Chapter 1991 - Weekend At The White Rock Lake (2)

Jeff, JoAnna, Sophia, and Felix arrived with their kids shortly before dinnertime.

It's been a long time since they enjoyed with family in a lively and relaxing atmosphere.

Valentin was sleeping in the stroller that his nanny was pushing, and Alice, Jayden, Lia, and Adam immediately gave chase after Hero, Luna, and Bella.

Dogs ran desperately, probably cursing three panthers because they can climb into the trees and avoid these little misfits. Hero, Luna, and Bella usually love playing with toddlers, but they had a busy day chasing balls and all the activities that were happening on the property spent a lot of their energy. The dogs wanted to rest, but if they stopped running, they would become easy targets for little ones to tug on their ears and tails.

"You should get some dogs…", Sarah told her sisters, feeling concerned about the dogs.

JoAnna and Sophia exchanged glances, and both shook their heads. They love kids playing with dogs when they visit their Aunt Sarah and Uncle Aiden, and that is enough. They are all too busy to take care of animals, but Sarah and Aiden have a house full of young adults, so someone is always around to watch over fur-babies.

Emma and Charlie joined for dinner, and they were all excited that after dinner there is a Wild West themed dance party where guys get to dress like cowboys and girls get to wear vintage-style dresses.

For this event, Sarah and Aiden rented everything that one big costume shop in Dallas had to offer that seemed theme-appropriate, so everyone got to pick their outfit after dinner.

Later that evening…

The bonfire was raging, casting dancing shadows around it, and there was a table with snacks and beverages.

Music blasted old-style music, and when everyone gathered, Daniel, Xiaohui, Allen, and Julius showed others how to do square dancing, and then a bigger crowd joined in.

Even Emma pulled Charlie into the area where everyone danced. She was in a good mood with plenty of energy to spare.

"Are you sure it's safe?", Charlie asked Emma while ensuring she does not make any sudden movements and that no one bumps into her belly accidentally.

She bobbed her head enthusiastically. "Yes, yes. I am full term now, so even if the baby comes right now, it will be fine. And if anything happens, we have a doctor right here!"

Charlie shook his head helplessly at Emma, but he didn't want to spoil her mood. She was energetic, but he knew that it won't last long. With that big belly, her legs and back will hurt soon, and in ten minutes she will be asking to sit and sip lemon water.

Of course, Charlie was right. Two songs later, Emma was huffing and puffing, and she sweated a lot, but she smiled as she took a seat on the chair at the table with Sarah, Aiden, JoAnna, Jeff, Sophia, and Felix.

Emma and Charlie turned to look at young adults who were dancing next to the bonfire. It all looked like a scene from a movie with girls wearing frilly dresses and oversized hats with feathers, and guys having bandanas around their necks and cowboy hats on their heads.

Emma had to comment on Corey and Merve who were dancing with big grins on their faces. "Everyone can see how our newly engaged couple is in love."

Charlie hummed in agreement. "Many couples are present. Some are dating for years and some as of recent. There are not many single ones…"

When Charlie mentioned single people, Emma's back straightened and her eyes moved over the crowd anxiously.

"Are you looking for someone?", Sarah asked.

"Mhm…", Emma confirmed with a hum. "I don't see Sean and Ryan."

"You are looking in the wrong direction…", Sarah said and pointed toward the back of the garden which was not lit.

Emma looked into the darkness and squinted. "They are there?"

"Mhm…", it was Sarah's turn to hum in confirmation. "Sean is with Harini on the second bench on the right behind the pink rose bush, and Ryan is with Panya on the far left."

Emma paused. She didn't know that Sean and Ryan were interested in Sarah's girls, and she also didn't think that Sarah would just peacefully sit and let the boys woo her girls.

"Is there something I'm missing?", Emma asked.

Sarah knew that Emma wanted to know the history of the four young adults she mentioned. "Since they started college, Sean and Ryan are studying with Harini and Panya. I noticed about a year back that they were separating from others, looking for privacy. But it seems that your brothers didn't make any moves because other than chatting and making sure they are paired up when the opportunity presents itself, nothing else happened."

Emma was right that Sarah would not just sit and let things happen. Sarah was watching them like a hawk (with help from Eve) and if those boys did anything other than going really-really slow, she would kick them out and forbid them from coming to the Cliffside Villa. Sarah is absolutely sure that they never kissed and physical contact was limited to activities such as sparring and dancing.

Sean and Ryan noticed Harini and Panya the first time they met at the Cliffside Villa. But they knew that if they approach the girls recklessly, Sarah will skin them alive, so they kept their interaction in the friendship zone. However, they could not deny the attraction and that they had fun spending time together. Also, during their period of dating girls in Italy, Sean and Ryan realized how those girls don't compare to Harini and Panya. Sure, there was the initial rush and satisfaction of knowing that they conquered a girl, followed by a boost of confidence, but it all paled quickly.

Harini and Panya were the safe harbors where Sean and Ryan always returned. They studied together, played games, and trained sometimes, and they could talk for hours and not get bored.

Sean noticed that something was different about Harini because he couldn't make himself talk about his conquests in front of her. He feared that she will not like it and that she will judge him, and he shared this with Ryan, only to hear that Ryan feels the same about Panya. That was the moment when Sean and Ryan decided to stop entertaining random girls and to focus on two that matter. The problem was that they knew each other for several years, and they were good friends who shared many secrets, and the boys were not sure if they got too deep in the friendzone and if they will ever be able to get out of it. That is why even when they end up sitting on a remote bench in the half-dark (like now), Sean can't collect enough courage to make a move on Harini, fearing that she will reject him. The same applies to Ryan and Panya.

Sean and Ryan, the two suave boys who march into a party with confidence and make girls swoon over them, shrink into insecure teenagers in front of Harini and Panya, and that is one of the reasons why Sean and Ryan are confident that Harini and Panya are special.

"Oh…", a sound escaped Emma's lips as Sarah's words sank in. She didn't know that Sean and Ryan have romantic interests. But then… she didn't know many things about her brothers.

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