**Chapter 67: An Uninvited Guest**

I take a deep breath, my fingers flying across the screen as I type out a response to Hawks. "I'm sorry, but my friend is bugging me to come with her, if you don't mind, if not I can just tell her no," I text, trying to gauge his reaction. I hesitate for a moment before hitting send, my heart racing with anticipation. What if he says no, and I have to tell Mina that I'm not going after all? What if he says yes, and I'm stuck with Mina tagging along? As I wait for his response, Mina leans in, her eyes fixed on my phone. "So, what's the plan?" she asks, her voice laced with excitement. I shrug, trying to play it cool. "I don't know yet. I'm waiting for Hawks to respond." Mina nods, her grin still plastered on her face. "I'm sure it'll be fine, Ves. I'm sure Hawks won't mind." Just then, my phone buzzes, and I quickly grab it, my eyes scanning the screen for Hawks' response. "It's okay, I don't mind," he texts, his words sending a wave of relief washing over me. "The more the merrier, I suppose." I breathe a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Hawks. "Great, thanks," I respond, trying to sound casual. Mina raises an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "See, I told you it would be fine," she says, a sly grin spreading across her face. I roll my eyes, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks. "Yeah, yeah. You win this time, Mina." Mina chuckles, her eyes glinting with amusement. "I'll pick you up at 7," she says, her voice matter-of-fact. I nod, feeling a sense of trepidation wash over me. I have a feeling that this dinner is going to be more complicated than I anticipated.