COMMENT
Chapter 35
Tm glad you’ve been staying home more lately than in the apartment, Grandpa Kent said. “That’s great
I glanced at Noah, making a fare, which he responded to with a mischievous wink when my grandfather wasn’t looking.
“You’ve been traveling a lot more lately, Dad, and it’s been easier for me to get out of here and come back, while I’m still helping Leo with the hospital project, Noah replied in a light tor
“Yeah, yeah, I’m glad you’re taking good care of my granddaughter Grandpa Kent said. “And, honey, how are the preparations for the hospital opening going? Are you having any trouble?”
1 shook my head. “So far, everything’s still under control, Grandpa,” I said. “Jayden’s been helping me with the advertising. too, even though he’s not here.
“Dad, I think it’s time you talked to Jayden about his wedding plans with Grace, Noah said, interrupting. “I think they’re getting serious now, so there’s no need to wait any longer.
“You’re right.” Grandpa Kent said, nodding. “You go talk to him.”
“Hm? Why me? Noah asked while pointing at his own chest.
“You’re his uncle and things like this would be better discussed with someone on the same level as a father rather than a grandfather, Grandpa Kent replied casually.
almost choked on the orange I was chewing, hearing my grandfather’s words. Gosh, the age gap between me and Jayden and Noah is not even ten years. How can he be on the same level as our father?
Noah seemed to notice my attitude and he grinned awkwardly,
“Yeah, I’ll talk to him later.” Noah said. “I think I should take-
“Good morning, a loud shout was heard entering the dining room.
Jayden entered with his cheerful face. He was wearing casual clothes and dragging a suitcase. My eyebrows automatically raised. I rarely saw Jayden lately. He mostly stayed at Grace’s place and only came home occasionally, and even then only for a short time.
Jayden, are you going somewhere?” I asked while pointing at the suitcase.
“Hi, twin,” Jayden greeted while kissing the top of my head. He then hugged grandpa Kent and Noah, before sitting next to Noah. “Hi, grandpa. Hi, dad.”
Noah snorted and glanced at me.
“A vacation, while accompanying Grace. She has a job in Honolulu and the committee that hired her provides accommodation for couples, Jayden replied casually. He took a slice of bread and smeared it with homemade pineapple
jam.
“Jay, I think you’ve been leaving your company too often lately, just to accompany Grace everywhere, Noah said in a serious
tone.
“Oh come on, dad, I’m still working even though I don’t come to the office,” Jayden replied lightly.
“Tsk! Don’t call me that. People will think, how old am I getting married when my child is as big as you.” Noah grumbled while pouting, “Five years?”
Jayden laughed. “You’re my grandpa’s son, just think of you as my father’s younger brother, so since my father has passed
Chapter 5
away, you are my fatherton
“Noah is right, Jayden,” said grandpa Keni interceding. “If you’re so afraid of leaving Grace alone, why don’t you guys get married soon? You’re staying at her place too much now, aren’t ya?”
Jayden stopped spreading jam on his toust and his face looked a little anxious.
“Grace doesn’t want to get married yet. She said, her career is good right now and she doesn’t want to miss the opportunity,” Jayden said slowly.
Noah and I exchanged glances secretly. Why did I catch a hint of irritation in Jayden’s voice?
“Jayden, are you sure, that’s the only reason? Grandpa Kent asked with a raised eyebrow. “Have you guys talked it over properly?”
Jayden nodded and after that no one talked about it anymore. There was something invisible that seemed to prevent us from discussing it further,
Noah and I then said goodbye to Grandpa Kent to go to the hospital after breakfast, while Jayden went up to his room to pack his clothes.
“What happened to them,” I muttered, asking myself more, on the way.
Noah turned to me. “Jayden and Grace?”
“Yeah, I thought, when we first came home, Jayden and Grace had been engaged for quite some time.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” Noah said, still looking straight ahead. “That’s why it makes sense to me that your grandfather would bring it up.”
“Do you think Jayden follows Grace around because he’s worried something might happen?” I asked carefully.
Noah didn’t answer, but from his deep breath, I could tell he was thinking the same thing as me.
“Baby, I have to go to the office now,” Noah said as the car approached the hospital area. “I’ll join you for lunch. How about it?”
“Sure, that’s fine,” I said quickly. “Don’t let your work at the hospital make you neglect your main job, Noah. I don’t want to be a burden to you.”
Noah turned his head and his eyebrows furrowed. “Don’t say that. You were never a burden to me at all.”
I grabbed Noah’s hand and held it tightly. “Hey, don’t be upset. Ididn’t mean to upset you.”
Noah sighed and unexpectedly, he drove slowly and pulled the car to the side of the road, then stopped the car.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed both of my hands. “Tell me, baby, do you think I’m too old to be your boyfriend?”
“Hm?” I said confused. “Why do you say that?”
“Sometimes Jayden calls me dad or uncle and so far, it never bothered me at all. But, why do I feel upset fearing those calls now.” Noah said in a serious tone.
I wanted to laugh seeing Noah’s handsome face pout, but when I looked into his eyes, I knew that he was serious about what
he felt.
“Dad should have adopted me as his grandson, not his son,” Noah mumbled again. “We’re only five or six years apart in age. I released my hand from Noah’s grip and cupped
his cheek.
20:30 Tue, Dec 10
Chapter 35
I “Hey, handsome, that’s not something you need to worry about said in the gentlest tone possible. It’s just a status on paper. I don’t care about that, even if we’re ten or twenty years apart in age,”
He
Noah cupped my hands that were on his cheeks. 1le leaned his face toward me and kissed my lips very carefully
After the kiss in the movie theater a week ago, we hadn’t kissed again. Noal was very careful and he tended to be a bit cold
when we were at home.
The kiss was soft and sweet, like a kiss between high school teenagers who had just started dating. Noah kissed the surface of my lips slowly, as if he was afraid that if he was too hard, I would break like a porcelain vase.
I closed my eyes, feeling embarrassed to look into Noal’s eyes and my lips moved to his rhythm. We were both learning adjusting to the situation and to each other.
When Noah took a sip of my lower lip, I reflexively grabbed his upper lip and nibbled it gently
Apparently that moved Noah. He licked the surface of my lips and his tongue moved, asking me to open my mouth.
I groaned softly when I felt Noah’s hand move down from my cheek, to my waist and he squeezed gently there.
Noah’s tongue entered my mouth and he moved, tracing my gums and teeth slowly, as if trying to remember the shape and texture of my mouth. He even rubbed the roof and sides of my mouth diligently, before his tongue reached mine and invited me to dance.
I felt a thousand butterflies flapping their wings together in my stomach and unconsciously my hands moved around his
neck
It was the softest and sweetest kiss I had ever felt in my entire life, I had never even felt a kiss like that with Peter when I was still married and we were still fine.
“Ah!”
I let go suddenly, feeling very guilty towards Noah, because suddenly memories of Peter crossed my head. Oh, stupid. Why did I have to remember Peter while I was kissing Noah.
Noah looked surprised to see my reaction. He looked at me with worried eyes.
“Baby, what’s wrong? Did I… Overdo it?”
“No, no,” I said quickly. “I’m sorry, but I just realized that we’re on the side of the road and the hospital is just a few meters ahead. I’m afraid that some workers will see us and start some unpleasant gossip.”
“Ah, I see. My bad,” Noah said in a relieved tone. He wiped my lips with his thumb. “Being near you, seeing you every day. and hearing your voice every moment, but not being able to touch you, makes me tortured.”
“Hm? You mean–
“At home. Your grandfather keeps hanging around us and that damn CCTV. I regret installing all those cameras for him baci
then!”
I looked at Noah who was grumbling and my laughter burst out seeing him pouting like a little kid.
