Calvert? Sanderson was surprised to encounter the name again. It was a name as common dirt.
He didnât ponder on it too much. After all, anyone Hackett had his eye on couldnât possibly be working in a store like Midnight Scent, despite Calvert looking to be in his midâtwenties, which fitted the bill.
When Everard called out, Calvert got the message that Everard meant they had customers, and it was time to shoo them away.
Midnight Scent hadnât sold a thing in a while and for good reasons. First off, the location was as remote as a ghost town, and secondly, Calvert was the one sending potential customers packing. After all, that cash register might as well have been spaceship control panel for all they could use it.
Calvert stuffed a donut into his mouth, stood up, and mumbled through a mouthful. âSorry folks, weâre closed for a bite.â
After uttering these words, he held the door for Sanderson to leave before he could get back to his meal.
The bacon and egg bites were especially tasty today, and he feared that if he returned late, Everard and Cordelia wouldnât save him a single one.
Hearing Calvertâs words, Sanderson was dumbstruck.
âWho runs a business like this? Closed for a meal? No wonder he was just lounging around at Midnight Scent with no ambition whatsoever.â Sanderson thought so.
The Delaney name had come this far thanks to Sandersonâs own grit, and he had little patience for slackers. So, his first impression of Calvert wasnât .
But this must be Liaâs boyfriend, right? He didnât like the guy, but he figured he ought to give him a chance.
Well, at Calvert had a smile on his face and seemed friendly enough, unlike the brooding man in black sitting with a âking of the worldâ posture, exuding an aura of trouble. Compared to him, Calvert seemed friendly.
And at least he had the decency to stand up and greet a guest, already earning more points than Mr. Broody.
Reassuring himself, Sanderson found Calvert a tad more agreeable and coughed, âIâm not here to buy anything.â
Calvert paused, about to speak, when Cordelia slowly turned around and froze upon seeing Sanderson, âDad?â
she called out.
At that single word, Everard tensed up. He turned around, only to see a refined middleâaged man standing there, smiling kindly at Calvert.
Everard raised an eyebrow.
Cordelia had already stood up and approached, âWhat brings you here?â
Sanderson withdrew his gaze from Calvert and chuckled, âYou left your book in the car.â
Cordelia blinked, âOkay.â
She took the book and looked back at Sanderson, who smiled and asked, âArenât you going to introduce us?â
Realizing what he meant, Cordelia introduced Calvert first, This is Little Fang
After she finished, Everard quickly stepped to her side and reached out to Sanderson, âNice to meet you, sir. [m Everard.â
Sanderson gave him curt nod, then turned to Calvert, âKeep up the good work.â
Calvert was bewildered.
Chapter 101
Once Sanderson finished speaking, he turned to Everard, and upon getting a better look at him, he was slightly surprised. Everard was handsome, a shame he seemed so cold and distant.
Lia had just introduced Calvert with a sweet nickname, Little Fang, so Calvert had to be her boyfriend. Sanderson frowned slightly. He wasnât from a wealthy family, so pedigree didnât matter much to him. As long as Calvert was ambitious, that was fine. If Lia had set her heart on Calvert, then Sanderson decided to give Calvert a leg up to save Lia from future hardship.
With that in mind, Sanderson turned to Calvert, âLetâs connect on social media.â
Feeling a chill down his neck, Calvert quickly nudged Everard, âI donât use social media, but you can add my boss instead.â
He thought, âIt was scary. Why was Everardâs fatherâinâlaw always smiling at me
8 ± 1 2 3
Everard spared Calvert a cool glance before offering his own social media, âSir, shall I scan your code, or will you scan mine?â
Sanderson pursed his lips, âIâll scan yours.
After exchanging details Sanderson said, âLia, Iâll be heading off nowâ
Cordelia nodded.
After Sanderson left, the trio sat back down at the table. Everard teased Cordelia, âSeems like your dad isnât too fond of me?â
Cordelia looked calm, âSeems so.â
Everard felt like heâd been stabbed in the heart.
And to twist the knife, Cordelia added after a thought, âMy dadâs a fair man, rarely takes a dislike to anyone.â
Another stab.
She continued, âHe was quite friendly with Little Fang, must be a matter of chemistry.â
The third stab.
For the first time, Everard felt his appetite wane as he turned to Calvert.
Calvert, wishing he could vanish, regretted his inherently likable demeanor. If he had a choice, heâd never have wanted to be the apple of any elderâs eye.
After Cordelia finished her breakfast, she didnât leave Midnight Scent right away. Instead, she pulled out present from her bag, a big gift box, and handed it to Calvert, âThis is for you.â
Feeling like a dead man, Calvert was speechless. He took the box, feeling Everardâs icy stare without needing to
look.
He thought, âLia, what have you done to me?â
Everard, filled with jealousy, demanded, âWhat about my gift?â
Cordelia paused, âOh shoot, I totally spaced on you.â
There was an awkward silence.
A wave of disappointment crashed over Everard, a sinking feeling that left him cold to his core as if heâd been dropped into an ice bath.
Two months theyâd been dating, and only had she snagged a scholarship, but sheâd even picked up Calvert and somehow forgotten him.
gifts
for
She was like a millenniaâold glacier, impossibly cold to the touch.
As he stewed in these thoughts, he caught a glimpse of a sly smile playing on her lips. âGotcha,â she .
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Chapter 101
suddenly.
With a flourish, she pulled another gift box from her backpack, âThis is for you.â
Everard was stunned, his deepâset eyes locked on Cordelia.
Holding the gift box, he felt warm, all the chill dissipating in an instant.
What delighted him more than the gift was the fact that sheâd played a joke on him. Was she finally warming to ?
His lips curled into a radiant smile, bright enough to light up the gloomy ambiance of the Midnight Scent they frequented.
After Cordelia left, Everard didnât waste any time and opened the gift box to reveal a sleek black fountain pen. He twirled it in his hands and said with a chuckle, âThis pen is topânotch.â
Meanwhile, Calvert was quietly tidying up the table, a bundle of nerves.
He watched Everard inspect his gift and hesitantly opened his own, silently praying, âPlease donât be better than the bossâ. Please donât be betterâ¦â
Inside was an exquisite phone case from a highâend designer, likely costing a pretty penny, certainly more than the fountain pen.
He was doomed. There was no way this was going to end well.
Chapter