"So, you guys did nothing?"

I rolled my eyes. "No", I said much to Harper's disappointment.

"You didn't even kiss?"

"No!"

She frowned and her lips curled downwards. "That's so sad. I expected you to be pregnant by now."

While stirring the soup, I smacked her head. "Focus on the noodles!"

"Okay, okay."

"But...", she said after a pause. "Did you guys have some romantic moment atleast?"

My mind wandered off to the night we danced in the rain but I don't know whether to consider it romantic or not.

Harper's snapped her fingers in front of my eyes. "Lost in his thoughts again?"

I slapped away her hand. "No. Nothing happened nor do I want anything to happen."

She sighed. "You are still waiting for that boy, right?"

I smiled sadly and whispered, "I don't know..."

She placed her hand on my shoulder. "Look, Aeryn. I understand your feelings but...for how long will you wait for him? You are already married now, even if he decides to show up someday, you won't be able to do anything."

I blinked away my tears and sniffled. "What do you want me to do?"

"Just forget about him now. Remember it as a beautiful memory and cherish it. Okay?"

I nodded gloomily.

She gave me a small smile. "I know it will take you some time to forget him but when you do, focus on Everette. He is your husband now. Who knows you will start to like him slowly."

"He...umm...kissed my forehead last night saying goodnight", I told her.

"He did?", she asked excitedly.

"Yes."

She clapped her hands. "That's so cute!"

I bit my lips to stop myself from smiling at that thought.

"And? What else happened?"

"Last night, Carmel asked him whether she can call him dad or not and he said yes."

"He is so sweet!", she praised him.

"Something else also happened? Are you hiding something from me?", she urged and I finally told her everything that happened in Australia.

When I finished, Harper twirled around enthusiastically while smiling widely. "He is getting jealous already!"

"It won't be long before you guys kiss and have s--"

I slapped her shoulder as my cheeks turned red. "Shut up!"

.

.

.

It was 10:15 at night when I reached home. The house seemed quite and I was about to climb upstairs when I heard voices coming from the living room.

I walked to the living and the TV was on and a movie was going on, on the couch sat Everette and Carmel together with Everette's hand around Carmel's shoulder as they cuddled.

Their backs was towards me and I said softly, "Carmel?"

Everette turned to me immediately and placed his finger on his lips silencing me.

I quietly walked up to him to see that Carmel fell asleep while watching the movie.

He switched off the TV and slowly and carefully picked Carmel up in his arms and carried her upstairs with me following behind him.

Once inside her room, he placed her on the bed and covered her with the duvet and kissed her forehead before switching off the lights and leaving the room.

The silence was uncomfortable as he stared at me with his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Umm...did she have dinner?", I said referring to Carmel.

"She did", he replied.

"Oh...and you?"

He paused for a moment before saying, "I did."

"Good."

"You don't need to worry about her while you are at the restaurant. I will look after her when I am home and besides that, the housekeepers here are trustworthy, they also will look after her", he clarified.

I smiled softly. "Thank you."

"Stop thanking me, Aeryn."

"Sorry", I mumbled.

We stood silently for a minute and he ran his fingers through his hair before speaking.

"Can you make me a grilled cheese sandwich? Not right now though..."

I don't why he wants to eat that but I already know my answer.

"No. You can make it yourself. It's not difficult to make."

"I know... but can you make it?"

"No", I said coldly.

A few years back, I stopped making the cheese grilled sandwich because it always reminded me of him and I always used to end up crying.

"Fine", he muttered angrily.

I turned around to leave but he stopped me. "Listen."

"Yes?"

"My younger sister is getting married."

I raised a brow at him. "Younger sister? I thought you only had a brother."

"She is my cousin. I consider her and her elder brother like my real sister and brother."

"Oh, okay...so?"

"You need to come with me to Dallas for her wedding. You and Carmel."

"I can't go. I just came back from Australia and I can't leave my restaurant again", I argued.

"Your friend can take care of the restaurant."

"She is also a human. She already was taking care of it. She needs a break too."

He sighed. "It's important, Aeryn. You need to come with me or my mother will skin me alive."

"Take Carmel with you, if you want but I can't come with you."

He caught my wrist. "Try to understand. Please. You need to attend her wedding. They couldn't attend mine cause they were out of the country and the wedding was on a short notice but now they want to meet you."

I removed my wrist from his hold. "I can't leave my restaurant. That's final."

He pressed his lips in a thin line. "Fine. Then talk to my mother yourself. If she agrees then well and good."

"Okay", I agreed and he pulled out his phone and dialled his mother's number.

She picked up quickly and he told her that I was not ready to attend the wedding.

She said something to him and with a smirk on his face he handed the phone to me.

I gulped. "Hello?"

"Aeryn", she spoke sternly. "Why are you not attending the wedding?"

"Actually, Mrs Wilbrose, I need to--"

She cut me off. "Mrs Wilbrose?! You are calling me Mrs Wilbrose? Dare you call me that! You will call me mother. It's mother for you not Mrs Wilbrose! Understood?"

I stuttered, "Y-yes, Mrs...mother."

Everette stifled a laugh and his eyes shone with amusement.

"Better. Now, why are you not attending the wedding?"

"I need to look after my restuarant, mother. I can't leave it."

"Someone else can look after it for you. It's a matter of two days only."

"But--"

"I don't wanna hear any excuses. You are coming with Everette and Carmel day after tomorrow."

"B-but--"

"Bye, Aeryn. See you on Saturday!"

And the call ended; I looked at the phone in disbelief.

Everette took the phone from me with a grin on his face.

"I suppose you must need a dress for the wedding", he spoke.

I shoved his shoulder and walked away. "Shut up, jerk!"

He grabbed my arm and turned me around. He wrapped his arm around my waist making sure I don't run away.

He placed something in my palm and I saw his card.

"Buy a dress for the wedding", he said when I looked at his card in confusion.

I shoved the card back to his hand. "No, thanks. I can buy it myself."

"No. You will use my money for it not yours."

"Why? Are you afraid I don't have enough money to buy a decent dress and then I will turn up at the wedding in some weird dress and embarass you?"

His jaw dropped. "No! What are you talking about?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't need your money."

Before he could say anything, I added, "And don't say that you bought my restaurant for me so indirectly I am using your money. That's different and I am going to return your money. Not at the moment but yes, in the future."

He sighed. "You don't need to pay me back."

"No, I am going--"

"Just forget I even bought the restaurant. Just forget. You don't need to return me the money. Okay?"

"But--"

He placed his index finger on my lips. "Shh..."

I gulped feeling his finger on my lips. His eyes fell on my lips and he slowly trailed down his finger from my lips, down to my chin and then slowly to my neck.

I sucked in a deep breath feeling his finger going down to the base of my neck and then thankfully, it abruptly stopped there.

Clearing his throat he pulled away his finger and handed me the card.

"Buy a--", he spoke but his voice sounded hoarse so he quickly cleared his throat again. "Buy a nice dress for you and Carmel, okay?"

He removed his hand from my waist and then again he leaned closer and kissed my forehead mumbling goodnight.

My heart skipped a beat and I somehow managed to whisper, "Goodnight."

He didn't hear it cause he was already walking away to his room.