The Captain I Married by Chance novel Chapter 283

"Our Captain is really in high spirits tonight. Throwing around a treat to The Southlake like it's no big deal."

The group piled out of their cars at the restaurant's entrance, laughing and chatting.

The Southlake was one of the most exclusive dining spots in Luminport City, where a single meal could easily cost hundreds of dollars per person. While the team felt a twinge of sympathy for their captain's wallet, they didn't hold back on the merciless teasing.

"Hey, you'd be celebrating too if you finally locked down the girl of your dreams."

"Man, if I managed to marry the love of my life, forget The Southlake—I'd take you all out to Regent's Court!"

"Ooh! You all heard that! A table at Regent's Court starts in the thousands, so count me in! Tell us your type right now, buddy. We'll set you up with the perfect match, even if we just have to do it for a free dinner!"

"Get out of here! I've already decided to dedicate my entire life to my beloved career. I'm never getting married!"

"Give me a break. You're just too cheap to treat us to Regent's Court!"

The detective wasn't annoyed that his bluff had been called. He just grinned and shot back, "If you're so generous, why don't you pay for it?"

"Tsk, it's all fun and games until you actually have to pull out your credit card."

Listening to their endless banter, Nora reached out and tugged lightly on Nathan's sleeve.

"Does anyone at the precinct actually know your real background?"

Nathan nodded. "Mr. Adams knows."

A flash of worry crossed Nora's face. "If we invite everyone to the wedding, isn't that going to blow your cover?"

A wedding hosted by the Peyton family would be nothing short of a massive, opulent affair. The members of the Special Task Force were highly observant detectives; if they saw that kind of extravagant setup, they would immediately figure out Nathan's true status.

"So what?"

Nathan said casually. "It's not like I've ever actively tried to hide it."

"Never tried to hide it?"

Nora raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

"Remember that car I told you was in the shop for maintenance?"

"Yeah, I remember."

Nathan cleared his throat, feeling slightly awkward under the praise. "Just go on ahead."

He gave Nora's hand a reassuring squeeze. "You go in with them. I need to give Grandpa a quick call and have him start getting the invitations ready."

Nora nodded in agreement.

The task force piled into the lavish private dining room and quickly ordered a massive spread.

Nora glanced over the selections, tacked on a few appetizers and hot drinks, and handed the menu back to the waiter.

The moment the door clicked shut behind the staff, every detective at the table zeroed in on Nora, their faces practically glowing with unbridled curiosity.

"Alright, Dr. Hayes, spill it. How did you and Nathan actually meet?"

Since Nathan confessed to having a crush on her for years, they obviously hadn't met at the precinct.

Faced with a table full of eager, gossiping faces, Nora let out a helpless laugh. "So that's why you cornered me! Why didn't you grill the Captain about this outside?"

"Because a man's perspective and a woman's perspective are completely different! We want to hear the juicy details from you first, and then we'll interrogate the Captain later. We're getting the dual-POV childhood-crush-to-lovers trope in real life—it's double the entertainment!"