Stanley gave Rosie a friendly smile.”You are so sweet.”
She pursed her lips and handed the lollipop to Summer.”Can you please help me unwrap it, Mommy?”
Summer took it and opened the wrapping.”I’m surprised that you have candies in your office,”she said to Stanley.
“Besides adults, my patients also include children.”He glossed over it and got down to business.”Tell me, why are you here today?”
“Can’t I come and have a casual chat with you?”
“I’m happy to have you here, but are you really here just to have a casual chat with me?”Stanley was still smiling, but his penetrating eyes could see through everything.
Summer sighed in embarrassment.”You’re only making me look bad like that. I’m indeed here for something.”
She reached into her handbag, took out the invitation card, and handed it to Stanley.
“Leonardo is having a banquet this Friday, in the evening. I hope you can come.”
Stanley glanced at the invitation card. His expression was unchanged.”Leonardo asked you to deliver it to me?”
There were specks of light in Summer’s eyes. She looked at him but said nothing.
“You know Leonardo and I don’t see eye to eye. He would never invite me to his banquet himself, so he’s asked you to send me this card.”
Stanley raised his lips in a meaningful smile.”Leonardo is interesting. He obviously doesn’t want me to see you, yet he asks you to deliver this invitation to me. I wonder what he’s up to.”
Summer realized that none of the men she knew were saints.
Stanley did not seem to have any ill intentions in befriending her, but Summer knew that he was smart. He had a reason for doing whatever he did.
The same went for Leonardo.
Summer frowned slightly as her mind shifted into thinking mode. Her expression suddenly changed when a thought came to mind.
“What’s wrong?”Stanley had noticed the changes in her facial expression.
“Nothing.”Her mouth twitched, and her smile was unnatural.”I still have to run some errands. I have to go now. See you around.”
“Let me send you back. Are you driving?”Stanley got up too. He grabbed his jacket on the backrest and followed Summer out.
“I’m driving, but thank you for the offer.”
“I’ll see you two out, then.”Stanley walked them to the car.
When he came back in, the receptionist teased him,”Ms. Jarrett came here just to see you, Dr. Bates.”
“Yeah, she came for me but she stayed less than ten minutes.”Stanley was not angry, replying in a lighthearted manner.
He returned to his office, and his smile faded. He walked behind his desk and sat down as his lips curled into a sneer.
His eyes landed on the invitation card for a few seconds before they moved away.
Leonardo was trying to kill two birds with one stone. Not only was Leonardo sounding out Summer, but he was also testing him. Since the enemy had come to his doorstep, he would rise to the challenge.
…
Summer drove faster than she normally did as she headed home.
Rosie was sitting in the backseat, and she had dozed off while enjoying the lollipop.
When they arrived at the downstairs area of their apartment building, Leonardo’s car had also arrived.
Summer checked the time. It was exactly 5. 30 p. m. Leonardo had apparently come home from work.
She opened the door and got out. On the other side, Tim had also gotten out and opened the door for his boss. Leonardo stepped out and spotted Summer at once.
The two of them looked at each other, both appearing unpleasant.
Tim looked at Summer and then at Leonardo.”Young Master?”He tried to call out to him.
“You can go now.”Leonardo’s expression seemed a little stern.
After Tim left, Leonardo strode toward Summer.”Where’s Rosie?”
His tone did not differ from the usual, but his eyes gave him away. An undercurrent was surging in his gaze.
“She’s asleep.”
Summer turned around and opened the rear passenger door, ducking her head to carry Rosie out.
As soon as she reached inside, Leonardo caught her wrist.”Let me carry her.”He immediately spoke again.”She’s been growing fat recently.”
“No one describes that as fat. It’s a healthy weight.”Summer shot him a glare, but she still stepped aside.
Leonardo unbuckled the seatbelt from the child seat and lifted Rosie out.
Rosie was sleeping like a log. She was deep in dreamland when Leonardo carried her in his arms.
With Rosie’s chest resting against his and her head resting on his shoulder, Leonardo could carry her snugly with one hand.
Summer closed the car door and armed the alarm. Then she followed Leonardo from behind.
By the time she caught up to him, he had pressed the elevator button.
She stood to the right and half a step behind Leonardo as they waited for the elevator.
The distance between them was not even considered far, but Leonardo could sense that she was consciously keeping a distance from him.
He creased his brows slightly.
No one spoke even after they were back inside the house.
Leonardo carried Rosie into her bedroom, and when he came back out, Summer was sitting on the sofa instead of preparing dinner. It looked like she wanted to have a long heart-to-heart talk with him.
He walked over and sat down in front of her.
Summer gazed up at him, her face impassive.
Leonardo was still behaving like a clamshell. It was futile waiting for him to open his mouth first.
She started to lose her patience.”I’ve delivered the invitation card to Stanley. Are you happy now?”
She softened her already soft voice on purpose, and it sounded a little discomforting.
Leonardo’s expression suddenly turned grave. He reached up to take off his tie and appeared very troubled.
“You got a license just to see him. You should be the one who’s happy, right?”He threw his tie aside.
He did not even want to mention Stanley’s name because it always upset him.
Summer’s heart sank.
Her suspicion had been confirmed;Leonardo was testing her.
When it came to things concerning her, Leonardo could never be magnanimous. Hence, it was impossible for him to have any innocent intention when he let her deliver the invitation card to Stanley.
He was using it to test Summer.
From his perspective, since he and Stanley could not see eye to eye, it was only proper that Summer should not have any interaction with Stanley again.
She could already read his mind without the need to ask any questions.
He definitely thought that if she agreed to deliver the invitation, that meant she had feelings for Stanley. But if she did not go, that would prove her faithfulness.
Summer found it ridiculous and sad at the same time.