Chapter 29 Interrupting Her Phone Call
Natalie was dumbfounded to see that it was raining cats and dogs outside.
Even if she managed to hail a cab, it would be too dangerous for the driver to drive on a rainy night like this.
Then… How am I supposed to go home?
She circled the living room on the first floor to look for Gavin, but the man was nowhere to be seen.
“Eh? Where is Gavin?”
Feeling confused, she took a step backward. Unknowingly, she bumped into someone with a firm and broad chest.
The sudden impact caused her to lose her balance. Just when she was about to fall to the ground, she was grabbed by the waist and pulled into someone’s arms.
Upon smelling the faint scent of tobacco, she lifted her head to see who the person was.
In a trance, she saw the man’s flawless features appear in front of her. Moreover, he was staring at her intensely with his captivating eyes.
“Ah…”
Pursing his lips, Samuel took back his hand after helping her up.
“Do I look that frightening, Ms. Nichols?”
“How is this possible? You’re not frightening…” Avoiding his intense stare, she murmured, “Is he a ghost? He didn’t make a sound at all…”
“Are you saying something?”
Quirking her lips into a smile, Natalie replied, “I said, thank you for helping me up, Mr. Bowers.”
“You’re welcome.”
Then, she glanced at the window and noticed that it was still raining heavily. Additionally, it seemed like there would be a storm soon as dark clouds began to gather in the sky.
Seeing that he was about to make his move, she said hurriedly, “Hold up!”
“Is there anything else?” Samuel stopped in his tracks.
“Um… Yes! Well…” She shook her head and said in embarrassment, “Samuel, c-can I stay over tonight?”
The man was taken aback by the sudden request. It sparked his interest instantly, and he stared at her with a profound gaze.
It was then Natalie finally realized that her words sounded like an ambiguous request. Hurriedly, she explained, “It’s not safe to drive in this weather. May I spend the night in the guest room? I’ll leave first thing in the morning.”
“Mm,” he replied.
Feeling relieved, she nodded. Then, he showed her the way to the guest room on the second floor.
When Natalie arrived at the door, she received a phone call from Xavian, whose contact name was saved as “Sweetheart.”
Knowing that it was her son, she answered the phone without thinking twice.
“Hi, Sweetheart. I’m putting up at a friend’s house for the night because I’m stuck in the rain. I’ll be back tomorrow morning. Remember to check if the windows are shut. Don’t kick the sheets away when you sleep, okay? Give me a kiss, all right?”
Just as she was waiting for Xavian to kiss her goodnight, she heard the man next to her clearing his throat.
Not knowing how to explain the situation, she chose to remain silent.
At the same time, Xavian, who was on the other end of the line, was startled by the sound.
After a few seconds, realization struck him. He asked in excitement, “Are you staying at a man’s house, Mommy? Have you found us a stepfather? How is he? Is he handsome? Is he rich? Does he treat you well?”
Natalie was at a loss for words. When she turned around, she met Samuel’s intense stare and lowered her gaze with guilt.
“Don’t talk nonsense. That’s not what happened. I’ll explain once I get back. Do you want to kiss me over the phone? Otherwise, I’m going to hang up.”
Hearing that, the boy had no choice but to kiss his mother goodnight and hang up the call.
After ending the phone call, Natalie turned around to face Samuel, who looked as if nothing had happened, and stared at him.
“What do you mean by that?” she asked.
