Chapter 369
Whether Maddox wanted to hit her was unknown, but right then, Leanne was itching to give Curtis a piece of her mind.
The sorrow that had enveloped Jennifer seemed to have vanished into thin air as she sighed softly, “It’s nothing. I was chatting with Leanne.”
After decades of marriage, Maddox knew her well enough to recognize that a casual “chat” wouldn’t usually reduce her to tears.
Before he could ask more, Curtis pulled Leanne close and quipped, “Wow, just a few words, and you’ve got mom all choked up? You’re truly my star pupil.”
Maddox could hear the protective undertone in his son’s voice.
Realizing he might have come off too stern earlier, possibly frightening his
daughter-in-law, Maddox softened his expression and asked, “What were you two talking about?”
Jennifer struggled to find an excuse for her emotional outburst.
Seeing Jennifer seemed reluctant to revisit their earlier conversation, Leanne quickly glossed over it, “Just some stories from when was little.”
Maddox walked over, pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket, and gently cleaned the lingering tears, teasing, “C’mon, at your age, you can’t let the youngsters catch you weeping!”
Taking the handkerchief from him, Jennifer dabbed at her eyes and looked up at Leanne with a slightly different expression in her eyes, like the thawing edge of an iceberg.
“Stay for dinner before you go,” she said.
Leanne nodded, “Sure.”
Jennifer stood up with Maddox’s help and returned to her room while Curtis leaned back on the couch, studying Leanne’s face with curiosity. She seemed calm and composed, not like someone who had felt wronged.
“What are you looking at?” Leanne asked.
“Trying to figure out how such an innocent face made my mom cry,” Curtis remarked. He had never seen Jennifer shed a tear before, which intrigued him.
Leanne replied, “Just like that.”
His interest piqued, and he teased, “Show me.”
“How? Want me to make you cry?” Leanne thought he was being absurd.
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11:01 @
Chapter 369
“Give it a try,” Curtis said, settling back comfortably.
Leanne eyed his relaxed posture.
Always getting his way, and whether he was aloof or whimsically impulsive, Curtis seemed impervious to tears.
After a moment, she blurted out, “Phillip is more handsome than you.”
The amusement in Curtis’ eyes faded as he narrowed them slightly.
“Is that so?” His tone was low and cold as if ground out between his teeth. “And what
makes him handsome? Elaborate.”
He didn’t look close to tears.
“Didn’t you tell me to try?” Leanne sensed a hint of danger and turned to flee.
Curtis caught her and pinned her between his legs, staring down at her face, and chuckled softly, “I told you to make me cry, not to infuriate me.”
“Then I guess I failed.” –
Amused and annoyed, Curtis said, “Giving up just like that?”
His tears were a rarity. Leanne had only seen them once, shed for her.
He knelt before her, his hands pleading for her love again, warmth soaking into her fingertips.
Even at that moment, the memory made her heart warm.
“Yeah,” Leanne looked into his eyes, “I don’t want to see you cry.”
Surprise flickered across Curtis’ face, and his lips curved into a barely suppressible
“Are you flirting with me?” His gaze softened, “No one but you could make me cry.”
Leanne responded, “But you didn’t cry.”
Curtis laughed, sitting lower than her on the armrest, still in control, his hand resting on her waist, coaxing, “How about a kiss?”
Leanne glanced around, wary of being seen, but Curtis pulled her down for a brief kiss before she could check thoroughly.
“Where’s my darling Anne?”
Mary’s excited voice echoed from the yard. She hadn’t entered yet but was already shouting, “Has she left yet?”
Sarah, who was assisting her, replied, “No, my lady. Mrs. Richardson has invited her and Mr. Curtis to stay for dinner.”
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11:02
Chapter 369
Leanne quickly separated from Curtis to greet Mary. “Weren’t you playing cards with Mr. Perez? Why are you back so soon?”
“Playing with that old, blurry-eyed man? He couldn’t see the cards. It’s no fun at all. Sarah told me you were home, and I couldn’t sit still a second longer. I dropped my cards and came right back.”
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