"This is great!" Nina couldn’t help but chuckle as she and Penny walked into the mall to have lunch together. "I think your office will be finished even faster than we all thought."
Penny nodded. "Thanks to Brother Atlas."
"You should’ve asked for his help earlier," Nina pouted. "If only you had, you would’ve had your office ready even before you ca. Brother Atlas is the one who got you the building, after all. Do you know how hard it was to get it?"
"You’re right."
"Sotis, your stubbornness is... I don’t want to say it." Nina shook her head before turning to the receptionist at the restaurant. "Nina Reed — yes. Thank you."
After receiving confirmation of their reservation, Nina turned back to Penny. "Shall we go?"
"You’re using Reed?" Penny raised an eyebrow as they followed the attendant to their table. "I don’t recall Mom and Dad removing you from our family registry."
"Hehe." Nina chuckled and bit her lip. "I changed it when I was old enough."
"Huh?"
The two won paused as they sat down across from each other. Even so, the look of curiosity lingered in Penny’s eyes.
"Why?" she asked, as this was the first ti she had heard this. "Mom, Dad, and our brothers didn’t ntion it."
"That’s because it’s not really important." Nina shrugged. "It was a decision I thought about for a long ti, and I’m glad Mom and Dad didn’t mind. Although they told to think about it more, they still supported my decision. Even our brothers."
"Oh." Penny nodded, realizing she had missed a lot of details from everyone’s lives.
"I’m a Reed, Penny," Nina emphasized with a subtle smile. "Back then, I used to cry about it and even hate it. But, well, that’s all in the past. Now, I’m proud to be a Reed. I’m proud to be in Aunt Jessa’s family. Though the family is small, my aunt is a very popular chef! Who would dare pick on , right?"
Penny chuckled. "Even if she hadn’t beco a famous chef, no one would pick on you with her backing you up."
"You’re right." Nina giggled. "She was very scary before."
"Even now, though."
"But compared to when she was younger, she’s more lenient now. I guess, in a way, Mom influenced her."
"They influenced each other," Penny nodded in satisfaction. "Anyway, what are you having?"
"I’ll have whatever you’re having."
"Are you sure?" Penny squinted. "I like large portions. You’re not pregnant, are you?"
Nina’s cheeks turned pink as she pursed her lips. "Penny, why would you say sothing so embarrassing?"
Seeing Nina’s reaction, Penny tilted her head to the side. She was only teasing, but Nina looked flustered.
"It’s not like you have experienced sothing like that," Nina pouted before her eyes widened a bit. "Wait. Don’t tell you’ve experienced... that?"
Penny narrowed her eyes. "By that, you an...?"
"That..." Nina emphasized. "The deed."
"No?" Penny leaned her arms against the table. "Nina, don’t tell you and your fiancé haven’t —"
Nina quickly covered Penny’s mouth, her face as red as an apple. Seeing her innocent reaction, Penny didn’t know whether to feel proud of her or find her cute. Although Penny had no experience in romance, she had heard enough couple stories to know that many couples skip to the honeymoon.
Not that she was judging Nina, but it was amusing to find out about it this way.
"Penny." Nina clicked her tongue as she slowly peeled her hand from Penny’s mouth. "Can you not tease like that? It’s not nice."
"I’m sorry, I didn’t an to." Penny cleared her throat, intrigue shalessly shining in her eyes. "But that’s surprising. I thought since you’re marrying Finn, he would’ve made so advances... you know?"
"Finn is a gentleman, Penny," Nina frowned. "I know he’s not the best of the best out there, but he really respects ."
"Oh?"
Nina’s cheeks turned pink. "He knows that I don’t want to be touched before our wedding night. After all, we could still break up. He would lose nothing if we broke up and he would definitely find soone new if we did. I, on the other hand, will not be complete again. I have to leave sothing for myself just in case, right?"
"Oh..."
"I’m just glad he respects that, and he’s content just holding my hand and hugging ," Nina added with a hint of pride in her voice. "He’s a sweet guy, and I love him."
"Oh." Penny nodded, making Nina furrow her brows.
"You keep saying, ’Oh,’ Penny. Is that really all you have to say?"
"Well." Penny cleared her throat, keeping to herself that she and her brothers were actually worried about Nina. They didn’t have a good impression of Finn, after all. "Nothing. I’m just... speechless, that’s all."
"Why? You didn’t expect him to be a gentleman?"
"Yes." Penny laughed and shrugged. "You can’t bla . I didn’t have a good impression of him, and the last mory I had with him is... not really good. But we were kids back then, so he probably changed. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt."
"Finn said he wasn’t a good person in the past, but he wants to be a good man for ," Nina shared with a smile. "He said I make him want to do good things. I find that sweet since I never asked him to do anything for , but he still does."
Penny studied Nina’s expression before her eyes softened. "You really love him, don’t you?"
"I wouldn’t want to marry him if I didn’t," Nina quipped. "Anyway, let’s order. I’m really hungry after everything we did in the office. Goodness. I don’t want to work with you in the future. I design and even have to do so hard labor."
Penny chuckled as the two of them picked up their nus. But just as she did, Penny felt her phone vibrate.
"It’s Grace," she said and cast Nina a look. "I’ll just take this call. I’ll get whatever you’re getting."
"Sure." Nina smiled, watching Penny hurriedly leave the table to answer the call. "It’s probably important."
Nina shook her head and focused on the nu. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice.
"Well, isn’t this Nina Bennet? Or is it Nina Reed now?"
Nina slowly lifted her head, only to see the person standing next to her table. "Patricia, it’s nice to see you too."
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