The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 76

The door swung open again. Charley stood there.

"This door isn't as soundproof as you think."

Zoey's face dropped. She clutched the box, spun around, and bolted. The sound of her footsteps faded quickly down the hall.

Charley closed the door.

The living room fell silent once again. He stood there for a moment before glancing down beneath the sofa.

Nemo was huddled in the farthest corner, with only the very tip of his tail visible, twitching occasionally.

He didn't bother dragging the dog out. Instead, he walked into the kitchen, turned on the faucet, and slowly washed his hands.

***

The next morning, right after Lavinia sent off her cheap husband, she received a text from Charley.

[Latte and a canelé?]

Lavinia smiled and replied: [Sounds good.]

When she arrived at the café, he was on another video call.

At her usual corner table, a latte was already waiting for her, alongside a small plate holding a canelé. Its copper-red crust still smelled of caramel, and the foam on the latte was perfectly intact, as if it had just been brought over.

Lavinia sat down, picked up the coffee, and took a sip.

How did he time it so perfectly down to the exact minute she'd arrive?

She didn't ask. She simply leaned back in her chair, listening to him on his video call.

The cadence of his French flowed like a gentle river. His deep voice drifted in and out, reminding her of an old radio from her childhood.

It was soothing. She held her cup, sipping slowly.

When the breakfast meeting wrapped up, Charley took off his earphones, looked up, and his gaze lingered on her face for a moment before shifting to her neck.

Pale, flawless, and completely free of any marks.

He withdrew his gaze, grabbed a small paper bag from beside him, and slid it across the table.

"For you."

Lavinia opened the bag, peeked inside, and froze.

Charley's gaze dropped slightly.

Lavinia chuckled, reaching out to take it. "But it makes a perfect phone charm."

She threaded the smallest Nemo onto her phone case's lanyard loop and held it up. The size was flawless.

Charley watched her. There was a Nemo on her bag, a Nemo on her phone, and one sitting right in her palm.

Surrounded by tiny, fluffy dogs, she kept her head down, smiling softly.

He picked up his coffee and took a calm sip, the rim of the cup perfectly hiding the curve of his lips.

The morning light was beautiful. Sipping coffee slowly like this felt incredibly peaceful.

There were problems to deal with, but there was no rush to fix them right this second.

"Are you going to the hospital to see your uncle later? I'm heading that way anyway. I can give you a ride."

"I was just about to go. I'm meeting Saul there."

"Alright. Let's grab lunch together afterward."