"How gracious of you, Mr. Schwartz." Lue rolled her eyes.


    "Still, you and Juniper haven''t known each other that long, have you?" she continued. "We''re different. We go back at least ten years." She savored the number. “Ten years. We''ve done so many things together, shared a room, slept in the same bed... we even almost died together once."


    With every word Lue uttered, Shanley''s expression grew darker.


    Jimmie and Melvin, along with Felton and Flint, watched the exchange with bated breath. The air was thick with tension. This childhood friend was relentless, repeatedly putting Shanley in an awkward position. Any other man would have lost his temper by now, but Shanley was holding his ground.


    "That is a long time," Shanley said, quickly regaining hisposure. A faint smile touched his lips, his voice a low, maic hum. “But I don''t care about the past. From now on, Juniper and I will have many decades together."


    Lue, who had been enjoying the dark look on his face, felt her triumphant smile falter. She had thrown her heaviest punches, yet Shanley had met them with a calm smile. How was he so emotionally stable? What happened to the cold, ruthless, and mercurial man from the rumors?


    "Please, Mr. Langley, have a seat," Shanley said with polite smile, guiding Juniper to the table and gesturing for Jimmie to sit next to her, hoping to keep Lue at a distance.


    But Lue was too quick, slipping into the seat beside Juniper before Jimmie could move. Therge table was arranged with Shanley and Juniper side by side, Lue next to Juniper, and then Jimmie and Melvin.


    Lue turned to see Jimmie''s annoyed expression and shot him a withering re. Jimmie silently vowed that if Shanley decided to throw a punch, he would dly help.


    As soon as the food arrived, Lue picked up her fork, ced a shrimp on Juniper''s te, and said with a sickeningly sweet smile, "Juniper, you love shrimp, don''t you?"


    Juniper paused, her gazending on Lue with a clear warning.


    Lue feigned ignorance, a yful grin on her face.


    "Thank you, Mr. Langley," Shanley said, setting down his own cutlery. He calmly picked up the shrimp, pested it with practiced ease, and cedit back on Juniper''s te. "Juniper doesn''t like peeling them. I always do it for her."


    Lue''s smile tightened. She hadn''t known that.


    "Oh." Undeterred, Lue pushed a bowl of ice cream toward Juniper. "Well then, Juniper, try this." She knew for a fact that Juniper loved ice cream.


    “My apologies, Mr. Langley," Shanley said, smoothly intercepting the bowl. His voice was low and tinged with a cool detachment, Junipers stomach has been a bit sensitivetely. She can''t have anything cold."


    Lue felt a surge of irritation and looked at Juniper, certain she wouldn''t let Shanley dictate what she could eat, especially when it was her favorite vor.


    Juniper stared longingly at the ice cream for a few seconds before turning her clear eyes to Shanley.


    “Be good,” Shanley said softly, patting her head. “You can have some when you''re feeling better, okay?"


    “Okay,” Juniper mumbled, disappointed, and went back to eating her shrimp.


    Lue''s eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at Juniper, who was acting as docile as a kitten, It was over The Queen of Australischad well and truly fallen for a man!