Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed novel Chapter 823

Neely followed her in, asking if she needed any help.

The old lady shot him a look. “Even if I did need help, you’d be the last person I’d ask. Tell me, when’s the last time you ever lifted a finger in the kitchen?”

He grinned sheepishly. “Fair enough, I guess. Still, I can keep you company, can’t I?”

She ignored him, her mind elsewhere. “You know, I think this Owen fellow is a real catch. Good-looking, polite, comes from a solid family— the Reynolds are practically royalty around here. Most importantly, they’ve always kept their noses clean. Not a single scandal to their name.”

Neely looked puzzled. “Why are you bringing this up? But yeah, Owen’s a good kid.”

The old lady glanced toward the living room. Her eyesight wasn’t what it used to be, but she could still sense the young man’s grace and steady confidence. Clearly, he was well brought up.

“You think there’s something between him and Anne?”

“Hey, now—don’t go getting ideas. He said himself, he and Anne are friends. Where’s your head at?”

“I’m not imagining things. Friend or not, shouldn’t I look out for our Anne? Someone needs to vet the people around her.”

“She’s not a little girl anymore, Neely. Young folks can make their own friends. We don’t need to meddle in everything.”

“I know, I know. I’m not trying to butt in. Just… can’t I at least have an honest opinion about Owen?”

“Fine, fine. Let’s keep our opinions between us, though. No need to parade them in front of Anne. You’ll just make things awkward for her.”

The old lady couldn’t help but smirk. “Do I look like someone who doesn’t know where to draw the line?”

Neely’s survival instincts kicked in. “…Not at all.”

She suddenly changed the subject. “Hey, have you noticed that Corley seems a bit off tonight?”

Neely frowned. “Really?”

“He hasn’t said a word since he came in, just dived straight into work. He looks disgruntled from head to toe—how can you not see it?”

“Probably just some trouble at the office. What’s the big deal? Men at his age, especially Corley, are supposed to be hustling. If he runs into a few bumps, that’s normal. Don’t worry, he’ll sort himself out.”

“I hope so,” she sighed softly.

—

When dinner was served, the housekeeper brought out the dishes, and Owen Reynolds was surprised to find two of his favorites among them.

The old lady beamed. “Anne mentioned you prefer lighter food, so I whipped up a couple dishes just for you. Hope they’re to your taste—go on, try them!”