Jonathan kept his cool, “Keep it up and you’ll be the next thing I quit!”
Charlie shrugged, a mock look of terror on his face, “Just sit tight with Estelle, the last two dishes are almost ready!”
Jonathan chuckled, slipped off his blazer, and took a seat next to Estelle, watching her and Kya dive into their desserts.
He noticed a dab of custard on Estelle's lips and reached for a napkin. Leaning in, he carefully wiped it away.
Kya, seeing this, also grabbed a napkin to help clean Estelle’s face while muttering, “Act your age, will ya?”
“Huh?” Estelle paused before realizing Kya was teasing her about being messy, and burst into laughter.
“Want me to snap a pic of your cream mustache?” Estelle shot back playfully.
Kya huffed, “I’m still a kid!”
Estelle retorted, “I’m only 260 months older than you!”
Kya counted on her fingers, but soon got lost, her digits insufficient for the task, leaving her adorably confused.
From the sidelines, Jonathan watched their banter with a suppressed smile, imagining that, one day, his and Estelle's home might be filled with similar scenes.
Emily announced that dinner was ready, and Estelle helped carry the dishes.
Emily grinned, “I made tapioca pudding with strawberries to warm your tummy.”
Estelle laughed softly, “You’re too good to me; I almost hate to leave you to Charlie!”
Charlie piped up from the side, “Don’t even think about it. Even if Emily and I are together, I promise I won’t get jealous over her being nice to you!”
Estelle raised an eyebrow, “You’d better stick to your word!”
“Of course!”
Charlie placed the dishes on the table and called out to Jonathan, “Estelle’s partner, dinner time!”
The room filled with laughter.
Jonathan didn't drink alcohol, so Charlie joined him in toasting with juice, “After Morrison and Ms. Sampson tie the knot, we should all hang out more often.”
Previously, they weren't in the same social circles as Morrison and only crossed paths occasionally for business, not close acquaintances.
But after a recent gathering at the Fairview Hotel, the three of them hit it off.
“Sounds good!” Jonathan agreed, then asked, “Is Josiah James getting hitched too?”
Charlie replied, “Probably by the end of the year. And Andrew’s getting married too. Lots of weddings coming up!”
Emily chimed in, “What about Mr. Foster? He’s been engaged for a while now!”
Charlie raised an eyebrow, “He might have to wait a bit longer. His fiancée’s run into some trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” Estelle inquired, realizing it had been a long time since she last saw Marina Evert.
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