The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 45

She didn't need to look up at his face to know it was Jamie.

*What now? Where's your new woman?* she thought. *Did you ditch Chloe just to come here and humiliate me?*

Suzie's brow furrowed. Pretending not to see him, she kept her head down and continued to eat.

"Is this place even fit for human consumption?" Jamie's voice, not loud but not quiet either, cut through the air.

Suzie's grip tightened on her spoon. She paused for a second, then resumed eating without a word. Was this a question a human would even ask?

She wished he would just say it a little louder and provoke the anger of all the common folk in the restaurant. She'd love to see how he'd handle that.

Her gaze still lowered, she saw his knuckles tap against the tabletop. "You're coming with me to the hospital to see my grandfather. He hasn't been doing well the last couple of days."

Suzie hadn't planned on acknowledging him, but the mention of Richard's health made her head snap up. "What happened to him?! Last time, the doctor said he just needed to rest and he'd be able to leave the hospital!"

As she looked up, her anxious eyes met his calm, composed gaze. But she didn't shrink away or look down. She was too worried about Richard to care. He was the only person from that life she still truly cared about.

Without another thought, she called out to the owner to pay her bill.

"Hello, that'll be 6 dollars"

The owner shot another resentful look at Jamie before walking away.

Suzie glanced at Jamie's ever-shifting expression. Should she feel sorry for him? Getting chewed out by the owner of a small diner was probably a first.

She cleared her throat, her voice dripping with cool sarcasm. "My sincerest apologies. My poverty seems to have rubbed off on your noble self. Why don't you head to the hospital first? I'll take a cab over to see Richard as soon as I've paid."

If it hadn't been for her, he probably would have gone his entire life without ever stepping foot in a place like this. After all, men like him were born into privilege, and with his own innate talents, he walked through life radiating an aura of superiority.

Still, she was genuinely surprised he had let the owner off so easily after she had insulted him. It was an unexpected turn.