Chapter 972
Chapter 972:
Jeff nodded with a small smile. “Alright.”
Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the news had only scratched the surface. Now that Fernanda seemed completely unbothered, he finally felt at ease.
As they talked about work, his eyes kept drifting toward her, holding a quiet longing.
Fernanda had never been short on admirers. She recognized that look all too well. She had known for some time that he had feelings for her. Back in school, she had noticed it. But because of Sloane, she had never confronted it.
Jeff was a considerate person. Fernanda trusted that he understood her stance and would keep his emotions in check. That was why he had never come right out and said it. He knew she didn’t feel the same way. At most, she saw him as a friend.
Still, emotions weren’t so easy to suppress. He was holding back, even though he knew nothing would come of it. Letting go took time. Feelings didn’t just disappear overnight. He wasn’t there yet.
So, he forced himself to look away, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.
When the conversation shifted to winter break plans, Jeff mentioned that he and Sloane were going on a ski trip up north. He asked if she wanted to come along.
Fernanda shook her head and smiled. “I’m spending the break at my boyfriend’s place.”
Curran had invited her. She intended to dissuade him from setting her up on blind dates and then tell him about her relationship with Cristian.
Jeff looked surprised for a moment, but his expression quickly softened into a knowing smile. “That sounds like a good plan.”
He didn’t ask who her boyfriend was. He figured that when she was ready to share, everyone would know.
A sudden rush of footsteps echoed in the hallway. Fernanda recognized them instantly—Kevin was here.
On his way over, Kevin had been deep in thought. But now that he was standing in front of Fernanda, he had no idea how to begin.
gⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀.𝗰𝗈𝗺 – 𝒶𝒸𝒸𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒
Jeff picked up on the tension right away. He stood from the sofa and stretched. “I’ll go check on Sloane’s training,” he said, giving them space.
Once Jeff left, Fernanda reached for a can of hot coffee and handed it to Kevin with a smile. “Sit down. What brings you here?”
Kevin took the coffee without a word, biting his lip.
The lounge was warm and inviting. The yellow wallpaper, red fabric sofa, and sky-blue table gave the room a cozy charm, making it the kind of place where conversations came easily.
Kevin cracked open the coffee and took a few big gulps, like he was downing a shot of whiskey to steady himself.
Then he looked straight at her and asked the question that had been weighing on him. “Do you hate me?”
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