Chapter 318

“Alright, Claire, go eat. Enjoy yourself p>

Claire nodded and followed Dane out.

Dane wasn’t too familiar with this neighborhood, and honestly, there weren’t many restaurants still open nearby. In the end, he picked a decent upscale place. Luckily, the restaurant was pretty good. They served Chinese food, mostly soups and dishes that patients could eat, healthy and comforting.

Claire didn’t overthink it. She picked a few dishes and started eating right away. Dane had already eaten, so he just watched her from across the table.

She really was starving. Out of the four dishes and one soup, she finished most of it by herself. Still, no matter how hungry she was or how fast she ate, Claire managed to look graceful the whole time.

When she finished, she dabbed her mouth with a napkin.

“How was it?” Dane asked, feeling a little hungry just from watching her.

“Not bad,” Claire said, nodding. “They use high-quality ingredients here p>

You could tell why the prices were what they were. Everything was about being healthy and tasty.

“As long as you liked it,” Dane smiled.

After she finished her meal, Claire asked the waitress to pack up a portion of roasted pumpkin.

“You like this kind of thing?” Dane asked, a bit curious. He was never into sweets himself, but if Claire wanted it, that was fine by him.

“It’s for Vernon,” Claire admitted honestly.

Right after she said it, she realized Dane was the one footing the bill tonight.

She quickly added, “He’s been working really hard lately p>

“I’ll pay for it,” she offered, not wanting to take advantage of him.

Dane wouldn’t even consider it. “No need p>

“You said Abbott’s there too, right? Want to get him some food as well?” Dane asked, completely on his own.

Claire was a little surprised by how thoughtful he was.

“Yeah, let’s pack a few more dishes for them p>

She asked for another serving of the roasted pumpkin, since it was so good.

Claire wasn’t just thinking of Abbott. Tandy came to mind too. Before she knew it, they’d packed up quite a few boxes.

When the restaurant manager heard they wanted the meals sent to a hospital, he immediately offered, “We can deliver it straight to the hospital room, if you give us the number p>

Claire gave him the room number, and the manager’s attitude became even more respectful. That was a VIP room, after all.

“Don’t worry, we’ll have everything sent over right away,” he promised them. “And is this for a patient? If there are any food restrictions, just let us know p>

Dane definitely noticed the manager’s sudden change in behavior, but he didn’t react at all. “No, there’s no need for special restrictions,” he said.

Claire honestly wasn’t sure if Abbott or Tandy had any dietary issues, but she figured it was fine.

Once Dane paid, they made their way back to the hospital.

Outside the ward, Vernon was still standing guard. Claire handed him the box holding the roasted pumpkin.

“Vernon, I brought you a dessert. Give it a try,” she said.

Vernon looked a little stunned, clearly not expecting anything like this. He had always worried that people would look down on him, just a farm kid at heart. Ever since he’d joined the team, the team, he’d stuck close to Van, hoping he’d prove himself. Cóntent

But this last mission hadn’t included him. He helped with the rescue, but watching everyone but Van fall had been truet The guilt of surviving. when his friends hadn’t was sharp, even as another part of him felt relieved he’d made it.

Now, with Van’s life hanging in the balance, Vernon couldn’t even bring himself to think about food. So when Claire returned with dessert for him,

he was caught off guard,

was just a sweet treat.

“Thank you, Claire,” he said quietly.

if

“But He hesitated, almost embarrassed. He really didn’t have the appetite.

“You need your strength,” Claire told him gently. “Van’s going to pull through soon. If you starve yourself and pass out, who’s going to take care of him then p>

She knew exactly how to get through to people.