Vera giggled. Nathaniel pointed to his other cheek and said, "This side, too."
Vera glanced outside again. They weren’t looking over, so she quickly gave him another peck.
When she was done, she instinctively looked outside again. Sheldon Caldwell was covering his eyes, and while Winter Sullivan pretended not to notice, Vera knew they had probably seen everything. Her face flushed slightly as she shot Nathaniel a glare. "This is all your fault!"
But Nathaniel just looked completely unfazed. "Actually, I could just pin you against the kitchen counter and kiss you right now."
Vera: "..."
’After hearing so much of his roguish talk,’ she thought, ’my ability to handle it has improved by leaps and bounds. I don’t even find it that embarrassing anymore. Habit really is a scary thing.’
Lunch was quite a spread—five dishes and a soup.
Vera’s cooking skills were excellent. All the dishes were well-made and perfectly paired, and Sheldon ate with such gusto.
Sheldon sighed in admiration. "Now I finally get why Nathaniel treasures Vera so much. If I had a girlfriend who was smart, beautiful, a great cook, and even a little feisty, I’d treasure her too."
Nathaniel shot him a look. "Congratulations, you’re going to die old and alone. Vera is the best girl in the world, and you’ve already missed your chance."
Sheldon was so taken aback he almost choked. Winter Sullivan, however, let out a soft laugh. Even though Sheldon was her son, she couldn’t help but feel that Nathaniel was a bit more impressive. Besides, the two had their own way of interacting, and Sheldon didn’t mind being on the receiving end of Nathaniel’s jabs.
The meal was joyful and congenial, and the atmosphere was wonderful.
After lunch, Vera went for a walk with Winter Sullivan around the residential complex to help with digestion, while Sheldon pulled Nathaniel away for a game of chess.
Vera and Winter sat down on a stone bench in the complex. Winter remarked with a hint of emotion, "You and Nathaniel have such a wonderful relationship. When do you plan on getting married?"
"We’ll probably have to wait until after I graduate from college," Vera said openly. "Otherwise, my classmates would look at me like I’m some kind of freak."
Winter nodded. "That makes sense. You’re still young and in school, so getting married right now isn’t really appropriate. Your family isn’t in Veridia, so if you ever feel wronged in the future, you come find me."
Vera knew her words were a tactful way of putting it. What she really meant was that Vera had no roots in Veridia, while the Nathan Family was large and powerful. As a girl from Crestfall with no significant background, she was bound to face some hardships. Winter was offering to be her support.
Vera smiled faintly at her. "Okay!"
The two shared a smile, and then Winter continued, "Sheldon has already told me about what happened with you and Susan. I don’t want to comment on who was right or wrong. I just want to tell you to do what you believe is right. And again, if anything ever happens, you can come to me. I will handle it impartially and won’t favor either side."
Vera said with a smile, "To be honest, I was a little nervous when you said that just now. I was afraid you were going to stand up for Susan Caldwell."
Winter sighed. "She’s my daughter, so it’s not my place to say much about her rights and wrongs. She was spoiled rotten by Julian since she was little, and she’s often far too willful. I’ve always felt that one day, she’ll have to pay the price for that willfulness."