Never Late, Never Away (Vivian and Finnick)
Chapter 2627

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2627

Staff Bonding

"I'd like to buy dinner for everyone tonight. You should go too so it won't be awkward," Caiden explained.

Joan's gaze softened as she looked at the staff bustling about their tasks.

"Sure." She agreed immediately.

"Oh my god, really? Ms. Watts, is Mr. Owens really buying us dinner tonight?" Abigail asked excitedly.

"Yes, but please calm down first. You all deserve this treat thanks to your hard work."

Joan was basically thanking the staff in the photography studio on behalf of Caiden.

"Ms. Watts, we should be counting our blessings that you didn't dissolve the team in the first place."

"Yeah, we haven't thanked you properly for that yet. We wouldn't even dream of complaining."

The employees added their two cents of gratitude to the conversation.

That evening, Joan left the office with the team.

They arrived at a nightclub. Many people were dancing in the center of the club. The atmosphere looked intoxicating. Caiden was already waiting for them in a corner, sipping on a glass of wine.

"Mr. Owens!"

He could hear the staff from his photography studio from a mile away.

"Hey Mr. Owens, you're here early!"

"Thanks for the treat, Mr. Owens!"

Caiden smiled when he saw the smiles on everyone's faces.

Since they were all under Joan's guidance, he knew they were all capable in their own right.

"Come on and take a seat. Feel free to order anything on the menu; it's on me!" Caiden announced.

His generous offer livened up the atmosphere.

To keep things casual, Joan chose a seat farther from Caiden.

"Ms. Watts, do you want to go and dance?" Abigail asked from beside her.

"Nope, you can go ahead. I'm not feeling so good," Joan answered.

"What? Are you ok?" Caiden walked over with a concerned expression on his face.

"It's fine," Joan replied with an awkward smile.

That was just an excuse she had made up to avoid dancing.

"Joan, thank you for your hard work lately." Caiden lifted his glass in a toast.

Joan hesitated under the stares of her staff. She eventually lifted a nearby wine glass and clinked it against Caiden's glass. She took a polite sip of the wine. "Why? Are you still being careful like last time?" he suddenly said as his gaze landed on some of his staff who were enjoying themselves on the dance floor. Joan looked at him wordlessly.

I don't think there's a need to address something that's more or less public knowledge.

The lively atmosphere showed no signs of slowing down. In all corners of the club, men were chatting up women with half-drunk glasses of wine in their hands. Most of the women enjoyed the attention and did their best to show off their feminine charms.

"Joan, can I ask you something?" Caiden blurted.

"What is it?" Joan turned to face him.

"Did you ever like me in the past? Even if it was just a passing fancy." He moved closer to Joan and gazed at her.

Joan was surprised.

Why is he suddenly asking me this? Is he drunk? She looked at the glass on the table before turning to Caiden with a suspicious gaze.

"I'm not drunk," he replied quietly. "I just want an honest answer."

If she says yes, I will do everything I can to make her mine. But if she says-

"No." Joan answered firmly.

Never once had she looked at this man before her in anything other than a platonic light.

"Not even a little bit?" Caiden asked.

"No." She shook her head.

Ever since Larry appeared in my life, there's been no other man deserving of my attention.