I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 243

Armed with maximum patience, Luke Lawrence endured a water gun shootout with a six-year-old boy he had just met.

"Your grandson is so sharp and energetic. Truly adorable."

Eleanor Lawrence watched the little boy, reaching out a few times to give him a hug, but alas, the kid was only interested in playing war.

"Luke, look how much your mother loves children. You should hurry up and give her a grandson. It's great that you young people are so driven, but you can't neglect your personal life for the sake of your career. You need to balance both."

"Of course, Mrs. Weaver," Luke replied with a polite smile.

Mrs. Weaver and her husband had brought their grandson to Disney for summer vacation, and Eleanor had absolutely insisted on dragging Luke along to treat them to a meal.

His parents had claimed his father had an eye infection and couldn't drive. Yet, looking at Arthur Lawrence now, the man's eyes were perfectly clear, crinkling with amusement as he watched the kids.

He knew this was just another setup by his parents. Since they couldn't talk him into settling down, they brought him here to experience the so-called joys of family life firsthand.

On the ride back, Eleanor held onto the back of the driver's seat, leaning forward to ask Luke, "Aren't kids just the cutest? A house really comes alive when there's a child around."

"They're too loud," Luke said, furrowing his brow.

"Loud? You were exactly the same when you were six or seven, and your father and I never complained. You just haven't seen what a newborn looks like. They're so soft and precious, they'll completely melt your heart."

"Isn't that Zoe Zeller?" Arthur suddenly chimed in.

Eleanor peered out the window. A white sedan was parked on the shoulder with a red hazard triangle placed behind it. Zoe Zeller was standing at the rear of the car, watching the speeding traffic as she talked on her phone.

"Pull over," Eleanor demanded, patting the back of Luke's seat.

Once Luke parked the car on the shoulder, Eleanor gave him a nudge. "Go see if she needs help. A gentleman should always step up."

If she could date on her son's behalf, she would have sprinted out there herself.

As Luke stepped out of the car, both Eleanor and Arthur twisted around in their seats, peering through the rear window to spy on the interaction.

Luke walked over to the front of the sedan and asked Zoe, "Need a hand?"

Zoe spun around, an instant smile blooming across her face. The glow of the sunset caught the tips of her ears, turning them a rosy hue.

"Hey, it's you! What a coincidence. Do you know how to change a tire? I just called roadside assistance, but they said it'll be an hour before anyone gets here."

Luke nodded and walked to the back of the car.

Zoe crouched down beside a man who was struggling with the car jack. "Zachery, get up. Mr. Lawrence knows how to change a tire."

The man named Zachery stood up, flashing a sheepish grin. "I've never changed one before. I'm really sorry about this."

"Silly."

Zoe's voice was bright and playful, without a hint of annoyance, as she tugged on Zachery's arm to make room for Luke.

At that, Eleanor finally went quiet. She stopped asking about Zoe and dropped the subject of how adorable Mrs. Weaver's grandson was.

That night, as Luke lay in bed scrolling through his phone, he saw a text Zoe had sent half an hour earlier: "You pick the place, you pick the time, and I'll foot the bill. Thank you again for today."

Luke idly tapped on her social media profile. She had posted a photo dump of her day at Disney—some selfies, and a few group shots with the guy who had been with her today.

"Every day should be filled with happiness."

Reading her caption, and looking at Zoe's radiant smile in the photos, the corners of Luke's mouth curled up. How could someone be so endlessly joyful every single day?

"How about next weekend?" Luke replied.

"Sure thing. That works perfectly for me," Zoe texted back almost instantly.

When the day of their date arrived, the weather refused to cooperate, bringing down a heavy sheet of rain.

Zoe was half an hour late. "I am so sorry. I couldn't get a cab to save my life, and the traffic was a nightmare."

"Looks like I picked a terrible time," Luke said, standing up to pull out a chair for her.

"Your friend isn't joining us?" Luke asked as he sat back down.

"Oh... him..." Zoe laughed. "He's my stepbrother. He's a junior in college, just visiting San Francisco for the summer break. He's already off to his next stop."