Chapter 50

“Dane, can you keep Pandora and Claire company for me p>

Claire waved her hands right away. “No need, Mr. Baldrick. Dane should stay with you p>

“I grew up in Apex. I know this place better than anyone p>

Baldrick looked like he wanted to argue, but Dane cut in, “Grandpa, Claire’s right. She knows Apex way better than I do p>

There was nothing left to say. Baldrick just let it go.

Even so, Dane still had the driver take Abbott back to the hospital.

After leaving the hotel with Pandora, Claire pulled out her phone and made a call.

“I’m on Liberty Pike. I’ll wait for you at The Carlton,” she said. “And bring a car that doesn’t stand out p>

She didn’t want her grandma feeling overwhelmed.

“Relax, Claire,” the person on the line promised, laughing.

Claire had barely ended the call when a familiar voice called out.

“Claire, Grandma, what are you doing here p>

Of course, Cindy and her group were eating right at the mall next door. The hotel was right beside it, so they ran into each other as soon as they walked out.

Cindy’s voice got everyone’s attention. Latham, Octavia, and Lance all turned their way. Latham’s eyes lit up and he instinctively looked around for Dane. When he didn’t see him, his face fell for a second, but he pulled it together before turning to Claire and Pandora.

“Claire, Pandora, what brings you here p>

Claire really didn’t want to deal with them. “We’re just waiting for the bus,” she said. There was a bus stop just a short walk away, so her excuse worked.

“Dad invited you both to eat with us, but you didn’t come,” Cindy said, sounding like she wanted to show off. “So where did you take Grandma for lunch p>

It was Cindy’s first time at a fancy restaurant, and she had seen all sorts of things she didn’t even recognize If Lance hadn’t been there to help, she probably would have embarrassed herself.

Claire could tell Cindy was hoping to brag a little, so she just shrugged “Just a street vendor You know. how it is. Phave to stretch every dollar now p>

Cindy looked pleased with herself. But Latham wasn’t convinced. “Weren’t you eating with Dane p>

Claire didn’t even blink. “No, he wasn’t with us. Why would he want to eat with us?” Latham frowned. “I invited Dane, but you and your grandma didn’t want to come.” He had already convinced himself that Dane didn’t want to eat wherever Claire and Pandora wanted to go, so he just found an excuse to leave.

“It’s fine. We all have different tastes. No big deal,” Claire said.

She had barely finished speaking when another group walked out of the mall.

“Claire, what are you doing here p>

It was Shirley and York.

Of course, Claire thought. Talk about bad timing.

She decided to get ahead of it. “Shirley, are you and York having lunch together p>

Shirley glared at her. “So what if we are p>

“I’ve already told you. You’re not part of the James family anymore, which means you’re not engaged to York You’re not still trying to chase after him, are you p>

“You just can’t let go, can you p>

“Everywhere we go, you show up. We go to Hearth & Kettle, you go to Hearth &

Kettle. Now we’re here, and you’re here, too p>

“Don’t you have any shame p>

Latham glanced over at Shirley and her group, totally lost about what his niece was even talking about.

Cindy looked over too, curiosity written all over her face.