No Strings Attached

Chapter 371

Marian's laughter filled the room, the corners of her mouth reaching her ears. "Ah, you remembered how much I love a good drink. What a sweet girl. Pour one out for me, please."

Clara poured a generous glass for Marian and then proceeded to serve everyone at the table. When she got to Ian, her mouth watered with envy. In a hushed tone, she asked, "Um, Ian, can I have just a tiny sip?"

Without missing a beat, Ian firmly declined, "Sweetheart, pregnant ladies shouldn't be drinking. Have you forgotten? Do you want our baby to come out asking for a bottle of beer instead of milk?"

"But just a teeny taste won't hurt! Or I could just lick it. Bueberry wine isn't going to knock me out." As she spoke, Clara ran her tongue over her lips, clearly yearning for a taste.

Ian chuckled and playfully pinched her nose. He brought the glass to her lips, teasing, "Just a lick. Any more, and you're getting a spank."

Clara nodded eagerly, her eyes crinkling with joy. She sniffed the beverage first, finding the aroma strangely familiar as if she'd had it before. Following her instincts, she let her tongue graze the liquid. The rich, sweet flavor, laced with a subtle hint of alcohol, tantalized her taste buds. Just that little touch brought back a flood of childhood memories.

Staring at the glass in wonder, she couldn't help but take another sip despite Ian's protests. The cool liquid slid down her throat, leaving a lingering, mellow aftertaste. It was the flavor she had cherished for years, the taste of her youth that she couldn't forget.

Her heart skipped a beat. She handed the glass to Casey, her eyes sparkling with uncontainable excitement. "Dad, this wine is the same one that boy's mom used to make."

Casey caught on immediately, taking a small sip himself, his eyes widening in disbelief. "It's got the same taste, Clara. Could Brodie really be little Nine?" Putting together all the ways Brodie had looked after Clara, Casey felt even more convinced in his guess.

Clara's eyes welled up with tears. "Dad, I knew he and his mom weren't gone. They were too good... How could they just die? I need to go to the hospital and find out everything."

She stood to leave, but Ian's grip on her wrist held her back. Ian watched her get so worked up at the recognition of Brodie as her childhood friend, and he felt a chill in his heart. If it weren't for the child they were expecting, he might have worried that Clara would kick him to the curb and run back to Brodie.

He held Clara close, soothing her, "Granny's been slaving away in the kitchen to make this meal for you. She'd be heartbroken if you didn't eat. We can deal with everything else after dinner, okay?"

Clara really wanted the truth, but one look at Marian's hopeful expression, and she obediently nodded. "Okay, we'll go after we eat."

The meal was lively, but Clara was distracted throughout. She couldn't stop thinking about how Brodie and his mother had survived all these years and why they hadn't revealed themselves to her.

As she was lost in thought, Ian's deep, husky voice brought her back to reality. "Clara, had enough to eat? If you're full, I'll take you to see your childhood sweetheart." He tried to sound casual, but his eyes betrayed a tinge of jealousy.

Clara, oblivious to his mood, nodded impatiently. "Yes, let's go now."

Ian frowned at her eagerness. "You ungrateful little thing. It's like feeding a dog that doesn't know its master. I've been so good to you, and yet you can't stop thinking about your childhood friend."Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Despite his jealousy, he was resigned to taking Clara to Brodie. Edwin couldn't help but laugh at the situation. "Ian, I never thought I'd see the day."

Ian shot back without a hint of politeness, "Get lost! I love my wife, and if she wants to reach for the stars, I won't stop her if she wants to go looking for some snotty kid in diapers."

He wrapped his arm around Clara and headed for the door, but as soon as they stepped outside, his bravado vanished, and he looked at Clara with puppy-dog eyes. "Babe, you still like me a little more, right?"