Men were visual creatures, and several pairs of eyes lit up like light bulbs at the table. "Grace, why didn't you bring your gorgeous friend over sooner?" "What's the beautiful lady's name?"
"Xenia."
Leanne looked up. At the same moment, Xenia's gaze met hers. She had captivating eyes.
Xenia greeted them politely, "Hello, Curtis and Leanne."
Curtis didn't react, but Leanne nodded kindly and said, "Have a seat, please."
Grace was visiting as Skyler's girlfriend, and not only was she late, but she also brought a friend without greeting everyone first. It was a faux pas in etiquette.
But Leanne wasn't too bothered about it. After all, they were all there for Skyler's sake.
Nearby, Joy was crunching on crispy fried pickles and suddenly slapped her thigh, "Oh, I forgot to bring my boyfriend's aunt too."
Selina asked, "Where's your boyfriend?"
"He's at home keeping his aunt's company," Joy replied.
The two bantered back and forth, tossing some shade at Grace who looked a bit embarrassed.
Skyler came by to lighten things up a bit, pouring wine for them, "Ladies, feel free to grab some more."
It was like Leanne's cat, not a fancy breed, just a stray. But when it jumped on the table, no one dared to shoo it away.
Joy and Selina were not to be trifled with either.
A chair was added beside Grace, and Xenia seemed to have a quiet and ladylike demeanor, not stealing the spotlight and speaking only when spoken to.
Their arrival didn't dampen the cheerful atmosphere at the table.
Curtis was in a good mood. Those usually wary of him were particularly lively, making a ruckus.
He lazily rested his arm on the back of Leanne's chair, listening to the commotion.
Only when Leanne turned to speak to him would he lean in to listen attentively.
There was an invisible barrier between them that no one could penetrate.
As they were finishing up, Joy checked her watch and excitedly said to Selina, "Let's go for a walk later. I saw a garden with night-blooming cereus on the way here. They bloom around eight or nine. Let's go check it out!"
Selina, distracted, didn't catch the whole thing, "Check out what?"
"What are you staring at?" Following her gaze, Joy looked over at Xenia.
Selina covered her mouth and whispered, "Don't you think she looks a bit like Leanne? Especially the mannerisms and aura, strikingly similar. I bumped into her at the restroom earlier. For a second, I mistook her for Leanne."
"Really?" Joy scrutinized Xenia from head to toe with a critical eye, slightly disdainful, "The eyes, maybe a little... but she's nowhere near our Leanne." After dinner, Joy and Selina timed their departure to catch the night-blooming cereus, taking Leanne with them.
The cool summer night breeze filled the courtyard, refreshing the group as they sat and chatted post-dinner.
Someone pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Devin, "Want one?"
Devin took it and placed it between his lips. Several others also took out cigarettes. The person with the lighter was about to light Devin's cigarette. Curtis rapped on the table.
"No smoking here."
"Leanne doesn't like it, huh?" Devin got up quickly, "Let's step outside then."
Curtis was brewing coffee, pouring water at just the right temperature into a clear cup, and watching the coffee beans mulled in the machine. Without looking up, he said to Devin, "Take your time leaving."
The smokers exchanged glances, and the lighter's flame died. Those unlit cigarettes started to feel like they were burning their mouths.
"
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