Shawn didnât respond immediately. Instead, he glanced briefly at Katherine.
Katherine let out a sigh, her attention fixed on the food in front of her.
âWhy are you looking at Katherine like that? Come on, man, spill it. Do you have a girlfriend or not?â Joelle asked.
âWell, nothingâs official yet. Iâll let you know once it is,â Shawn replied, smoothly shifting the topic. No one pressed him further.
After dinner, Katherine was the first to get up, preparing to leave.
Shawn quickly stood and followed her. âRide with me,â he offered.
Katherine looked him up and down, feigning ignorance. âAnd why exactly should I ride with you?â
Unbothered, Shawn met her gaze. âYour carâs busted, isnât it? Itâs not safe driving it around at night.â
To his surprise, Katherineâwho normally wouldâve put up a fightânodded without hesitation.
âAlright, Iâll take the ride.â
Not far off, Joelle and Adrian exchanged glances, silently picking up on the tension between Shawn and Katherine. As soon as the door closed behind them, Joelle turned to Adrian with wide eyes, unable to hold back her curiosity.
âOkay, what do you think? Is there something going on between those two? Iâve been noticing it since that time in Bristania!â
Adrian had noticed it too, but he was more intrigued by Joelleâs reaction than by the drama between Shawn and Katherine.
âCan you picture Katherine as your sister-in-law?â
Joelle paused, genuinely considering the idea.
âItâd be a little weird, but I guess it wouldnât be the worst thing.â
âWell then, let them sort it out.â Adrian wrapped an arm around her shoulders. They spent the next two hours upstairs, playing puzzles with the kids.
A little after ten, Joelle clapped her hands. âAlright, bedtime, you two.â
Aurora and Ryland scrambled off to wash up. Joelle, standing with her hands on her hips, turned to Adrian. âAs for you, mister, off to your room!â
Since things had been hectic lately, Joelle had been staying at Adrianâs place more often. Even so, he usually slept alone.
But tonight, he decided to test the waters.
âJoelle, can I sleep with you guys tonight?â
âNot a chance.â
Aurora, who had overheard from the bathroom, chimed in loudly, âThe bedâs not big enough! If you sleep with us, weâll all be squished!â
âSheâs got a point.â Adrian had no choice but to head back to his room because his daughter had spoken. Just then, Aurora added, âBut you can sleep on the floor, right?â
Suddenly, Adrianâs face lit up with childlike delight. He looked at Joelle with hopeful eyes, much like a puppy waiting to be allowed onto the couch.
Joelle couldnât help herself. âFine, fine, you can sleep on the floor.â
Without wasting any time, Adrian grabbed a blanket and made himself a spot right next to the bed, as close to Joelle as possible.
.
.
.