From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace (Laurinda) novel Chapter 62

Before she could leave, Irvin caught her sleeve.

“Hey, where are you going? We haven’t even started eating yet. I know spicy isn’t your thing, but Aeterna has a ton of good food. We already ordered, so just hang on. I’ll ask the waiter to bring our dishes over. Let’s eat together, and then we can all head back. You don’t mind, right, Kendal?”

Irvin even turned to check with Kendal.

“Not at all. I’d be happy to join you,” Kendal replied, picking up on the easy bond between Laurinda and the other two. He was more than willing to get closer to them.

As soon as Kendal gave the okay, Irvin jumped up to go find the waiter.

Laurinda ignored the look Adolphus gave her, sat down again, and focused on her phone, fingers flying as she sent a message.

Adolphus watched her sulking and couldn’t help but smile. He motioned for Kendal to sit, then slid into the seat beside Laurinda himself.

He dug out a piece of chocolate from his pocket and placed it in front of her. Laurinda didn’t hesitate for a second. She unwrapped it and popped it straight into her mouth.

If she couldn’t have spicy food, sweets would have to do.

Irvin soon came back with the waiter, and when Laurinda saw the dishes, she nodded in approval and picked up her chopsticks.

Adolphus relaxed at last, watching her eat. He started chatting with Kendal, but his attention kept drifting back to Laurinda, making sure her plate was never empty.

Kendal noticed how natural all this seemed to Laurinda. He couldn’t help but wonder to himself, Is this seriously what a family doctor does?

By the end of the meal, Kendal was more confused than ever. After watching Laurinda get into the car, he went off to find York.

He felt like he had to bring this up. That guy… no, that doctor looked like he was about to steal their precious girl.

“Are you secretly a fortune teller or something?”

He chuckled. “Not at all. Every little change in your body shows up in your pulse. Right now, your system just can’t handle spicy food. If you think what I cook is too bland, I can try making things more flavorful. But you really can’t have anything spicy yet.”

His voice was soft and soothing, and Laurinda found her irritation slipping away. She took a strawberry from the box he was holding and bit into it. The sweet, fresh taste actually made her feel a bit better.

“These strawberries taste different from the ones back home, but they’re just as good.”

“Glad you like them. But don’t eat too many, okay? Once you’re fully better, you can eat as many as you want.”

Adolphus knew Laurinda loved strawberries, so he had arranged for a shipment to be flown in from Cabinda, straight from his own strawberry garden. Finally, the fruit was going to someone who truly appreciated it.