Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 1065

“I’m here for work, so I didn’t reach out,” Dennis said, his voice calm and quiet compared to Byron’s energetic welcome.

Byron, clearly used to Dennis being reserved, just grinned and asked, “Work, huh? Anything I can help with?”

Then he finally seemed to notice Camila standing next to Dennis. His eyes went wide. “And who is this gorgeous lady?”

Dennis glanced at Camila, his expression softening. “This is my fiancée, Camila Davis.”

Byron looked like he’d just seen a UFO land in his backyard. He blinked a few times, then actually put a finger in his ear as if he needed to clear it out. “Wait, what? Say that again!”

He’d known Dennis for years and had always thought of him as the cool, distant type, not someone interested in romance. The idea of Dennis having a fiancée seemed totally wild.

“Byron, you’re way too loud,” Dennis said, clearly exasperated by his friend’s booming voice. He almost wanted to throw Byron out, but then he saw Byron’s pregnant wife and decided to hold back. He turned to her with a small smile. “You have my sympathy for dealing with his noise every day. Please, have a seat.”

Byron’s wife, Vivien, was the gentle type. She looked a little embarrassed by her husband’s antics and quickly apologized. “Sorry, Dennis. Don’t mind Byron, he’s just really happy you’re in Kaston. He wanted to catch up, maybe have a meal together.”

She offered Camila a kind smile. “I hope Byron didn’t scare you off, Camila.”

Camila shook her head. “Not at all.” She noticed Vivien’s baby bump and her eyes lit up with curiosity. “How far along are you?”

“We never really got the chance before, but now that you’re here, you have to let me treat you to dinner. Remember how we always said we’d have a drink together? I’ve got a whole cellar of wine just waiting for this day.”

Spending an evening drinking with Byron wasn’t exactly Dennis’s idea of fun, not when he could be alone with Camila. Still, this was Byron’s turf, and after what happened the night before, Dennis figured it was smart to stay on good terms.

“Alright. You pick the time,” Dennis agreed.

With Byron in the room, there was never a dull moment. He had a story for every occasion, talking about everything from the day he first met Dennis to all the changes Kaston had seen over the years. The conversation flowed easily, filling the room with laughter and memories.