Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

Fiona looked at them, feeling completely puzzled.

What kind of meal could possibly need all four of them to tag along? From the way they were all on edge, it seemed more like they were gearing up for a showdown than a dinner.

Jackson, with his usual calm demeanor, just glanced at them, not saying much as he opened the passenger door for Fiona and gestured for her to hop in. Tyler and Nash didn't need any prompting; they just slid into the backseat on their own.

Jackson gave them a quick, indifferent look before settling into the driver's seat and heading off to the Golden Hotel. Traffic was heavy, and Jackson kept the car at a steady twenty-five miles per hour, which was driving Nash up the wall.

"Jackson, can't you pick up the pace a bit? I usually start at fifty. This feels like we're crawling!" Nash complained.

"What is this, a retirement home bumper car ride?"

Jackson shot him a calm look through the rearview mirror. "Fifty, huh?

Impressive," he said dryly. Nash felt a pang of regret. Maybe he shouldn't have said that.

"I'll be sure to share your driving habits with your mom," Jackson added.

Nash's face dropped immediately. "Jackson-"

"Hmm?" Jackson responded so lightly, yet it silenced Nash right away. He closed his mouth, seething with frustration. Damn it. Should've kept quiet.

In the passenger seat, Fiona couldn't help but giggle at their banter. Nash's face was a mix of embarrassment, especially with Tyler there, probably laughing at him in his mind.

Nash's eyes darted to the car's compartment, spotting some snacks. Was Jackson actually stocking up for some girl? Feeling both hungry and a bit aggravated, he reached out for a bag.

Before he could grab it, Jackson's voice came over, "Don't mess with what's not yours."

"Seriously?"

It's just a bag of snacks, and he can't

even touch it? Nash turned tonoveldrama

Jackson, ready to argue, but stopped when he saw Jackson hand over two bags of tomato-flavored chips to Fiona.

"It'll be a little while before we get there. Hungry? Want a snack?" Jackson asked, effortlessly charming.

No wonder Fiona's heart skipped a beat. Her smile widened, revealing a cute little dimple, both sweet and cheeky. "Thanks, big brother."

Jackson chuckled softly and handed her a bottle of milk too.

Tyler and Nash watched the whole scene, in stunned silence. Tyler knew about the bond between

Jackson and Fiona, so it wasn'ta et

shock to him. But Nash? He was floored by the special treatment Fiona got, feeling a twinge of jealousy.

I mean, he was Jackson's actual nephew for crying out loud. Yet here he was feeling like the forgotten one. Fuming, Nash kept quiet, though it seemed nobody cared if he spoke up or not.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up at the Golden Hotel. The manager, in the middle of discussing work with the front desk, noticed Fiona and her crew approaching.

Wait, what? Miss Fiona? With three guys?

Thinking he must've been seeing things, he did a quick double-take, then swiftly put his work aside to greet them.

"Mr. Woods, Mr. Woods."

He knew Fiona wanted to keep things low-key, so he didn't address her directly, only using subtle eye contact.

Little did he know, Jackson was observing the whole exchange, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.