Chapter 39

Rico had just arrived in Havenmoor. He played tennis in the afternoon and went drinking at a party in the evening. Since it wasn’t a formal event, there were no formalities.

Someone poured Dawson a full glass and said, “You’re still hiding out in Havenmoor, huh? Let me guess—dodging your mom again? We all heard she’s been pushing you to get married.”

“Problem is,” they continued, “they introduce you to women, and you shoot every single one down. Honestly, with your standards and your resume, it’s no wonder your bar’s high.”

That comment instantly drew Robin and Jamie’s attention. Rico grinned and added teasingly, “But I think there’s one person who might actually be a good match for you!”

Robin raised an eyebrow. The name on his mind was already Autumn, but he didn’t say it aloud. He asked, “Who?”

“Autumn Gray!” Rico announced proudly. After all, he had just randomly bumped into her, and it was clear Dawson had been more than a little captivated.

Dawson had never paid attention to women, so much so that some even joked he was practically a monk. Yet, he had looked at Autumn multiple times. That, alone, was a miracle. Robin looked genuinely surprised. “You know Autumn?”

Rico looked like he’d struck gold. “No way! You know her too! You were thinking the same thing, weren’t you?”

Robin nodded, and Rico looked like he’d just found his long-lost rein. “Exactly! That cool, distant vibe of hers? When she saw our log-cold CEO over there, she didn’t flinch at all. Calm, collected, no sucking up.”

“Have you ever seen a woman not get flustered around him?”

Most either blush, faint, or accidentally fall right into his arms.

Robin pushed up his thin silver-framed glasses and said, “You’re not wrong. They’re cut from the same cloth. The rest of us? Just background noise.”

Rico thought he’d discovered a hot gossip item, but now realized he might’ve been late to the party. Curious, he asked, “So, how do you know her?”

“She’s Dawson’s secretary,” Robin replied.

Rico’s eyes widened. “So? Destiny, man! Damon, you seriously need to take your shot. What if she actually likes you?”

But at the center of this entire discussion, Dawson didn’t so much as blink. Just then, his phone buzzed.

Very few people had Dawson’s personal number as he hated being disturbed. If Autumn messaged for no reason, he wouldn’t hesitate to block her. He checked the message: “Let me pay back the thousand dollars.”

Attached was a photo of the receipt—there was no greeting.

Dawson was speechless. Meanwhile, Robin noticed him staring at his phone and leaned over, asking, “What are you looking at?” Damon flipped his phone onto the table and casually took a sip of his drink.

Robin narrowed his eyes at Dawson’s expression, still cold as ice. “Did you even hear what we said?”

Dawson replied dryly, “You should shut down your bank and start a matchmaking agency instead.”

Juro blinked, amused. “Wow. How’d you know I’ve been thinking about that exact career change?”

Turion glared at him. He said nothing, but the warning in his stare was clear. Should he choose joining the monastery over marriage?

Moreover, he… Promuc rarely showed good judgment. He turned to Robin. “Wait, I seriously…”

Robin thought of how Dawson had once taken a drink for Autumn and how he’d known she was sick. Those little signs of care weren’t the kind of things he did for just anyone. He had already been very clear with his stance.

So, Robin replied, “You’re reading too much into it. Dawson said he might date someone someday, but he definitely won’t date Autumn.”

He glanced at Juro, serious and dismissive. “He meant it dead serious.”