Chapter 77 Dry Her Hair
When Caroline heard that Rebecca’s son had tearfully called
Alistair “Dad” and that it had made Eloise fear losing her father,
she decided to transfer Eloise to a different kindergarten.
She knew Alistair wasn’t stupid enough to get tangled up with his ex–wife. Still, his clarity didn’t mean Rebecca’s family felt the
same. Rebecca’s recent actions showed she clearly regretted leaving Alistair.
It served her right–too little, too late. Alistair was Caroline’s now,
and no one would take him away.
She was jealous and possessive. Alistair was hers, plain and
simple. The mere thought of Rebecca eyeing him, let alone harboring any romantic notions, made her blood boil.
With both families‘ kids going to the same kindergarten and
having the same start and end times for school, they’d regularly
cross paths, even if the children weren’t in the same class.
To avoid future drama and cut all ties between Alistair and
Rebecca, Caroline made up her mind to move Eloise.
Like Alistair, she worried Eloise would miss her new friends. But
Eloise didn’t disappoint. When Caroline asked her about the
change, the little girl agreed immediately.
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Chapter 77 Dry Her Hair
“Mommy, I don’t want to share Daddy with other kids. Do you feel the same way about sharing your husband?” In her innocent way,
Eloise had hit the nail on the head.
Caroline kissed Eloise’s cheek. “You’re right. I don’t want to share him with anyone.”
She felt guilty for making Eloise go through this. The best solution would be to force the entire Whitfield family out of New York.
It wouldn’t be hard, but it’d take time.
New York had another top–notch kindergarten, though it was a bit farther from where they lived. Back then, since it was just Caroline and Eloise, she didn’t see the need for a large home. So, she picked the smallest property under her name, which led her to choose the old kindergarten.
But Caroline realized she owned an apartment around the other top–notch kindergarten that was even closer–just a short walk away. She imagined walking with Alistair to drop Eloise off, a perfect family scene.
To give Eloise the best kindergarten experience, she bought the place outright and put it in Eloise’s name. All profits would go into Eloise’s “Happy Growth Fund,” building a secure future for her.
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Chapter 77 Dry Her Hair
That night, Alistair barely drank any water, afraid of another
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awkward situation. When Eloise fed him fruit, he took a couple of
bites and said he was too full.
Caroline noticed his caution. She needed to know if Alistair was straight–it mattered more than she cared to admit.
But she couldn’t just come out and ask.
Under the shower, Caroline vowed to get her answer as quickly as
possible.
Cold water cascaded over Caroline’s smooth skin.
Taking an icy shower in March was crazy, but she didn’t flinch.
The shock of the frigid water made her teeth chatter, yet she gritted through it. Compared to what she’d endured 12 years ago, this was nothing.
As the water streamed down, memories flooded back. That year, her life had been a colorless void.
Trapped like a caged songbird with clipped wings, she’d felt
utterly hopeless–until she met a certain boy. He’d been the only bright spot in her otherwise bleak world.
Alistair finished his shower first. He returned to the room, flopped
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onto the bed, and started typing.
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Admittedly, since deciding on a whim to write a novel, he’d only managed the first few pages. It began as a way to pass the time, but once he started crafting the story, he got hooked.
There was a thrill in controlling fictional lives, like playing god.
Just as he was getting into the flow, Caroline emerged from the bathroom, her hair hanging in damp strands.
Alistair made a point of ignoring her a habit since moving in.
Her pajamas were modest and covered her fully, but the sheer fabric still made his mind wander into inappropriate territory. So he forced himself to look away, not wanting to risk those awkward thoughts.
He stole a quick glance, then tried to look away. But her hair dripped steadily, soaking the back of her top until it clung like a second skin.
Alistair forced his eyes elsewhere.
He had no impure thoughts about her. He just couldn’t shake the thought that she must be shivering, wandering around with wet hair and soaking–wet pajamas. In fact, he found himself fighting the impulse to grab a towel and dry her hair, maybe even run for
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Chapter 77 Dry Her Hair
the hairdryer.
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Alistair froze, torn. His tough life had left him unsure about what counted as normal between a guy and a woman. Helping with hair
-was that okay?
He worried one wrong move would shatter their careful balance, make Caroline think he had hidden motives, and lose her trust.
Before he could decide, Caroline grabbed the hairdryer. Alistair blurted out, “Need a hand?”
She stopped and flashed a grateful smile. “Thanks, that’d be great.”
Relief washed over him. Crisis averted.
He hopped out of bed, took the dryer, and started drying her
hair on medium heat. The moment his fingers touched her damp strands, he frowned. Ice–cold.
Her whole body felt frigid, her face deathly pale.
After a hot shower, she should be warm, like before when her cheeks would flush pink and she looked so alive.
Even her neck felt like ice under his fingertips.
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Chapter 77 Dry Her Hair
“Your skin’s freezing. Was the water too cold?” he asked.
Caroline’s stomach dropped. She’d gotten greedy for their closeness and forgotten how observant he was.
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“I waited a bit before coming out,” she lied. “I must’ve lost all the
heat.”
Alistair bought it. It never crossed his mind that she would secretly
adore him.
He finished drying her hair and the soaked patch on her back. With that done, he finally felt at ease.
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