Secret Crush: From the First Meeting

I thought retreating to the kitchen would save me from the madness, but soon Jamie squeezed his way in, followed closely by Larry. My mom and I just stared in bewilderment as the sliding kitchen door was abruptly shut behind them.

Pressing my temples in frustration, I turned to Alexander, who was sitting innocently on the couch.

"What happened?"

"All I said was that Phoebe finds men who can cook more attractive—"

"And then?"

"And then Dr. Brown mentioned that he cooked a full Christmas dinner just yesterday. Larry responded by saying he once won first place in a cooking competition with his team. Dr. Brown countered that he was invited to be a judge at a cooking contest. And then Larry—"

I exhaled sharply, cutting him off.

"And then?"

"And then I said, 'Really? I don't believe you—'"

My fingers dug into my temples as a thought flashed through my mind. "Stop it, please, just stop fighting!"

My mom's sharp eyes caught sight of the two phones clutched in Alexander's hands, and she immediately scolded him.

"They're guests, and you're pestering them for their phones to play games? Alex, must you force me to discipline you?"

Alexander quickly dropped the phones.

"I didn't! They just gave them to me! I swear—ow, ow, ow!"

After dealing with Alexander, my mom grew increasingly anxious. She couldn't bear the thought of letting our guests cook on their first visit to our home. Several times she tried to reclaim her position as head chef, but each time, the two men gently but firmly pushed her out of the kitchen.

My mom later reported that they both seemed incredibly professional and confident.

Yet, while we anxiously awaited the meal with a mix of dread and anticipation, the kitchen exploded.

Well, more accurately, the pot did, leaving the kitchen in shambles.

Mom managed her emotions well, reassuring them that the pot had been faulty for a long time and was overdue for replacement.

[Pot: Sure, sure, it's all my fault.]

In the end, we had to eat dinner at a restaurant downstairs. During the meal, the family's allegiances became clear with my dad's arrival.

He was thoroughly impressed with Jamie. In his eyes, doctors, lawyers, and teachers were the ideal professions for a son-in-law.

But Larry's current job with the city's criminal investigation team seemed too busy and dangerous to him.

On the other hand, my mom clearly favored Larry. My brother had also somehow become Larry's loyal sidekick without me even knowing.

Stuck in the middle, all I could do was keep my head down and focus on eating.

The dinner was awkward, to say the least. Fortunately, nothing else went wrong, and we made it home without incident. Jamie had to leave early for an appointment, so I walked him downstairs.

"Miss Steele, how's your sleep been? Are you almost out of your medication for this treatment?" he asked quietly.

"Not bad," I replied, though I felt a headache brewing at the thought of the fireworks that had been going off late into the night lately.

But honestly, even without them, I struggled to sleep on my own.

Holding the elevator door, I whispered, "But I'm almost out of meds.

"I was thinking of contacting you, but I didn't expect—"

I glanced at Jamie, suddenly feeling awkward about our current situation.

"Didn't expect me to show up on your doorstep, did you?" he said with a soft laugh.

His expression was as composed as ever.

Just as the elevator doors were about to close, a hand slipped in to stop them.

Larry stepped in, holding my coat in one hand. Without a word, he tossed it onto my head.

"What are you doing—"

"Your mother said it's cold outside and you should wear your coat," he said lazily, shoving his hands into his pockets as he stood on the other side of me.

After seeing Jamie off, Larry snapped his fingers in front of my face, then mounted his motorcycle.

"I've got something to take care of at work, so I'm heading out too," he said, slipping on his helmet and waving goodbye.

"Phoebe, come here. I've got something to tell you."

Reluctantly, I shuffled over. He tilted his head, pinching my cheek between his fingers.

"This time, it's got to be me. Got it?"

He leaned in close, his eyes narrowing, his blue pupils inscrutable.

With his naturally pale skin, the cold wind had turned his nose a slight shade of red, giving his already delicate features an unexpectedly youthful look.

I immediately slapped his hand away and pushed his face back.

"Don't—don't get too close to me."

He froze for a moment, then burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking with amusement.

"Alright, I'll head back now and wait for the good news."