Nothing Matters, except YOU & Me novel Chapter 679

Having forgotten their surroundings, Leon and Heather were in their own world and were not quick to notice Dave’s approach.

Thus, from their perspective, Dave’s appearance was rather sudden. Warily, Leon eyed his grandfather and tightened his grip around Heather. His cautious stance made his care for her obvious to outsiders.

Holding onto a wine glass, Dave observed the pair with a neutral expression. Leon rarely cared about anything these days, and his actions only made the former more curious about Heather.

From where she was standing, Heather couldn’t see Dave. Nonetheless, she could feel Leon suddenly stiffening and burying her face against his chest.

The strange action made her suspicious and she tried to struggle out of his grip. However, he soon explained his actions. “Stop moving! My grandpa is here,” he said, wanting both to hold her and prevent her coming face to face with his grandfather.

“Let go of me, then,” she whispered to him.

“Trust me,” he answered instead, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

Now that he was closer to them, Dave sensed something wrong. From afar, he had already sensed that something was off and the nearer he got, the stronger that feeling grew.

The more he looked at them, the less he felt like they were a pair. Leon’s love for Heather seemed genuine—Dave could see his care and adoration for her in his eyes. As for how she felt about Leon, Dave had no way of knowing for now.

Knowing Leon’s temper, Dave spoke up first. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to the beautiful lady you’re hugging?”

Even from where she was pressed up against Leon’s chest, Heather could clearly hear how fluent and well-enunciated Dave’s English was. It seemed there was a reason for Leon’s good English after all, and that the patriarch of the family was responsible for ensuring that his children and grandchildren all spoke English to varying degrees.

“She’s not used to such occasions, Grandpa,” Leon told Dave now. All of a sudden, he no longer felt like having Heather put on an act with him.

“You sure know how to tell a joke, Leon. I heard she is a charming, elegant, belle of the ball. She should be used to such occasions.” Frankly, having collected whatever information he could find on her, Dave already had an understanding of her.

“Not here, though,” Leon answered, unrelentingly. By now, he wasn’t even willing to introduce them to the others.

“I fear you’ve yet to grasp the substance of today’s banquet,” Dave answered, his face growing unfriendly. Despite fearing him, his grandson continued to mouth him off. His patience for Leon wasn’t limitless, and he dearly hoped that Leon would grow up soon. The grandson he raised wasn’t one he hoped to see self-destruct.

Meanwhile, Heather was about to suffocate from the lack of air with her face buried in Leon’s chest. Since she desperately wanted to leave his embrace, she squirmed and caused him to loosen his grip slightly. Seizing the opportunity, she wiggled completely out of his grasp.

Very quickly, she was standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Neither acting proud nor in a self-effacing manner, she took Dave in and decided that he looked how she imagined him. He seemed spirited and not at all like he was in poor health.

Following that, she gave him a practiced, polite smile. It was the kind of smile he liked best—distant, well-mannered, but self-respecting at the same time. Already, he was forming a good first impression of her.

“Grandpa.” It was her first time calling someone else’s grandfather that and it made her feel immensely uncomfortable. Nonetheless, remembering her purpose here today, she still said that.

Even Leon was incredibly surprised. After all, she tended to be a finicky person who did not do such things easily. The fact that she was willing to address his grandfather like that meant she was giving the performance her all.

“Young lady.” In response, Dave gave her a kind and amiable smile, but it wasn’t one she would easily be dazzled by.

As he watched them interact, Leon suddenly felt like he had made a big deal out of nothing. He could see how satisfied his grandfather was with her.

Still acting like his girlfriend, she continued, “Leon’s too childish. Please don’t blame him.” She did it so smoothly as if she had done it before.

Happily, Dave smiled. It gave him some odd sense of joy to hear that being said about Leon since it was true; Leon was childish, and it was only a pity that such a talented child could have so many flaws in his personality.

“I’ve long gotten used to him and don’t find it strange at all. If anything, I’m sorry you have to bear the responsibility,” he quipped without hesitation.

Suddenly, Leon felt like he was a preschool child whose teacher was reporting his bad behavior to his parents before they all laughed about it together.

The inexplicable déjà vu left him feeling a little cold. It wasn’t as if he thought his grandfather would hate her, but he never expected them to get along so well that they’d draw closer simply by complaining about him.

Meanwhile, she was offering a modest, tight-lipped smile. Of course she wasn’t solely going to complain about Leon but compliment him as well.