You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 375

After dinner on the fifth day of the new year, everyone packed up and headed back to Riverdale. Grandma stayed behind in Springfield.

Right before they left, Patricia hugged Grandma tight, her tears spilling over, her eyes red and puffy like a little bunny. Grandma just laughed, gently brushing away Patricia’s tears with her rough hands. “Come on, don’t cry, sweetheart. Be good.”

“Grandma, come with us,” Patricia begged.

Grandma just shook her head and smiled. “Not yet. You go handle your business first. Once everything’s settled, I’ll come back. If I go now, you’ll just worry about taking care of me instead.”

“Promise me,” she added.

Patricia nodded, her face serious. “I’ll be quick. Six months, tops.”

Six months. By then, Emerson and the Newton family would be finished.

As the private jet lifted off, Patricia’s anxiety came rushing back. She’d finally managed to relax for a few days, but now her nerves were wound tight all over again.

Springfield was all sunshine and blue skies. In Riverdale though, the New Year’s holiday was nothing but endless rain.

After splitting with Theo, Nina decided it was time for a fresh start. Zoey had introduced her to a PhD student—not as impressive as Theo, maybe, but he had something Theo never gave her: stability. Since the second day of the new year, they’d been seeing each other a lot. By the morning of the fifth, they’d already planned another date.

Nina had just finished getting dressed and came downstairs when Joseph walked out of the dining room, holding his usual black coffee.

“Heading out again? You’ve been so busy lately. What’s up?” he asked.

Nina handed her mug to the housekeeper, asking for a coffee to go. “What could I possibly be up to? Just dating, that’s all.”

“You’re dating someone? Who?” Joseph sounded surprised.

“A PhD student,” Nina replied.

“What’s his background? What does he do?” Joseph was a little too eager, his questions coming off way too nosy.

Nina shot back, “Same line of work as you.”

“I already ate,” Nina replied.

“It’s just a chill bar. Probably just talking and catching up.”

Since that tense New Year’s dinner, Nina had been on guard with Joseph. She had no interest in hanging out with him.

“I’m not going.”

Joseph turned to their parents, looking helpless. “Mom, Dad, everyone’s saying Nina and I aren’t getting along.”

“Nina, just go with your brother,” Zoey urged. Family drama never looked good, and she didn’t want people gossiping about them.

After enough coaxing from her parents, Nina finally gave in and went with Joseph. It wasn’t until they got to the bar that she realized who was there.

What was supposed to be a casual get-together quickly turned awkward. Joseph kept pushing her toward one guy in particular—a former classmate with similar interests. He was basically playing matchmaker, talking up all the things they had in common, like he was determined to set them up right on the spot.