Chapter513BetweenMen
Aurorawidenedhereyeswithoutblinkingwhiletheyargued,hergazefilled withbewilderment.She<b>was</b>soengrossedintheadults‘conversation<b>that</b>shedidn’tevenpayattentiontotheotherkidsintheyground,curiouslystaringattheadults,turningherheadfromtimetotime.Uponlockingeyeswithsomeone,she’devensh<b>an</b>adorablesmile.
DaphnehadherbackfacingJosiah,herangersubsidingwhenshewasn’tlookingathisface.Herdisappointment,however,<b>was</b>apparentasshelistlesslychangedthetopic.“Thiskid’squiteoutgoingand
brave.”N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.
LysanderthoughtabouttheoutgoingandcheerfulNieva,sincerelplimenting.“Yeah,sheprobablytakesafterhermom.Ms.Lionharthasacheerfndstraightforwardpersonality.”
DaphneheldAurora’stinyhand.“Idon’tmeantoraisemyvoice,sodon’tbescared,okay?”
Thebabycooedandsmiledinresponse.
Daphnesmiled,too,takingthebabyfromLysanderandapproaching<b>Josiah</b>,suppressingherannoyanceasshehandedthechildover<b>to</b>him.“Ms.Lionhart’syourfriend,soyoushouldlookafterherchild.Youdon’tmind,doyou?”
DaphnewasfilledwithirritationatthesightofJosiah.Inahuff,shehandedAuroraovertohim,hopingtoseehimflusteredandindistress.However,tohersurprise,heheldthechildconfidentlyandcalmly.
<b>Aurora</b>,seeminglyfamiliarwithhim,evenbrokeintoawidegrin.
Josiahloweredhisheadtogazeatthebabywithagentlesmile,wearingararetenderlookonhisface.“Noproblem.Youguysgoaheadandtalk.”
LysanderwalkedovertograbDaphne.“Haveyouhadbreakfastyet?Let’sgograbsomethingtoeat.”
Daphnesaiddefiantly,“Noneed.I’msoupsetIdon’tevenfeellikeeating.It’sstiflinghere.Let’sgo.somewhereelsetogetsomefreshair!”
ShetookLysander’shandasshespoke,wantingtopullheraway,butshesoonpausedandturnedtoAdrian.“Thanksforsendingmeheretoday.Youcangoaboutyourbusiness.I’lltreatyoutoamenotherday.”
Adrian,<b>however</b>,said,“Youguysgoahead.Istillhavesomematterstodealwith.”
Ashespoke,hisgazeremainedfixedonJosiah.Josiahnoticedthatandcalmlymethis gaze.
Thetwomenwentheadtoheadagainsteachother,leavingLysanderuneasy.
Aiden,too,wasfrightened,steppingintointerrupt,“Youcamehereforme,didn’tyou,Adrian?Let’sgo.Wecantalkontheway.”
“Aiden,nowthatyourjobisdone,youcanleavetoo.”JosiahwastheonewhospokeupinsteadofAdrian.
BothmensharedthesamegoalofwantingAidentoleave,butthatonlymadeLysandereven<b>more</b>worried.
<b>Aiden</b>wasshakinglikealeaf.“B–ButIdon’thaveanythingtodoifIheadback.It’sbeautifulhere.Iguess
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Adrian’sexpressionturnedcold,too.“<b>You</b>don’thaveto.Goaheadanddon’twaitforme.”
AlightbulbwentoffinAiden’smind,andheimmediatelyblockedLysander’spath.<b>“</b>Sincenoone’sleaving,youguysshouldstay,too.Let’sallhaveagoodchat.It’llbefun!”
DaphnencedatJosiah,thenatAdrian.“Wait,whatareyoutwoupto?Oneisanex–husband,andtheotherisacolleague.You’rebothoutofthegame,sothere’snochanceleftforeitherofyou.”
Neitherofthemspoke,yetneitheronechosetoleave.
Aidenpanickedandpleadedwithhisbrotherquietly,“We’reinJosiah’sterritoryafterall.Canwegobackfirst?”
“Thisis<b>a</b>resort,nottheGuerrafamily’sprison.I’m<b>just</b>goingtotalktohim,sogetoutoftheway.”
“I’mnotgettinginyourway!Iwasjustworriedthat-”
JosiahinterruptedAiden.“It’sgoodthatyou’rehere,Dr.<b>Sutton</b>.IhappentohavesomethingIwanttodiscusswithyou,too.
Lysander wasfilledwithworry.“Perhapsweshouldallsitdownandtalk.”
Josiahshedanonchntsmile.“Thisisbetweenmen,sostayoutofthis.Goon,don’tworry.IknowwhatI’mdoing.”
Lysanderlookedathimskeptically,notsaying<b>a</b>word,
Holdingthebaby’s tinyhandandwavingit,Josiahreassured,“Don’tworry.Ihavethebabyherewithme<b>.</b>Iwon’tdoanythingoutofline.”
Auroranestledinhisarms,<b>as</b>docileasakitten.ShecouldtellthatJosiahgenuinelyadoredthischildandwascertainhewouldn’tdoanythingdrasticinfrontofher.
a
Daphnegaveheratug.“Let’sgo.”
Thechildren’sygroundwasfilledwiththecheerfulchatteranughterofkids.Yet,thethreeadults.standingnearbydidn’tsayaword,thetensionbetweenthempalpable.ItwassoquietthatAuroragotboredandyawned.
Pullingthehoodieoverthebaby’sheadandcingherinthestroller,Josiahloweredthewindscreenandaskedcalmly,“So,whereshouldwetalk,Dr.Sutton?”
Adrianrepliednonchntly.“Thisceisyours,sowhydon’tyoudecide?”
Josiahnodded.“Comewithme,youtwo,”
AidenquicklyncedatAdrian,noticingthathehadnointentionofpickingafightwithJosiahandinsteadfollowedhimquietly.Relieved,Aidenquickly caughtupwiththem.
Hewould’vefoundanexcusetoescapeifJosiahhadn’taskedthetwoofthemte.
<b>Josiah</b>ledthemallthewaybacktotherestaurant.
It<b>was</b>waypastbreakfastjime.Althoughfruitsanddrinkswereavable,mostoftheguestswereonvacationandwouldn’tstavinthehotllday.Onlyafewguestsbusyworkingontheiptopsweresitting
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in<b>the</b>restaurant.
Thiswasthebestceforadiscussion.
Josiahscannedtheceandsummonedawaiter.“Thesetwoaremyguests.Ineedaquietcorner.
Thewaiterquicklygraspedthesituationandcalledacolleagueforassistance.Together,theymovedafoldingscreenfromtheback,creatingatemporaryprivatespaceforthem.
rmswentoffinAiden’sheadwhenhesawthat.Hesuspectedtheywereabouttodiscuss<b>a</b>majorsecret,andspokeup,ignoringthefactthathisinterjectionmightdrawattentionto<b>his</b>presence.“Um,should<b>I</b>stepout?OrperhapsIcouldtakethechildoutside?”
<b>Josiah</b>knewwhathewasthinkingandncedathimexpressionlessly.“Youshouldsitdowntoo.”
Aidendarednotgoanywhere.Bitingthebullet,hetook<b>a</b>seatbetweenthetwoofthem.
Thewaiterquicklybroughtsomehotcoffeeover,steppingasideaftersettingthecups<b>down</b>.
Josiahncedoveratthewaiterwhowasstandingasidewaitingfororders<b>,</b>andthtterquicklyleft,makingsuretoclosethefoldingscreenbehindhim.
Thatcornerwassoontransformedintoasecludedspot,andthetensionwasalmostpalpable.
Thecoffeepotonthetablewasmadeofhigh–qualitymaterialsandwasquiteheavy,Josiah,fulfillinghisdutiesasthehost,pickeditupand pouredtheSuttonbrotherstwocupsofcoffee,pushingthecupsTowardthem.
Thecoffee’saromawastantalizingly strong,andonecouldtetanceitwasgoodcoffee.
Aidentactfullyhandedhisbrotheroneofthecupsfirstbeforepicking<b>up</b><b>.</b>
hiscup
andsittingback.
“Thankyou.”Adriantookasmallsipofcoffeebeforeasking.“Pleasebegin,Mr.Guerra.”
“Idohavesomethingtoinformyou,”Josiahsaidnonchntly,sittingcross–legged,hisgazeindifferent ashespoke.
“IwanttoreconcilewithLysander.That’ssomethingbetweenusandIdidn’tneedtoshareitwithothers,butIthoughtIshouldinformyouasatokenofmygratitudeforhowyoucaredforherinthepast.Ifyoueverneed
anyassistanceinthefuture,pleasefeelfreetoletme<b>know</b>.I’lldomybesttohelp.”
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