You Looked Down on Me Once, Now You Look Up. novel Chapter 123

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The next morning, Patricia came downstairs in a black dress that turned every head. The square neckline dipped gracefully, hugging her waist before the skirt flared out just below her knees. With every step, the hem swayed like a mermaid’s tail, making her look both elegant and effortlessly confident.

Colton, sitting right across from the dining room entrance, looked like he’d seen a ghost. He nearly choked on his soy milk, swallowing hard as he stared.

Guess Uncle Oliver’s in for a surprise, he thought.

Oliver caught Colton’s stunned expression and turned to see Patricia making her entrance. The way her dress moved had everyone in the room a little dazzled. Against the black fabric, her fair skin looked even more luminous.

Sara was the first to snap out of it. “Aunt Patricia, you look amazing!”

“How is it even possible to be this gorgeous?”

“You should be a celebrity! Seriously, if you ever go public, I’ll be your biggest fan.”

Oliver set his coffee cup down—just loud enough to get everyone’s attention—then stood up and pulled out a chair for Patricia. She smoothed her skirt, sat down, and smiled. “Thank you.”

“It’s colder today,” Oliver said, almost like a warning.

Sara rolled her eyes. “Come on, it’s still like sixty degrees out. That’s not cold.”

Oliver shot her a look, but Sara just leaned over to Patricia and whispered, not quietly at all, “Don’t mind him. Uncle Oliver acts all stoic, but honestly, he’s just picky. If he says it’s cold, he’s really saying he thinks your dress is too much.”

“These old-school guys never say what they mean. They just want you to guess.”

Patricia glanced at Oliver and noticed the annoyed look on his face as he stared at Sara. She cleared her throat. “I brought a jacket. Marian’s bringing it down soon.”

Under the table, Roger started kicking Sara’s leg, trying to get her to shut up before she said something that would really get them in trouble.

“But honestly, Uncle Oliver’s only flaw is pretending he’s tough. Otherwise, he’s perfect. He’s handsome, fit, rich, responsible—Aunt Patricia, you’ve totally hit the jackpot.”

Patricia couldn’t help but smile at Oliver, then turned to Sara. “You really think so?”