Love the Second Time Around Novel

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.”

The last time, he had drunk himself into a stupor and ended up in a hospital. I would really rather not have him repeat that experience again.

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.”

“Are you henpecking

him, peeved by his devil-may-care attitude when his

sweet nothings are you two whispering? Keep your pillow

and I did act

more eating,” Grandfather said. “Everyone dig

glasses filled the room. There was one thing Uncle Frank was right about—it was in fact a

when his health was better, he used to have a drink at

dad, on the other hand, was a social drinker and only

time ago, the doctor had told him to cut back on liquor, much

was how the tradition was born—Grandfather was allowed to indulge in his drinks during special occasions where our

said, the copious amount of alcohol Grandfather was currently imbibing had me frown in concern. It’s true that

a glass of juice and raised my own by way of

okay. I promise I’ll stop after your boyfriend over there

looked at Dominic as if daring him to

said pleadingly. “Dominic’s not good with alcohol. He was hospitalized one time

in the eyes of someone like my grandfather, who used to guzzle booze as freely as he breathed, being

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

to Grandfather’s chiding before promising that he would exercise

said the last part, he looked at

stared back at him uncomprehendingly for a second before the realization that it was an innuendo dawned. I turned away, cheeks burning. He’d better not put in any more hours in the gym! If his stamina becomes any better

sign of how much I cared about him. Aunt Vivienne,

good-naturedly while

lasted for the

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