Chapter 360
Penelope thought for a moment. “Nope, can’t remember p>
“I’ve been excited all day waiting for your call, and you don’t remember?” Norton yelled into the phone.
“So, what was it p>
“You promised to take me with you when you had dinner with Natalie today p>
Now she remembered. “But did I say it would definitely be today p>
“It has to be today! I even got my hair styled p>
“How do you style a buzz cut p>
“I bought a new outfit p>
“For a guy p>
“I got a facial p>
His list of preparations made her feel too guilty to refuse. “Alright, hold on. Let me call Natalie and see if she’s free tonight p>
“I am, actually. I was just about to call you,” Natalie said cheerfully.
“In that case… can I bring Norton p>
“Of course! I adore him p>
“You’d better not say that to his face. He’ll take it the wrong way and think you’re in love with him p>
Natalie laughed. “He’s just a kid p>
“He wouldn’t agree with you there. He’s already declared his intention to be your man p>
That sent Natalie into another fit of laughter. “Alright, alright, I’ll try not to lead him on p>
Penelope picked Norton up from school after work. He had dragged Timothy along with him.
“I was afraid I’d get too excited and make a fool of myself in front of Natalie,” he explained. “So I brought him. One look at his cold, dead-eyed stare is enough to cool anyone’s enthusiasm p>
Penelope glanced at Timothy. His stare was indeed quite cold. She then looked at Norton. His buzz cut was, as expected, un-styled, but his clothes were a major departure from His usual pinks and reds. He wore a clean white hoodie and jeans, looking like a fresh-faced handsome young man.
Seeing how happy he was, she couldn’t help but ask, “When did you first develop a crush on Natalie p>
“When I was fifteen p>
Fifteen!
“You matured way too early,” she said, shaking her head. “How did it happen p>
“I failed my midterm exams pretty badly, and the school called for a parent-teacher conference. My mom of course wouldn’t go. My grandfather was sick around that time, and my brother was still abroad. So I decided to hire an acting student to pretend to be my parent p>
“Don’t tell me you hired Natalie p>
Norton grinned. “She put on some makeup to look older and came to the conference as my mom. When my teacher was telling me I was going to be a useless drain on society, she stood up and defended me She said that just because I was bad at school didn’t mean I was a bad person. She made the teacher apologize to me, threatening to report him if he didn’t p>
“What happened then p>
“The teacher apologized, and he never spoke to me like that again p>
“And that’s when you fell for her p>
“Who wouldn’t? She’s amazing! And I knew her and liked her way before Hamilton did. Why did he get to marry her while I ended up as the younger brother of her husband’s best friend?” he grumbled, still bitter about their marriage.
Penelope fell silent. She was beginning to suspect Norton’s feelings for Natalie weren’t romantic love, but rather a mother complex.
They met at a nice Italian restaurant. Natalie was already there. Norton rushed over, and when she smiled and extended a hand to shake, he pulled her into a full-on
hug.
“Natalie, thank you so much for inviting me to dinner! I’m so touched p>
Natalie laughed. “Actually, she was treating me, but since you’re so touched, I guess it’s on me now p>
Penelope covered her face. So embarrassing. Timothy shared her sentiment but was used to it.
“My life has been a constant stream of secondhand embarrassment ever since I met him,” he muttered.