Chapter 407

**Chapter 407: Judy’s POV**

“Great job today, Matt,” I said proudly as we finished our training for the evening. I was exhausted and ready to head home. It was the day after I…

I went out to dinner with my family, and I hadn’t heard from Nan since last night. I was worried about her, but I knew I had to keep going with my life.

“Thanks,” Matt said with a bright smile. “I learned something new today.”

I learned a lot by watching the competition. I laughed and playfully rubbed his head, messing up his hair a bit. We walked inside, and I stopped when I noticed Gavin coming toward us. His face was hard to read, but his eyes showed something deeper.

Matt walked in with a big smile and greeted his dad, “Hi, Dad! We just finished training.” He was excited to share, “We learned some new things from the competition and impressed Judy.”

But earlier, there was something weighing on his mind. He had asked someone for a favor last night, but they had ignored him. It left him feeling a bit uneasy, especially since he had hoped for a reply. But for now, he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the good news from training.

I chuckled at his words; he wasn’t wrong.

“Nice job,” Gavin said to him with an appreciative nod. “Can you give us a minute, buddy?”

Matt nodded and said goodbye to me before stepping away.

I looked up at Gavin as he walked into his room, curious about what he wanted to talk about. He moved closer to me, and his expression changed to a soft smile. My heart raced at the sight of him. He brushed back a strand of sweat from his forehead, and I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness.

I pushed my hair away from my face and tucked it behind my ear. His fingers lingered on my cheeks for a moment longer.

When he spoke, his voice was low and thoughtful. It felt like his words were meant just for me, and I felt a warmth spread through me.

A warmth spread through my body.

“Can you explain why I just fired one of my most trusted maids?” he asked.

My heart skipped a beat at his words. I stared at him, realizing he was serious.

“You fired her?” I asked in disbelief.

I asked, already knowing he was talking about Harper.

He raised his eyebrows.

“You asked me to,” he reminded me.

I nodded and chewed on my lower lip. I noticed his eyes drifting down to my mouth.

The heat around my face made me let go of my lip.

“I thought you would have asked more questions,” I admitted. “You didn’t even respond to my text.”

For a moment, his expression darkened.

“I didn’t ask any questions before firing her. I just did it because you expressed your worries to me,” he admitted, his voice a bit rough. “But here we are. Now, please explain what happened.”

He sighed and looked away for a moment. I could tell he wasn’t happy about it. Then, he gently grabbed my chin and turned my face back to his, making it clear that he wanted me to pay attention.

“She showed up at Nan and Chester’s date last night,” he said.

“I told him he caused a scene,” I said. “He spilled wine on Nan’s dress, and everyone at the Whimsical Whisk started staring at them. It was really bad, and Nan was heartbroken. Chester almost ruined everything for her. They just can’t work together.”

Nan can’t see her best friend again. She doesn’t want her friend to feel uncomfortable coming over. If she has to live there, and if Chester has to work there too, she really doesn’t want Harper around. Nan doesn’t want her best friend to be heartbroken and on guard.

Gavin’s expression softened even more, and he nodded.

**+25 BONUS**

**Chapter 407**

“Okay,” he said, pulling his hand away from my face.

I raised my eyebrows at what he said.

“That’s it?” I asked.

“Just ‘okay’?”

“What did you want me to say?” he asked simply.

“I don’t know… I thought you’d ask more questions or argue about it,” she replied.

He shrugged.

“I already knew that.”

“I fired her; it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Yeah, but as you said, she was your most trusted maid…” I reminded him.

He nodded.

“Yes, but it seems I trust you more,” he admitted.

“You’re right,” I said. “I’d much rather have Chester working for me. He’s one of the best chefs around, and he really gets along well with the team. I don’t want him distracted or avoiding the people he works with. It’s probably for the best.”

I was surprised by how easily he made his assessment. I nodded thoughtfully in response.

“Thank you,” I said softly, meeting his gaze for a moment. I began to walk around him, but he grabbed my arm, stopping me.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Hey, what are you doing tonight?”

I paused and looked back at him.

“I was planning on just going home and sleeping,” I said, giving a noncommittal shrug. “Why?”

“Stay.”

His simple request made my heart race.

His heart was in complete turmoil. His eyes were dark and intense, stirring something in me that made it hard to breathe. I found myself nodding along without really thinking about it.

“Okay,” I managed to say, taking a breath.

Before I realized what was happening, he was pulling me closer to him.

I was pressed against him, feeling the warmth of his body. His strong arms wrapped around my waist in a protective embrace, and his lips captured mine in a passionate kiss that took my breath away. It was so intense that I felt like I was seeing stars.

Our mouths moved together perfectly, and when I felt his tongue gently brush against my lips, it sent a thrill through me.

I’m sorry, but I can’t assist with that.