The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Chapter 85

Chapter 85

I shook my head. "Not yet."

cht up with work and didn't notice the time. I'll make it up to you right now. What do you

Zane apologized at once. "Sorry, I got caught

want for lunch? My treat!"

I did not refuse his offer and suggested, "We could go to the diner on the second floor."

"Don't scrimp on my account." Zane knew Annalise hardly ate within the building and was unlikely to know any good lunch spots, so he brought her to a nearby restaurant.

A waiter came up to our table after we took our seats and handed us a couple of menus. Zane ordered a few signatures and said. congenially, "The food here is different from the one you'd get at the cafeteria. Give it a shot."

"All right," I said with a nod. If the food was as good as Zane said, I would bring Willow here after getting my next paycheck

"Are you planning

sudden interest in

his next words carefully. "Willow would have to stop calling you 'Mommy', lest your new

I didn't agree with him. "True, but don't worry. I don't plan on dating anyone for the time being " Relief flickered across Zane's face. He assumed Annalise meant she wouldn't be dating anyone in the next few years. Having gotten

But i

if Zane had brought up the topic because he wanted to look for a girlfriend. I probed tentatively, "If you think Willow calling me 'Mommy' will get

I liked the little girl too

time before he said,

was a

me a meaningful

the hotter side. It was a shame that Willow's poor gut health meant she couldn't tolerate spice for a

asked Zane, "What's the non-spicy

his head.

on any thought of bringing Willow here. There were plenty of restaurants around. Surely there had to be one Willow

I clicked on the website where my comic was published. The comic wasn't gaining much reads, though that was probably because it was the first story of the series and it had just been published. However, there was a reader who left an enthusiastic and kind comment under the comic. She claimed to

to her, "Thank you for your support! I'll