Everyone was slack-jawed with amazement.
Just a kiss?
Was it really necessary to chase after Leopold for 15 years just because of a peck on the lips?
This woman was really something!
"Explain, my foot! My BFF told me a kiss is as good as hitting the hay, and you even held me close, swearing you'd marry me when we grew up! Are you even a man? Can't remember your promises?" Griffin fumed, her anger mounting by the second.
That was her first kiss.
And she had held onto it for 23 years, waiting for Leopold to step up and take responsibility.
But this guy!
He was flat-out denying it!
Leopold was hopping mad, "Which of your BFFs said that? Bring her here. I'll give her a piece of my mind! Responsible for a kiss? If that's the case, considering the number of women I've kissed, should I marry them all?"
"Ptooey! Have I lost my mind? Why did I say 'the number of women I've kissed'? I've only ever kissed Griffin!" He thought.
And it was that very kiss that had sparked a decade and a half of pursuit, leaving him so terrified that he dared not even think of romance.
"You dared to kiss someone else?" Griffin's face turned a shade of jealous green.
Leopold opened his mouth to explain, but Griffin turned her back, clinging to Vivienne's legs and wailing, "Vivienne, look at this scoundrel! Not only does he refuse to take responsibility for me, but he's also messing around with other women. My life is so miserable, truly unbearable."
Vivienne rubbed her temples as Griffin's ranting gave her a headache.
She grabbed Leopold, swiftly healed his previously dislocated arm amid his cries of surprise, and then shoved him toward Griffin.
said dismissively, her eyes rolling
on the verge of tears. "Vivienne, it really isn't how she's making it
Vivienne's gaze sharpened, "So you think you
had never been in a
had
in her dictionary,
the responsibility would
nodded vigorously. "Exactly, you've got to
so reasonable! A real problem solver!" She thanked
at a loss
had known it would come to this, I would
that he was only ten at the time, and Griffin was a cute seven-year-old,
the kiss, he had earnestly promised, "Don't worry, I'll marry you when we grow
that this whole situation was Percival's doing. Thus, there was no way he would speak up
play; it's supposed to last a lifetime. We can't just rush into it because of something that happened when we were kids, can we?"
a
plagued with hostility. If they
neither did Vivienne. She said, "Sort it out
darkened as she turned to Leopold. "Don't
at her icy tone.
hurriedly whisked Griffin
them leave, then settled back in her chair. "Let's
"Sure."
was still recovering from
on Percival, her eyebrows lifting. "Mr. Wolf,
lips curled slightly. "Breaking ties with me is not
did not know
she felt a twinge of sympathy
Leopold returned to
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FcT4pYuYUeX4iETene6EC1vrLxKAJMGs6FqtCR24rXifVGHgbxE6EU1igdiS6d5LMT4W9clCn0Qozr96I7E4etOOt8k=
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