Love the Second Time Around

Chapter 144 Always Thinking of Him

I gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Uncle Frank. Dominic won’t be drinking. I’ll get him some juice later.”

Uncle Frank frowned. “I don’t blame you for not knowing your liquor, Lili, but this whiskey here is the good stuff. I specially bought it for this occasion. And you know it’s a family tradition for us men to toast each other at the family gathering.”

I tried to let Uncle Frank down easy. “I’m so sorry, but he really—”

Grandfather harrumphed loudly. “Lili, don’t coddle him. If he wants to drink, drink. If he doesn’t want to, he should say it himself rather than hiding behind his girlfriend.”

“Grandpa…” I pouted.

Dominic’s hand covered mine, taking it off the glass. “I’m fine.” He gave me a reassuring squeeze before addressing Uncle Frank. “I’ll have a glass, thank you.”

“Now we’re talking.” Pleased, the latter filled more than half the glass. “There you go.”

When Uncle Frank moved on to his next target, I elbowed Dominic in his ribs. “Did you forget about what happened the last time?” I hissed in annoyance. “We’re in the countryside. It’s a long way to a hospital if you get alcohol poisoning again.”

Although we did have the local doctor, a proper hospital would be quite out of the way.

Dominic’s expression was calm. “I know what I’m doing.”

As if! Internally, I was throwing my hands up in chagrin. If that were true, you wouldn’t have been hospitalized in the first place, nor would Benjamin and Yvonne tell me you’d nearly drunk yourself into an early grave.

Unable to resist, I pinched his leg under the table. “Just this one glass, okay?” I said warningly. “No seconds.”

He smirked. “Are you henpecking me?”

I am?” I glared at him, peeved by his devil-may-care

Gianna looked at us teasingly. “What sweet nothings are you two whispering? Keep your pillow

flushed. In retrospect, Dominic and I did act like quite a

enough talking, more eating,” Grandfather

There was one thing Uncle Frank was right about—it was in fact a tradition in this household for

in the day, when his health was better, he used to have a

dad, on the other hand, was a social

Grandfather had a heart bypass surgery some time ago, the doctor had told him to cut back on liquor,

to indulge in his drinks during special occasions where our family gathered

Grandfather was currently imbibing had me frown in concern. It’s true that it’s a special occasion, and he could cut loose a little… But he has

Drink something non-alcoholic, okay?” I passed him a glass of juice and raised my

Okay, okay. I promise I’ll stop

looked at Dominic as if

He was hospitalized

eyes of someone like my grandfather, who used to guzzle booze as

instead found something else to pick on the latter—more specifically, that he had too weak a stomach and ought to exercise

amicably in response to Grandfather’s chiding before promising that he would exercise to be stronger so

said the last part, he looked at me

was an innuendo dawned. I turned away, cheeks burning. He’d better not put in any more hours in the gym! If

persistent attempt to stop Dominic from drinking as a sign of how much I cared about him. Aunt Vivienne, in particular, joked that I was always thinking of

laughed good-naturedly

pleasant atmosphere lasted for the rest of the

after dinner, Grandfather retired to his room, but not before telling Dominic very sternly that the latter