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“I don’t want to intrude on a family thing.”
“It’s not just family. Prescott is coming in now, and you’re not intruding. My treat because youdidbeat me at tennis.”
“All right,” I say hesitantly while following Moreen to the table.
The Rothshield has an exquisite restaurant. It’s beautiful. The terrace is equipped with large umbrellas to provide some shade. Most of the tables are round and made from marble. The chairs are large with dark green cushions. Plants are scattered over the terrace, making it their main feature. The whole atmosphere is serene.
“Mummy,” Livia screeches. There’s pure joy in her large almond eyes. Livia looks exactly like her mother. Dark hair, fair skin and a small nose. Her long hair is braided. Two dimples pop out while she waves at her mum with two hands. Livia is dressed in a crème-coloured dress with brown bears on it.
“Hi, baby,” Moreen says, dropping a kiss or two on her daughter’s head.
A genuine smile is finally visible on Moreen’s face, but that only lasts until she stares at her husband. Quickly changing back to an ice-queen. She clears her throat before dropping down next to Livia’s highchair.
Topper had told me they don’t like each other much. After witnessing Moreen lose her smile in a matter of seconds, it seems to be true, which makes me wonder if it’s her husband she’s escaping from.
“Sebastian, this is Evangeline Clairwater.” Sebastian’s face snaps up at me. His eyes are large as he stares in shock. He turns his head towards Moreen, who’s too invested in the menu.
“You did not, Moreen,” Sebastian scolds, but she only shrugs her shoulders, not giving her husband the time of day. With a shaking head, he slowly stands up and offers me his hand. I shake it.
Sebastian Callahan is a handsome man. He’s tall and not bulky. The colour of his hair is close to Moreen’s, but it’s more a hazelnut colour that gets lighter in the sun. He has a narrow face, exquisitely chiselled with sharp edges and accentuated depths. His cheeks are sunk in but pronounced even more by his square jaw, and a light brown stubble gives him that masculine vibe.
But it’s his eyes and low eyebrows that make him intimidating, yet handsome as well. A large pair of glasses rests on his nose, and just like Moreen, it looks as though a smile on his features is a rare sight.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, sitting down next to Moreen. The table faces the doors leading to the indoor part of the restaurant. For a minute or so, it’s quiet, uncomfortably so, as if Moreen and Sebastian don’t interact with each other at all.
It isn’t until Prescott Adler sits down that Sebastian starts to converse as well as Moreen. They discuss business. Or at least, that’s what I discern from their mentioning of companies and partners, as well as their shares. I know nothing about this topic. Nothing. It’s not something I’ve ever been interested in learning.
The topic of conversation is almost boring, and after a few minutes, I regret saying yes to Moreen. I could have been soaking in my tub right now while reading about how hardwired a human brain is. I’d hoped this group of friends and family would discuss their lives, their hobbies or even their feelings, except they’re stuck in what they all have in common… business. Moreen invested in Prescott’s companies and Prescott purchased real estate from Sebastian.
Their talks are too detailed, and often, they use terms I’ve never heard of or cared for. When my eyes catch Livia’s, I roll my eyes before yawning dramatically. A soft giggle escapes her mouth before she mirrors my yawn. Moreen catches her daughter before she looks at me.
“We’re boring you.”
“We’re not going to be bored for much longer,” Sebastian mumbles under his breath.
“Hello everyone,” a voice says enthusiastically.
I look in the direction the sound came from, and my mouth drops in a way that suggests it might never close. At least Chester has the same shocked expression on his face as I do.
What the hell is he doing here?
After his initial shock wears off, he shakes his head before greeting Prescott and Sebastian with a handshake. My eyes follow his movements around the table, greeting his friends in a pair of black jeans and a blue dress shirt. It’s only been a few hours since he yelled at me for being a liar. Not even a day since he tried to flirt with me, and it hasn’t been more than two weeks since I’ve seen him seduce those women on his doorstep.
Chester kisses Moreen on the cheek, and I realise quickly he set the tone now on how to greet everyone around the table. A handshake with the men and a kiss on the cheek for the women.
Before I know it, he’s standing next to me, not knowing how to greet me. I don’t want his lips anywhere near my face. I’m still trying to come to terms with him calling all Clairwaters liars. I stare and hope he’ll just skip me because the awkwardness grows every second he stands there. The eye contact, the constant staring, makes me want to run away, and it’s obvious he doesn’t want to do this either.
Chester clears his throat. He leans forward slowly, and my face immediately tenses up. A second later, his full lips kiss my cheek, pushing into it softly. I can’t help but breathe in his scent and feel the tingling sensation his lips leave behind. It’s too intimate.
His lips linger before he staggers backwards, suddenly wearing that same confused look as when he saw me walking out of Frederic’s house. When Chester moves to his seat, I still feel his lips against my cheek, and even though I didn’t want him to kiss me, I’m grateful it’s not a flutter of a kiss. I’m grateful it wasn’t a half-hearted kiss, but rather a real one. It’s not one of those pathetic kisses Frederic’s business partners’ wives give. And that real kiss came from my neighbour I wanted to hit hours ago.
“Did I forget to mention that Chester is part of our lunch squad?” Moreen whispers.
Chapter Seven
Chester
I’m jinxed. I’m certain of it, or else it’s just dumb luck that everywhere I turn, Evangeline Clairwater ends up being there. Where is she going to turn up next? Work?
