Chapter 4: The Ex Audition

I chose Marcus’s place for three reasons: it’s close to my barbecue joint, close to the lady’s house, and Marcus and his wife started from scratch—they’re not part of Lillian’s crowd.

So I figured, chances of running into anyone from the ‘Savannah circle’ were low.

“Uh… Who could’ve guessed…” Marcus forced a smile, clearly lacking confidence.

As he spoke, Lillian arrived at the table. She walked in like she owned the place—heels clicking on the hardwood, every head turning to watch. Savannah’s own Scarlett O’Hara, if Scarlett traded hoop skirts for Chanel. She just raised an eyebrow at Marcus. Like a chicken caught by the neck, he bolted, abandoning me.

Tsk, a grown man so scared—is Lillian Carter really that terrifying?

I raised an eyebrow, poured a glass of whiskey, and gave Lillian, now seated across from me, a calm smile.

“Miss Carter, may I offer you a drink?”

It had been more than ten days since the breakup. Seeing her again, I was surprisingly calm.

Lillian didn’t move. Her beautiful, bright eyes fixed on me. Such a gorgeous face, but when she’s silent, the pressure is suffocating. Maybe that’s the aura of someone used to power.

I held my glass tightly, keeping my smile steady.

After half a minute’s standoff, Lillian finally smiled, raised an eyebrow, picked up her glass.

She held it, but didn’t drink. Her gaze was probing.

“When did you get back?”

“Yesterday,” I replied with a smile. “I have a business to run—unlike Miss Carter’s big family, I can’t afford to waste time.”

Lillian nodded, her expression relaxing a bit. “Came to see Marcus?”

I was about to answer when a stunning woman in a white chiffon blouse and black skirt, curves in all the right places, stopped at our table.

She looked at me and Lillian in surprise, hesitation flickering in her clear eyes. Her voice was gentle as water:

“Caleb?”

“That’s me. Are you Natalie Brooks?”

Natalie nodded, then glanced at Lillian.

“Did I come too early? Did you set up another blind date before me?”

As soon as she said it, Lillian’s face darkened.

“You’re here for a blind date?”