Jolene was aware that Cedric had feelings for her. However, since they had barely spoken in either her past or present life, she couldn’t help but feel awkward when they were alone.
Sensing her discomfort, Cedric broke the silence. “Does everyone call you Jo?”
she hadn’t expected him to start a conversation so suddenly. Still, she nodded slightly and replied, “My grandparents call me Starley, so you can call me that too…”
Her voice trailed off. Out of nowhere, she recalled the love letter she had once seen. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly lowered her head in a shy reflex
A thought seemed to flicker across Cedric’s mind as his eyes glimmered faintly. A small smile tugged at his lips, and he asked, “Starley? Like the stars in the sky. Am I right?”
For some reason, Jolene detected a hint of amusement in his voice. Curiosity got the better of her, and she turned her head slightly to confirm.
But as soon as she did, her eyes locked with his inscrutable, dark gaze. For a moment, she couldn’t help but feel drawn to him.
Then, without warning, Cedric’s next words completely threw her off. She had never expected someone like him to say such a thing.
“Starley is nice, and jo is great too. But you know what? I think ‘Honey‘ is the best. After all, I’m the only one who can call you that.”
Jolene’s heart pounded wildly in her chest at his remark. She had no idea how to respond. So, she simply hummed, averted her gaze, and lowered her head.
Despite the car’s air conditioning, she felt uncomfortably warm. Her palm was slick with sweat as their hands remained clasped.
Cedric chuckled before adjusting the temperature a few degrees lower. After that, he handed Jolene a handkerchief.
She accepted it and dabbed at her sweat. While she did, he continued speaking, almost as if to himself.
“I know we’re from different generations, and I’m seven years older than you. But if you think about it, we’re practically in the same age group.”
The chauffeur, Kyle Smith, who had worked for the Norwoods for over 30 years, couldn’t help but chime in, “Mr. Norwood, how did you figure that out? That logic feels a bit stretched!”
Cedric glanced at Kyle in the rearview mirror. At that moment, the older man was grinning from ear to ear.
“Kyle, don’t embarrass me like that,” Cedric said, his tone tinged with helplessness.
“Alright, I won’t say another word. Carry on!”
Only then did Cedric turn back to Jolene, picking up where he left off.
“Although we haven’t talked much before, we’re husband and wife now. There’s no need to feel so nervous around me. You can speak freely, like any other married couple. I’ll listen to your thoughts and do my best as your husband.”
It was the first time Jolene had heard him say so much all at once. She had also never seen him speak so casually in public.
For a moment, she found it hard to take it all in. Yet, she couldn’t resist asking, “Are you sure I can say whatever’s on my mind?” After Cedric nodded, Jolene mustered her courage and inquired, “Why did you agree to marry me?”
