Purple Romance

''Joel?'' Mirabel was surprised to see him. It was only a day left to the full week that he said he was going to be gone for.

''Joel Asante!!'' colour drained off from Becky's face the moment she saw the man coming towards them. he was even more elegant than what her cousin told her. The people in the café started taking pictures of him. Who was Joel Asante? He is the hidden gem in the fashion world that people rarely met. He was extremely cautious of his privacy, so not a lot of people really knew his exact face.

Thanks to Becky's insistence on harassing Mirabel, the man had availed himself.

As a fashion guru, Joel knew how the world ran, he knew the decision he was making at that moment was going to led to so many misunderstandings but he couldn't bear to see the little woman been bullied. Him who hardly made appearance even on his own shows was finally making people notice him as a result of this woman. Exactly what did she mean to him for him to always want to protect her so much? He had yet to figure out that for himself.

When he arrived at the airport, he had asked someone to find out her location, because he wanted to surprise her. who knew he was going to meet such a thing happening to her. He had personally drove over to the café and was about to call her when he noticed the commotion going on inside. She was trying desperately to hold onto her dignity but the other woman wouldn't allow that.

''Sorry, I came late. Did you missed me?'' he took the bag and tablet from her hands and wrapped his other free hand around her waist, pulling her closer to himself while smiling down to her flushed face.

''When did you come back? You didn't even reply to my messages?'' she asked him, her voice sounding a little disappointed.

''I just arrived and came to see you. I didn't even go home to change''

''Are you really Joel Asante?'' Becky asked doubtfully. Though she had never seen the man herself, she knew he was someone out of the reach of a lot of women. Even her cousin, Amy had often tried to win his affection by staying close to him but he loved only one woman and had had his heart closed to every other woman.

''You shouldn't hire just anybody to act like him simply because you don't want to get humiliated'' Becky said chicly.

''He is Joel Asante, Becky. I've seen him before during one of their fashion shows'' Norah turned to Becky, ''I told you not to be rude from the beginning but you didn't listen to me. Now, you want to say he isn't Joel Asante just because you don't want Mirabel to win against you?''

Norah held her boyfriend's hand and turned to Mirabel, ''Mira, I'm sorry for everything. If I hadn't called you, she wouldn't have humiliated you. As her friend, I feel so ashamed. I will leave first'' her boyfriend also bowed slightly before going out with her.

''You must be her boyfriend?'' Joel asked looking at the man standing next to Becky.

''Yes''

''As a man, I have to say I am disappointed in your choice of women. Why would you pick a woman who only knows how to put other woman down and always wants to have the last word?''

Becky's face turned ashen as everyone's gaze now was on her.

''What do you mean by that? Are you even the real Joel Asante? My cousin is the secretary of Joel Asante, I will call her right now and ask her to send me a photo of the real Joel Asante. Let's see if you will still remain this smug afterwards''

''That comes with consequences. If I turn out to be the same person, you will walk out of this place with one leg and no shoes'' Joel looked down at her shoes, 'those are from last two years' collections that I personally asked the company to give away because they didn't match the quality I wanted''

''I… that's not true''

''We are done, Becky'' her boyfriend said and walked away.

''Melvin wait…'' she tried to go after him but Joel stopped her.

''If you are going to run away, apologise to my woman first'' his voice was stern.

''I…''

''What? It was okay to humiliate when the shots were in your favour but now that it is you getting humiliated, you want to run away without apologising? If you don't apologise right now, you will receive a summon from the court for defamation''

''Joel…'' Mirabel touched his sleeve and he turned to look at her, she shook her head saying, ''it's alright. There are a lot of people in, no matter what, she is a woman too''

''Are you willing to let her go after what she did to you?''

''Not that I am willing to let her go. I don't want to be low like her. If I do to her the things she did to me, there wouldn't be any difference between the two of us. Let's leave her and go away from her''

''Whatever you say goes, let's go. everyone here, I hope you can delete the photos and not spread them around. If you do that, I will make sure each of you receive this season's collection. If you leave your name and address with the manager of this place, I will contact you later on. Thank you''

The crowd started clapping hands as Joel took Mirabel's hand and walked out with her.

…..

Sitting inside Joel's car, Mirabel sighed and leaned against the seat, ''I'm doomed" 

''Why did you stop me from dealing with that woman?'' Joel asked and looked at her.

''I already explained inside. A lot of people were there; she might have humiliated me but I didn't want to do the same thing to her. she is a woman after all. I will just count it as her been short-sighted. But, how did you know I was here?''

''I asked someone to find you and it seemed I came at the right time. I even heard you declaring to everyone that I am your boyfriend. I didn't know I had a girlfriend?'' he smirked looking at her flushed face.

''That… that was just said on the moment. I didn't mean anything to it''

''Really? Then, since you used me as your boyfriend, what will happen to those blind dates you went on?''

''You were the one who first crashed my blind date. I couldn't even be myself knowing you were just at the next door watching me. How could you even think to pay for my food?''

''I don't know why I did that, but, I just didn't want someone else paying for the food you ate. And on that note, you will have to pay for it in kind'' he stretched his hand and moved closer to her.

''What are you doing?'' she covered her chest and he laughed and shook his head.

''I'm adjusting your seatbelt. Let's go and have a meal together, I'm hungry''

''I could have done it myself'' she muttered. Her phone buzzed and she took it out of her bag. 'That's my mother''

''Answer it''

''Oh, hello mom''

''You… when did you have such an amazing boyfriend? Why didn't you tell us that the boy who saved you was your boyfriend?'' her mother's voice sounded rather exciting.

''Mom, where did you hear that from? He is just a friend'' she looked at Joel who was focused on driving and sighed. Just what did she put herself into now?

''My friend's daughter sent the video to her and she also sent it to me. Did you think we wouldn't find out just because he asked everyone to delete them?''

''Mom, it's really a misunderstanding''

''I don't care, you must bring him home tonight for dinner or you can forget about coming home''

''Mom, I am your daughter. How could you use a man to threaten me?'' she said the last part softly.

''I will be waiting for you and my son in law''

The call ended and Mirabel felt like cussing out.

''What is it?''

''Joel, someone might have sent the photo of you and I to my parents. Now they think that we are real and my mother… she wants to invite you for dinner tonight''

''Okay, then we will go''

''Huh? What… what do you mean we will go? Don't you know where this is leading to? My parents are not to be underestimated. If you go with me right now, the next time before you know it, they will be asking when we are getting married. I really don't want to face them''

''We can just explain to them. why are you making this such a big deal?''

''Don't you understand me at all? You and I are impossible and you know it''

''Who said we are impossible?'' he pulled over and turned to look at her.

''Huh? Are we… not?'' she blushed as his face was closer to her now.

''In my dictionary, I don't have the word 'impossible', we are going to meet your parents tonight. Tell me, what do they like? I can't go without sending gifts''

''Are you not in love with Paige? Why are you going to this extent for me?''

''Do you know why I never confessed my feelings to Paige before until recently?''

''No''

''Back then, things were hard for everyone, for Paige's family and my family. I wanted to focus on my work and achieve success. I wanted to be able to provide for her first, but life doesn't always go as one plans it. It work out well for us, so I support her relationship with Jordan. Its more now like the feeling you have towards Jordan''

''Platonic?''

''Family. She is my family just as you are Jordan's family. Are you okay with that explanation now?''

''Yes, sure''

''Then, let's go and get some gifts for your parents''

''Okay''