Faux Vows, True Desires novel Chapter 402

After Cecilia left, Stefan and Keith walked in together.

"Stefan, bro, what brings you guys here?"

Lucinda greeted them with a warm smile.

Neither man had brought their bodyguards; in Pinehurst, Keith always felt most at ease.

He had great faith in his brother-in-law's ability to keep things safe, believing that on his turf, there was no need to worry about any threats.

"Is it unwelcome for your brother to come for a coffee? Or do you think I'm just being a third wheel?"

Keith spoke with a playful grin, not pausing as he picked a spot to sit down, making it clear that even as a third wheel, he was there to stay.

Stefan's gaze was tender as he looked at Lucinda. "Cecilia's not around, right? I thought I'd come over and lend a hand. I'm just loafing around at home anyway."

Since tying the knot, his weekends were always spent with Lucinda.

Their friends teased him for abandoning them for his woman.

Stefan, however, stood his ground firmly, declaring that it was Lucinda he'd be with for life, so of course, she took precedence.

That left his friends without a comeback.

"Where's Dad?"

"He’s with my dad." Stefan replied.

Lucinda nodded in understanding.

"Need any help with anything?"

Lucinda laughed, "Not at the moment, but I might need your help later when it gets busy."

"Bro, do you want some coffee?" she asked Keith.

"Pour me a cup, will you? I had a rough night and I'm dragging today," Keith responded.

Lucinda went to prepare coffee for him.

"You seem pretty chipper to me, not like someone who had a rough night," she teased as she brewed the coffee.

Keith approached, watching his little sister with an amused expression, "Just an expression."

At that moment, someone else entered.

Everyone assumed it was a customer, but when Lucinda and her husband saw who it was, her smile vanished, while Stefan remained unfazed.

The newcomer was George Mitchell.

Lucinda's only boyfriend before Stefan.

George had tried to rekindle things with Lucinda even after moving on to someone else. Lucinda had told his wife about his antics, leading to their divorce. Mrs. Mitchell had even thanked Lucinda for revealing George's true nature.

In Mrs. Mitchell's eyes, George was a social climber who lost his status after the divorce and couldn't make it in Pinehurst. He left town.

Lucinda hadn't seen him in months, and had almost forgotten him completely until he walked in today.

For Lucinda, George was a closed chapter.

Back then, she and George had shared a real connection, and it was she who made the first move in their relationship. They had kept things proper, but her psychological barriers had vanished when she met Stefan.