ma chérie | cl16

chapter thirty-nine

Adeline and Charles were enjoying the dates they had promised each other a few days ago. To Adeline's pleasant surprise, there was no awkward silence. It all felt so natural—almost as if they had never parted their ways.

They would spend the entire day together. They talked so much that even after Charles escorted Adeline to her home, they continued to talk over the phone. Charles chose to stay in a hotel nearby, despite the possibility of crashing at Adeline's place. Both understood the importance of not rushing anything, preferring to take things slow.

However, that also meant refraining from getting physical. Despite holding hands and exchanging gentle touches on their cheeks, they didn't even share a small kiss (mostly due to the fear of being seen by people). Adeline didn't consider herself overly touchy, but being around Charles left her feeling somewhat frustrated. His presence seemed to make it harder for her to breathe.

Adeline always managed to find the most hidden spots for their dates to avoid curious eyes. Adeline and Charles were wearing sunglasses and mostly comfortable clothing, allowing them to blend in with the crowds if necessary. They simply wanted to enjoy their dates and the early stages of their relationship without the intrusion of the press and paparazzi.

On Charles' final day in London, Adeline had the most amazing idea for a date—a picnic in Greenwich, accompanied by the most breathtaking view of London.

"Addy, there was a red light! You were supposed to stop!" Charles exclaimed in a panic. His eyes darted around, searching for any sign of a police car nearby. He released a deep sigh and pressed his hand against his pounding heart.

Adeline was a very intelligent woman—her academic success was something that Charles truly admired. However, when it came to driving, her skills were absolutely horrible. She kept on downshifting, not caring about red lights and speed limits.

"Lights out and away we go, right? That's what Crofty says!" Adeline shrugged, a playful chuckle escaping her lips as she maintained her focus on the road. She knew she was a terrible driver, but that didn't stop her from driving her Mini.

"You're not driving a sports car! You're driving a very old Mini, and you're gonna get me and Knightley killed soon," Charles argued, glancing over his shoulder to ensure Knightley was safe and okay. To Charles' surprise, Knightley seemed relaxed in his travel crate secured with a seat belt. He was probably used to Adeline's crazy driving.

"Relax, grandma," Adeline rolled her eyes before swiftly shifting her gaze to Charles seated beside her. "You're the one risking your life almost every weekend."

"Well, my car at least has functional brakes," Charles said, and he couldn't help but laugh at the state of Adeline's car. He understood her deep emotional attachment to this car—it had belonged to her beloved grandma. But this car was slowly falling apart!

"Hey, at least no one would look for you in this car, right?" Adeline pointed out, and Charles had to agree. No one would expect to see him in a rotting Mini, making this a great chance to get to Greenwich without attracting any attention.

"True. But I'm afraid for our lives. I'll teach you how to drive, okay?" Charles suggested, and Adeline let out an annoyed groan. But then she realized that the idea of Charles teaching her how to drive didn't sound bad at all.

"Okay. Just promise me we won't practice in one of your Ferraris," Adeline warned.

Charles shook his head, a playful smile on his lips. "Not possible, ma chérie. I only own Ferraris."

"What if I crash it, huh?" Adeline asked, her gaze wide. Practicing her driving skills in a Ferrari?! Damn, she couldn't even shift properly.

"I think I'd be okay without one car. Your life is more important than a stupid car," Charles shrugged, and even though Adeline couldn't properly look at him because of her focus on the road, she couldn't help but feel a warm blush spreading across her cheeks in response to his words.