Jeffrey had never been one to stir trouble—except when it came to bickering with Karen. Ever since she had disrupted his peace that one time, any time he even thought about flirting with someone else, her face would pop up in his mind like a persistent ghost.
It left him unusually irritable, feeling as if there was some unfinished business nagging at him.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"I've never felt this way before." Everett's approach to love was steadfast and enduring, so he wasn't familiar with fleeting affections.
"You wouldn't understand even if | explained it to you," Jeffrey grumbled. "I'm thinking of hanging out with her again. Maybe I'm just intrigued because she's so sharp-witted. Once I'm back home and surrounded by all the local beauties, I'll probably forget all about her." "If that's your attitude, you'd better stay away from her," Everett warned, his brow furrowing deeper with each word Jeffrey said.
"If Dorothy comes after you for this, don't expect me to have your back." "Come on, man! Are we friends or not?" Jeffrey scoffed at Everett's attempt to wash his hands of the matter. "You'd really ditch me over a girl?" Everett shot him a glance, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, but you just had to go for the one swimming around Dorothy. | wouldn't care about any other girls you choose.” "But Karen's different! She's interesting!" Everett's lips thinned, and he spoke with a seriousness that was rare for him, "Then will you marry her?" Marry her? Those words hit Jeffrey like a bucket of cold water! He hadn't even considered marriage, and now suddenly, it was on the table.
"Whoa, aren't we jumping the gun here? | haven't even got to first base with her!" "If she agreed to be with you, would you marry her?" Everett pressed.
Jeffrey paused. He pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "No, | wouldn't. The whole idea of marriage seems so dull to me. Why do two people need a piece of paper to tie them down? Then there's the meddling in each other's lives and shared responsibilities. Just thinking about them gives me a headache.” "Then don't step into her life." Everett figured Jeffrey was too set in his free-spirited ways to be suddenly reined in by commitment, let alone marriage. Even a stable relationship would probably be out of the question.
"Poof... so you think it's a no-go between us too, huh?" "It's really about what you want. Everyone else's opinions are just opinions." Jeffrey let out a long sigh, "Alright. But | really should be heading back home. The Lopez Corporation is a hot mess, and Kevin's probably on the brink of a breakdown." "I've already taken over some of the workload. Once I'm back, I'll give him a long vacation to unwind." Everett answered.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Mm." Jeffrey nodded, rising to his feet. "It's getting dark. I'm out of here. You and Dorothy enjoy your cozy evening. | won't intrude." Everett nodded.
"I'l see if Karen needs a lift back with me." Everett was then speechless for their whole conversation was a waste of time.
Outside, Dorothy and Karen had found a bench under the starry sky. With Karen's presence, a rare silence fell between them before Karen couldn't resist breaking it. "Have you... changed your mind?" Karen questioned.
Dorothy knew what she was getting at, "No." Karen sighed deeply and sat up straight, "You know, | was really supportive of you finding out the truth. Your mother's death deserves justice, and the culprit should face the law. But seeing how much Everett cares for you, | can't help but wonder if it's cruel to him." In the blink of an eye, your closest companion could turn into your fiercest adversary. Who could possibly cope with that? "Karen, as of now, Everett's mother shows no sign of remorse. She probably still thinks she got away with it by destroying all the evidence."