Love in a spotlight

"I couldn't tell you sooner, but it's true," Caleb announced, his voice firm. "She is my girlfriend."

Abigail remained frozen, her gaze locked on Olivia, whose expression was a mix of confusion and shock. Olivia's eyes welled up with tears, and her face flushed slightly red. Without a word, she pushed her chair back and hastily exited the café.

Barron, who had been watching the scene unfold, quickly followed Olivia out, trying to catch up to her. "Olivia, wait!" he called out, his voice laced with concern.

Abigail took a step back, creating some distance between herself and Caleb. "What's going on? I think this is not a good idea," she said, her voice laced with concern.

With that, she turned to follow Olivia, but Caleb was too quick. He reached out and grasped her wrist, his fingers wrapping tightly around it. Abigail's eyes flashed back to Caleb's as she felt his grip, and she was forced to turn back around to face him.

"Let me go! I need to talk to her," Abigail demanded, trying to wriggle free from Caleb's grasp.

But Caleb's grip remained firm, his eyes locked on hers. "You didn't come here to do me a favor," he said, his voice low and even, as he finally released his hold on her wrist.

"She seems very upset," Abigail said, her voice filled with concern. "I don't want to come between you two. You guys are colleagues."

Caleb's expression turned resolute. "Wait here!" he instructed, his voice firm, as he stepped forward, preparing to follow Olivia.

In Barron's brother's office, located above the café, Caleb sat with a dark, brooding gaze, his eyes fixed on some unseen point. Meanwhile, Barron paced back and forth across the room, his agitation palpable.

Caleb's voice was low and menacing. "Why didn't you tell me my blind date was Olivia?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Barron halted his pacing and dropped into a chair, a sheepish expression on his face. "Because if you knew, you wouldn't have come," he admitted.

Barron leaned forward, his curiosity getting the better of him. "So, who is that girl? And why can't you just tell your mom you have a girlfriend, so we can avoid all this drama?"

"Don't you know my mom?" Caleb asked, exasperation etched on his face. "She's a bulldozer. Once she sets her mind on something, she'll stop at nothing to get it. If I told her I had a girlfriend, she'd be planning our wedding before I could even blink."

Barron raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it the same now? Your mom knows you have a girlfriend."

Caleb shook his head. "It's different. She knows I showed up with a girlfriend, so she'll back off on the matchmaking for now. And she won't be pushing for marriage just yet."

Barron threw up his hands. "I don't get your mom, and I don't get your logic."

"Don't worry about Olivia," Caleb said, his expression reassuring. "I'll talk to her and sort things out.

Coming down from the building, Caleb offered to drop Abigail off. Caleb pulled up in front of Abigail's boutique and shifted the car into park. As Abigail hesitated, making no move to get out, Caleb turned to her and asked, "Aren't you getting down?"

"I sometimes run with Olivia in DDB," Abigail said, "and now it's going to be uncomfortable. Why can't you just go out with Olivia?"

Caleb's expression darkened, and he frowned. "Are you kidding me?"

"I don't know anymore," Abigail said, shaking her head in frustration. She then opened the car door and stepped out.

Harper, who had been keeping an eye on the car, was waiting by the door, a curious expression on her face. Abigail let out a startled yelp, her hand flying to her chest. "You scared me!"

Harper's face lit up with excitement. "What's going on? He picks you up and drops you off?"

Abigail tossed the invitation card at Harper as she made her way to sit down. "Here!"

"Where did you get it?" Harper asked, following Abigail.

Abigail pulled out her phone and showed Harper an email. Harper's eyes widened as she read the message - an invitation to register for a gown competition.

"Wow," Harper breathed, her mouth hanging open in surprise. "I underestimated you, Abigail. From now on, you're my boss."

Abigail smiled, standing up. "I am the boss," she said with a hint of amusement. "I'll change my clothes and be right back."

Just then, Mason walked in, a curious look on his face. "Where did she go all dressed up?" he asked, eyeing Abigail's outfit.

Abigail just shrugged, and Mason's imagination began to run wild as he started creating a dramatic scenario in his head.

On the other hand, Barron was stunned by Amelia's nonchalant attitude. Just the day before, she had been furious, threatening to kill him if he didn't set up a blind date for Caleb. And now, after Caleb had brought a girl and humiliated Olivia in the process, Barron was dreading how to break the news to Amelia.

But when he finally worked up the courage to tell her, he was taken aback by her calm response. "Is that so?" she said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Is the girl young?"

And with that, she hung up. Barron stared at the phone in stunned silence, his mind reeling with confusion. He had expected a barrage of questions, maybe even some anger, but instead, Amelia's reaction had been eerily calm.

The next day, Olivia ran into Caleb at the broadcast station, but she gave him the cold shoulder, her expression icy and unyielding. She deliberately avoided eye contact, her silence speaking volumes about her hurt and annoyance. Caleb, sensing her frosty demeanor, tried to catch her eye, but Olivia remained resolute, ignoring him completely. Caleb thought it best to give Olivia some space, hoping she would calm down before they talked. He attended his meeting and, as he was leaving, he ran into Olivia again. This time, however, she asked to talk with him.