Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

The next morning, the aroma of breakfast coaxed Aubree from her slumber. Matthew, donning an apron, was busy in the kitchen.noveldrama

Aubree glanced at the clock and realized she was running late. In a fluster, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door, only to be gently stopped by Matthew.

"I called your dad and got you the morning off. You can head in by noon. But first, let's eat."

"Mr. Casey actually agreed to that?"

"Yeah, with the condition you're there by noon-and he told me not to cause any trouble."

Considering it was Matthew's first night back and she was already late, anyone might assume there'd been some mischief the night before. But, truth be told, nothing had happened between them.

Matthew brought breakfast to the table.

"Let's eat."

With a sigh, Aubree returned to her seat.

Matthew served her a bowl of soup and busied himself with trimming the roses he'd bought, placing the vase on the windowsill where a sunbeam lit them just right.

As Aubree cut into the perfectly cooked steak, a cozy feeling washed over her. It was like they were a couple settling into a routine.

Matthew joined her at the table, noticing her lost in thought, and raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry if my cooking's off. I was too swamped abroad to experiment, so I had to stick to recipes."

"It's not that," Aubree said, glancing at her plate. "It's just been so long since I felt this calm."

"Aubree, if you want, I can make sure you always have days this peaceful."

His words hung in the air, and a hush fell over the room.

After a pause, Aubree replied, "I'm just afraid you'll regret it."

Matthew then pulled out a photograph, one where he was seven, and she was fourteen.

At the sight, Aubree's utensils slipped from her hands. She

remembered the boy in the picture At fourteen, she'd bravely intervened

in a kidnapping, saving a

well-dressed kid from danger. Her

quick thinking led the police resolve the case swiftly, averting

what could have been a tragedy.

As she held the photograph, memories surged back. She recalled being praised by the police, the big red flower pinned to her chest, and the boy, Matthew, tearfully thanking her.

But the Clements family hadn't acknowledged her actions. They wanted her to keep a low profile, so the incident faded from her mind.

Seeing the timid boy in the photo, clinging to her, surrounded by police, was a shock.

"I wasn't acting on a whim. I've been planning this for a long time. But you were always in love with Andrew, and I thought you two would be happy. So, I kept my distance," Matthew admitted.

Suddenly, the steak in front of him seemed unappetizing.

"Aubree, I stayed away until I turned eighteen because I was scared you'd still see me as that crying kid. Growing from a boy to a man takes time, and I wasn't sure if I was on е

the right track. But I wanted to protect you from getting hurt again. After my eighteenth birthday, I came looking for you. Please, see me as a man now."