Regret Came Too Late

Damien grew even more suspicious, craning his neck to look into the car. "Who

are you texting? We blow up your phone and you never answer us," he grumbled.

Ethan calmly shoved Damien's head out of the way and rolled the window up

without a word.

Undeterred, Damien knocked on the glass. "I'm supposed to meet a few of the

college leaders. Since you're already here, wanna grab dinner later?"

"I don't have time for that," Ethan said flatly.

Damien felt like he had just been punched in the gut. Then why the hell was he

even here?

He turned to leave. But just then, another car pulled up and parked right in front of

Ethan's.

The window rolled down, and there was Grace, flashing a stunning smile as she

waved over at Ethan. "Mr. Henderson, I just booked a place for lunch. Do you

want to join me?" she called.

Ethan's window lowered again. He let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah."

Damien stood there, frozen. He honestly thought he was hallucinating.

At that moment, Damien's assistant, Oliver Cooke, walked over and leaned in.

"Mr. Jensen, we should head out. Your meeting is about to start."

But Damien, without thinking, yanked open Ethan's car door and slid inside. He

waved Oliver off. "Push the meeting back. Tell them something came up."

Then, he turned to Grace, who was still sitting in her car ahead of them.

"Ms. Lambert, hope you don't mind me joining," Damien said with a sly smile.

Grace didn't mind at all. She had just gotten the jump on Damien by snatching

Jasper out from under him, and if staying friendly kept things from getting messy,

she was more than happy to play nice.

Ethan's followed

the mood inside the second car

the second. And Damien, of

himself from stealing glances at him, studying

talk unless he had to. He

a

wasn't until they pulled up outside the restaurant that Damien finally broke

silence.

said you were

and you're suddenly free? Ethan, man, something's up

Once something didn't sit right

wouldn't let it go.

of the car, and

Tim moved to push the wheelchair, and they headed

out his phone to make a call. He dialed

number.

Julian, you ever notice something weird between

keeping his

but it always seemed too crazy

seriously believe.

with his long legs kicked up,

way earlier, but he loved sitting back and watching chaos

Julian

know how to

asked him

and he said

minutes later, Grace asks,

he's free. Now,

watching it with my

eyes."

almost laughed out loud hearing that.

third-wheel Grace and Ethan.

he drawled lazily. "Then you'd better keep a

off."

won't let

he

stared at

slowly shaking his

had clearly gone to a

to finally get

it

ruined.

...