Chapter69
Theo chuckled at her, “I think someone’s got a case of cousin fever!” She sprinted to my office
where Willy was napping.
As we finished cutting the cake and toasting Theo’s success, the warmth of the celebration enveloped the room. Dinner was about to be served, and the aroma of savory dishes travelled through the air. Just as we were settling in, my assistant manager, Kiara, appeared at the doorway, her usually composed face twisted in problematic scrunch.
“Leo, we’ve got a situation out here,” she said lowly and urgent, her eyes locking onto mine with an unspoken message – Only you can handle this.
I sighed inwardly. “Excuse me,” I said to the family, forcing a reassuring smile. “I’ll be right back.”
As I followed her out, Theo’s voice called after me, “Everything okay, sis?”
I turned back to him nodding. “Just a minor issue, I’ll handle it.”
“What happened?” I asked her as I stopped her midway. I hope we weren’t under attack geez!
“There’s a man claiming he had a reservation for five people,” she informed stressfully accompanied by a slight shrug. “I think Brian forgot he reserved someone for tonight.” She sighed,
her expression reflecting frustration with the nerdy teenager in charge of taking reservations, who might have mistakenly mixed up the dates.
“Okay, wait a second, I’ll talk to them,” I assured her, as I made my way to the restaurant’s front, where a small group of people stood their back turned towards me.
“I am sor-“I began apologizing, but my words trailed off as I halted in my tracks, my eyes locked onto the unexpected figure before me, my expression freezing in surprise. “Mr. Danner?” I uttered
in shock.
His piercing gray eyes and chiseled features seemed untouched by time difference. Not a single wrinkle or gray hair marred his polished appearance, the same blonde locks in a sleek hairstyle and same elegant suit. Two and half years was a long time, yet standing before him, it seemed like no time had passed at all since the last time I met him.
“Please call me Corwin, I’m not your boss‘ anymore, Leona,” he chuckled with twinkling eyes, but his sudden proximity and outstretched hand caught me off guard. I hesitated for a beat before reciprocating the gesture, my hand meeting his in a brief, firm handshake.
“Mom, Dad, this is Leona,” Corwin said warmly. “She kept everything well organized as our receptionist at the company.” He gestured toward me, and I turned to greet his parents.
As I shook their hands, they exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes locking in a silent understanding that left me feeling curious. Mrs. Danner’s smile was gracious, while Mr. Danner’s expression held a pinch of enthusiastic interest, their faces morphed with a subtle expectation I
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couldn’t quite decipher.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, feeling a tinge of guilt. “We’re having a private family dinner tonight and the restaurant is closed. I think there must have been a miscommunication with the reservation.” I hesitated, not wanting to turn them away. “To be honest, our kitchen is closed and we don’t have
our Chef on hand.”
Corwin’s face fell, his eyes clouding with disappointment. “Oh, I see,” he muttered with understanding, but I could sense the dismay beneath.
A pang of guilt struck me, twisting my insides. This was the man who had been unexpectedly kind during my time at the company. He had gone out of his way to ensure I kept my job when times were tough, and even when I left mid–month, he generously paid me in full. His parting words still echoed in my mind: “If you ever need a place to come back to, Leona, you’ll always have one here.”
“I’d love to make an exception,” I said, my smile warm and inviting. “If you wouldn’t mind joining us, there’s more than enough food to go around.” I hesitated, anxious about overstepping, and nibbled on my lip.
Just as the tension dissipated, a bright voice cut through the air. “Oh goodness, that’d be amazing, thank you so much!” The young girl exclaimed, her vibrant blonde hair catching the light as she
bounced into the conversation.
She exuded an effortless elegance, mirroring Mr. Danner’s refined sophistication, every word spoken seemed to radiate a classy confidence like him. Maybe she was his girlfriend
“I’m starving!” she confessed, her laughter tinkling. With a playful roll of her eyes, she glanced at Corwin. “And sorry, I am Karissa, my brother here still thinks of me as his baby sister completely blind of me from that height, so he tends to skip my introduction,” she teased, her grin mischievous. Corwin chuckled, shaking his head affectionately.
Karissa gestured to the tall, muscular figure standing beside her. “This is Keith, my boyfriend,” she said, her eyes shining with pride.
I nodded in greeting, and Keith smiled politely. “Nice to meet you,” he said, his deep voice smooth and friendly.
“Alright then, that’s incredibly kind of you, Leona. We’d be delighted to join you.” Corwin thanked.
Mrs. Danner nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with warmth. “Yes we’d love to thank you. That’s very sweet of you, as long as we aren’t imposing.” She hesitated.
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