The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 56

Just then, Stella walked in, her arms laden with groceries. “Oliver told me what happened today,” she grumbled, kicking off her shoes.

“Did that bastard Jamie give you any trouble? And what happened with Richard?”

Suzie rose from the sofa and walked over to help Stella with the bags. But Stella shot her a warning look, like she was about to scold her.

“Oliver, come get these,” Stella said, handing the bags to him instead.

Seeing her friend's playful stubbornness, Suzie slowly retracted her hands. As she walked back toward the living room, she explained, “I’m fine. Richard just missed me, so he asked Jamie to pick me up. I guess seeing me with another man right after the divorce set him off. That’s why he caused such a scene.”

“Unbalanced? What the hell is going on between him and that Chloe?” Stella’s temper flared. “I’m going to find Jamie tomorrow and make him apologize to Oliver.”

Suzie’s expression turned serious. “Stella, please don’t. I don’t want to get tangled up with him again.”

She couldn’t let Stella go. Knowing her friend’s fiery personality, she would march right up to Jamie and give him a piece of her mind, and Jamie would undoubtedly retaliate.

Sensing Suzie's discomfort, Oliver quickly jumped in. “It was just a fight between men. You don’t hunt someone down for an apology over something like that. It’s my own fault I wasn’t strong enough to beat that guy, Aaron. Let’s just drop it, Stella. Don’t make more trouble for Suzie.”

Hearing Oliver’s plea, Stella rolled her eyes. “Fine. Since the man himself doesn’t care, we’ll let it go. But Oliver, you stay away from Jamie from now on. That bastard is capable of anything.”

With that, she flopped onto the sofa and turned to Suzie. “Oh, by the way, Suzie, no more eating out. It’s not healthy. From now on, I’m in charge of your meals.”

The concern in their voices made Suzie’s throat tighten. On the way back, she had considered telling them what Jamie had said at the hospital. But now, she suddenly felt like she had already caused them too much trouble. If she told them the truth, they would only be consumed with worry and fear.

Oliver replied almost immediately: “His flight lands at noon. I’ll ask him when I pick him up and let you know.”

Suzie sent back an “OK” emoji, put her phone away, and got dressed, planning to go out and buy a more comfortable pair of flat shoes.

But when she opened the front door, she was startled by two towering figures standing right outside.

A bad feeling washed over her, and she instinctively tried to turn back inside.

But one of the men had already blocked her path. “Ms. Sterling? Please come with us.”

Suzie looked up at them, her heart pounding. With their build and demeanor, they looked exactly like professional bodyguards.