You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 644

“I never really understood when people said pets start to look like their owners, but now I totally get it. Just look at Jackson when he’s with you and then Aiden with Oliver. They’re like night and day, aren’t they?”

“It’s all about the environment,” Chelsea said, deadpan as ever.

Aiden’s idea was shot down—Chelsea only had a window from seven-thirty to nine-thirty tonight. She had to be back by ten for her group meeting. Even getting dinner nearby felt like a rare gift from her boss. This little break was paid for with endless overtime.

The hot pot was bubbling away, the broth fragrant and spicy. Patricia was busy mixing her dipping sauce, piling in sesame paste, chili oil, and way too much garlic.

Chelsea dipped a slice of beef, swirling it in the pot. “Do you remember what our childhood dream was?” she asked.

“To open a hot pot restaurant,” Patricia replied, grinning.

It was a dream from when they were seven or eight—something that felt like it belonged to another lifetime.

Their first hot pot experience was with Atticus. They both ended up with major stomachaches, racing to the bathroom all night and eventually landing in the hospital. Even then, they wouldn’t stop raving about how good it was.

When their grandma came home and found out, she chewed Atticus out like there was no tomorrow. He was drowning in guilt, only to hear the two girls already scheming their next hot pot adventure. Suddenly, his guilt didn’t seem to matter.

“Looking back, those childhood dreams feel so small now,” Chelsea said.

The place was packed, filled with college students and the sound of nonstop chatter. It was cheap and close to campus, so people were lining up at the door.

Chelsea checked the time, put down her chopsticks, and started getting ready. If they left by nine-fifteen, she’d have just enough time to get back to the lab.

Patricia paid the bill and they headed out. Chelsea linked arms with her as they made their way to the entrance. She pushed aside the heavy curtain just as someone came in from the other side and they nearly crashed into each other.

The guy reacted fast, grabbing Patricia’s arm to steady her.

“Sorry, are you okay?”

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