IN LOVE'S EMBRACE

CHAPTER 52: WE MEET AGAIN

"The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again"— Charles Dickens

•••

ALAINE DAVIES

John crossed my mind, and I sighed. I should have known it couldn't be him at the door. He would never come if Arthur had requested it. He hated being in a tight spot.

The table had, not surprisingly, grown silent and awkward. We all quietly served ourselves, focusing on our meals.

I frowned. Today was supposed to be a joyous day, and I was determined not to let anything or anyone ruin that.

"So, what were you all up to today?" I asked, directing the question to whoever wanted to pick it up.

Sheila and Arthur smiled, picking up on my attempt to shift the mood.

"Ashley and I met Jaden on a blind date," Sheila suddenly announced, catching everyone's attention.

Jaden groaned and facepalmed himself. "You're terrible at keeping secrets," he muttered into his hand, making me laugh.

"Oh wow, I didn’t know you were looking for love. Did it work out?" Arthur asked, balancing his two kids on his lap as their mother fed them.

"No, and I’m glad it didn’t. She was definitely not what I was looking for," Jaden said, his expression turning serious as he shook his head.

"That bad, huh?" Jocelyn chuckled, wiping Audrey's mouth.

"You have no idea," he groaned, sinking into his seat.

"Oh, come on. She was pretty, right Ash?" Sheila teased, stifling a laugh.

"Yeah, she was. It’s a pity things didn’t work out," Ashley replied, her voice betraying a hint of relief.

She acted like she didn’t care, but it was obvious she was relieved. I thought I was the only one who noticed until I saw the boys' calculating eyes on her.

They caught my gaze and immediately looked away.

"I’m looking for more than just 'pretty,'" Jaden stated, taking a sip of his juice.

"I’m glad you know what you want, Jaden. I said the same thing when I was searching for a spouse," Arthur remarked with a smile.

"Hey, you never really told me how you met Jocelyn," I said, curious to hear the story.

Arthur smirked, and Jocelyn shot him a warning glare.

"Don’t you dare!" she threatened with her spoon, and he laughed.

"It all started when I went to a friend’s birthday party, and..."

"Arthur!" Jocelyn half-yelled, mortified.

He guffawed, and we joined in. After his laughter died down, he held her hand and gently kissed her palm.

The doorbell rang again, and we exchanged confused glances. Jocelyn stood to get the door, but Arthur stopped her.

"Come in. It’s open!" he called out, then continued with his meal.

I raised a questioning brow at him, and he shrugged innocently. Shaking my head, I took a sip of my juice. It was pointless trying to figure him out.

I heard the door open and leaned back in my seat, eager to see who it was. My brows furrowed as a strange man entered, a young woman by his side.

The first thing that caught my eye was the deep scar running from his nose down to his chin. It somehow complemented his red hair, enhancing his features while also serving as a subtle warning not to mess with him.