Watching You Burn In Regret novel Chapter 285

Seren looked down, her voice soft. "I love them. Both the roses and the painting."

"I'm glad."

After a moment, she couldn't help but ask, "How did you know I liked this painting?"

Lennon smiled warmly, his voice a low, gentle rumble. "When we went back to Seaside City Academy, I remembered seeing you sketching copies of it many times. I thought you might like it."

It was then that it truly sank in for Seren: Lennon had known her for a very long time. She recalled how he seemed to know all her habits and preferences, and she suddenly realized that he must have been paying very close attention to her.

The thought made her heart skip a beat.

She wanted to ask if he used to have feelings for her, but the question felt too presumptuous. She was afraid his answer wouldn't be the one she wanted, which would either disappoint her or make things awkward between them. She had always been slow to warm up to people, but once she cared about something—or someone—she held on for a very long time.

She knew she was falling for Lennon, and she was nurturing that feeling with great care. More than anything, she feared something might shatter their relationship, leaving them with nothing but silence or, worse, bitter words, just like her and the Bradleys.

Besides, the past was the past. It didn't matter as much as their future.

In the end, she didn't ask. Instead, she arranged his gifts together. In the most prominent spot, she placed the parchment with the words he had written: *To hold your hand, and grow old with you.*

She took a photo and posted it to Twitter with the caption: "The first birthday that's ever felt truly special, all thanks to Mr. Crestwell."

By the time she had showered and gotten ready for bed, it was already one in the morning. Perhaps because of the snow falling outside, the night was exceptionally quiet, with not even the sound of the wind to be heard. She had felt sleepy earlier, and now, clean and refreshed in the warm, silent room, she fell asleep before Lennon even came out of the bathroom.

She answered, and Nadine's voice burst through the phone.

"Seren! Happy birthday! I was working the night shift and thought I could send you a message right at midnight, but we got a critical case at eleven-thirty. I didn't get out of the ER until three in the morning."

"Damn it! I'm always the first one, and of course this year something had to happen. Lennon beat me to it." Nadine's tone was full of mock frustration, but Seren could hear the smile in her voice. She was glad Lennon had been the first. If her own husband hadn't been more on top of it than her best friend, she would have had to give him a serious talking-to. Seeing Seren's Twitter post had been a relief; it seemed Seren had finally found a man worthy of her.

"It's okay," Seren laughed. "There's always next year."

For ten years, without fail, Nadine had always sent her a birthday message at the stroke of midnight.