Chapter 561 Youâre Not Gonna Be Held Responsible For This âKyran, Iâm going to sleep.â Deirdreâs heart raced. What if Kyran heard the waitress?
Kyran seemed to look over it. âAlright. You rest early. Good night.â
âGood night.â
The call ended.
Deirdreâs frazzled mind calmed down considerably. She pushed open the door and left the washroom, where the waitress led her back. She barely had a second to settle on her seat when Brendan snuffed out the cigarette between his fingers. âThe foodâs gone cold from waiting for you. I even had to order a whole new course.â
Deirdre ignored him, and he somehow did not take any offense to it either. He just let the waitress serve something new. While waiting, Brendanâs interrogation began. âWhat took you so long? What were you doing in the washroom?â
She glared at him coldly. âIâm having my period, happy? I had to be inside for a bit longer. Are you going to take offense to that?â
âYou always have yours on the 1 oth day of the month.â
Deirdre was taken aback and scrambled to cover her tracks. âThatâs Charleneâs period.
Not mine.â
Brendan said nothing.
They ate their food in silence. It was supposed to be a candlelit dinner, but there was not a wisp of romance in the room. It felt like two strangers being forced to eat at the same table.
As they ate, a new commotion joined them from outside. Rhythmically, drips turned into a shower. Then in a blink of an eye, the shower turned into a downpour.
Alarm shadowed Deirdreâs face. âItâs raining?â
Brendan frowned despite himself. Their car was parked about 100 meters away. âAll storms have an end.â
His prediction was off. Even after they finished their meal, the downpour showed no sign of ending. The waitress came to their rescue the way she knew best. âThe rain might go all the way to 12:00 a.m. At least the rain is getting gentler by now, but it might get worse later. The time is now, and we have some umbrellas to lend to our customers. Do you need it?â
Deirdre nodded. âThank you.â
âHow many?â
âTwo.â
âOne.â
They answered at the same time.
Brendan frowned. âAre you crazy? Is this a time for stupid hangups? You said two. Can your eyes see now? Or do you think you can hold an umbrella on your own?â
Deirdreâs face paled, but she could not defend herself. In her silence, Brendan said, âOne, please.â
He rose to the door while Deirdre followed. He grabbed the umbrella from the waitress, opened the door, and found himself bracing an icy, wet gust.
Brendan got the umbrella up and shoved its handle into Deirdreâs hand.â Take this.â
She was confused. Then, suddenly, she felt a warm coat over her head. It was filled with his warmth and his faint cologne, but most importantly, it blocked out all of the wind that came sweeping.
She froze. Brendan took the umbrella and pulled her into his chest with his free hand, his movement so bafflingly natural one might think it was a matter of fact. âStay close. Donât slip.â
His broad, strong shoulders and his powerful arms seemed to shield every element nature could throw on them. Even as her foot sank into a rainwater puddle, Deirdreâs mind was still mired in a stupor. She could not shake off the illusion that the man standing next to her was not that irredeemable devil she loathed with all her soul but the angel who showed her heaven.
The angel who would always look out for her, care for her and put all of his attention on her and her alone.
Kyran Reedâ¦
A biting gale slapped her across her cheek. Deirdre shuddered and finally snapped out of her trance.
Had she gone mad!?
She clenched her hands into fists. She had imagined the man next to her as Kyran! God, how could she even do such a thing? She insulted Kyran with this comparison. She insulted herself!
Deirdre pulled the coat down her head and gritted her teeth. âFind a place right now and put your coat back on. I donât want it. I donât need it.â
Brendan stopped in his tracks. âCalm down. If I end up getting sick, I wonât blame it on you. Youâre not going to be held responsible.â