Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

Ivy Sherwood and Nina Scott hadn’t taken more than a few steps when they ran into Seth Scott.

”Nina, Ivy,” Seth called out, stopping them.

Nina responded, ”Bro.”

”Are you two okay? I thought I saw something wrong with your car just now.”

Seth’s gaze fell on Ivy Sherwood. Her face seemed a little pale. ’Was she frightened?’ he wondered.

”We’re standing right here, perfectly fine, aren’t we? Nothing happened!”

Seth said, ”You’ve always been a handful. What about you, Ivy? Are you alright?”

Ivy shook her head. ”Thank you for asking. I’m fine.”

”That’s good. You two really gave me a scare. How about we have lunch together? I just booked a private room.”

”I’m good with whatever.” Nina, of course, had no objection.

Both of them looked at Ivy. When she didn’t say anything, Nina spoke up. ”Of course Ivy’s fine with it, too.”

A smile touched Seth’s lips. ”Great. Let me know what you’d like to eat ahead of time, and I’ll have it prepared.”

Ivy cut in, ”I’m sorry, I just remembered something. You two go on ahead.”

Ivy thought for a moment. She couldn’t get the look in Quentin Blackwood’s eyes out of her head. ’I need to talk to him again.’

They hadn’t gone far. ’Maybe Quentin is still back there.’

Ivy turned and headed back in Quentin’s direction.

But as she rounded a corner, she saw him. Only he wasn’t alone. Joy Sheridan was with him.

Quentin’s back was to her, so all she could see was his silhouette. Joy Sheridan stood beside him, turned sideways to gaze up at him, her eyes completely filled with him.

You can always tell when someone is in love just by looking at their eyes.

And Joy Sheridan was definitely very much in love with Quentin Blackwood.

Nina caught up to her. ”Ivy, why did you...”

Ivy shook her head and forced a smile. ”It’s nothing. I had something to discuss with President Blackwood, but I’ll just find another chance. We shouldn’t interrupt them.”

”Then let’s go get lunch,” Nina said.

”Okay,” Ivy agreed. ”Where are we going?”

”Just follow me.”

...

Meanwhile, Joy Sheridan was pleading with Quentin Blackwood. ”I went through so much trouble to come to Lustre, and you actually called my grandfather? Now he’s telling me to go back! Quentin, you’re so cruel.”

”I promise I’ll behave. I won’t bother you. Just let me stay here, please?”

”Joy, a rich girl like you would never like Lustre.” The cigarette between Quentin’s fingers smoldered.

”You’re right, I don’t like it here. It’s small and poor, and the people are so classless. But *you’re* here. As long as you’re here, I’ll be here. I just want to be with you. What’s wrong with that?”

Quentin’s voice was cold, his rejection firm. ”I don’t need you to be with me. And your life shouldn’t revolve around me.”

”You should have your own dreams and do what you want to do, not chase after a man and scheme against every woman who gets near him.”

At least, Ivy wasn’t like that.

Ivy knew exactly what she wanted. She knew when she was outmatched, but she’d still give it her all and try anyway.

She was stubborn, with a spirit that refused to accept defeat. If she saw even the slightest opportunity, she would charge ahead.

’She doesn’t waste her energy on men. In fact, she probably thinks men would just slow down her career.’

’She’s her own person, with her own life. She doesn’t revolve around anyone else; she doesn’t exist for anyone else.’

”But *you* are my dream! I want to be with you, and I want to marry you someday. That’s my dream,” Joy said, her voice full of delight.

Quentin repeated, ”Joy, I’m grateful for the help the Sheridan Family gave me back then, but I’ve only ever thought of you as a friend.”

When he was fourteen and went to Aethelgard alone, Old Master Sheridan had helped him.

He had started writing code to earn money back then. His mind was filled with grand ambitions, with visions of building an empire.

But for a boy his age, it was an incredibly difficult path to walk alone.

The programs he wrote were considered too outlandish by most, and no one was willing to buy them. It was Old Master Sheridan who recognized his potential, though he only bought the program for a low price.

Still, for Quentin, it was a crucial sum of money.

He never forgot that kindness. Over the years, the DG Group had been incredibly generous to the Sheridan Group, always including them in new projects or offering them services at a steep discount.

Joy’s parents died when she was very young, and it hadn’t been easy for Old Master Sheridan to raise his granddaughter while single-handedly propping up an entire company.

So Quentin figured, if he could help the family out, he would.

”I get it, just stop talking,” Joy interrupted impatiently.

She knew Quentin didn’t like her and was rejecting her.

But so what? As long as there were no other women in his life, she was the only one who was special.

”Fine, I’ll go back. But before I do, have one meal with me in Lustre. That’s not too much to ask, is it?”

”You can’t even agree to one tiny request?”

”I just heard there’s a really good restaurant in Lustre. If you don’t agree, then I’m not going back.”

Quentin was getting annoyed by her pestering, but he knew his irritation wasn’t really coming from Joy.

It was a vague, unplaceable agitation that seemed to come from nowhere.

”Fine,” Quentin agreed.

Joy beamed. ”Great! I’ll book a table! Let’s go right now!”

...

Ivy and Nina left the racetrack together. It wasn’t until they arrived at their destination that Ivy realized Seth Scott was also there.

Seeing the look on Ivy’s face, Seth smiled gently. ”Ivy, why so surprised to see me?”

Ivy had left with Nina, not Seth, and because she’d been so distracted, she hadn’t even heard his invitation.

”It’s not every day my brother treats us to a meal. Come on, let’s go.” Nina put a hand on Ivy’s shoulder and guided her inside.

The restaurant was extremely popular; the private rooms had to be booked at least two weeks in advance. Even with Seth’s connections, booking at the last minute meant he could only get a table in the main dining hall.

It was the peak of lunch hour, and the place was packed. Seth led them to their table. He was just about to pull out a chair for Ivy like a gentleman when a waiter rushed over. ”Allow me.”

Seth’s hand froze for a second, but he played it off smoothly. ”I’ve already ordered. I hope it’s to your liking.”

Nina laughed. ”Bro, we’re definitely going to make you splurge today.”

Seth laughed back. ”Just one meal won’t be enough. Anytime you want to go out to eat, just tell me. It’ll be my treat.”

”Oh yeah? In that case, Ivy and I will definitely be taking you up on that offer a few more times.”

That was exactly what Seth wanted to hear. ”No problem at all.”

Just then, two more people walked in through the restaurant’s entrance.

Joy Sheridan was grumbling loudly, ”What kind of crappy place is this? Why can’t we get a private room? Do they have any idea who I am? The Sheridan Family could buy this entire restaurant!”

Hearing the voice, Ivy glanced in its direction.

She froze mid-bite. ’Talk about a small world...’

She suddenly remembered Quentin cornering her in the locker room, warning her to stay away from Seth Scott. And here she was, having lunch with him.

’If Quentin sees this, isn’t he going to tear me to shreds?’

She hadn’t even done anything wrong, and it wasn’t like she and Quentin had *that* kind of relationship, yet she felt a pang of guilt, as if she’d been caught cheating red-handed. She desperately wanted to flee.

’Please don’t let Quentin look over here,’ she prayed. ’Please don’t let him see me!’