Leaving You Bereft (Willow and Julian) novel Chapter 16

Jeffrey was dressed very formally.

He wore a navy blue shirt with a black suit jacket draped over his shoulder. To complete his look, a black tie was strapped around his neck. Put together, he looked sharp and refined, yet exuded an air of restrained allure.

He gazed at Willow with a faint smile. “Can I sit and have a coffee with you?”

After a brief pause, Willow returned the smile lightly. “Of course.”

Jeffrey set his briefcase down and sat down. Very quickly, a waiter approached and politely asked, “What kind of coffee would you like, sir?”

“Blue Mountain,” he replied with a tap of his finger.

The waiter nodded and left.

He sank back into his chair and habitually reached for a cigarette. Remembering where he was, he frowned and abandoned the idea. He tucked the cigarette away and turned his attention back to Willow.

They hadn’t seen each other for a while, and it seemed she had changed quite a bit.

She wore a fawn–colored woolen dress that outlined her slender, graceful figure. Her long raven hair cascaded loosely across her back. She wore no extravagant jewelry, save a singular, delicate chain adorning her collarbones.

This version of her radiated such a gentle warmth that reminded Jeffrey of a soft pearl.

“Have you arranged to meet a lawyer yet?”

“Are you here for business, Mr. Gibson?”

They spoke at the same time, creating a brief moment of awkwardness. Fortunately, the waiter arrived with Jeffrey’s coffee, easing the tension.

Jeffrey politely thanked the waiter and took a small sip of his coffee.

He began, speaking of something other than the divorce case, “I heard you bumped into Mrs. Chapman from Project Aurelia lately. Seems like you had a good conversation.”

Willow lowered her head and gently stirred her coffee. Her voice was soft as she asked, “How do you know about that?”

Jeffrey stared closely at her. “Mr. Chapman from Project Aurelia is a close family friend. Technically, he is my uncle, or more specifically, my first cousin once removed.”

She raised her head. “Oh? That’s unexpected. Julian never mentioned it.”

At the mention of Julian’s name, a subtle silence fell between them….

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Chapter 16

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