Chapter 147
Dorothea found herself drifting back to high school, remembering how Albert’s name was always paired with Latham’s. She realized she’d heard about Latham years before she ever really knew him. Funny how life worked out. Now, the guy whose name used to just float around her memories was her husband, at least on paper.
“Dorothea, what are you thinking about?” someone asked, pulling her back to the present.
She blinked and gave a small, careless smile. “Oh, just thinking how weirdly coincidental things are, I guess p>
Latham watched her with those sharp, almost mischievous eyes, his gaze steady and a little too intense. For a second, she felt like he was trying to read her mind. She looked away, cheeks warming.
Trying to change the subject, she turned to Carmen. “So, we’re going together tomorrow, right? Is it in the afternoon p>
“Yeah, afternoon. Jared said their school’s being set up for exams, so the students have the day off. Three o’clock is perfect. Jasper said after we visit Jared, everyone’s grabbing dinner together,” Carmen replied.
Dorothea nodded. Since Carmen was coming, she didn’t bother making excuses. Part of her was curious to see everyone, but mostly, she just wanted to let go of those silly old feelings from the past.
Latham stuck his hands in his pockets and kept quiet. He barely said a word, even after Carmen left, even when Dorothea brought Garth home for dinner. The silence lingered.
Garth leaned in close, whispering, “Aunt Dorothea, I think Uncle Latham’s in a bad mood p>
Dorothea had noticed that too, but she honestly had no idea why.
Garth just grinned. “It’s fine. He’s always like this, loves acting all grumpy p>
Dorothea couldn’t help laughing. She ruffled his hair. “Alright, time for bed. I might not be home for dinner tomorrow, so you’ll eat with Latham. That okay p>
“Sure. Have fun on your date p>
She could only shake her head. “It’s not a date. It’s just a class reunion p>
Garth’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Oh, I get it. Uncle’s upset because you’re not taking him with you p>
Was that really it? She doubted it. Who brings their spouse to a class reunion anyway?
Dorothea brushed off Garth’s theory and headed to her room. She didn’t see Latham come in, not even when she fell asleep. When she woke up, the pillow and duvet on the other side were still perfectly neat, like nobody had touched them. Had Latham slept somewhere else?
She was still pondering that when Latham walked in, looking exhausted, dark circles under his eyes.
“You” she started.
“I” he said at the same time.
Latham pressed his lips together. “You go first p>
“Did you sleep in the study last night?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No, I had something to take care of outside, so I wasn’t home p>
He rubbed his temples. “I really need some sleep. Are you getting up now p>
She realized he wasn’t sulking after all. “Yeah, I’m up. I’ve got plans this afternoon anyway. Go ahead and get some rest p>
Dorothea started gathering her
set
things, heading to the closet. As she St Latham, she glanced a
him and frowned. “Your shirts dirty p>
There was a streak of blue paint on his white sleeve and at the elbow. She raised an
eyebrow. “What were you even doing last night p>
Latham quickly hid his arm behind his back. “Checking on a project. I guess the paint on the walls wasn’t dry p>
So, he’d been working late. Being the boss wasn’t as glamorous as people thought.
Dorothea nodded. “I’ll ask Linda to hand-wash that shirt for you later p>
“Thanks,” he said quietly.
She didn’t give the morning’s little episode a second thought. After her shower, she slipped into a white silk blouse and a long skirt. It was a bit chilly, so she threw on a beige fit cardigan. She looked soft and gentle, almost like a different person from her high school days.
Back then, she’d struggled with her weight for a while. Bad moods and prescription meds had puffed her up like a balloon. It wasn’t until senior year that the weight dropped suddenly. Jared had been so worried, he called her grandmother, convinced she was seriously ill.
After that, Dorothea lost the extra pounds and almost overnight became their class’s campus sweetheart.