Thinking, Tobey stared at me for a while before shifting his focus back onto Christopher. “Your family may be influential in Avenport, but you’re far from being almighty. Even though my family is no match for yours, I imagine that you’d be less arrogant when you speak to me after the Goldsteins become my in-laws.”
“If I heard you right, you mean to tell me that not only are you insisting on marrying my wife, but you’re also planning to get rid of her lawfully-married husband? Wow, I can’t say I’ve ever met a third wheel that forthcoming,” ridiculed Christopher.
Seeing how my husband got a little carried away, I deliberately coughed a few times to interrupt him. Having nothing against Tobey, I did not think it was necessary to belittle him like that. After all, the man lived in Dellmoor and had no business in Avenport.
“Mr. Osborn, I hope that you’ll at least consider what I’ve told you. As for the tour around Avenport, I don’t really go out much, so I’m not the right person to…”
“I can introduce you to some of the best tour guides in town, and I promise you that they know their way around like the back of their hands. Heck, I’ll even pay for them. Trust me. You don’t want my wife as your guide. So, what do you say?” That was not the first time Christopher had interrupted me, and I just wished I could shove something into that man’s mouth to shut him up.
In response, Tobey snorted frustratedly before storming off.
After successfully dissuading Tobey, I rolled my eyes at Christopher. “You just can’t be nice, can you? Was that really necessary? All those mean words.”
“Why should I play nice with the man who’s trying to marry my wife?” Christopher exhaled sharply in disbelief. “You should learn to be meaner to men like that. Your polite manners clearly weren’t doing much before I got here. Had I not arrived in time, would you have dated the man like your mother wanted?”
“Of course not! Don’t be stupid!” I reached out and pinched Christopher on his belly for asking the idiotic question.
“Aunt Eve, it’s Thanksgiving, and you haven’t shown your appreciation for me yet. I helped with a few words too just now.” Dylan walked up to me with a Chesire Cat grin.
“Oh, I haven’t forgotten what you did for me, Dylan. That was really brave of you. Thank you.” I gave the boy a peck on the cheek before he ran off in embarrassment. Then, I looked around The Continental and wondered how Christopher managed to find me. “How did you know where I was?”
Unbeknownst to me was the fact that Christopher had already installed a tracking device in my phone and that Lucas told him about Isabelle’s plan to set up a blind date.
“I just happened to pass by. It was all by chance.” After diverting my question. Christopher took my hand and started walking out of the building. “Your mother intended for you to have a date night, so I say we do exactly that. Let’s go for a date.”
“Seriously? I mean, we see each other every single day.”
“I’m dead serious. You know how dating works, right? First, we go shopping. Then, it’s the movies. After that, we kiss and make love. I say we take the full package. I even got us a new water bed that I know you’re going to love.” Christopher looked as excited as a kid on Christmas day when he laid out his plan for me.
I found it hard to believe that the man did not plan everything from the beginning.
Chuckling, I wrapped my arms around the man and squeezed him as tightly as I could. Suddenly, I noticed a group of journalists just ahead of us. It was as if they were waiting for someone of great importance.
Christopher and I were about to take a detour when I saw Isabelle and Crystal walking out of a building hand-in-hand. Immediately, the journalists rushed forward and completely surrounded the two.
“Ms. Yates, your work has been critically-acclaimed. What inspired you to draw the ‘Floral Bloom’? Rumor said that Ms. Yvonne was absent at the exhibition because she wanted you to have the spotlight to have a chance at redemption. Is that true? And why is Mrs. Goldstein with you at the exhibition? Does that mean Ms. Yvonne and you are on good terms now?”
I stopped to stare at Crystal, who could barely keep her eyes open with all the camera lights flashing at her. First, she stole my hard work to redeem herself, and then she got me involved in her self-woven narrative to generate publicity. I wondered if there was no end to the woman’s shamelessness.
