Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 168

“Okay,” Juniper replied, obediently setting her phone down and taking a small sip. It was a little sour for her taste.

“Drink some more,” Shanley urged with a slight frown. “You’ve been eating too many sweets lately. I specifically asked them to use less sugar in this.”

Juniper pouted but didn’t move.

“Be good,” he coaxed, pushing the glass closer. “I made sure they added extra mango to your dessert.”

With a reluctant sigh, she took another drink.

Across the table, Qadir and Queenie exchanged a look of disbelief. Juniper was so… compliant around Mr. Schwartz.

“I’ll be right back, just need to use the restroom,” Juniper announced, using the excuse to go check on the restaurant’s accounts.

“Be careful,” Shanley said, his eyes following her until she disappeared from view.

With Juniper gone, an awkward silence descended. Qadir and Queenie, already intimidated by Shanley’s powerful aura, felt even more nervous without their friend as a buffer. They both stared down at their laps, too afraid to look at the formidable man sitting across from them.

“Has Juniper been doing all right at school lately?” Shanley asked, breaking the silence as he signaled for a waiter to pour them some water.

Queenie was too nervous to speak, so she just picked at her fingernails.

“She’s fine!” Qadir piped up, forcing a goofy grin. “Don’t you worry, Mr. Schwartz. With me around, no one would dare bully Juniper.”

Shanley raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over Qadir’s slight frame.

Him, protect Juniper? It was more likely that Juniper could send him flying with a single punch. He wondered who was protecting whom.

Seeing his dilemma, Shanley’s smile widened. “The bottle was from me.”

The kid was surprisingly loyal to Juniper. A decent little sidekick, he mused.

“Oh!” Qadir let out a huge sigh of relief. “So you were the one who gave it to her! No wonder she treasures it so much!”

He had been so worried she was getting mixed up with some boy. Thank goodness it was just her brother.

“Treasures it?” Shanley’s eyes narrowed slightly, the curve of his lips deepening as he savored the words.

“Oh yeah,” Qadir confirmed with an enthusiastic nod. “She loves that thing. Keeps it with her all the time and won’t let anyone else touch it. She’s super protective of it. If it wasn’t from you, Mr. Schwartz,” he added, taking a sip of water, “I would’ve thought she was looking at it and thinking of some secret admirer.”

Thinking of him, was she? Shanley listened quietly, a pleased, subtle smile gracing his handsome features.