Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Natalie pulled up to the Guzman manor. The butler greeted her with a smile as he opened the door. “Mrs. Guzman, always a pleasure. Mr. Henry Guzman’s out back, enjoying the garden.
“Thanks, I know the way,” Natalie said, returning the smile.
The staff loved her for her easygoing nature and how she treated everyone like family.
As she stepped into the garden, she found Henry on a bench, a cup of coffee steaming beside him. His face brightened at the sight of her. “Nat! There you are! Come, sit with me. Where’s Shawn? Didn’t he join you?”
“No, Grandpa Henry. Shawn’s got his hands full at work today, so it’s just me.”
“That workaholic, always at the office, Henry teased.
“He’s the CEO, Grandpa Henry. He’s got to put in the hours.”
“You always have his back. Well, you’re staying for dinner with me tonight.”
“Absolutely!” Natalie agreed, her grin widening,
After they wrapped up dinner, Natalie’s phone rang. It was Shawn’s friend, Charles Leblanc. He said, “Hey, Natalie! We’re at Starlight Bar, and Shawn is really hitting it hard. Could you come get him?”
“On my way,” she promised, giving Henry a quick hug before rushing out
At Starlight Bar, in a swanky VIP section, a group of five guys were chilling. They all had that polished look, but Shawn, lounging in the center, was the standout.
They’d all grown up in the same ‘hood: Shawn was the eldest, followed by Aaron, Hayden, Fred, and the baby of the group,
Charles.
Shawn had definitely hit the bottle too hard and was feeling it. He leaned back, massaging his temples.
“What’s the occasion, Shawn? Going all out tonight, Charles commented, noticing Shawn’s mood.
“Tracy’s flying back tomorrow,” Aaron said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“No way! What brings her back?” Charles asked, his eyes popping in surprise.
“Who knows?” Aaron replied.
“Hey, how’d
you find out she’s coming back?” Charles asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Shawn filled me in,” Aaron said.
“Ugh, Shawn tells you everything! I’m not his sidekick anymore. Charles sulked.
“When were you ever?” Hayden, in his black shirt, teased.
Hey, man!” Charles shot back, and the group burst into laughter
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Chapter 2
“Is Shawn still stuck on her? What about Natalie?” Charles wondered.
“Let’s not get involved. I trust Shawn to handle this. I’m out, Fred said. He had a business trip early the next day and needed
to prep.
“We’re out too. Charles, you’re in charge of getting Shawn home afe, Aaron and Hayden said together.
Just like that, the three of them got up and left.
“Hey, what’s up? You can’t just ditch Shawn like this!” Charles complained.
You’re the most free, so it’s your job to look after him, Hayden smirked.
The three showed no mercy, leaving Charles to deal with Shawn on his own. Charles glanced over at Shawn, who was sprawled on the couch, and thought about Natalie. With a sigh, he pulled out his phone and called Natalie, asking her to come pick Shawn up.
When Natalie got to the Starlight Bar, she found only Charles there, keeping an eye on Shawn. “Sorry I’m late! Are you the only one here?” she asked, her voice full of worry,
“Natalie! You made it. No worries! The others had to split, but I had a game to play, so I hit you up,” Charles explained, putting his phone down. He had been glued to a game until then
There was a handsome guy playing a game, keeping an eye on another, even more handsome guy who was out cold on the couch. It was quite the sight. But with Hayden owning the bar, Charles felt secure as he watched over his wasted friend.
“How’d he end up drinking so much? His stomach’s been iffy for a few days, and he was just starting to bounce back,” Natalie complained.
“Ah… maybe he was just feeling good, hanging with the guys, so he went a bit overboard. I’ll keep a closer eye next time,” Charles said with a casual shrug
Natalie had a bit of insight into Shawn and his crew. They’d launched the Evercrest Group, which had skyrocketed to success, taking over half of Janisburg and even branching out worldwide. They’d occasionally drop by for dinner or cross paths at the Guzman manor.
“Natalie, you didn’t drive here, did you? Here are the keys to Shawn’s ride–why don’t you take it back?” Charles offered, handing her the keys.
“I took a cab, but I can manage his car,” she replied.
“All right, Natalie, let’s get Shawn settled in the back, Charles said, ready to pitch in.
“Definitely!” Without Charles, it would’ve been a real struggle for her to get Shawn into the car.
They heaved Shawn into the back seat, and Natalie took the driver’s seat.
“Natalie, you good to go? Want me to call a car service?” Charles asked, a bit worried since Shawn’s car was on the larger side.
“I’ve got this. I’ll take it easy,” she assured him, her voice full of confidence.
“All right, just stay safe out there. See you!”
“Got it. I’m off now,” With that, she smoothly merged into traffic Natalie drove with caution, her focus sharp on the road, The drivers behind her blasted their horns impatiently, but she didn’t notice that Shawn, who’d been out cold, had opened
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his eyes.
회중 43%
Truth was,
Shawn had started to rouse a bit when Natalie and Charles were at the bar, but he kept his eyes shut and stayed quiet. Now, as he watched the petite figure behind the wheel, nervously clutching the wheel and creeping along, he felt ant unexpected sense of ease.
Earlier that night, he’d gotten a surprise call from Tracy saying she was back and wanted a ride from the airport. He’d declined, feeling a bit awkward. “Shawn, I’m back! Can you swing by and pick me up at the airport tomorrow?” she’d asked.
“I’m sorry, but it’s not a great time. I’m already hitched,” he said, and then he hung up the phone. He reached into his desk drawer to grab his ring, only to toss it right back inside.
The call had thrown him for a loop, leaving him feeling annoyed. So, he decided to round up Charles and the others for a night at Hayden’s bar, thinking a few drinks might help him unwind.
Three years back, he had planned a perfect proposal, but the main player, Tracy, never showed. Instead, she told Shawn she was off to chase her ballet dreams in Pakin. Standing in a field of lowers with the engagement ring in his hand, Shawn had turned into the butt of Janisburg’s jokes.
It took Natalie almost an hour to make the half–hour drive back home. Thankfully, as she pulled into the driveway, she saw that Shawn was starting to come to. “You’re awake! Can you walk
Shawn didn’t respond.
Bending down. Natalie helped him out of the car, and he leaned on her as they made their way inside. She eased him onto the sofa and went into the kitchen to whip up some water.
By the time she came back with the water, Shawn was sitting up and looking a bit more with it. He was frowning at the wall. deep in thought. “You’re awake. Here, drink this.” She said as she reached out her hand.
Thanks. It’s late; you should hit the hay. I’ll deal with this later, he replied, sounding down.
Natalie stood in the living room for a moment, not sure what to say.
“What’s up? Need something?” Shawn asked, noticing she was still there.
“Uh, not really. I saw Grandpa Henry today, and he said you should stop by for dinner when you can. Don’t burn the midnight oil,” she said, trying to keep things casual.
“Got it. I’ll join you for dinner tomorrow,” he agreed.
“Okay.”
Natalie still hadn’t found the right moment to tell him about her pregnancy. With only three months left until their three- year mark, she wasn’t sure if she should do that.
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Wed, Jan 29
Chapter 3
