Chapter 229
7630
229
229
Steam rose from the simmering hot pot , blurring the faces of the five people around the table .
Owen moved with practiced ease , slipping vegetables into the broth , his long fingers flashing past Aria’s ey
eyes .
His knuckles were a little pink , and tiny beads of water glistened on the back of his hand .
She couldn’t help but stare , privately marveling – those really were some beautiful hands ,
The urge to reach out and touch them lashed through her mind , and the moment she realized it , Aria quietly looked away , trying not to betray here .
With all the steam , no one noticed her awkwardness .
Caleb had met Owen a few times before .
Out in the world , people called him the undefeated legend of the legal industry , famous for his integrity – born into wealth , yet always championing the underdog , taking on pro bono cases without hesitation .
But there were less flattering stories , too : some said his methods were ruthless , that he put justice before blood , that beneath that gentle exterior he was a hard man to read .
Praise and criticism followed him everywhere , but in the end , the good always outweighed the bad ,
Once , Caleb couldn’t figure him out . But ever since Owen had taken Aria’s divorce case , he understood : anyone Aria called a friend could never be a bad
person .
He dropped his gaze , joining Owen in prepping food for the table .
Even though Derek was already twenty – two , there was a clear innocence about him ; Caleb and Owen silently agreed to treat him like a kid .
Still , Caleb kept watching how naturally Owen served Aria – how he handed her food , how he remembered her tastes .
The more he noticed , the more he wondered if this wasn’t the first hundred times Owen had done it .
so good .
Derek had said Aria often ate here . Suddenly , the meat in Caleb’s mouth didn’t taste so p
Lost in thought , he idly stirred the pot . Owen glanced over , “ Calebt ”
Snapped out of his daze , Caleb was almost relieved to hear his name .
“ Sorry , ” he muttered , fishing a piece of meat out and dropping it into Lily’s bowl .
But the idea stuck with him , and his gaze toward Owen turned a little more inquisitive
To be fair , the
family was a lot simpler than the Saxons – no endless rules or complicated relationships .
He was a few years younger than Kim and constantly being set up on dates with people who only cared about status and gain , never compatibility or feelings
Kim was lucky – he got to choose his life freely .
Caleb didn’t plan to meddle in Aria’s love life . As long as she was happy , that was all that mattered .
After dinner , Derek jumped at the first chance , “ Caleb , did you come straight bare from the airport ? ”
“ Yeah ”
1/2
229
“ How about we just share a room and crash at Owen’s place tonight ? ” Derek went right ahead , deciding for Caleb without waiting for his are
Caleb turned to Owen , “ Is that okay with you ? ”
Derek gave Owen a look that said , “ This is Aria’s big brother . You’d better make a good impression . ”
Owen got
the hint and nodded , “ Sure . Do you have your luggage in the car ? ”
Aria , having noticed Caleb’s car earlier , offered , “ You can stay at my place too – no need for you two
Owen added , “ I’ve got a spare room here .”
Caleb smiled , “ I’ll stay with my sister , then .”
Derek rolled his eyes – why was he the only one getting kicked to the curb ?
squeeze together . ”