"With a bouquet that massive, is Mr. Green trying to woo our young boss?"
Yes, Dane was waiting for Claire with a large bouquet in his arms.
The entire R&D team was buzzing with curiosity, but no one was more shocked than Claire herself.
"What are you doing with all this, Mr. Green?"
If they weren't already engaged, she would have assumed he had an ulterior motive for such sudden flattery.
"I passed by a florist," he said. "Do you like them?"
There was no way Claire could say she didn't like them.
Woven with violets and tulips, the arrangement wasn't overly extravagant, but it was breathtakingly beautiful.
The flowers had struck an instant chord in her heart.
"I love them." Claire accepted the bouquet, cradling it in her arms.
All the exhaustion from working overtime instantly vanished.
She didn't even realize how brightly she was smiling, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
Claire carried the flowers into Dane's car, where he handed her a pristine gift bag.
"I stopped by a dessert shop. Have a bite to hold you over."
Claire hadn't expected Dane to become increasingly thoughtful and attentive.
He never used to buy her flowers.
He did bring her food occasionally, though.
Dane never ate sweets like this himself, or rather, he had no cravings for them, though he wasn't completely opposed to taking a bite.
Like right now—Claire casually pinched a miniature Tiramisu cake and lifted it to Dane's lips.
He gladly took a bite.
"How is it?"
Claire grabbed one for herself, opting for the matcha flavor.
These were clearly high-end afternoon tea pastries, crafted with exquisite detail. They probably cost a small fortune.
He definitely hadn't just picked them up from some random roadside bakery.
It was far more likely he had a five-star hotel pack them up exclusively for her.
"Not bad," Dane replied. He didn't have much of a sweet tooth, but the flavor was undeniably good.
Especially since Claire had hand-fed it to him.
Claire rubbed her fingertips together.
Dane's lips had accidentally brushed against her skin, and she could still feel the lingering warmth of his touch.
"I think it's delicious. Do you want to try this flavor?" she asked, swapping her fingers for a small fork to pick up another pastry.
It was shaped like a pink cherry blossom and looked incredibly sweet.
She wanted Dane to be her official taste tester.
Dane seemed to read her mind, taking the entire pastry into his mouth without hesitation.
"Well?" Claire asked curiously.
"It's alright," Dane said, before noticing the confusion on Claire's face.
He quickly realized he needed to actually describe it. "It's cherry-flavored. Soft,
velvety, and sweet without being overwhelming."
"You'll like it," he added.
Hearing that, Claire eagerly popped the other half into her mouth.
Dane hadn't bought a massive amount of sweets-just four or five varieties, with two pieces each.
They were tiny, barely larger than a coin.
Claire polished them off in single bites.
The cherry flavor was exactly as good as he said. She had no idea where Bane bought them, but she definitely wanted to get more next time!
"Don't eat too much. Sully is preparing a massive feast tonight."
Claire immediately set her fork down.
"Since it's delicious, I'll buy more for you next time."
After saying that, Dane discreetly pulled out his phone and texted Lincoln.
Pol
Since Claire Miked the desserts so much, he could simply acquire whatever hotel made them. If t didn't work they would peach the pastry chef.
the w
And if poaching the chef proved impossible, they would negotiate a corporate partnership to supply Vertex International with daily
afternoon tea.
He was confident that one of those methods would make the other party cave.
The Green family wasn't short on cash; keeping Claire happy was the only thing that mattered.
Besides, if the desserts were that good, they would definitely turn a profit.
This wasn't some lovesick billionaire throwing away millions just to make a woman
smile.