Chapter 31

The mood in the car was heavy. Outside, the sky turned dark, and rain started pouring all of a sudden.

Aubree sat quietly, lips pressed into a tight line. She heard a soft sigh, then felt a big hand gently touching her cheek.

“That look doesn’t suit you,” Bowen said.

Aubree pulled his hand away and turned her head, meeting his easygoing smile. His voice, usually cool and calm, was now soft and a little gentle. “What look?” she asked.

Bowen thought for a second. “You’ll get wrinkles if you keep frowning like that. Weren’t you treating me to lunch? I skipped breakfast for this, you know.”

His teasing made Aubree loosen up a little. She stopped frowning. “Don’t worry. I’ve already picked a place.”

She pointed ahead, telling Zachary to pull over by the curb. “It’s in that alley over there.”

Rithol High School students usually had a study block around noon, so they’d eat lunch near the school or in the cafeteria. This whole area had a bunch of little restaurants.

Back then, when Aubree wasn’t allowed to eat properly at home, she’d sneak out here to buy food when she was starving. But every time she went back, she’d end up getting beaten for it.

Since it was her treat, Bowen didn’t complain. Once they got out of the car, he told Zachary to stay behind. He and Aubree walked together into the alley, sharing one umbrella.

Bowen was a lot taller than Aubree. To cover her, he tilted the umbrella—and himself—her way.

Even though it was already fall, the heat still felt like summer in Rithol City. Aubree was wearing her school uniform: a short skirt and a light shirt. As they walked side by side, she kept brushing up against Bowen without meaning to.

Because of the heat, Bowen rolled up his sleeves, and his shirt fit just right.

Their arms touched—his skin cool, hers warm—and it made Aubree feel like her own skin was burning. She swallowed without thinking.

The umbrella didn’t give them much room, and Bowen’s light, woodsy scent seemed to wrap all around Aubree. It felt like she couldn’t smell anything but him.

Out of nowhere, the old rumors popped into her head—stories from before the time reset about how cold and ruthless Bowen used to be.

“Do you eat around here a lot?” Bowen asked as they passed a few storefronts. His voice sounded calm and smooth in the rain, with a touch of charm. He sounded like he was just making small talk.

“Not really. I wasn’t allowed to eat freely when I was with the Wilsons,” Aubree mumbled, feeling nervous for some reason.

She glanced to the side and realized she only came up to his chest. With them sharing the same umbrella, it felt like his breath was right by her ear.

They were too close. She shifted a bit, trying not to bump into him again.

“Oh, right. I almost forgot,” Bowen said. “Next time you’re hungry, just come and find me. I’ll make sure you eat.”

He said it like it was nothing, like it didn’t matter at all.

Aubree thought about what he said and didn’t answer.

Bowen didn’t seem to care. He suddenly leaned closer, and her arm was pressed tight against his.

Aubree froze, holding her breath. Just when she was about to move away, he gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her a little toward him. “The clothes are wet,” he said softly. “This way, it’ll stay dry.”

Aubree’s eyes drifted to his shoulder. Sure enough, it was damp with rain.

Bowen chuckled softly above her head and gave her shoulder a light tap. “I mean, you are getting wet.”

Aubree’s ears turned red. She looked up, confused, and finally noticed her shoulder was halfway soaked.

Bowen’s deep voice had a warm, smooth tone that sent a tickle straight to her chest.

Right then, Bowen gently moved his fingers. His eyes sparkled with amusement—he clearly found her reactions fun to watch.

If Chris or Samson had seen this, they probably would’ve called Bowen out for shamelessly flirting with a schoolgirl.

But in Bowen’s mind, he wasn’t flirting at all.

Thankfully, the short walk came to an end. “We’re here,” Aubree said quickly, pointing at the pasta shop ahead before rushing inside.

Bowen watched her run off like she was escaping and let out a quiet laugh. He thought she was so cute when she got flustered and wondered what kind of guy would end up marrying her.

Inside the shop, most of the customers were students, with a few locals scattered around. A pretty schoolgirl walking in wasn’t anything special, but the noble, good-looking man with her definitely caught some eyes.

The shop owner, a middle-aged woman, glanced over a few times before snapping back to her job. She walked over and seated them. “What can I get you?”

Aubree looked at Bowen, sitting across from her. “Mr. Turner, what do you want to eat?”

“You pick,” Bowen said.

“Then one beef pasta and one plain pasta,” Aubree replied.

The owner nodded and went to the kitchen.

Bowen raised an eyebrow. He knew Aubree didn’t have much money, but he hadn’t expected her to order one beef pasta for herself and a plain one for him.

Noticing his look, Aubree felt a little embarrassed. Other than that first meeting when he took her out to eat, this was the first time they were actually sharing a meal together.

“What are you staring at, Mr. Turner?” she asked.

“What else would I be looking at besides you?” he said.

His answer came so quickly and directly that Aubree, in the middle of drinking water, choked.

She started coughing hard. Bowen gave her a look like she was being ridiculous and reached over to pat her back. “You’re not a kid. How do you even choke on water?”

Aubree glared at him, annoyed. ‘It’s your fault for saying something so bold out of nowhere,’ she thought.

Her eyes watered from all the coughing, and her glare didn’t look fierce at all—if anything, it came off more like a pout.

Seeing that, Bowen found himself rubbing his fingers and smiling without meaning to. She was just too cute. He had to stop himself from reaching over and pinching her cheeks.

“Here’s your pasta!” the owner called, quickly setting their plates down on the table.

From the moment Aubree walked in, the owner had been quietly guessing what kind of relationship they had. Even while cooking, she kept sneaking peeks at them. With years of people-watching under her belt, she figured they were probably dating.

Aubree had a healthy appetite. The beef pasta here was known for being spicy—their specialty. She pushed the beef pasta toward Bowen. “You take this one.”

When the owner saw that, she gave Bowen a look full of judgment. “Seriously? You’re a grown man, probably working, and you let a schoolgirl take the plain pasta while you eat the beef pasta, huh?”

Then she turned to Aubree and didn’t hold back. “And girl, you’re just a kid—don’t be fooled by a guy like him just because he acts nice.” Her eyes were telling Aubree that Bowen was a bad man and she should stay away from him.

It was the first time Bowen had ever been labeled a shady guy who took advantage of young girls. He found it both funny and kind of annoying. Aubree felt awkward and quickly waved her hands. “You’ve got the wrong idea. We’re not dating. He’s kind of like an older relative.”

To her, the thought of Bowen being her boyfriend was scary. She couldn’t even imagine it. She believed any girl who could actually be with him had to be seriously impressive.

“Yeah,” Bowen added. “Think of me as her uncle.” Seeing how eager Aubree was to put space between them made something in him tighten. He couldn’t explain why, but it bothered him a little.

The owner glanced back and forth between them, still unsure. But Bowen looked so calm and serious that she didn’t say anything more.

As soon as the owner walked away, Aubree lowered her head and buried her face. “Um…” she mumbled.

Bowen gave a soft chuckle, picked up a clean fork, and moved the beef from his plate to hers. “Well, call me uncle now.”