Chapter 171

“Ten percent off?” Shanley chuckled, his voice alluring.
“Is that not enough for you?” The girl’s pretty face scrunched up, her voice rising in a fierce, high-pitched tone. It was thousands of dollars, after all—enough to buy her a mountain of candy and cookies.
“No, it’s perfect.” Shanley’s laugh was low, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a captivating charm. His voice was laced with endless affection. “Thank you, Juniper.”
“You’re welcome.” Her expression softened considerably. Pouting her lips, she mumbled, “I’m hungry.”
“Let’s go. The food is ready.” Shanley extended his hand, his arm hovering protectively around her as he guided her forward.
Only after they had left did the general manager dare to stand up straight, clutching his chest and gasping for air.
Normally, a visit from Mr. Schwartz alone was enough to put the entire staff of Moonlight Peak on edge. But now his boss was here too. And the main problem? They always came together. Oh, the heavens! How much more could their poor hearts take?
After the meal, Shanley picked up a napkin and gently wiped a smudge from Juniper’s cheek.
“It’s going to rain this evening,” he said softly. “Come out as soon as your foreign language exam is over. I’ll send someone to pick you up.”
“Send someone?” Juniper’s eyes fixed on him, the question tumbling out before she could stop it. “You’re not coming?”
“Do you want me to come?” Shanley’s fingers paused on her cheek for a moment, the tenderness in his eyes deepening.
“No.” Meeting his deep, adoring gaze, Juniper pouted and deliberately looked away, feigning indifference.
“I have something to take care of today. I promise I’ll pick you up myself next time, okay?” Shanley slid a dessert in front of her and set a fork beside it, his tone gentle and coaxing. “Have a bite.”
He was attending to matters for his grandmother Hannah’s eightieth birthday banquet next week, a milestone celebration where nothing could go wrong.
“Oh.” Seeing that he was genuinely busy, Juniper responded with a muffled sound and picked up the fork to eat her cake.
After one bite, she frowned. Even though it was made by the same chef with the same ingredients, it tasted different from before—a little sour, and not very good.
She took another couple of bites before setting her fork down, her appetite gone. Resting her chin in her hands, she stared out the window with a frown, looking unhappy.
“I put some candy in your backpack,” Shanley said, sensing her mood. He emptied his own pockets of candy and stuffed them into her bag. “Feeling any better now?”
Juniper glanced at the pile of sweets, and the tension in her brow eased. She leaned back, crossing her arms with a defiant tilt of her head. “I wasn’t unhappy.”
“Oh, really?” A smirk played on Shanley’s lips, his deep voice lazy and enticing. “Good to hear.” He then looked over at Qadir and Queenie who had practically buried their faces in their bowls. “Are you two finished? It’s almost time for the exam; you should head back to school.”
“We’re done!” Qadir and Queenie shot up in unison, nodding vigorously. They had finished eating long ago but had been too
timidated by the atmosphe
between Mr. Schwartz and Juniper to say a word. Their only option was to pretend to be mute and stuff their faces until they were about to burst.
…
On the way back to school, Juniper closed her eyes for a nap. As she drifted off, her
head lolled sideways, coming to rest on Shanley’s shoulder.
“Turn up the heat,” Shanley instructed the driver softly. He gently draped a blanket
over her, his every movement a study in tenderness.
Qadir and Queenie watched from the
side, marveling silently. Mr. Schwartz was truly the perfect brother, treating her like a precious gem he was afraid to break. They couldn’t imagine how heartbroken he would be when Juniper eventually got married.