Love's New Bloom by Simone Hastings

Chapter 49 Awkward Encounter

“What?” Erin thought she misheard him.

Her surprise looked like disappointment in Caleb’s eyes. If he had made the right guess, that wouldn’t be her reaction.

He lowered his gaze and said calmly, “It’s nothing. I was just joking.”

“Joking?”

Erin was still a little confused, but Caleb had already changed the topic. “What would you like to eat? I’ve already ordered some food. Have some with me. If you don’t think it’s enough, we can order more.”

Erin shook her head at Caleb, who passed the menu to her. She said, “It’s my treat! You paid for coffee last time.”

Caleb found it hard to accept her way of thinking. He said with a smile, “You don’t have to count down to the penny with me. Do you think I’d be so broke that I can’t afford to buy you a meal? If that’s the case, it would humiliate me as the director!

Erin immediately explained, “Mr. Grant, don’t take this the wrong way! That’s not my intention! I just think that as colleagues, we should pay for ourselves.”

What she said instantly drew a line between them. Caleb’s hand that was picking his glass of water up stiffened in midair. He looked at Erin for a long while, speechless. Naturally, he looked unpleasant. When he came to his senses, he took a sip of water and placed the glass down.

He sighed and said, “You don’t have to reject me so fast. I’ve already said that I’ll wait for you to deal with your relationships.”

Erin didn’t know what else to say. She felt if she were to continue being overly polite with him, it would hurt him, so she merely smiled at

Caleb and remained silent. 1

When the food was served, they ate in silence.

Right at that moment, lan and Tracy exited the booth to pay for their meal. Walking past the open seating area, they noticed Erin and Caleb sitting by the window.

Tracy sneered and said, “lan, look at how desperate Erin is. She has barely divorced you, yet she has already found a new lover.”

At that point, lan could no longer pretend he didn’t see them, even if he wanted to. After all, they were in public, and he didn’t want to get into an argument with Erin. He swept Tracy a cold glance and instantly pried her hands off

suddenly distancing himself from her made Tracy grit her teeth. She knew that what

at that moment. When she saw her ex–husband and his

appetite and placed

looking at Tracy, who was dressed in a revealing outfit. He could not

already guessed who they were. He ignored them

dotingly, “Erin, look at how thin you’ve gotten. Come,

told him that this good–looking man liked Erin! His suppressed anger was instantly raging. He walked

say anything, Caleb stood up and reached his right hand

shook it

From what I can remember, I don’t think she has ever mentioned you,” lan mocked.

looked straight into lan’s eyes and said, “You’ve already said she’s your ex–wife. It’s only normal that you won’t know about her new

come he doesn’t even know you don’t like beef? Turns out your friendship is not quite what it seems.”

a rather awkward smile upon hearing what lan said. Erin was

lan found it no longer interesting. He said, “Have a

him. She was a little angry at him for not

and forced a smile. “I’m sorry you had to witness that.”

said with a guilty tone. “I’m sorry, I don’t

replied, “It’s normal since I’ve never told you. You’ve never asked me

to suppress his excitement and asked her seriously.

eager face with hesitation. Since she had indeed gotten divorced from

nodded.

caused Caleb to grab her hand. “Congratulations!” he said excitedly. “You’re free! Erin, please don’t reject me. Say

please?”

by Caleb’s sudden

and he witnessed the entire scene. He was walking

a lakeout box in his

He thought that since Erin had already become Mr. Frost’s woman, how could she still be involved with Caleb? He