In the Lap of Luxury by Unsweetened Chestnuts

Xander glanced at her after he finished speaking. What he meant was evident enough.

Grace tightened her grip on the seatbelt as she calmly asked, "What did you want to tell me? Was it something that could be done with just a call?"

Xander replied, "You only had Luke with you. I was worried that you might have been forced to drink."

Grace asked, "You were the one who introduced Mr. Thorne to me. Don't you know the kind of person he is?"

Xander answered, "He's a gentleman. He wouldn't make it hard for you."

Grace continued, "Then you still-"

"I wanted to see you."

Xander tilted his head and looked at her as he made it clear. "Would you be able to accept this answer?"

Grace was stunned. She was clearly surprised.

She replied, "We just met yesterday."

"Meeting once isn't enough for some people."

Xander glanced over at the rearview mirror and drove out of the city center. He then slowed the car down and stopped by the roadside.

Grace asked, "Why did you stop the car?"

an accident somewhere further down when I came over earlier. They haven't cleared up the road yet, so I figured we could just wait

was only a pack of cigarettes

his hand to stop him and said, "This is a mild one. You won't be used to

out a cigarette

said, "Light it

was clear and

beat. She took out a lighter

to smoke in Coronia. When did you learn

Pamore. I just learned to smoke on my

cigarette and

she had once been troubled by some people back when she had been married to Benjamin. But none of the Hawkinses had cared about her, not even Benjamin. Needless to say, she couldn't help but feel frustrated.

It was just as Grace had said. It was too mild for him. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ

rolled down half of the window and said,

blaming

what things might have been

Even though the ending wasn't the best, at least I was

even though the Hawkins family and Benjamin looked down on you

down and begged, "Can

it, or do

pressing on. Perhaps the smoke was too

having fun rubbing

not. It's