Anyone with half a brain could see what was really going on.


    Mrs. Naylor, clearly, had taken a shine to Noreen.


    When Healy arrived and noticed the two empty seats beside Jude, he asked, "Where are Seth and Bianca?"


    "Bianca wasn''t feeling well, so Seth took her home to rest. He asked me to let you know," Jude replied, sounding like their personal spokesperson.


    Healy just nodded and let it go.


    But Hugh Summers, who sat nearby, couldn''t resist chiming in. “Mr. Harcourt really treats Director Lowell like she''s the apple of his eye. I swear, if he could, he''d keep her on a short leash."


    Everyone around the tableughed at that.<fnc5b5> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? fin?novel</fnc5b5>


    Healy joined in. "Yeah, those two have always been close. Aren''t they about to get engaged?"


    He paused, then turned to Jude. "By the way, how much longer until the engagement?"


    Jude said, "A month."


    Healy blinked. "That''s quite a while."


    "It''s actually pretty fast," Jude replied. "With Seth''s status, the engagement process is usuallyplicated. He''s already cut out a bunch of unnecessary steps just to make it official for Bianca as soon as possible."


    Still, Healy grumbled, "I don''t know. Feels like it''s taking forever."


    Honestly, he wished they''d just get engaged tomorrow.


    Jude looked at him, puzzled. "Why are you more anxious than Seth?"


    Healy just dodged the question.


    Across the room, Mrs. Naylor waved him over, her tone affectionate. "Healy,e sit here."


    She''d saved him a seat, right next to Noreen-clearly hoping they''d have a chance to get closer.


    Hugh Summers noticed and leaned in to share some gossip with Jude. "I''m telling you, Mrs. Naylor has her sights set on Noreen. I heard from some folks at the business association that the first time Mr. Naylor met Noreen, he immediately asked if she was single-wanted to introduce her to his son, Mr. Healy. I thought it was just a rumor, but looks like it''s true!"


    Jude nearly dropped his fork in shock.


    Seriously? Why had he never heard about this from Healy? The guy was way more secretive than he''d realized.


    This gossip was too good to keep to himself-he had to tell the rest of the guys.


    Jude texted Hugh''s exact words to their group chat, tagging Healy and demanding an exnation.


    But Healy was busy trying to get to know Noreen better, so he didn''t even notice the message.


    The group chat stayed dead silent-no one replied.


    Jude figured everyone must be busy and, feeling a little deted, put away his phone and focused on dinner.


    What he didn''t know was that Bianca had seen every word.


    Her expression was grim, and even when she got home, she couldn''t shake it off.


    Yvonne was painting her nails and


    looked up with a wicked little griet


    when Bianca walked in. "Let me guess-Mrs Naylor wasn''t


    friendly to Noreep tonight?


    Bianca''s face was stormy. "Don''t even start."


    "What happened?" Yvonne could tell something was wrong, so she set down her nail polish and frowned. "Seriously, what''s going on?


    Biancaunched into the whole story.


    Yvonne listened, eyes wide in


    disbelief. "No way. Does Mrs. Naylor not know about Noreen''s.


    dor about her vel


    with Seth?"


    "She probably does."


    It wasn''t exactly a secret-if Mrs. Naylor cared enough to look, it wouldn''t be hard to find out.


    Yvonne was even more baffled. "If she knows, why would she still approve?"


    That was exactly what Bianca couldn''t wrap her head around.


    She just didn''t get what Healy—or the whole Naylor family-saw in Noreen.