Chapter 159
Chapter 159:
Turning toward her table, Kailey said, “Come and eat with us p>
Refusal hovered on Dagmar’s lips, yet the quiet warning woven into Kailey’s words left no real room to escape. With a sharp grind of her teeth, Dagmar kicked the table leg, then marched over and dropped heavily into the chair Kailey had indicated.
Following a step behind, Kailey struggled to keep the amusement from tugging at her lips. She had honestly expected Dagmar to be a bit tougher than that. All bark and no bite, in the end.
She settled beside Zaria with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Zaria. My cousin can be a bit of a handful. I hope you don’t mind p>
Zaria shrugged. “Not in the slightest. Do whatever you want p>
Among the three of them, Dagmar was easily the most unrestrained. Without the faintest concern for decorum, she lounged back and casually hooked one leg over the armrest of the couch.
𝖡𝘦 𝘁𝗵𝖾 𝖿𝗶𝗋𝘀t 𝘁𝗼 r𝖾a𝗱 𝗼𝗇
Kailey cast her only a brief sideways glance, chose not to comment, and asked instead, “Who was that guy from earlier p>
“Why do you care?” An instinctive edge sharpened Dagmar’s tone. Then, catching the crease forming between Kailey’s brows, she sighed and amended, “No idea. I didn’t even get his name.” The answer came out breezy, almost careless.
Disbelief colored Kailey’s voice. “You went shopping with him and had a meal together, and you don’t even know who he is p>
“Why wouldn’t I? This is the twenty-first century — he’s not really going to devour me alive, right?” Letting out a dismissive snort, Dagmar snatched a piece of cucumber and bit into it loudly. “And just so you know, he was the one who asked me out, not the other way around p>
Kailey gave a slight nod, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “So where did you two even meet p>
“At a nightclub p>
Of course.
A retort rose to Kailey’s lips, then quietly dissolved. Not long ago, she had done almost the exact same thing. What right did she have to lecture anyone now?
She moistened her lips and chose her words more carefully. “Next time, maybe don’t agree to go out with a stranger so quickly. He doesn’t know your address, does he p>
“I’m not an idiot!” Irritation flashed across Dagmar’s face as she clicked her tongue. “Kailey, could you quit hovering over me? What are you, some kind of detective all of a sudden?” They had only crossed paths twice — no shared memories, no real connection — so this burst of concern felt strangely out of place. Why did it matter to her at all?
Silence settled over Kailey, her lips pressing together as she swallowed her reply. A light, almost playful laugh slipped out a moment later. “Maybe I’m just bored.” With so few family connections left in her life, she seemed to cling to every remaining thread of kinship, even when their last encounter had been far from warm.