Aaron hesitated for a moment, his mind drifting back to that girl''s fierce determination. He clenched his hand by his side and then spoke softly, "Sorry, Mr. Austin, something''se up at home, and I don''t think I can make it."


    Austin, though a bit let down, didn''t push the issue when he saw the troubled look on Aaron''s face. He waved it off with a casual, "Alright then."


    Aaron let out a sigh of relief. He was genuinely worried that these issues might spiral into unnecessaryplications.


    **


    After leaving the hospital, Mirabe and James found a cozy spot to grab a bite.


    Once they finished dinner, they headed back to their neighborhood.


    As they neared Mirabe''s ce, they noticed a car parked outside, with someone standing beside it.


    Mirabe quickly got out and walked over. "Grady, have you been waiting long? Why didn''t youe inside?" she asked, surprised.


    Grady nced behind her before shaking his head. "Not really. You called me earlier; is something up?"


    Mirabe hadn''t expected Grady toe by in person. After a pause, she said, "The Cunningham family reached out for some medical advice, but I turned them down."


    Grady''s face darkened at the mention, recalling the trouble the Cunningham family had caused in the past. "Are they giving you a hard time again?"


    No wonder there were rumors about someone trying to undermine the Davis family. That sounded exactly like something the Cunningham family would boast about.


    "They don''t have that kind of power, so don''t worry," Mirabe said with a shrug. Having seen her resilience since the whole Zach debacle, Grady watched her thoughtfully before saying, "If you ever need anything, just let me know."


    Mirabe nodded with a smile, changing the topic, "Have you had dinner yet?" Grady, not wanting to admit he hadn''t, coughed and replied, "I have." Mirabe raised an eyebrow.


    Grady''s gaze shifted awkwardly. James''s car was still there, headlights on, but only silhouettes were visible inside. He squinted, then turned back, "Are you seeing that young guy from the Shepherd family?"


    The sudden change in topic left Mirabe momentarily confused.


    Grady''s expression remained neutral as he continued, "You''re a bit young to be dating, but I support you. Just don''t limit yourself to one person. There are plenty of amazing people out there. Take your time. If someone isn''t right, move on..." The more he talked, the more Mirabe felt something was off, "...??"


    Her brothers had always been adamant about her not dating, yet Grady seemed to be encouraging her to explore her options?


    Mirabe''s cheeks flushed as she quickly interrupted Grady''s pep talk, "Grady, you''ve got a point. I''ll definitely keep that in mind."


    Grady raised an eyebrow, noticing her dismissive tone but chose not toment. He patted her shoulder with a grin, "Just remember, if you ever want something, there''s no shortage of people willing to help."


    He recalled that the crown prince from the States was quite a catch too.


    Mirabe chuckled uneasily, touching her nose and nodding.


    Grady pulled out his car keys, "Okay, I''ll head out now. Don''t forget to call if you run into any trouble."