Chapter 478:

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Rosa came over to clear the table. Seeing that both plates were almost empty, her smile brightened. “You two cleaned everything up? Good, no leftovers! Sit a while longer and rest. I’ll bring you some water.”

“No need, thank you,” Joslyn said as she stood. “We should be going.”

“Leaving already? Alright then, come by again sometime!” The woman warmly walked them out to the door.

When it was time to pay, Joslyn swiftly tapped her card before Connor even had a chance to reach for his wallet.

Connor shot her a look, but didn’t object.

The moment they stepped out of the restaurant, the cold wind swept over them again. Still, the warmth from the meal lingered in their bodies, keeping the chill from biting too hard.

𝘚𝗍𝗼𝗿𝘪𝘦𝗌 y𝗈𝘶 𝘄оո’𝘵 𝗉𝘂t 𝗱o𝘸𝗻 o𝗻 𝗴𝘢𝗅ո𝘰v𝖾𝘭𝗌.c𝘰m

They left the noisy alley behind and walked beneath the streetlights, their shadows stretching long, then short, across the pavement.

“Did you always come here with someone?” Connor asked out of nowhere.

Joslyn shook her head. “Most of the time, I came alone. Sometimes with my roommate. Brandon, he came with me a few times, but he didn’t like little places like this. Said they were too loud.”

She said it evenly, without bitterness, and without any trace of missing the past.

Connor kept walking, his face caught between light and shadow beneath the streetlamps. “You have me now. Any place you used to visit during college years, I’ll go there with you.”

“Okay.” Joslyn tipped her head up to look at him, broken light reflecting in her eyes. “It’s just that you’re always so busy. Your free time is precious. I’d rather you rest than spend it following me all over town.”

Connor’s Adam’s apple moved once. He tightened his hold on her hand and tucked their clasped fingers into his coat pocket.

“I may not be young anymore,” he said in a low voice, “but I still have more than enough strength and stamina. You don’t need to worry about that.”

Joslyn nodded, her fingertips lightly brushing across his palm.

By the time they reached the alley entrance, the driver had already finished his meal and was waiting in the car.

After getting in, Joslyn leaned back and watched the streetlights glide by outside the window. Then a thought struck her, and she turned to Connor.

“Your arm, shouldn’t it be time for a follow-up appointment?”

Connor had been resting with his eyes closed. At her words, he opened them and glanced at his left arm, still hanging in the sling. “Yes.”

“When is it?”

“Tomorrow afternoon. That’s when the doctor booked it.”

“I’ll go with you,” Joslyn said at once, without a hint of hesitation.

Connor turned to look at her.

“Don’t you have work tomorrow?” he asked.

“I do, but I can leave early,” she said. “It’d be a hassle for you to go to the hospital alone with your arm like that.”

Connor stayed quiet for a few seconds, and then decided to give Damien the afternoon off tomorrow.

“Alright,” he said.

Joslyn nodded and looked out the window again, already rearranging tomorrow’s work in her mind.

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