Chapter 35
Hayden’s gaze shifted between Lorraine and me as he smirked. “Looks like my introduction. worked out pretty well, huh?”
I felt uncomfortable, but Lorraine smoothly took over the conversation. “Thank you for introducing us. We’ve been enjoying each other’s company.”
Hayden chuckled. “That’s good to hear. Cole can be too rigid sometimes. He needs someone to help him loosen up. Lorraine, please take care of him.”
I gave Hayden an exasperated look. “Come on, Hayden.”
Hayden patted my shoulder. “Alright, I’ll leave you two alone. Oh, and Cole, come by the office tomorrow. There’s a project I need you to look at
With that, he left, and the coffee shop returned to its previous peace. However, I felt oddly
tense.
Lorraine seemed to notice my change in mood and asked, “Are you okay?”
I took a deep breath and managed a smile. “I’m fine. It’s just… Hayden isn’t usually involved in my personal life, so this is unexpected.”
Lorraine thoughtfully commented, “I understand. Sometimes, family concerns can feel like pressure, but I think he genuinely cares about you.”
I nodded, though my feelings were still tangled. We chatted a while longer, and the atmosphere gradually lightened again.
It was late when we left the coffee shop, so I insisted on walking Lorraine home. The cool night breeze brushed against our faces as we walked down the street.
Suddenly, Lorraine stopped and turned to face me. “I had a wonderful time tonight.”
I looked into her bright eyes, my heart racing. “Me too, Lorraine. Thank you for spending time with me.”
We stood there gazing at each other, the world around us seemingly fading away. However, a sharp screech of brakes shattered the moment. We both turned and saw a car narrowly miss a delivery driver on a scooter.
Lorraine gasped, instinctively grabbing my arm. Feeling her tension, I patted her hand gently. “It’s okay. Thankfully, no one got hurt.”
The incident brought us back to reality, and we continued walking until we reached her apartment building. Lorraine hesitated before saying, “Thank you for walking me home. Good night.”
I watched her disappear into the building before heading toward the parking lot. On the drive.
Chapter 35
home, I replayed the evening’s moments in my mind with a smile on my face.
Early the next morning, I arrived at the office on time. Shortly after I sat down, Hayden came to my office.
He said directly, “Cole, you and Lorraine seemed close last night. Are there any developments?
I was caught off guard by his bluntness but shook my head. “Hayden, we’re just friends.” Hayden gave me a knowing look. “Really? The chemistry I saw suggested otherwise.”
I remained silent, unsure how to respond.
Hayden sighed and sat down across from me. “Cole, I know you went through a rough
marriage, but you need to think about your own happiness too. Lorraine’s a wonderful person.
I introduced her to you, hoping you’d give yourself another chance.”
His words stirred up mixed emotions within me.
Chapter 36
