On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 286

Anthony gave a slight, dismissive nod.

Jessica turned to Rebecca. “You should head back.”

Rebecca nodded and left, casting a few glances back over her shoulder.

Jessica took a deep breath, then turned to Anthony with a smile. “I know I’ve bailed on you twice, but I’d really like to treat you to dinner. I’ll cook myself. Do you have time?”

Anthony’s dark eyes fixed on her.

Her smile was radiant, her eyes sparkling like the brightest stars in the night sky.

He found himself nodding.

“Great,” she said. “I’ll drop you back at your office, then I’ll go pick up some groceries. You can come over to Willowbrook Gardens tonight. How does that sound?”

“Okay,” he agreed.

After buying groceries, Jessica went home and started preparing the meal. She had once been happy to trade her career for a life in the kitchen for Lance, learning to cook elaborate dishes and even earning culinary and nutritionist certifications. She was an excellent cook, but it had been a while, and she felt a little rusty.

Since it was just the two of them, she didn’t make too many dishes. A spread of six, plus a soup, would be plenty. She made garlic steak and lemon-herb chicken—Amy’s favorites, and the dishes she did best. She also made the roasted fish that Lance had always loved. To round it out, she prepared poached shrimp, pasta, a green salad, and put a pot of chicken soup on to simmer.

The soup was still warming on the stove when Anthony arrived. Jessica went to the kitchen to turn off the heat, and he followed her in. “Let me get that.”

She didn’t argue. “The pot is heavy, be careful.”

He did, and it was just as good—tangy and savory, a perfect appetizer. Her cooking was genuinely better than that of many professional chefs.

Jessica poured two glasses of wine. “George, whether you’re George or Anthony, you’re my friend. You’ve helped me more than I can say. This is to you.”

He took the glass, his gaze deep and inscrutable, as if he understood something he didn't want to fully comprehend.

Jessica drank nearly half her glass in one go. “George… I still prefer calling you that. Honestly, without your help, I wouldn’t be where I am today. StreamSphere wouldn’t exist, and neither would the new Rebecca Jones. You’ve been my guardian angel.”

Anthony looked down, a faint smile playing on his lips. He raised his glass and took a sip. “I could be your guardian angel forever.”

He finished speaking and suddenly looked up, watching her intently, waiting for an answer.