Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 291

Chapter 291

A few hours had passed since my conversation with Tori in the library, and now the family was gathered in the living room, chatting calmly while we waited for lunchtime. Elizabeth had prepared a few light appetizers, and Richard played a soft melody on the piano. That’s when Tori walked in with her phone in hand, a slightly annoyed expression on her face.

“Alexandra just texted,” she announced. “She’s going to be late because of the weather, but she said we can have lunch without her.”

I saw the relief flicker across Nate’s eyes before he tried to hide it.

“Then let’s have lunch,” he said immediately, in the tone of someone eager to take advantage of the opportunity to leave before the unwanted guest arrived.

Elizabeth, ever diplomatic, raised an eyebrow.

“Well, maybe we should move our family meal to dinner,” she said thoughtfully. “After all, it wouldn’t be very polite to exclude Tori’s friend, now would it?”

Nate rolled his eyes almost imperceptibly and tried to push back.

“So you’re going to exclude your son and future daughter-in-law?”

“Why?” Oliver cut in, clearly confused. “Weren’t you only leaving tomorrow morning?”

All eyes turned to me, waiting for my answer. I felt the weight of the decision I’d made the night before and took a steadying breath.

“We’re not leaving earlier than planned,” I said firmly, looking straight at Nate.

I could see the mixture of admiration and nerves in his eyes. He knew I was choosing to face Alexandra instead of running, and part of him was clearly worried about what might come of that.

Oliver, blissfully unaware of the tension simmering through the room, clapped his hands once.

“Perfect! How about we call Sarah and grab pizza at The Green Oven?” he suggested enthusiastically. “That way we clear the space for when Tori’s friend arrives, and we finally get to show Annie one of the best places in Bath.

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I blinked at him, surprised.

“Pizza at this hour?” I asked, laughing at the idea. “On December twenty-fifth?”

“The Green Oven never closes. Never!” Oliver explained proudly.

“It’s one of the best things about Bath,” Tori added, and for the first time since our conversation in the library, she spoke directly to me. “They’ve got every flavor you can imagine. And their handmade dough is incredible.”

“That sounds great!” I agreed.

“I’ll go get ready,” she added.

I watched her go upstairs and couldn’t help the little laugh inside my chest. Tori was already perfectly put

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together. Her dark jeans and cashmere sweater made her look like she’d walked out of a magazine, but apparently going to a pizzeria still required additional preparation.

Fifteen minutes later, we were all walking through the streets of Bath on our way to The Green Oven. The snow had stopped falling, but the air was still icy, and I tugged on the scarf Elizabeth had made for me closer around my neck. Tori had come downstairs wearing a long black wool coat that probably cost more than my monthly salary, and Oliver was excitedly explaining how he’d discovered the pizzeria back in his college days.

The pub was exactly what I’d expect from a beloved local spot. It was cozy without being pretentious, with well- worn wooden tables, exposed brick walls, and the irresistible smell of fresh dough baking in a wood-fired oven. It was the kind of place that made you feel instantly at home.

We settled around a round table near one of the windows. Sarah had joined us and immediately started talking about the golden retriever’s puppies.

“She’s such a devoted mom,” she said warmly. “She spends every second arranging the puppies, licking each one to make sure they’re clean and warm.”

“That must be beautiful to watch,” I said, feeling a little tug of nostalgia. “I’ve always wanted a dog.”

“Why don’t you have one?” Oliver asked, genuinely curious.

“We had one when I was a kid,” I said, playing with the edge of my napkin. “A mutt named Bruce that my dad brought home one day. He lived fifteen years with us, and when he died… well, we could never bring ourselves to get another. It felt like nothing could replace him.”

“I completely get that,” Sarah said softly. “But maybe you should think about adopting when you’re ready. Pets change our lives in such special ways.”

“It’s a messy kind of joy,” Oliver added with a grin.

“Better than kids,” Tori said casually, taking a sip of water. “At least the mess is smaller.”

The comment created a beat of silence. My gaze automatically met Nate’s, and I could tell he’d caught it too. There was weight to it-a subtext tied to what he’d overheard me say about kids and the future-but we both looked away quickly, pretending nothing had happened.

The waitress arrived at just the right moment to break the tension, approaching our table with a warm smile.

“Good afternoon! Have you decided, or would you like to hear today’s specials?”

“There are so many options…” I laughed, flipping through the menu, which looked like it had at least fifty different pizza flavors.

“The goat cheese with honey and walnuts is divine,” Sarah suggested, pointing at the menu. “And the pear and gorgonzola one is amazing too.”

“A simple pepperoni is always good…” Oliver said, pausing deliberately while staring right at Nate. “And… artichoke with Sicilian lemon, or Nate will lose his mind. That one’s his favorite.”

The world stopped.

Artichoke with Sicilian lemon.

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