At the dessert shop in Woodsea, Darnell brought over two bowls of pudding, spilled with maple syrup, filling the air with sweetness.
Darnell sat down on a stone bench, fetched two spoons, and cheerfully said to Tia, “It’s hot today. Thinking that you might not have an appetite for a meal, let’s have two iced coffees. The coffee beans here are pretty good.”
“No money, right?”
Tia bluntly exposed Darnell’s predicament. “If you’re broke, just say so. Don’t use the heat as an excuse. Do you think I’m a fool?”
She had already seen Darnell struggling to gather ten dollars when buying the coffee.
“Do you have to be so harsh?”
Darnell’s cheeks flushed. “Can’t you leave me some dignity?”
Most of his money had been taken by Areli, and he didn’t bring his wallet today, so even scraping together money for coffee was tough.
“Dignity? What dignity do you need?”
Tia looked at the pudding. “Aren’t you already shameless enough?”
Darnell chuckled, “If I were truly shameless, I would’ve kissed you earlier instead of running away. It shows I’m still shy and innocent inside.”
“You disgrace these two words.”
Tia, usually not sharp-tongued, became quick-witted around Darnell. “You’re the most shameless person I know.”
“Tell me, how did you figure out something was wrong with Pablo?”
She threw out a tempting offer. “Convince me, and I’ll treat you to dinner.”
“It’s simple.”
Darnell began slowly, “Pablo is just a weak man who can’t even kill a chicken. If he really owed money to an underworld casino, they wouldn’t need five or six people chasing him all over town. Just two would suffice. Such a large group is a waste of resources.”
“Loan sharks are very cost-conscious, so I deduced that Pablo must have crossed them in some way.”
Darnell took a sip of his coffee, still smiling brightly. “Then I noticed Pablo acting strangely and touching his throat from time to time. It reminded me of the ‘swallowing gold’ trick. When Konnor mentioned losing two gold rings, I took a gamble and slapped Pablo on the back.”
“And jackpot!”
Tia pursed her lips slightly. “I see.” She showed a hint of self-reproach. “I should’ve noticed something was off. How did I get fooled?”
“Those involved often can’t see clearly.”
Darnell smiled reassuringly, “You’re kind-hearted and believe in the good in people. Seeing six men against one old man made you instinctively think they were in the wrong and step in to help him. Even if Pablo was at fault, it should’ve been handled by the police.”
As he spoke, he stirred his coffee and replaced the chipped spoon.
After finishing this task, he placed the coffee in front of Tia. “It’s ready to drink.”
Tia was taken aback by Darnell’s thoughtfulness. She took a sip and found today’s iced latte smoother than usual, with a sweetness that touched her heart.
She suddenly realized it was because of the person in front of her.
At that moment, Tia thought of her mother, who always deboned fish for her.
Different food and different people. However, it gave her the same sense of happiness.
Tia’s nose tingled slightly, but she quickly held back her tears and continued sipping her coffee slowly, cherishing this brief warmth.
Sensing Tia’s emotions, Darnell remained silent and simply finished his coffee with her.
After finishing their drinks, Tia still clung to her cup and looked at Darnell with bright eyes. “I want something more.”
Darnell felt embarrassed and wanted to say he had no money left, but seeing Tia’s expectant gaze, he smiled and ran into the shop again, bringing out another bowl of pudding.
Tia chuckled softly, “Didn’t you say you had no money? Did the owner give it to you on credit?”
“The owner runs a small business. There’s no way they’d give credit.”
Darnell smiled at Tia and said, “I found a cockroach and threatened the owner for it.”
Tia rolled her eyes at him. “Disgusting.”
“Just kidding.”
Darnell patted his pocket. “I pawned my phone. I’ll get it back later when I have money.”
Tia was stunned. “You pawned your phone?”
“No worries. It was out of battery anyway. It got me a bowl of pudding. A great deal for me.”
Darnell grinned widely, “Come on, eat up! If it’s not enough, I’ll get more.”
Tia softly replied, “It’s enough.” She then lowered her head again to savor this fleeting happiness.
“Alright then, since you’ve finished your pudding, let’s postpone that dinner treat.”
Ten minutes later, after Tia finished her jelly, Darnell stretched lazily and said with a smile, “I’m going back for a nap. Got drunk at noon.”
Seeing that she wasn’t in high spirits, Darnell didn’t tease further.
“I came here specifically to find you today,” Tia said softly before Darnell could get up to leave. “It’s important.”
Curious, Darnell sat back down. “Something important? Are you ready to offer yourself to me?”
He glanced around playfully before adding, “You’re David’s person. Are you here for revenge?”
“No.”
Tia’s face remained calm and cool. “I’m hired by the Kemp family to protect David. I’m merely his bodyguard, and I don’t bully people for no reason.”
“The last time I attacked you was because you were too arrogant. I’ve made it clear to David that I’ll never go against you.”
“If they force me to target you again, I’ll leave the Kemp family immediately.”
Darnell tilted his head with a smile. “Good girl. You’re really kind to me. Seems like you still remember what happened while we were riding on the motorcycle.”
“Bastard!”
Tia blushed and glared at Darnell.
Darnell looked aggrieved. “I still have bruises on my back from where you pressed against me with your chest.”
Tia kicked under the table with her long legs. “Say another word and I’ll kick you to death.”
Darnell caught her smooth leg effortlessly and caressed it. “A lady shouldn’t be so rude.”
Tia yanked her leg back forcefully.
“Just kidding. Don’t be mad.” Darnell shifted gears smoothly. “What’s this important matter?”
Tia extended her fist, the same one that had once fought Callum. “Last time, my knuckles were injured, swollen, and painful, but after using your medicine, most of the pain disappeared instantly. By the next day, it was almost fully healed without leaving any scars.”
She showed her hand which now appeared smoother than before.
Darnell grabbed her delicate hand without hesitation while his eyes darted mischievously. “That’s remarkable medicine. No scars left behind, So smooth and so tender. You mentioning this means there’s another injury somewhere? Let me feel… No, let me treat it.”
“I’m not injured.”
Tia’s nerves were dulled from countless battles, making them less sensitive than ordinary people’s hands. Yet, Darnell’s touch still stirred ripples within her heart, spreading an unusual emotion and forcing her into adopting stern expressions to hide it. “Keep touching it and I’ll break your hand.”
Startled, he withdrew his hand immediately.
A slight smile curved on Tia’s lips as she said, “I’m uninjured, but an elder knowing about this miraculous medicine has become very interested.”
“She kept pestering me, asking me to arrange a meeting with you for a meal. That’s why I came here to find you and see if you would be willing to meet with her.”
Recalling that person’s determined demeanor and her reputation, she felt a twinge of worry and regret for mentioning the miraculous medicine.
Darnell’s smile turned playful, and he softly countered with a question, “What do you think? Should I meet her?”
Tia was taken aback, not expecting Darnell to throw the question back at her. After a moment of silence, she shook her head gently as she replied, “No, you shouldn’t.”
Darnell laughed and pressed on with another question, “Why not?”
“She’s a businesswoman.”
Tia let out a soft sigh before adding, “And a ruthless one at that.”
The name flashed through her mind. Theresa Bedwell.