Too Late To Love Me I Already Left With His Twins (Lydia and Dave) novel Chapter 242

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“I’ll take it anyway.”

I laughed despite myself.

Soon, we were all gathered around the dining table, plates arranged in front of us. Ava picked up the first piece, inspected it with the seriousness of a food critic, and finally took a bite.

Her eyes widened.

“Oh my God.”

4/6

Eli immediately reached for one.

Wait!” Ava said. “You have to taste it properly.”

He sighed dramatically before taking his own bite.

“This is actually good.”

I smiled. “So we’re giving Auntie Anna a five-star rating?”

“Four and a half,” Ava said.

I looked at her. “Why?”

“Because she almost gave me too much.”

Theo laughed.

“That’s harsh.”

“She needs constructive criticism.”

I shook my head, reaching for my own piece. “You two are impossible.”

Theo tasted his and nodded thoughtfully.

“Okay. I’ll admit it.”

“It’s good?”

“Very.”

I smiled. “See?”

“I never said it wouldn’t be.”

“Your face said otherwise.”

He looked at me. “My face says a lot of things.”

I caught his eyes for half a second before looking away.

Why did he have to say things like that?

Before I could think too much about it, Theo pushed his chair back.

“Where’s your bathroom?”

“The visitor’s bathroom is downstairs. Just down the hallway.”

“Got it.”

He disappeared toward the hallway, leaving the rest of us at the table.

I was reaching for another pickle when Dave’s voice came from behind me.

“Who is he?”

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Staring

Lydia POV

I didn’t turn around immediately.

“Who?”

“Theo.”

I slowly placed the pickle back on my plate.

Then I turned.

Dave was standing near the kitchen counter, watching me.

“What about him?”

“I don’t know him.”

“That sounds like a personal problem.”

His eyebrows pulled together.

“Lydia.”

I sighed. “What?”

“Who is he?”

I stared at him for a moment.

There it was.

That tone.

That subtle expectation that because we had once been married, he automatically deserved access to every part of my life.

“Why?”

“Because he’s here.”

“So?”

“He came to your house.”

“Yes.”

“He seems familiar with you.”

I gave him a look.

“I’m sorry. Am I supposed to submit a guest list to you?”

“That isn’t what I’m saying.”

“Because it sounds exactly like what you’re saying.”

His jaw tightened.

1/5

staring

“I just want to know who spends time around my children.”

And you think I’m careless enough to bring random people around them?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

The words came out sharper than I intended.

For a second, the kitchen went completely quiet.

Even the sounds of the children in the dining room seemed distant.

I immediately regretted the harshness of my tone, but the apology never came.

Because what exactly was I supposed to apologize for?

I wasn’t his employee.

I wasn’t his property.

And I certainly wasn’t obligated to explain every man who happened to knock on my door.

“I think you should trust my judgment,” I said more quietly.

He stared at me.

“I do.”

“Then act like it.”

Before he could respond, footsteps sounded from the hallway.

Theo returned, wiping his hands on a small towel.

“Sorry about that.”

Dave straightened.

Theo looked between us, immediately noticing the tension.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Dave extended his hand.

“We haven’t properly introduced ourselves.”

Theo looked at him before taking his hand.

“I’m Dave. The twins’ father.”

A pause.

“And Lydia’s ex-husband.”

I almost rolled my eyes.

Dave continued, “I run a company.”

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Theo released his hand.

m Theo.”

That’s it.

No company.

No title.

No explanation.

Just Theo.

Dave seemed slightly surprised.

“So, what do you do?”

“I run a company as well.”

“Oh.”

Another silence.

The kind that made me suddenly very interested in the pickle container sitting on the table.

Dave leaned against the counter.

“How did you and Lydia meet?”

Theo’s eyes flickered toward me.

“I’ll let Lydia answer that.”

I looked up.

“Smart man.”

His lips curved slightly.

“I try.”

Dave didn’t smile.

Theo glanced at his watch.

“I’d love to stay, but unfortunately, work calls.”

“Of course,” I said.

He picked up his things and walked toward the door. As he passed me, he stopped briefly and gave me a light side hug.

I stiffened for half a second.

When exactly had we upgraded to side hugs?

I knew exactly what that man was doing.

And apparently, for reasons I refused to examine too closely, I was letting him.

3/5

“Bye, Lydia.”

He turned toward the door.

His hand had barely reached the handle when Dave’s voice stopped him.

“Wow.”

Theo glanced back.

“You didn’t strike me as a man with so much work to do.”

His gaze dropped briefly to the basket on the table.

“Especially considering you came all the way here to deliver homemade pickles.”

The words were wrapped in a smile.

But there was nothing friendly about them.

I turned sharply.

“Dave.”

Theo simply smiled.

Not an offended smile.

Not an amused one.

A knowing one.

“Have a good evening.”

And then he walked out.

The door closed behind him.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the wood as though I could somehow see through it.

Theo hadn’t said a word.

But I knew him well enough by now to know he had plenty to say.

He had simply decided not to.

Slowly, I turned around.

Dave was still standing in my kitchen.

His expression was unreadable.

Mine probably wasn’t much better.

And suddenly, the room felt a whole lot smaller.

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I was in love

Theo POV

She blinked at me.

“You’re always welcome, but… I literally saw you yesterday.”

“I know.”

“And yet here you are.”

I couldn’t help smiling. “I’m a very busy man, as you know. Unfortunately, my schedule has brought me back to your doorstep.”

She looked at the package.

“Should I be worried?”

“Not at all. Anna sent me.”

The suspicion disappeared from her face and was immediately replaced by amusement.

“What did she do now?”

“She sent these.” I lifted the package. “She said she promised you some homemade pickles.”

The expression that crossed her face nearly made me laugh.

“Pickles?”

“Yes.”

“Homemade pickles?”

“Yes.”