"Okay."
Everly headed toward the back courtyard. She usually ran there because there was plenty of space. A couple of laps were enough to get a decent workout.
"Everly, can I call Sonny and invite him over for breakfast? He did me such a large favor last night and even drove you home. We owe him one."
Everly paused and turned back. "Grandpa, Sonny lives far from our house. We'll all be leaving for work by the time he gets here.
"Also, he doesn't have to come all the way here for breakfast. We can invite him to dinner another day. There's no need to drag him out of bed early in the morning to thank him.
"Sonny only got home after midnight last night. He probably didn't get to bed until one or two in the morning. Let him sleep a little longer.
"If you're worried about owing him, then don't ask him to help in the first place. You were perfectly capable of attending the banquet yourself, but you insisted on having Sonny go in your place. I know exactly what you're thinking, Grandpa."
Kaden continued to stretch without missing a beat.
He said, "You're right. I'm trying to set you and Sonny up. I want to give the two of you chances to spend time alone together. Sonny is only going to be in Clearfield for a week, so you need to make the most of every chance you get to be around him.
"Cut down on the overtime and business dinners this week and leave the company to me. Work your normal hours and go out with Sonny in the evenings instead. Take him shopping, have dinner together, or catch a movie.
"How long has it been since you last watched a movie or even went shopping?"
Whenever she needed something, she would simply make a list and give it to Sarah. There was no need for her to spend time wandering around stores.
As for movies, she had gone to the cinema twice while she was a teenager. She never had the time after becoming an adult.
The last time she had actually gone shopping was back in Wiltspoon, when Serenity had accompanied her.
"Grandpa, Sonny and I aren't interested in each other in that way, so don't force it. Sonny has a good temperament and is a gentleman. He's too polite to turn you down. It doesn't mean he's interested in me."
Everly had no choice but to explain yet again that there was nothing going on between her and Sonny.
“He agreed to attend the banquet in my place, was attentive to you throughout the evening, and everyone said he was genuinely considerate. I even asked Arndt. He praised Sonny as a warm and caring man and said the two of you make a very good match."
"Grandpa!"
Everly sighed. "Sonny attended the banquet on your behalf, and it was beneficial for him too. He got the chance to meet big names in Clearfield's business world. Also, the reason he looked after me was that
you asked him to. He's just a man of his word. It doesn't mean anything more.
"Why didn't Grandpa Arndt mention that Sonny was warm and considerate toward everyone?
"Sonny was simply well-mannered. If someone else had been beside him, he would've treated them exactly the same.
"Grandpa, if you're really that eager to have a great-grandchild, I'll just go for a checkup and start preparing for IVF."
Kaden finally finished stretching and stopped. "You're not married. Who's going to be the father?"
"I can figure that out when the time comes."
She could always go abroad for the procedure.
Kaden asked, "Why go through IVF? Would you even know what kind of person the child's father would be? If he has poor character, your child could inherit those traits. What if you end up raising two spoiled brats? It'll be too late for regrets then.
“If you fall in love and get married naturally, at least you'll know what kind of person your children's father is. They'll also have a dad. Growing up in a loving home can
have a huge impact on a child's personality and future.
"Think about your own childhood. You had a father, but he left this world too early. He never got a chance to meet you, so you grew up without a dad No matter how much love your mother and I gave you, wasn't the absence of a father one of the greatest regrets of your life?
"Would you really want your children to grow up the same way, without a father from the moment they're born? At least you knew who your father was and what he looked like. Your children wouldn't even know what their biological dad looks like.
"Also, if you have a child through IVF and they eventually meet a half-sibling from the same father without either of them knowing they're related, what happens if they fall in love?"
Everly countered, "If I decide to have a child through IVF, I'll make sure I know everything about the child's father before I go through with it."