The Heart Left Behind (Cole and Yvonne) novel Chapter 96

Grandma's stubbornness knew no bounds. Her sharp voice echoed behind me as I walked out of the residence. "Find out everything about Lorraine. I want to know what makes her so special that Cole's fixated on her."

She wasn't wrong—I had fought tooth and nail to marry Yvonne back then. And look where that got me. Now, she was hellbent on preventing me from choosing someone who didn't meet her arbitrary standards.

Shaking off the irritation, I pulled out my phone and dialed Lorraine.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.

Her voice came through. It was soft but noticeably steadier than the last time we spoke. "Much better. Thanks for asking."

The Sommerton family had been struggling recently, and I knew the East Harbor land had given them a lifeline. Even if it was temporary, it was enough to untangle the mess for now.

"No need to thank me," I replied.

The conversation fell into a lull. Neither of us said goodbye, but neither of us hung up either. The silence between us felt oddly comforting, like a thread we didn't want to break.

After a moment, her voice broke the quiet. "Have you eaten yet?"

I paused, caught off guard by her tentative question. It wasn't like her to initiate invitations, and I wondered if something was on her mind.

"If you're not busy… would you like to come over? I've made some food."

"Sure," I said immediately. There wasn't a man alive who'd refuse that kind of offer.

Ten minutes later, I was at her door. She opened it quickly, and I couldn't miss the flicker of fatigue she tried to hide with a smile. Her attempts at masking it were futile under my scrutiny.

I wondered if Grandma had visited her, though I didn't voice it.

Instead, I stepped inside, following the warm aroma of home-cooked food. "I didn't know what you liked, so I made a bit of everything," she said, motioning toward the small dining table.

Initially, she had planned to order takeout, but she wanted to take the opportunity to thank me and talk about our relationship.

It was clear she had put effort into it. "Everything looks great," I said, taking my seat. "I'm not picky."

Lorraine nodded but seemed distant. Despite sitting across from me, there was a palpable tension in the air. It felt like she was holding something back, and I wasn't about to let it go unnoticed.

"Our families," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The differences between us. Anyone who looks at us would think… Well, they'd think it doesn't make sense."

Ah, so that was where this was going. I nodded slowly, letting her continue.

"I thought… if I just gave my heart, it would be enough. But the outside pressure is overwhelming," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly.

"So, what are you saying?" I asked, already suspecting where this conversation was headed.

Lorraine looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her eyes were rimmed red, and I pulled a tissue from the box, handing it to her.

"Take your time," I said gently.

She sniffled, clutching the tissue like a lifeline. "I just feel… I don't want to drag you into something messy. You've already done so much for me."

"That's not what's important," I interrupted. "What matters is what you want."