Chapter 707
707:
As she spoke, she waved Zander over. “Come here, sweetheart. Do you still remember Dolores?”
Zander skipped over with light steps and greeted her sweetly, “Hi, Dolores. I’m really happy to see you today. You’re super pretty!”
Dolores blinked, then turned to Linsey with an impressed grin. “Wow! Look at him, already such a smooth talker. With charm like that, he’s going to have girls lining up when he’s older.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a bank card. “Here, a little gift from me. I’ll give Zenia hers when I see her.”
Zander accepted it with both hands and said sincerely, “Mommy says not to take money from strangers—but you’re Mommy’s best friend, so I think it’s okay.”
His reply made Dolores burst into laughter. “Linsey, I didn’t know you were raising such a smart little guy. You’ve done a great job.”
Linsey smiled with a shake of her head. “These two are honestly easy. They don’t give me much trouble at all.”
While they chatted and laughed, Caylee quietly started unpacking their luggage.
Linsey and Dolores settled on the sofa, catching up, while Zander played nearby with his little racing car—the same one he insisted on bringing to Grester.
Dolores held Linsey’s hand and said softly, “So, how long are you planning to stay this time? You’ve just gotten back—please don’t leave right after the competition ends.”
Linsey had planned for a short visit, but seeing Dolores again after all this time made her heart waver. “Okay… I’ll try to stay a few more days.”
After a short pause, she added, “Zenia had a mild fever before I left. Gorman’s with her now, and once she’s better, he’ll bring her over.”
At that, Dolores raised an eyebrow and gave her a knowing smile. “You’ve been living with Gorman for four years now, right?”
She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice and gave Linsey a playful look. “So… anything going on there?”
F𝓲nd nєw 𝒸h𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇s 𝒶t g𝓐l𝓷ovєls.𝓬•𝓶
Linsey picked up on what she meant and calmly clarified, “I told you before—Gorman and I don’t live together. He bought the unit next to mine. We’re neighbors, nothing more. We just help each other out.”
Dolores let out a sigh. “Honestly, I thought he’d give up and move on, but look at him—still by your side after all these years. And now, with Zenia sick, you trusted him to take care of her. That says a lot.”
Linsey didn’t disagree. “I do trust Gorman. He’s reliable, but that’s all there is to it.”
She hesitated for a beat, then said quietly, “To me, he’s like family. I’ve gently tried encouraging him to find someone and settle down, but he always changes the subject with a smile. I really don’t know what else to say to him.”
Dolores didn’t sugarcoat her words. “Gorman has perfected the art of staying close enough to be significant, but not so close that it feels intrusive. You never feel overwhelmed, yet he’s always right there, just enough to keep you thinking about him.”
No argument came to Linsey’s mind. Dolores had captured her situation with Gorman perfectly.
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