The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate novel Chapter 102

Sophia literally hit the ground running and went straight to the hospital after her flight, stashing her luggage at a little motel just outside the hospital.

She was tossing around the idea of either sticking around at the hospital to keep Haley company or crashing at her place, so she hadn't booked a hotel in advance. But she didn't expect that she barely stepped foot in the hospital before she became Laura's punching bag.

Brandon didn't keep harping on her about it either. He glanced out the door at the pitch-black night, then turned to her and said, "Let's grab a bite."

Sophia hesitated but then nodded, "Okay."

Maybe she felt guilty or maybe she just wasn't feeling all that confident after accepting a favor, or perhaps Brandon was just exuding some extra-strong vibes tonight. Whatever it was, her usual spunk just wasn't cutting it in front of him.

Brandon casually picked out a fast-food joint nearby for them.

When it came time to order, Brandon didn't do his usual polite dance of asking her what she wanted. Instead, he just grabbed the menu, made a few swift selections, placed the order, and told the server to hustle it up with the food.

Sophia wasn't fussed about that. She had only had some airplane food and was starving, her stomach practically stuck to her spine. Getting food in her belly ASAP was all she cared about.

The restaurant was on the ball, and the dishes started coming out hot and fast just minutes after Brandon placed the order.

He got Sophia's cutlery, gave it a good rinse with boiling water, and then set it in front of her.

"Thanks," Sophia said softly.

Brandon didn't respond, just quietly unwrapped his own set.

Sophia couldn't help but sneak peeks at Brandon.

He had this reserved look on his handsome face, eyelids half-drooping, methodically cleaning his utensils, and giving her the silent treatment. She couldn't tell if he was still steamed about her changing her phone number.

This side of Brandon had Sophia feeling uneasy, and she didn't dare ask out of the blue, so she just kept her head down and ate quietly.

Brandon ate in silence too.

He wolfed down his meal, not a trace of his usual elegance.

Sophia had only made it halfway through her meal when Brandon put down his utensils.

He watched her eat until she finally set down her tableware, then he asked, "Came straight from the airport?"

Sophia nodded gently, "Yeah."

"How long are you back for?"

Sophia shook her head slightly, "Not sure yet."

"You really not planning on coming back for good?"

Sophia paused her eating, looked up at him, and hesitated before nodding, "I might not come back for a while."

"What's so great over there?"

Sophia pressed her lips together, "It's not about staying there. I just want to wander around and see the sights for a bit before I settle down again."

Brandon kept his gaze on her, "I remember you're not into traveling."

"It's not that I don't like it, I just never had anyone to go with, so I never bothered."

"Got someone now?" Brandon asked, "Who?"

"Just my classmates."

"Guys or girls?"

Sophia didn't say anything.

She looked at Brandon, puzzled.

Brandon seemed to think there was nothing wrong with the question, his calm demeanor unchanged, his eyes clearly interrogating her.