"There he goes!" Hugo huffed faintly, watching Max’s car drive away. "What is Lily even thinking? Leaving Ginnie in his care?"
Grace chuckled, amused that Hugo hadn’t caught on, even after an entire night with the group. "If you don’t trust him, why leave her alone with him, then?"
"I didn’t say I don’t trust him," he replied. "Even though I had a few drinks, I wouldn’t just leave Penny’s friend in the care of soone I don’t trust."
"Oh."
"That guy might be annoying, but he’s not a bad person," he said. "Ginnie’s safe with him."
"I guess your relationship with him is more complicated than I thought."
"It’s not complicated if he doesn’t like romantically," Hugo shrugged. "Also, I thought you were drunk."
"I am—a little. How about you?" she returned, tilting her head. "I thought you were drunk."
"I was, but I splashed so water on my face before we left," he explained knowingly. "As a soldier, I don’t get drunk to the point where I can’t drag myself ho."
Grace chuckled, impressed. "I guess the badge isn’t just for decoration."
"Badges are nothing," he said. "They’re just ornants."
Hugo shoved his hands into his jeans pockets, standing still as he waited for either Atlas or Haines to arrive. "Say... are you really interested in my uncle?"
"I thought we already talked about that back there?"
"We did," he replied, tilting his head back slightly, eyes sliding toward her. "But I thought you were joking."
"So calling your uncle in the middle of the night to pick you up is part of the joke?"
"No, it’s part of my hope for him." Hugo shrugged. "My uncle has always been alone. And even though there are plenty of won now—just like before—who are interested in him, he never ’wastes’ his ti on them. My dad and mom worry about him."
"What if I was joking?" she quipped. "Wouldn’t that be wasting his ti as well?"
"You’re right, but... you seem like a woman with an open mind!" he laughed. "Even if you were joking, I’m sure you’d end up liking him once you get to know him! Haha!"
"Pfft—" Grace stifled her laughter, shaking her head at Hugo. "You are very confusing, Hugo Bennet."
At one point, she wondered if Hugo was truly clueless when it ca to relationships. He seed to treat n and won the sa. But sotis—just like now—it was clear that he wasn’t completely unaware.
"On a serious note, don’t hurt him," he said, clearing his throat with a smile. "Whether this works or not, don’t hurt him. Our family secretly blas us for the fact that he never had ti for himself... which is sowhat true. Don’t play with his heart. Uncle Haines might have a heart of ice, but he’s very kind."
"Now that’s a lot of pressure," she chuckled, peeling her eyes away from him. "But you’re wrong."
"Huh?"
"Don’t worry about hurting him," she said. "I’m worried it’s the other way around."
As soon as those words left her lips, a car suddenly pulled up in front of them. Hugo kept his eyes on her for a mont before shifting his gaze to the car. The second he did, he saw Haines stepping out of the driver’s seat, looking over the hood.
"Uncle!" Hugo raised a hand as Haines approached.
Haines stopped a few steps from his nephew and Grace. When he t Grace’s smile, he nodded at her but said nothing.
"You said you were drunk." His voice was strict as he t Hugo’s eyes. "You don’t seem like you can’t drive your motorcycle ho."
"Uncle Haines, why are you judging by my appearance?" Hugo frowned. "I am drunk! Very much!"
But Haines didn’t seem convinced.
"Let’s go," he said, unwilling to drag out the conversation. "Get in."
"Oh." Hugo pursed his lips and took a step back instead.
Seeing this, Haines knitted his brows. "Hugo, what are you doing?"
"Nothing?" Hugo cleared his throat, ntally panicking. ’Why isn’t First Brother here yet?! I called him first, didn’t I?!’
"Hugo."
"Oh, Uncle Haines! Can we drive Grace ho?" Hugo proposed, buying himself so ti to think of an escape plan.
"Hmm?" Haines glanced at Grace, only to see her smiling until her eyes squinted. "Of course."
"Heh..." Hugo laughed awkwardly, thinking he should just run away. Otherwise, he’d be third-wheeling. How could Grace execute her plan if he was there? But just as he was considering fleeing, he saw Atlas’s familiar car pull up in front of Haines’s.
"Uncle Haines?" Atlas called as soon as he stepped out, making Haines turn to him. "What are you doing here?"
Haines frowned. "I should be the one asking..."
"Oh, First Brother! Perfect timing!" Hugo jumped from his spot and sprinted toward Atlas’s car. As he opened the front passenger door, he turned to Haines and grinned. "Looks like First Brother was just being strict, but still ca to pick up. Uncle, can you drive Grace ho? She can’t drive, and she’s very drunk!"
Very drunk? Haines and Atlas both glanced at Grace, who didn’t look the slightest bit drunk to them.
"Thanks, Uncle!" Hugo exclaid before hurrying to Atlas. "First Brother, let’s go! Fast, fast!"
Atlas frowned but shrugged. "Uncle, I’ll take him ho. Drive safe."
With that, Atlas got in the driver’s seat, unaware of what Hugo had just done.
Haines watched his nephews leave in silence. He only looked away from the car’s taillights when he heard Grace chuckle.
"I’m really drunk," she said, clutching her bag with both hands in front of her. "Please take care of ."
"..." Haines exhaled shallowly as he gazed at her. Despite realizing he had just walked into a trap set by Charles’s children, he simply couldn’t leave her here alone. "Get in."
Having said that, Haines didn’t wait for her and walked back. Out of habit, he opened the backseat door and left it slightly ajar before rounding the car to the driver’s seat.
Grace glanced at the open backseat door and smiled. Instead of climbing in, she shut it and went straight to the front passenger seat. As soon as she sat down, Haines looked at her in surprise.
"It’s the middle of the night—people fall asleep at this hour. I don’t want you dozing off behind the wheel," she reasoned with a smile. "And you’re not my driver."
Haines sighed and shook his head. "Your seatbelt."
"Hehe." Grace chuckled, buckling herself in.
And just like that, she had her "first date" with him.
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