The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 134

She flew down the stairs and practically sprinted across the street to a coffee shop.

Sitting in a corner booth, Charley watched her burst through the doors, practically glowing with sunshine like a happy little bird. The corners of his lips unconsciously tilted upward.

"You passed?" He rested his hands lightly on the table, a gentle warmth in his eyes as he took in her beaming smile.

"I did! It's not a full-time position yet; I'm a trainee industry analyst."

Lavinia paused. "Since I don't have any actual experience in finance, it's better not to aim too high right out of the gate. Building up some practical experience is a good start. Don't you think?"

"Yes, it's a very grounded approach."

Lavinia stuck her tongue out playfully. "I didn't even ask about the salary, but it should be enough to cover rent and groceries, right?"

"That definitely won't be an issue."

She was thrilled. It was a deep, genuine joy bubbling up from her chest. It had been a long time since she felt this way.

This overwhelming sense of hope for the future proved to her, without a shadow of a doubt, that walking away was the right choice.

Charley checked the time on his watch and said, "It's not quite lunchtime yet. Want to go check out my place?"

"Your place?" Lavinia blinked in surprise. "Are the renovations done?"

"Almost, just a few finishing touches left. I'd love for you to take a look and give me some feedback."

"Sure."

***

The renovations on Charley's house were nearing completion. Since it was almost noon, the contractors were out for lunch. He handed her a hard hat and led her inside.

The overall layout hadn't changed much, but the biggest addition was a brand-new elevator.

"Charley, why did you install an elevator?" Lavinia asked.

Charley paused for a beat before answering smoothly, "When my wife gets pregnant, she won't have to take the stairs."

She stared at him. "Are you getting married soon? You never even mentioned having a girlfriend."

"I don't have one yet," Charley replied.

Lavinia didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The man was certainly thinking ahead.

"The kitchen and dining room are in the back. Come take a look," Charley prompted.

Lavinia followed him toward the rear of the house. The interior walls had been knocked down to create an open-concept kitchen and dining area, though the cabinetry and appliances hadn't been installed yet.

Charley handed her a stack of design blueprints. "Pick a style. What kind of kitchen do women usually like?"

"They won't be," Charley said with absolute certainty.

They toured all three floors. Charley practically chased Lavinia for her opinions, noting down every single suggestion she made and forwarding it straight to the poor designer.

Lavinia was silently apologizing to the designer the entire time. Getting bombarded with this many revisions all at once was probably going to make them want to smash their keyboard.

"That should do it. Let's go grab some groceries and cook at your place," Charley said.

Lavinia blinked. "My place? Is it close?"

"You really don't know your way around, do you?" Charley raised an eyebrow. "Your house is literally one street over."

Lavinia admittedly had a terrible sense of direction, and the winding alleys of the old district felt like a maze to her. She never would have guessed.

Wait, didn't that mean they were going to be neighbors?

"Does that mean I can come over and play with Nemo after work?" Lavinia asked eagerly.

He chuckled. "Yes. Nemo really likes you, too."

"That's amazing!" Lavinia was so happy she felt like spinning in circles.

Everything felt like a brand new beginning.