Dear Ex-wife Marry Me (Maja and Ian) novel Chapter 1756

Maja couldn't help but chuckle as she hooked her arm through his and they headed for the car.

As long as Abner and Shirley hit it off, her matchmaking wouldn't have been in vain.

Upstairs.

After Ian's teasing remark, Abner had straightened up in his seat.

He glanced at the barely touched dishes in front of them and picked up a rib with the nearby cutlery, placing it onto Shirley's plate.

Shirley had planned to linger, but her phone chose that moment to buzz. It was her mother calling.

She pressed the answer button with a hint of resignation in her voice.

"Mom, I really got held up with work at school, I didn't stand him up on purpose. I know, okay, I'll meet him in an hour."

Ending the call, she stood up.

"Abner, how long do you plan to stick around Greenfield? I have a training out of town for the next few days. Next time you're in Greenfield, can we grab a meal together?"

Her mother had set her up on a blind date, and she couldn't bail on the arrangement.

Abner also got to his feet. "Let me walk you out."

"I drove here."

"So, can you give me a lift?"

Shirley was speechless.

Eventually, they both climbed into the car.

Shirley took the driver's seat, punched in the hotel's address into the GPS, and realized that it was only a mile from her place.

Was he really so close and never thought to call her?

She lowered her lashes, hiding the flicker of disappointment within.

Abner, sitting in the passenger seat, cycled through several conversation topics in his head but couldn't seem to voice any of them.

"Abner, where did you go to college?"

Abner had left right after finishing his exams, and she had no idea where he had gone.

Shirley had tried to find him, but that first year, he had simply vanished.

"In North America."

"You graduated a year ago, right? Thought about working back here in Greenfield?"

In Shirley's eyes, Abner was still that quiet, awkward boy, and she couldn't imagine the dangerous games he played behind the scenes.

"Haven't thought about it."

A smile lit up Shirley's face as she drove. "Remember when you found out I wanted to be a teacher, you said you'd become one too."

Realizing she had perhaps said too much about the distant past, something he probably didn't recall, she changed the subject.

Shirley's parents were both teachers, and she grew up pampered as an only child, never wanting for anything.

If there was a time she suffered, it was probably during those years with Abner.

With that thought, Abner felt a pang of sadness and turned away.

Shirley tried to keep the mood light, but he was as much of a closed book as ever.

Back at the hotel entrance, Abner made to leave but Shirley caught his arm.

She took off the scarf around her neck and draped it around his.

"Did you also forget your jacket? It's chilly out, keep this on."

He had indeed handed his jacket to the driver and forgotten to retrieve it.

"Mm."

After he stepped out of the car, he felt awkward and clumsy.

Not until he was in the elevator did he look down at the scarf around his neck.

The scarf was warm, a camel-colored cashmere.

He twirled it in his fingers and lifted it to his nose.

It carried a faint, sweet scent, and his ears flushed with heat.