Page 28 of Ruthless Heir

“Yes. Your house is impressive.”

“Glad you like it.”

“I do. It suits you.”

“It’s a good place to come home to after a long day.”

“Did you have a good day at work?” My God, we sound like a pair of strangers who just met on the subway. Not like two people who’ve known each other nearly twenty years.

“The best.”

I don’t miss the sarcasm in his tone which implies that he didn’t have a good day, but I won’t ask for details.

I’m momentarily thrown and that awkward silence I hate sneaks between us.

Thankfully I’m saved when the door opens and Olga and the kitchen staff bring in the food.

They carry in several delicious dishes of chicken, beef, and fish, along with an assortment of garnished vegetables. It looks like they prepped for a banquet. I almost ask them if they’re going to join us. There’s no way all of this food is just for Asher and me.

When they finish laying out the food on the table and depart I think of all the times I was starving in the past and couldn’t even afford a pot of ramen.

I’m not overly hungry now because I ate throughout the day but I feel like I should eat to make up for all those bad times. And because the staff went through the trouble of making it.

“Wow. The food looks amazing.” I smile, scanning the spread on the table. “It’s like I’m in a Harry Potter movie.”

Asher chuckles. “My staff tend to go all out.”

“They certainly do. The food looks great, but sadly I'll pass on the shrimp and fish. As delicious as it looks, I don’t eat seafood.”

A dull look washes over his face. It’s so distinct I consider whether I offended him, but I don’t think it’s that. There’s something in his eyes that looks like guilt. It throws me off again because I’m not used to seeing him look that way.

“Did I say something wrong?” I search his eyes and he straightens.

“You love seafood.”

My eyes widen with complete surprise because he’s totally wrong. “No way. You must have me confused with someone else.”

He gives me a sidelong stare. “Harper, you think I haveyouconfused with someone else?”

“Clearly. I would never eat fish because it’s gross and shrimp looks like?—”

“Worms with beady eyes.”

He took the words right out of my mind and I realize that I must have said that before but can’t remember.

“Please don’t tell me I’ve had shrimp in the past.” I wrinkle my nose, narrow my eyes and grimace, knowing I look completely disgusted.

“Youloveshrimp andallseafood. You’re an all-you-can-eat-shrimp at the crab shack kind of girl.”

“Crab!”My voice raises by several octaves. I can’t help my reaction. I’m shocked and grossed out in equal parts.

“Yes. You love that, too.”

My stomach turns and bile rises into my throat but I set aside my disgust and think of the bigger issue here. “I don’t remember.”

I bite the inside of my lip and Asher looks even more guilty. Suddenly I realize why. I’m surprised it never occurred to me before that perhaps he feels guilty because the accident happened after he turned me down. I didn’t think he would care that much.

No… that’s wrong of me to say. I’m just being a bitter bitch.

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