The Contracted Ever After (Cordelia and Ronan) novel Chapter 499

During mealtime, Cordelia's arm would graze against Ronan's every now and then. Ronan would glance at her but didn’t seem to mind. From time to time, he would look her way. Sometimes Cordelia would meet his gaze, sometimes she wouldn’t, in a sort of "whatever, deal with it" manner. Ronan chose not to make a fuss.

When the check came, the total was merely $56. Cordelia had a $10 coupon, meaning she only spent a little over $46.

“Hold on, let me find the coupon.” As she said this, Cordelia removed her purse and started rummaging through it.

“Cordelia, you're such a penny-pincher, some best friend you are.” Clearly, Brooklyn was not impressed by the meal Cordelia had treated her to.

“You're not staying here for long. I've covered your accommodation and meals. This meal was just to whet your appetite, and there's a bigger feast tomorrow. Plus, my place only has one bed, a twin size, so it’s a bit of a squeeze. I can book you a room at the college guesthouse, okay?” Cordelia reasoned.

Her words were primarily for Ronan’s benefit.

Could Ronan not pick up on that? It seemed after all these years, she was somewhat resistant to sharing a bed with him. Ronan let out a small scoff, “I remember we've shared a twin bed before, it wasn't an issue.”

It took Cordelia a while to recall that her bed was indeed a twin-sized bed. “Don’t flatter yourself, I wasn't talking about you,” Cordelia retorted.

“But I took it to heart.”

Caught in a bind by Ronan, Cordelia had no choice but to pretend to be seriously looking for the coupon. Suddenly, a business card fell out of her purse.

Ronan took one glance and saw the words. Crown Hotel. This was the only six-star hotel in Birchwood.

Given Cordelia's frugality, Ronan knew she would never stay at such a high-end hotel. Plus, why would she stay at a hotel while she was in school? The only explanation was that someone had come to Birchwood and was staying there. Probably that Eason fellow.