Stand Me Up? I'll Marry His Billionaire Uncle novel Chapter 23

Sunny never expected to run into Stellan at the nursing home.

Today, he'd traded his usual tailored suit for something more casual—a dark gray overcoat draped over a simple, pale gray shirt, the top buttons undone just enough to reveal his sculpted collarbone. Beneath that, the faint outline of his abs showed through, giving him a roguish, almost carefree air.

"Uncle Stellan?"

He approached with unhurried, measured steps, exuding the kind of calm confidence that made it impossible to look away. "Mrs. Lawson, I just got back into the country a few days ago and wanted to see how you were doing."

Stellan had been a late-in-life child for his mother, and the toll of bearing him at such an advanced age had left her weak—she passed away young, not even fifty. Sunny's grandmother, Wendy, had held Stellan as a newborn.

"Well, well, Stellan! I can hardly believe how much you've grown. Your mother would have been so proud of you—she always was."

A faint lift of Stellan's brow, "Thank you, Mrs. Lawson. My mother was very fond of you. I'm here today in her place, to see you."

Wendy beamed at him, her approval unmistakable. If only her own son had half of Stellan's poise, things might have been different.

She turned to her granddaughter, "Sunny, are you still upset about that car incident?"

Sunny's cheeks flushed. "Uncle Stellan, it's not what you think—I wasn't avoiding you."

She'd simply mistaken him for someone else, that was all.

Wendy, noticing her granddaughter's discomfort, quickly stepped in. "Oh, come now. She's not that bold. She just thought it was Tristan coming. Didn't expect it was you, Stellan!"

A barely-there smile tugged at Stellan's lips. "I see."

They chatted a while longer before Wendy, tiring, patted her granddaughter's hand. "Go on, Sunny. Why don't you head back with Stellan?"

Sunny hesitated, reluctant to leave. "Grandma, I'll come visit again in a couple days."

"Good girl. Don't worry about coming too often—I know you care. Just look after yourself."

Sunny walked Stellan to the entrance, then excused herself, claiming she needed to speak with the director.

Stellan's eyes narrowed with a hint of amusement as he watched her hurry off—she's quick on her feet, he thought.

Afterwards, Sunny added the deputy director's contact info to her phone and updated her grandma's emergency contact to her own number.

As soon as she ended the call, Sunny phoned Xander, explained the situation, and only then remembered she wasn't alone in the car.

She glanced sideways. "Uncle Stellan, where did you say you were headed?"

He gave her an address.

"Sunny, have you and Tristan had an argument lately?"

Her voice was calm, almost indifferent. "Something like that."

She wasn't about to badmouth Tristan in front of his own uncle.

Something like that?

Stellan studied her expression, searching for a crack in her composure. He found none.

Sunny was eager to change the subject. "So, Uncle Stellan, how long are you planning to stay this time?"