Chapter 38
38:
A soft flush crept up Christina’s cheeks under the gentle attention and eager smiles directed at her. Her gaze flicked to Dylan, who watched quietly, his expression unreadable, before she shifted her focus back to Chloe. A bright grin chased the pallor from Chloe’s face, her sparkling eyes shining with hope.
Compared to Katie, Chloe radiated warmth and genuine charm.
“All right, you win!” Christina said, flashing a playful smile at Chloe. “But tell me, do you think your brother would mind a divorced woman?”
The question seemed to throw Chloe off balance, her smile faltering. Clearly, Dylan had kept that detail close to the vest. Even Ralphy—never one to let a secret slip—hadn’t breathed a word.
Christina let out a light laugh, unconcerned. “I’m newly divorced.”
“Any children?” Chloe asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
A short pause passed before Christina shook her head, her smile still in place. “No, there aren’t any kids.”
Her marriage to Brendon had always been in name only. Children were never part of the equation.
Chloe’s disappointment was impossible to miss. “That’s too bad! I was looking forward to having a niece or nephew right away.”
Caught off guard, Christina blinked in surprise, not expecting such a reaction. All this time, she had thought Chloe’s question was about a divorcee joining their family, but clearly that wasn’t her worry at all.
“Don’t fret,” Christina replied, laughter dancing in her voice. “You’ll get your wish for a niece or nephew soon enough.”
Chloe cocked her head to the side, a mischievous grin brightening her features. “Are you talking about babies with Dylan?”
A harmless joke had unexpectedly left Christina’s cheeks even more flushed.
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With a soft chuckle, Christina leaned in, voice lowered in mock secrecy. “That all depends on whether your brother’s up for it.”
“Of course he is! He’d be crazy not to!” Chloe shot her hand up, answering for Dylan without hesitation. “Honestly, I’d be thrilled! Christina, you’re gorgeous. If you married Dylan, your babies would be adorable! I could parade them everywhere and finally have little ones to spoil!”
Chloe’s infectious excitement made Christina burst out laughing, her eyes sparkling with genuine delight.
“Then I guess your brother and I had better do our best,” Christina joked, playing along.
Chloe nodded vigorously. “That’s the spirit!”
Turning to Dylan, Chloe grinned slyly. “Dylan, you need to get your act together. The sooner you win Christina over, the sooner I get to play with cute nieces and nephews!”
Though Dylan stayed stoic, a faint blush crept up his ears. His face remained stern, features unreadable and serious. “You should focus on eating. Not even a home-cooked meal can keep your mouth shut,” he said, his voice cold yet gentle as he shot Chloe a look tinged with affection.
With a cheeky gesture, Chloe stuck out her tongue before beaming at Christina. “Don’t forget to eat, Christina! There’s still more soup left.”
“All right.” A gentle smile touched Christina’s lips as she picked up her spoon and returned to her bowl of soup.
Christina had to admit, Dylan’s skills in the kitchen were nothing short of astonishing. Each bite was so flavorful and rich that even she, no stranger to gourmet meals, found herself momentarily stunned. All this time, she’d pegged Dylan as the pampered type—his daily needs taken care of by staff. Growing up with every luxury at his fingertips, it seemed natural to assume he left domestic chores to others.
Yet here he was, the Scott family patriarch, serving up a breakfast worthy of a five-star chef. If he weren’t so far out of reach, Christina might have seriously considered pursuing him. Failing that, she would have at least tried to poach him as her own private cook.
After breakfast, Christina gathered her things to head off to the hospital.
But as she reached for her bag, Chloe latched onto her arm, clearly unwilling to say goodbye. “Do you really have to leave, Christina? Why not stay a little longer? There’s plenty of space here—we could hang out, gossip, and convince my brother to keep spoiling us with his amazing food…”
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