Page 38 of Triplet Babies for the Billionaire
I chuckle, leaning against the counter. “Yeah, calm, for now. But Courtney is in rare form today.”
Miguel raises an eyebrow, wiping his hands on his apron. “Really? What’s she up to now?”
I can’t help but shake my head. “She’s been trying to stir the pot, as usual. Talking about Blossom’s ex, trying to make things sound worse than they were.”
Miguel snorts, clearly not surprised. “Yeah, she’s always had a way of making things more dramatic than they need to be. But you know what? That right hook of yours yesterday? That wasimpressive, my friend. You didn’t hold back.”
I laugh, the tension from earlier dissipating a little. “Yeah, well, I wasn’t in the mood for playing nice.”
Miguel’s grin fades as he looks at me more seriously. “You’ve been running this place so well, Noah. Don’t let someone like Courtney throw you off track. You’ve got this under control.”
His words hit me in a good way. I’ve been focused on the business, but it’s nice to hear it from someone else.
“Thanks, Miguel,” I say, giving him a genuine smile. “I’ll keep that in mind. You’ve got a good day ahead of you?”
He nods, his tone lightening again. “Of course. It’s a quiet day in the kitchen, thank God. You take care, man.”
I pat his shoulder before heading out, feeling a bit more grounded after talking with him.
I walk back into the bar, but before I can reach the counter, I feel it: Courtney’s presence again. I turn around just in time to see her walking toward me, her hips swaying a little too obviously as she gives me a seductive smile.
She pokes her ass out, trying to get my attention. I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“Really?” I mutter under my breath, trying not to look too annoyed.
“Come on, Noah,” she purrs, getting too close for comfort. “I think you know what I’m offering.”
I don’t even flinch. “Courtney, pull yourself together,” I say, my voice firm but calm. “You’re not the first person to try to get my attention, and you won’t be the last. I’m not interested.”
Her smile falters, but she quickly tries to cover it up. "Whatever," she says, spinning on her heel to walk away. She stops abruptly, and turns back. "Hey, I’ve got something to say about Blossom."
I freeze for a moment, curious but wary. “What now?” I ask, not giving her the satisfaction of showing interest.
She turns back to face me, her voice lowering. “Zack isn’t the only guy sniffing around Blossom, you know.”
The words hit me harder than I expect.
My heart skips a beat.
What does she mean by that?
I feel my irritation rising again, but I stay silent, not giving Courtney the reaction she’s hoping for.
I don’t trust anything she says about Blossom.
But the words still linger in my mind.
Courtney’s words still linger in the air, too, and I can feel the tension building between us. She’s standing in front of me, her lips curving into that all-too-familiar, fake smile, clearly expecting something from me.
I don’t hesitate. My focus is solely on Blossom, and I’m not going to let Courtney distract me anymore. “Look, Courtney,” I say, my tone firm and clear, “I’m never going to date you. I figured you knew that already. To me, we are just two people who went through a traumatic experience together, and that’s it. Nothing more.”
I watch her face fall, the façade cracking for a moment. It feels like she wasn’t expecting me to be so blunt, but I can’t waste anymore time with her. The longer I let her believe she has a chance, the more this will drag on.
Her eyes narrow slightly, but she doesn’t argue. Instead, she just looks at me, the disappointment in her gaze clear.
“Glad we could come to that understanding, Courtney,” I say, turning away from her without another word.
To my surprise, Courtney doesn’t fight me. Instead, her expression softens, and something shifts in her eyes.
