The car stopped at the gate of the Thorne residence. Elliot Sheridan glanced over to see Georgia Thorne curled up in her seat like a lazy cat.
She was fast asleep, her nose twitching every so often—a habit of hers, it seemed.
This was the second time he had watched her sleep.
Elliot Sheridan found that he was enjoying the quiet, the absence of any clamor.
Hanging out with Donnie had just been an excuse to get out of the house.
The quiet lasted only a few minutes before Georgia Thorne's phone rang.
The sound seemed to startle her. She shuddered and her eyes fluttered open.
She groggily fumbled for the phone in her pocket. "Hello? Who is this?"
The call was from Hayley Sullivan. "Are you still at the Sheridan residence? You're not coming home tonight?"
The shrill voice instantly jolted Georgia Thorne awake. She sat up straight. "I'm coming home."
She turned to ask Elliot Sheridan where they were, only to find him watching her with a scrutinizing gaze.
Her gaze shifted out the window. Seeing they were already parked at her gate, she scratched her hair. "Um, Mr. Sheridan, my stepmom is calling for me. I should get going."
She always felt uneasy when she was alone with Elliot Sheridan, as if he could see right through her.
"You drank a lot of that fruit wine," Elliot Sheridan finally said after a long silence. "It's quite strong. Even I only had one glass."
Er...
She ran a hand through her hair, making it even messier. 'So, what's he trying to say?'
'Is he complimenting me on my tolerance for alcohol?'
'This man is impossible to read.'
Elliot Sheridan unbuckled his seatbelt, opened his door, and got out.
Georgia Thorne watched him walk around the front of the car to her side and pull open the door.
Before she could react, he unfastened her seatbelt and scooped her up into his arms.
Georgia Thorne gasped, clutching his collar. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"Can't you tell? I'm carrying you."
"..."
Someone in the Thorne residence had been watching them the whole time.
Elliot Sheridan rang the doorbell. From inside, Hayley Sullivan's voice called out, "Who is it?"
"It's Elliot Sheridan. Georgia had too much to drink, so I brought her back."
'Who had too much to drink? I'm perfectly sober right now, thank you very much!'
She screamed internally but held her breath in reality, finding it strange. Hayley Sullivan should have been asleep by this time.
The door opened quickly, and Elliot Sheridan carried her inside.
It was a bit of a walk from the iron gate to the front door.
Georgia Thorne didn't dare rest her head on his chest. This man was simply too distinguished.
A trace of resentment crept into her voice. "If you don't want me, why did you carry me back?"
Elliot Sheridan glanced down at her and smiled, but didn't answer.
The front door swung open, and Hayley Sullivan stood there, smiling in welcome. "Mr. Sheridan."
Georgia Thorne immediately went back to playing drunk, squeezing her eyes shut as her heart pounded in her chest.
"She's had too much to drink," he explained. "My niece insisted I bring her home. Where is her room?"
"This way. Please, follow me."
Elliot Sheridan carried Georgia Thorne inside. Whether it was on purpose or not, the door swung shut, leaving Amanda Thorne standing on the threshold, unsure if she should go in.