Chapter 1501 All Laura's Favorite Foods
They weren't like Derek.
Derek had always been this way.
When Laura first met Derek, he was gentle and attentive. Now that they spent every day together, he even joked with her, but he was still super meticulous about the little things.
It was a shame such a great guy didn't like women.
For a moment, Laura felt a whirlwind of emotions.
Derek returned to his seat, teasing Maeve while keeping an eye on Laura. He wondered what was going through her mind as she stared at him.
Laura's face shifted between sadness, anger, and regret.
He couldn't help but chuckle. "What's on your mind?"
Laura snapped out of it, startled, and stammered, "Derek, are you messing with me? I still can't believe you like guys."
Derek raised an eyebrow. "Love doesn't have boundaries. It doesn't have to be between a man and a woman. It's about the connection between two souls, creating sparks and ambiguity."
At that moment, Laura was almost convinced by his serious tone.
She took a sip of coffee and said, "You make a good point. So, what kind of guy makes your heart race?"
Derek's attractive thin lips parted slightly.
"Wait." Laura raised her hand. "Don't tell me. I don't want to know."
She couldn't quite wrap her head around Derek falling for a guy.
Laura downed her entire cup of coffee in one go. "I respect all kinds of love, but you should think it through. I saw on the news that AIDS cases hit a new high this year, and most of them are among gay men."
Derek awkwardly said, "I've never been with a guy, so you don't have to worry about me."
"I think you'd be better off with a woman," Laura said.
A hint of a helpless smile flashed in Derek's eyes.
Before long, the dishes started arriving one after another.
"Stop overthinking and try this." Derek picked up a piece of marbled beef for her.
After taking a bite, Laura found it delicious beyond words. "Derek, you're amazing at finding great restaurants. The barbecue last time was also fantastic."
"I grew up in Whisperlyn City. No one knows this place better than I do. If you like it, we can eat out together more often," Derek said with a smile. "The food at the Presidential Palace is okay, but every time I eat with my dad, his serious face put me on edge."
Laura laughed. "It can't be that bad."
Actually, she agreed with Derek. Every time she ate with Carl, she was always very cautious.
"Don't you feel the same?" Derek teased, "Every time your favorite dish comes by, you don't dare to turn it down."
Laura was taken aback by how well Derek seemed to know her. "How do you know?"
"I also know you like fish, taro, and crab."
As Derek spoke, he picked up the dishes he mentioned and placed them on her plate.
Laura was speechless for a moment.
It hit her then—Derek had ordered all her favorite dishes. He knew her so well.
How was that even possible?
When she ate at the Presidential Palace, she wasn't picky, yet he noticed.
Thinking back, Laura found every time Derek was at the Presidential Palace, the dishes she liked would somehow end up in front of her.
She thought it was a coincidence, but it wasn't.
"Derek, why are you so good to me?" Laura asked, turning to look at Derek beside her.
Because he had to take care of Maeve, they were sitting close together. She could clearly see Derek's thick eyelashes and clear eyes.
"How many times have you asked me that?"
Derek laughed. "Just because I remember your favorite dishes?"
Laura pouted. "I never really paid attention to what you like to eat."
"Why would you pay attention to others?" Derek's eyes showed no hint of anger.
Laura was stunned. "You're not 'others.' I mean..."
"You're not a meticulous person," Derek interrupted her, "and I'm not the man you care about, so it's normal."
Laura's mind seemed to freeze.
Was this normal?
It wasn't normal, right? His words implied that he remembered because he cared about her.
'No, no, no, Derek likes men, doesn't he?' Laura thought.
"I'm different from you."
Derek took a sip of coffee, speaking casually, "After I turned 14, I started attending various banquets with my dad. My dad wasn't born a president; he had a lot of people above him. So I had to constantly pay attention to what those big shots at the table liked to eat. Don't be fooled by the fact that it's just a meal; those people are very cautious. I could only observe from their eyes and details, like which dish a leader took an extra bite of or which dish they only tried once and never touched again."
Laura understood but felt a twinge of heartache.
At 14, she was living a carefree life.
She said softly, "You can be like that at social dinners, but there's no need with me."
"I know, sometimes it's just a habit."
Derek smiled. "Even at a family dinner at Whispering Pines Manor, I have to remember clearly which elder likes what. The better I do, the more the elders in the family will value me."
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