When Family Became a Place I Couldn’t Return To novel Chapter 363

“Dr. Morton?”

“Yeah.” Teddy nodded, then called out for Jessie. She looked up right away, and as soon as she saw Nelly, she stood up with a smile.

“What are the odds? I never thought I’d see you two here. This one’s on me, so honestly, don’t hold back. Order whatever sounds good.”

Teddy and Jessie must have just gotten here. He’d only come upstairs to place their order. Nelly barely had time to react before Jessie was already heading up.

“Nelly, Carrie, what a nice surprise.” Jessie looked genuinely happy to see them. Honestly, she’d been a bundle of nerves about going out with Teddy, and running into people she knew made everything feel less intimidating.

“We’re pretty much finished, so don’t worry about us…” Nelly started, hoping to make a graceful exit. Teddy and Jessie were being so warm and welcoming, but the last thing Nelly wanted was to hang around as the awkward third wheel, especially with her daughter there.

But Teddy was already pulling out a chair and sitting next to Carrie, chatting like it was the most natural thing in the world. Carrie, meanwhile, made it clear she wasn’t leaving either. She actually picked up the menu and started ordering more snacks.

Teddy just smiled and ignored Nelly’s attempt at a polite refusal. He insisted she try something else, too.

Jessie slid into the seat next to Nelly. She gave Nelly a hopeful look and, under the table, tugged softly at her sleeve like she was begging for backup. Nelly understood exactly what she wanted. With a sigh, she gave in and ordered a coffee.

As soon as Teddy walked off to pay, Jessie leaned closer, her voice low and worried. “Nelly, I seriously don’t know what to do…”

A while back, Nelly had done some digging about Teddy for Jessie. She hadn’t been able to confirm if Teddy was really the Casey Jessie remembered from her past, but she did find out he had a fiancée. She’d told Jessie it was probably best to let it go, though she left out the fiancée part to spare her feelings.

“But Mom, it’s true. When a girl hangs out with someone she likes, she acts just like Dr. Morton.” Carrie tried to explain, but she’d mostly learned about this stuff from cartoons. In her mind, girls got shy around the people they liked, and Dr. Morton was acting exactly like that right now.

Just then, Teddy came back, balancing their order in his hands. Jessie immediately ducked her head, avoiding his eyes.

“What are you all talking about?” Teddy asked, glancing around the table.

Carrie straightened up, ready to spill everything. “Teddy, Dr. Morton—”

“Carrie, you’ve eaten so much today. If you can’t finish, maybe I can help you with some of it?” Nelly cut in, quick to change the subject.