Chapter 541
Leonie’s constant complaining drew an increasingly suspicious look from Gwyneth.
Hans, was he never going to smile?
It was odd, really.
“Come on, let’s go grab a number before the line gets too long,” Leonie urged, glancing at her watch.
They’d meant to arrive earlier, but now was peak dinner hour, and the place was packed.
Gwyneth had assumed Leonie would pull some strings for a table. Back in Starfall City, if Gwyneth wanted to eat out, all she had to do was make a call and the best table would be waiting.
But Leonie had no such intentions. She dutifully led Gwyneth to the host stand, picked up a numbered slip, and guided her to the waiting area, where the owner had arranged a row of seats by the fogged-up windows. Outside, the cold wind whipped through the small town’s misty streets, making people shiver, but inside, the restaurant was cozy and bustling, the warmth and chatter quickly washing away any sense of loneliness.
Everyone seemed wrapped in a cocoon of comfort. Sitting beside Leonie, Gwyneth thought that even if someone came here alone, the lively atmosphere would keep them from feeling isolated.
Gwyneth waited quietly, barely saying a word; Leonie, on the other hand, filled every silence with cheerful chatter.
Not that Gwyneth minded. She was happy enough to listen. The delight on Leonie’s face was unmistakable—she looked as if every ordinary outing was a brand-new adventure.
Watching her, Gwyneth couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.
Leonie came from a family with every advantage; she’d seen the best of everything, eaten at every fine restaurant. And yet, she still found genuine excitement in a simple meal at a crowded local spot. Gwyneth couldn’t understand it. At the same age, barely into her twenties, Gwyneth herself felt calm to the point of numbness.
“Not getting swept up in pleasure or weighed down by sorrow” was supposed to be a virtue, but in her case, it just felt like a quiet kind of sadness.
“Our turn!” Leonie announced, her ability to keep an ear on the queue while chatting non-stop leaving Gwyneth genuinely
impressed-she’d thought for sure Leonie would miss their number.
Once they were seated, Leonie pulled out her phone and turned to Gwyneth for approval. “I want to see if my brother can join us what do you think?”
Layne Everhart? Gwyneth had no objections. In fact, she rather liked the Everhart family’s warmth and easy laughter—a real sense of togetherness.
Leonie, having gotten Gwyneth’s nod, dialed her brother with a bright smile. “Hey, Layne! Gwyn and I are grabbing dinner-want to join us?”
While Leonie waited, Gwyneth quietly unwrapped her utensils. Leonie’s hopeful face drooped a little, disappointment softening her features.
If Gwyneth had to guess, Layne wasn’t coming.
“Oh, okay. You’re busy—I get it,” Leonie sighed into the phone, hanging up.
Gwyneth didn’t ask, but Leonie started venting about Layne’s workaholic tendencies anyway.
Gwyneth wasn’t so sure; she suspected Layne might be out on a date. She’d noticed the pastel pink hair tie around his wrist, something only a girlfriend would give.
The soup pot and a platter of meat
and vegetables arrived, and as
Leonie tossed ingredients into the steaming broth, she continued her
playful grumbling about her brother.
Gwyneth listened patiently. The two of them were just starting to enjoy their meal when Gwyneth’s phone buzzed.
An unfamiliar number flashed on the screen. Without thinking, she answered.
“Gwyn, did you really have to block me? How have you been these days? Where are you staying? Did you find a job yet? If you’d just swallow your pride, you know I’d still take you back.”