Chapter 275
“What’s so surprising about that?” Lyman shot Annabel a look that nearly sent his eyes rolling to the ceiling.
Annabel glanced at Effie, her expression suddenly softening-as if she felt sorry for her.
Effie blinked, thrown off. Why was Annabel looking at her like that? She couldn’t read her at all.
Annabel turned to Effie and said, “Still, I have to hand it to you. You’ve put up with a lot.”
Effie blinked again. “…What?”
She stood there, baffled, as if a string of question marks hovered above her head. Honestly, she had no idea what Annabel was getting at.
Lyman’s face darkened. He pulled Effie behind him, shielding her like a mother hen with her chick.
Annabel gave a dramatic sigh, but, trying to spare Lyman what little dignity he had left, she added, “Look, Lyman, if you’re not up to it, don’t drag her down with you.”
Lyman’s eyes narrowed, his voice taut with annoyance. “And who says I’m not up to it?”
“If you’re so capable,” Annabel shot back, “how come you’ve never dated anyone, all these years?”
Effie’s mind spun. Wait, Lyman had never been with a woman? But then why did he seem so… experienced? She’d just assumed—
Lyman cut in coldly, “I just haven’t met the right person.”
Annabel gave a knowing “Ohhh,” her tone loaded with meaning. “So Effie’s the right one, then.”
Lyman didn’t say a word, but his silence spoke volumes.
A blush crept across Effie’s cheeks; her heart drummed wildly in her chest.
Off to the side, Isabel watched, nearly wringing her hands in frustration.
She leaned toward Carole and whispered, “I brought Annabel back to break up Effie and Lyman, but look at them now…”
Carole frowned, just as confused. Logically, with Annabel’s possessiveness- she’d even tried to stop Isabel from dating Lyman before-Carole would’ve expected her to get in the way now, too. But from the looks of it, maybe she’d been wrong?
After a moment, Carole said, “I think the boss just doesn’t know what Effie’s really like. Once she finds out, there’s no way she’ll approve.”
Isabel’s hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms. Fine, if that’s the case, she’d just have to make sure Annabel saw Effie’s true colors.
Annabel bumped Lyman with her shoulder, asking, “So, what was that fight about earlier? Need a hand cleaning it up?”
“No need,” Lyman replied coolly. “I’ll handle it myself.”
“When are you coming home? Mom and Dad miss you,” he added.
Annabel’s expression changed in a flash, something unsettled flickering across
her face. She waved him off. “Not happening. I’ve had enough of Mom’s matchmaking. Let’s just leave it at that.”
Before Lyman could react, Annabel slipped away.
Isabel and Carole hurried after her. “Annabel, wait up!”
Effie watched Annabel’s retreating figure, deep in thought.
Lyman caught the look on Effie’s face and, guessing her curiosity, took her hand gently. “Annabel’s my foster sister,” he explained. “She lost her parents when she was little. Her father died saving my dad, so my parents took her and her sister in.”
“She’s only a few months older than me, though, so there’s no way I’m calling her ‘sis’ to her face.”
Effie laughed. She’d never seen Lyman so adorably awkward before.
She squeezed his hand and swung it back and forth. “Come on, walk me back to work.”
Lyman’s eyes lit up. “Gladly.”
Normally, Effie wouldn’t want Lyman to walk with her so openly, but today, she clearly wanted Mitchell to see.
As she passed Mitchell, he caught a faint trace of her perfume-light and sweet. His heart skipped a beat.