really. It’s just… some coworkers saw the picture I posted and recognized you.”
Leland had never been good at lying. Dane had been his senior in school, though he was actually younger than Leland because he’d skipped grades. After graduation, Leland got the job at Vertex International thanks to their professor, who called in a favor to Dane, and Leland had never taken that opportunity for granted.
“How did they recognize you?” Claire asked, genuinely curious.
Leland admitted with a sheepish smile, “I caught your hands in the shot.”
He held his phone out for Claire to see. She glanced at the photo and had to admit it looked great The lighting was cozy the shrimp bright red and mouthwatering. Plus, Dane’s hands looked especially attractive.
“This is a really great picture. Maybe you should consider a career as a photographer,” Claire teased.
Her easy praise eased Leland’s nerves. Surely Dane wouldn’t be upset now that Claire approved.
Dane took a look at the photo too. Where Claire had admired his hands, he found himself noticing hers-slender, elegant, impossibly fair.
“It’s all right. If they recognized me, so be it,” Dane said simply. “Just be a little more careful next time.”
He wasn’t scolding Leland-he just appreciated that the picture really was well taken.
After their late-night snack, Claire gave both men a ride back to the hotel. As soon as they got to their rooms, Dane asked Leland to send him the picture.
“Dane, I promise I’ll be more careful next time,” Leland said, quietly sending over the photo. He wondered if he should delete the post, so he decided to ask Dane, just in case.
“You’ve already posted it, so there’s no point in deleting it,” Dane replied. “Even if you did, can you be sure no one already took a screenshot?”
Leland paused. “No, I can’t.”
He really couldn’t. And it wasn’t realistic to block every coworker from seeing his posts either-who else would he share it with? His phone was still buzzing with messages from people jealous he’d gotten to travel with Dane Some even asked whether the girl sitting next to Dane was his girlfriend and wanted all the details.
Leland played dumb, not replying to any of those nosy questions. He knew better than to gossip. The less he said, though, the more curious everyone got about Dane’s private life. Before long, several group chats had already popped up in the office. The rumors about Dane were spreading with a life of their own.