Chapter 85
Before Valeria could reply, Sebastian sent another text asking, “What’s up?”
Valeria stared at the message, rubbed her forehead, and turned off her screen.
At a red light, Mallory texted Sebastian, “I just met a friend. Her daughter has a heart condition. I gave her your number, so add her, okay?”
Knowing Sebastian’s personality, she figured he might ignore Mallory’s message, so she followed up quickly. “Do me a favor, alright? Where’s your so-called doctor’s compassion?”
Sebastian didn’t reply.
If Mallory hadn’t had people in the car with her, she would’ve started voice-bombing him. Instead, she forced herself to keep typing.
“They’re in my car right now. We’re heading to a little ravioli shop by their place. The little girl is adorable. She and Leo are even desk mates! And by the way, Leo’s been dieting and spraying cologne before school. He’s obviously crushing hard…”
Still, there was no reply from Sebastian.
But in the back seat, Valeria’s phone buzzed again. This time, Sebastian said, “If you don’t say anything, I’m calling you.”
She typed fast. “Mr. Grant, I’m sorry. I accidentally hit the keyboard just now. Apologies for the inconvenience.”
Sebastian replied, “This is my personal number. If you have any medical questions, you can book an appointment during my Tuesday or Thursday clinic hours.”
Valeria read the message, then fell silent. She was annoyed with herself. How had she
accidentally hit the keyboard and sent a rose emoji? His reply was curt and professional. She locked her phone.
A few minutes passed. Then it buzzed again. It was Sebastian’s text again. “Tuesday’s slots are full. If it’s urgent, I can squeeze you in.”
Valeria bit her lip as she typed, “That won’t be necessary.”
Before she sent the text, she added another word to make it sound even more formal. “That won’t be necessary, Sir.”
Valeria hadn’t expected Mallory to be so open and down-to-earth. She had no airs and no coldness. No wonder Leo was such a funny, lovable kid.
It was Leo’s first time at the little ravioli place, and he was excited beyond belief, slurping
Chapter 85
away with delight. “This is so good! It’s better than the five-star chef at home!”
Mallory teased, “Leo! You’ve been sneaking out for food this good and only now you’re telling me about it?”
The shop was tiny and old-fashioned, nothing like the kind of place wealthy families usually went. But it was warm and charming in its own way.
“It was Uncle Sebastian who brought me here!” Leo said with a full-bellied burp, his lips still glistening from the sauce.
At that, Mallory blinked.
Sebastian? This was the north side of town, and it was a bit of a drive from the downtown south area. What was Sebastian doing all the way out here?
Before she could ask, Leo looked toward the entrance and lit up. “Uncle Sebastian!”
Sebastian stepped through the door. The warmth inside hit him instantly, fogging up the rimless glasses perched on his nose.
Valeria looked up at the sound of the door and froze.
Sebastian wore a black overcoat left open just enough to reveal a sharp, tailored suit beneath. It was the kind of outfit one would see all the time in office elevators, but somehow, on him, it looked different-clean lines, strong shoulders, like it was made just for him.
Sebastian’s eyes swept the table and landed on her. With quiet steps, he walked over and pulled up a chair. The lenses of his glasses were still faintly misted, veiling the sharp cut of his eyes. He then looked at Valeria, who was to his left.
Valeria had taken off her white wool coat and draped it across her lap. She wore a pale blue blouse with a silky sheen, her long dark hair lazily tied back while they ate. In this moment, she was still, lips parted just slightly as she stared at him.
There was a softness to it. She looked a little stunned, which was a little adorable.
However, Valeria wasn’t the only one caught off guard. Mallory looked at Sebastian and asked, “What are you doing back here?”
Sebastian crossed one knee over the other casually as he responded, “Why? Did you call airport security in Slate City and have them detain me? Am I not allowed to come back now?”
Mallory shot him a look. Then, she turned to Valeria with a smile. “This is my brother. You’ve
met him before.”
Just then, Valeria’s phone rang at the right time, breaking the tension just a little.
She quickly stood up to answer it. It was Queenie on the other end. “Hey, remember how I
Chapter
asked my cousin’s husband to check out that creepy number that texted you a few days ago?”
