Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3257

Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps and laughter broke the spell. Norah jerked back, pressing herself against her chair as she looked toward the noise.

Through the sprawling grapevines, just a few yards away, Geoffrey Lamont and Simon Hanson were strolling down the path.

Her heart pounded frantically against her ribs. She gripped her cup tightly, a knot of nervous anxiety twisting in her stomach. She was still reeling from Gonzalez's intimate touch, terrified of what her grandfather would think if he saw them together like this.

She tried to tell herself it was nothing. They were just talking. What did it matter if they were seen?

Yet, she remained completely frozen, too scared to even breathe.

While her mind raced and the color drained from her face, Gonzalez sat across from her looking completely unbothered. He didn't show the slightest intention of explaining his bold move from a moment ago.

Soon enough, Geoffrey and Simon turned down a different garden path. As their footsteps faded into the distance, Norah quietly let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

"Don't panic. If they saw us, I'd just tell your grandfather I asked you to come over," Gonzalez said, his voice still tinged with a raspy edge.

She glanced up at him. "And what would your excuse be?"

He met her gaze openly. "Friends catching up. Does that need an excuse?"

Norah raised an eyebrow. "Friends?"

He held her stare. "What else? What do you think we are?"

She let out a relieved laugh. "Right. We're friends."

At the same time, a flush of embarrassment hit her for being so flustered and reading too much into things.

Whether as a friend or an older acquaintance, he was just showing he cared. Where was her mind wandering off to?

He had used the word "friend" to brush off the charged moment, not wanting to make her overthink it. Seeing her instantly relax, he couldn't tell if he felt relieved or bitterly disappointed.

Norah took another sip of her drink before looking back at him. "Grandpa Hanson called you earlier. You were clearly home, so why didn't you answer?"

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