âWhy donât you call Mr. Wilson and ask?â Alice suggested, her voice filled with enthusiasm. âNo matter how busy he is, Iâm sure he will make time to celebrate your birthday with you.â
âIs that so?â A glimmer of hope shone in Victoriaâs eyes. âI think Iâll give Wilson a call later.â
âYvie!â Nancy squealed. She was eager to speak as she rushed over, linking her arm with Yvetteâs.
âCome on, letâs go! We donât want to keep Jacob waiting!â
Yvette rolled her eyes, helpless against her friendâs enthusiasm. âYouâre just excited to see my brother, right?â
Nancyâs face turned bright red as she giggled. âMaybe a littleâbut you donât have to point it out!
Come on, letâs go!â
âWait.â Yvette reached for the necklace around her neck. She removed the Violet Kiss she was already wearing and replaced it with a different one.
Nancyâs eyes widened in confusion. âYvie, what are you doing? Why are you changing necklaces?â
âThis one was a gift from Jacob.â
It was her design, but the necklace was essentially a gift from Jacob.
âI donât want him to get jealous if Iâm not wearing it.â
As they reached the school gates, they spotted Jacob waiting for them. His exquisite appearance drew admiring glances, yet the icy chill of his demeanor kept girls at bay.
As soon as Jacob saw the two girls, his cold demeanor softened. He reached out to gently ruffle Yvetteâs hair. Without waiting for Nancy to lean in, he instinctively reached out to pat her head.
Nancy was taken aback for a moment, but then her face lit up with a bright red flush.
âYvie, what do you girls want to eat?â Jacob asked, his voice filled with a newfound warmth.
Yvetteâs gaze lingered on Nancy, her face radiant with delight. Yvetteâs lips curved into a scheming smile as she said, âIâm game for anything, Jacob. Why donât you ask Nancy what she wants to eat?â
With that, Yvette turned and walked toward the car, leaving the two of them alone.
Nancy was still reeling from the thrill of being patted by Jacob. Her eyes shone with happiness as she spoke. âJacob, I⦠Iâm not picky at all. Whatever you choose is fine with me.â
Jacobâs smile deepened. âAlright, Iâll choose the restaurant.â
He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a beautifully wrapped gift box.
âThis is for you,â he said.
As he had been browsing for a gift for Yvette, he had stumbled upon a roseâshaped brooch. For some reason, he had been drawn to it, and it reminded him of Nancy. She was like the broochâ
beautiful and vibrant. On a whim, he had decided to buy it for her.