Arrow slid back into his seat and leaned close to Connor, whispering, “What did Noelle want with you?”
Connor glanced warily at Landon before lowering his voice. “She said Zinnia called the police and got her mom arrested.”
“What?” Arrow’s eyes widened, but his voice was even quieter than Connor’s. “Her mom broke the law?”
“Hard to say.” Connor clicked his tongue, then, remembering Zinnia’s involvement, shot another look at Landon, who was still brooding over his drink. “Should we tell Landon about this?”
“What for? You think Landon and Zinnia’s relationship isn’t strained enough already?” Arrow rolled his eyes. “And you should watch yourself, too. Don’t get too chummy with Noelle.”
“I’m not!” Connor sat up straight, indignant. “It’s just that Landon’s always been good to her, so I’m good to her too. It’s loyalty by association, that’s all.”
Connor had looked up to Landon since they were kids. In his eyes, Landon could do no wrong. If Landon cared about Noelle, Connor naturally followed suit. It had nothing to do with Noelle herself; it was all about Landon. He defended himself with a conviction only the naive could muster.
Their conversation, whispered as it was, didn’t escape Chandler, who was sitting close by. He lifted his eyes and gave them both a knowing look. Sometimes the most honest truths came from the mouths of fools.
Yes, it was true—Noelle might have been the spark that set Landon and Zinnia’s marriage ablaze, but at the heart of it, Landon was the real culprit. If he hadn’t handed Noelle the oar, she wouldn’t have been able to stir up such a storm.
“If you ask me, you’d be better off keeping your distance from Noelle,” Chandler said at last. “She’s not half as genuine as your Ruby.”
Connor bristled. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying my girl isn’t good enough?”
Arrow shot his brother-in-law a withering look. “You idiot. You still haven’t figured out that Ruby’s only interested in your money?”
Connor, who’d just been so full of righteous indignation, instantly wilted. But a second later he straightened again, stubborn as ever. “If she’s only after my money, why isn’t she chasing after someone else’s? That proves she likes me for me.”



 Verify captcha to read the content
Verify captcha to read the content
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed