Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 2696

Estelle looked at her expectantly. “Hmm?”

Norah shrugged and gave a nervous laugh. “A few days ago, I went to the barbecue restaurant. He was asleep in the backyard, and I… I couldn’t resist. I snuck a kiss, and he woke up and caught me.” The girl had a smudge of cream on her lip, her expression a mix of guilt and frustration. “It was my fault. We agreed to be friends, but my brain just short-circuited.”

It was all the fault of the beautiful weather. He had been sitting under the crabapple tree, his ruggedly handsome face bathed in a mesmerizing light. She had been dazzled, and all her common sense had drifted away with the breeze.

“What happened then?” Estelle asked.

“He kicked me out of the restaurant,” Norah sighed. It was her own greed that had done her in. One kiss hadn’t been enough, and she figured since she’d already crossed the line, she might as well go all in. She had been so nervous she hadn’t even noticed when he opened his eyes.

Estelle didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “Do you think he was embarrassed?”

Norah’s eyes widened, then she shook her head seriously. “It didn’t look like it.” The memory of him deliberately avoiding her turned her embarrassment into anger. “We’ll see how long he can hide from me. I bet he won’t skip your wedding.”

A mischievous glint appeared in Estelle’s eyes. “How about I make him one of Jonathan’s groomsmen?”

Norah stared at her, then burst out laughing. “Do you think he’d agree?”

Estelle gave her a reassuring look. “Leave it to me. I have my ways of handling him.”

“Then I’m counting on you!” Norah said with a cunning smile.

They high-fived, cheerfully sealing Xavier Flemmings’s fate as a groomsman.

Charlie sighed knowingly. “Is this devotion contagious? I’m starting to think I caught it from you.”

Jonathan clinked his glass against Charlie’s. “Don’t doubt yourself. You’ve always been a romantic. It was just a recessive gene that’s finally decided to express itself.”

As Estelle walked out, she wondered who could be looking for her. She followed the waiter down the corridor to an open lounge area and was surprised to see Bennett Macclain and Simone Macclain. She hadn't seen or heard from them in so long that she had almost forgotten they existed.

The waiter excused himself. Bennett stood up immediately, a simple, honest smile on his face. “Estelle.”

Simone also rose, her expression awkward. She avoided Estelle’s gaze.