Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 32

Chapter 32

With Sierra and Ryan at the dinner table, there was no chance of a lull in the conversation, Ryan talked animatedly, and Sierra never let his words hang

in the alr

The gloom that had clung to Aubrey for ten days now slowly began to lift. She ate her meal quietly, listening to Ryan recount details of his business trip. She couldn’t help but wonder if Damon was doing the same, working tirelessly on critical assignments, as exhausted as Ryan described. Had he ever truly caught up on sleep?

“It was freezing in Gold City,” Ryan commented, “Luckily, I have a great wife who packed me a ton of warm clothes. Damon, though, he had it rough–the moment he got off the plane, he was shivering from the cold..

Aubrey’s hand, poised over a dish, froze. She looked up nervously at Damon

Damon was looking down at his plane, his face serene, completely at ease.

December in Crestview City isn’t overly cold. One or two warm base layers and a thick coat are usually enough to get through the entire winter

He was currently wearing only a white knit sweater, its sleeves rolled up slightly to reveal strong, toned forearms. His black jacket was draped over the

back of his chair,

Perhaps sensing her gaze, he slowly lifted his head from his phone screen and looked at her.

When her eyes met Damon’s, Aubrey’s heart gave a slight clench. She quickly averted her gaze, picking up a piece of bok choy and looking down to ear,

Sierra chuckled. “Bachelors are just different. No woman around to remind him, he doesn’t check the weather before he travels, and he certainly doesn’t think to pack enough warm clothes.”

Damon gave a faint smile, slowly set his phone down, and picked up his fork to take some fish. “It’s true,” he said casually. “Why don’t you introduce me to someone, Siema?”

Aubrey felt like the greens were suddenly catching in her throat, and she swallowed hard.

Sierra looked surprised. “You’re Damon! You need me to introduce you to girls?”

Damon nodded. “Mm–hm. I do.”

“But isn’t Skylar your girlfriend?”

No, she’s my mom’s best friend’s daughter. Not related by blood, just like a sister,”

“Oh, I see. “Sierra beamed, setting down her fork and clasping her hands on the table, her expression turning serious. “Well, I have so many friends who would love to meet you. What type are you looking for? Southern girl or Northern? Height, looks, personality, job–do you have any specific requirements*

Ethan listened to their conversation, a polite smile plastered on his face, but his eyes were like chips of ice. His hand tightened around his fork as be spoke, his voice deceptively light, “Why limit yourself to just one gender?”

Sierra pointed a finger at him, her voice sharp. “Ethan, don’t you dare get Involved.”

Exhan offered a tight, fake smile, casually picking at his meat.

Damon’s gaze landed on Aubrey.

Everyone followed his gaze to Auliney

Erhan’s jaw rightened

Myan looked puzzled.

Sierra asked, a nervous edge to her sole, “Are you looking for a Southern girl like thes, or are you actually hoping to mend things with free and got back together?”

Aubrey froze, feeling a dozen eyes on her, a trickled sweati

awwat tuning down bei spine. She felt sell conscious, uneary, and thomughly

Why did the conversation have nu num to bet now, when things had been so praeful

She’d barely uttered the single syllable before Daman’s vote cut her all, mailing her

“Any type but Aubrey I’m gen to anything she”

Aubrey’s heart gave a painful lurch It was the answer she’d sulu uns iously craved, yet it landed with

< Chapter 32

her chest.

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Ryan was the most excited. “Damon, I have a cousin who just graduated college this year! How about I set you two up and we become family?”

Sierra chimed in, just as enthusiastic. Your cousin isn’t exactly a supermodel. Damon, I have a friend–she’s a civil servant, both her parents are teachers, she’s gorgeous, has a great figure, and she’s only a year younger than you. Perfect, no age gap there.”

Ethan slung an arm around Damon’s shoulders. “So eager to find a girlfriend? Want me to set you up?

Damon brushed Ethan Sterling’s hand away. “Either option works,” he said, sounding completely nonchalant. “While I’m off for the next couple of days, just set me up. I’ll meet them.”

Ryan happily picked up his phone, texting as he asked, “Are your parents giving you some kind of marriage ultimatum? Why the sudden rush to go on

Damon gave a wry smile. “It’s nothing.” he said, “Just seeing how in love you and your wife are…I’m actually pretty envious”

Sierra and Ryan exchanged smiles.

Aubrey felt like an outsider, trapped in a deep freeze.

She didn’t want to say a word.

She suddenly lost her appetite.

Damon actively looking for dates right in front of her felt like salt being rubbed into an open wound, the agony ripping her apart.

She

e just couldn’t be with him, but that didn’t mean she didn’t love him.

As long as she didn’t know, even if he were to marry and stam a family, it wouldn’t matter to her.

But he just had to do it all right in front of her.

The heavens must have decided she hadn’t suffered enough, that her penance wasn’t complete. They’d sent Damon specifically to be the death of her.

“Aubrey.”

Damon suddenly called her name.

Aubrey’s heart lurched. She looked up at him, a strange, uneasy tension colling in her gur.

A relaxed smile touched Damon’s handsome face, his demeanor utterly at ease. “Do you have any single female coworkers? You could set me up

Someone

It was Damon, ultimately, who plunged the knife deeper into her heart.

wich

She forced a smile, but it felt stiff and unnatural, a sharp ache pulsating in her chest. She feigned a composure she didn’t feel and shook her head. “No,” she managed.

“Wait, no!” Sierra cut in. “Doesn’t your law firm have that really beautiful woman? She seems to be single!”

Aubrey’s hands clenched onto her thighs, digging her nails in. “She’s ten years Damon’s senior. It wouldn’t be a good match”

Damon cut in. “Age isn’t an issue. I think it’d be a good fr

Aubrey pressed her lips into a bitter line, her gaze fixed on Damon.

His eyes held nothing but genuine sincerity.

Was he truly just looking for a girlfriend through a setup? Or was he already aiming for marriage?

Aubrey asked, “Aren’t you going back to New Haven City with Skylar after Christmas to get married?”

Damon frowned. “Who told you that?”

“Skylar approached me. She played me a voice message from your mather.”

Damon’s expression tightened. A few seconds later, a faint, almost dismissive amile touched his lips. “My family certainly has that idea, but she’s like a sister I grew up with. There’s just no spark. So, yes, I’m hoping to bring a wife home for Christmas”

Aubrey nodded, her gaze falling to pick up her phone,

Her pulse throbbed painfully in her wrist, a sharp ache that pierced straight to her heart.

11.50

< Chapter 32

She opened The Grid and sent her colleague’s contact information to Damon

It was such a simple action.

Yet it felt like it drained the life right out of her. A gloomy, drenching rain began to fall in her heart, soaking her to the core, and she fought desperately to maintain her composure.

She lowered her phone, forcing a tight smile at Damon. Tve sent it over. Good luck”

“Thanks,” Damon said, glancing at The Grid before setting his phone down and picking up his fork to eat.

Damon, I’ve got you set up for tomorrow noon,” Ryan said, lowering his phone and giving Damon’s shoulder a light pat

Damon smiled back. “If it works out, dinner’s on me.”

“You be,” Ryan said, raising his glass. “And you’ll have to call me ‘cousin‘ then”

Damen picked up his teacup and clinked it against Ryan’s

They clinked their glasses and took a sip.

Sierra, equally eager, chimed in, Damon, my friend saw you the other day and she was so into you..

Aubrey felt like she couldn’t breathe. She set down her fork, grabbed her phone, and stood up. “Excuse me,” she murmured, “I just need to use the restroom. You all carry on.”

With those words, she turned and exited the private room.

Sierra vividly described her friend, introducing her to Damon

Damon’s gaze followed Aubrey’s retreating figure. As she disappeared from the private room, the smile on his face solidified, and he offered Sierra a lackluster nod, his interest clearly elsewhere.

Outside the backyard of the Country Inn Retreat

A crescent moon hung in the sky, and the cold wind blew crisp and fresh. The booming chorus of summer insects was gone, replaced by the sparse, slow chirps of only a few stragglers.

Aubrey leaned against the bamboo railing, gazing out at the hazy night.

Her slender figure was bathed in the warm overhead light, a quiet desolation clinging to her, as if she had just emerged from a storm, utterly exhausted..

A complete wreck, she still feigned strength.

She stayed out in the chill for a long time.

When Sierra came out to find her, she followed her back to the private room

After she sat back down, Ryan teased, “Thought you’d fallen into the toilet.”

She offered a faint smile, but said nothing.

Later, she’d lost her appetite and couldn’t eat anything else.

The party soon broke up.

Since Damon hadn’t been drinking, she climbed into the passenger sent of his car.

The car smelled clean and fresh, quiet, but suffocatingly tense.

After Damon got in the car and buckled his seatbelt, he suddenly shoved a package oma Aubrey’s thigh

Aubrey felt a warmils arep through her pants and into her thigh.

She picked it up, looking at it. “What is this”

Damon started the car, gripping the steering wheel Leftover steamed crab buns. It would be a waste to throw it out, so I got it to ga.”

They hadn’t even ordered steamed crali

And besides, how could leftover buns still be an hot?

Aubrey slowly opened the bag and found a clear box inside. The hox held als plump, white steamed buns. The rich aroma of crab hit her instantly

“Seafood doesn’t last overnight, Aubrey. You should eat it now.”

© Chapter 32.

Aubrey hadn’t had much of an appetite earlier, so she’d barely touched her food.

But now, the rich scent of the steamed crab buns made her mouth water, and a pang of hunger hit her.

π text them in your car, it’ll leave a smell. I should just eat them at home.”

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my car all the time? What’s with the

“They’ll taste fishy once they cool down,” Damon said, a casual smile gracing his lips. “Didn’t you used to eat sudden politeness?”

Damon’s words brought a flush to Aubrey’s cheeks.

But things were so different now.

Back then, she’d been his girlfriend, and he’d pampered and indulged her every whim, no matter what.

Now, just being allowed to sit in his passenger seat again was more than she could have asked for.

Damon glanced at her.

She sat, head bowed, clutching the box and lost in thought, showing no sign of eating.

Let me try one,” Damon said.

Aubrey startled, turning her head to meet his gaze.

Damon offered a soft smile. I want one too.”

Aubrey quickly lifted the lid, gently picked one out with her fingers, and offered it to him.

Damon turned his head and took a large bite of the bun

His soft, thin lips brushed against her fingertips.

In that instant, a jolt of electricity shot through her. Her heart hammered, her fingertips trembled, and she immediately pulled her hand back, letting out a shaky breath.

Chewing the bun, Damon frowned, a look of distaste on his face. “This is a bit cold for my taste,” he said dismissively. You should eat it, or we can throw them away.

“Cold?” Aubrey couldn’t believe it. The entire car was filled with the mouth–watering scent of crab, and the buns felt suf’t. They should be delicious

These buns certainly didn’t look cheap; it would be a shame to waste them.

She picked one up and took a bite.

The rich, sweet flavor of the crab roe filled her mouth, and the bun was soft, fragrant, and delicious–a pure delight for her taste buds.

“This is delicious!” Aubrey mumbled around another bite. “And they’re really fresh. It would be such a waste to throw them out

A half smile played on Damon’s lips. “Maybe I’m just full. If you think it’s so good, finish it. Don’t bring that home”

“Okay”

Since she’d already started, there was no point in stopping. Aubrey mumbled a quiet assent, then focused on eating the steamed stab huna

The rat cruised steadily down the road

Just as Aubrey finished the last bus and folded up the packaging, Damon pulled a packet of wet wipes from the glove compartment, and placed them

Aubrey paused, then looked up at him

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