Chapter 52 Warming Up
ALICE
Rory shoved the last cookie tray in the oven, and then we stepped back.
Mom was bustling around the kitchen, hurrying to have everything prepared. I could tell by her excitement that she wanted to impress Mr. Linden-Hawthorne.
Right now, he was seated at the table in our little dining room. It was just a round wooden table close to the living room with six chairs around it. He had a cup of coffee in front of him, prepared by my mother, and his eyes hadn't left me since he sat down half an hour ago.
The table was set. Thankfully, everything matched except for the chipped mug and bowl that were Rory's favorite and the only ones he ever used. He had his own fork, too. And spoon. It was dented, but it had been his spoon since he was four.
"Rory," Mom said over her shoulder, "why don't you make your future brother-in-law some company? I bet he's all bored."
Hearing her call him that made me shiver. My skin was covered in goosebumps and even my nipples tightened from the cold. I didn't say a word, and Rory obeyed her.
"How much longer?" I asked her under my breath.
"I just want to get this omelet right," she replied. "It's his first time eating with us. Alice, I really wish you'd stop that."
"Stop what?"
She placed the wooden spoon on the stove and turned around to look at me. Behind me, I heard my boss ask Rory something under his breath, but I couldn't catch what it was.
Rory replied.
"You're on edge. Do you think I can't see that? Is it because he's here and you don't like how the place looks? Or is it something else?" Her expression softened. "Are you worried about the hospital bill?"
I rubbed my face. How could I begin to explain why I was so tense? And oddly enough, it didn't even have anything to do with the bill. "It's just...I'm on edge. I feel like you're all doing too much. He slept on the couch, Mom. That makes me feel bad."
"Would you have preferred it if he slept with you? In your room?"
"I could've taken the couch."
"He didn't accept that."
"Because you suggested the couch in the first place!"
"He's a grown man!" she exclaimed, still whispering. "He can decide where he wants to sleep! That doesn't even make any sense!"
She whirled back around and focused on finishing the eggs. I turned my attention to Rory and Mr. Linden-Hawthorne, and sure enough, they were talking. Rory's lips were moving.
They were having a conversation.
This was so bizarre.
Rory didn't like new people in his space. He always got agitated whenever there were guests. I wondered if he was acting this way because he thought I'd marry him? Was that it?
"He's a handsome one," Mom commented beside me. The eggs were all done. "Looks rich, too. Is he?"
"Please stop."
"I hope he is. You deserve nice things, too, Alice. You work too hard." I turned my attention to her and saw her dusting the omelet with black pepper. "If I had your face, I'd marry rich."
I arched a brow. Everyone always told me that I looked like her. "You had my face and married Dad."
"He had prospects," she claimed, meeting my eyes. "The gambling ruined him. But let's not talk about unpleasant things. Come. Let's sit down."
As she headed toward the dining table, she said loudly, "My famous omelet! I always prepare this with fresh tomatoes, basil, and onions. There's some ham and cheese in it, too. I hope you'll like them, Theo. I made them with a lot of love."
"They look delicious. Thank you."
"Of course!"
I tried not to look at him as I grabbed a seat. God, my mind was a mess. My emotions were all over the place. I hated that whenever I looked at him, he didn't look like my asshole of a boss who gave me such a hard time. He didn't even look that out of place anymore.
He was completely at ease.
He didn't look at our chipped dishes and old furniture with flared nostrils, even though I could've sworn that he was the most arrogant ass to walk the planet.
Hell, I refused to even truly think about the fact that he faked being my fiancé just so my family wouldn't assume the worst of me.
I reached for the coffee pot at the same time he did. Our fingers brushed and I retracted my hand, ignoring how it was tingling from the contact.
He picked it up and poured me some coffee, eyes never leaving my face. My heart fluttered behind my rib cage and I tried to ignore the feeling, I really did, but failed.
The line between us was much clearer when we were in New York. Now, it was blurring, and I was struggling to find my common sense.
This meant nothing.
Yet, even as I told myself these words, I knew they were a lie.
After pouring enough coffee into my cup, he filled his own cup, then moved to fill Rory’s. I spoke up before my mother could. “Rory doesn’t drink coffee.”
Mr. Linden-Hawthorne glanced at me. “He told me he’d try it today.”
I glanced at my brother, trying and failing to hide my surprise. “Rory, did you say that?”
He met my gaze slowly and nodded.
Across from me, Mom stilled. Was this what they’d been talking about while we were in the kitchen? He set the coffee pot down, then poured some warm milk followed by a teaspoon of sugar. “It’s better if you have it this way.”
Rory picked up the cup carefully and brought it to his lips. I tried to imagine what his reaction would be, assuming he’d spit it out or something.
Nope.
Rory took one sip after another, never saying a thing.
Mr. Linden-Hawthorne asked him, “Is it good?”
Rory nodded.
“Atta boy,” he chuckled, slapping my brother’s back. “I told you you’d like it.”
Satisfied, my boss turned his attention to his own breakfast.
Fuck, I was speechless. Genuinely.
Whenever Benjamin came to visit with me, he never paid any attention to Rory. He always claimed that he didn’t know what to say, and that he was terrified of doing the wrong thing or hurting Rory in some way. I always let it slide because I understood him. It was difficult for a stranger to figure my brother out and understand him. I thought that, with time, Benjamin would warm up to him.
Now I realized that it was all bullshit.
I shook my head as soon as this thought crossed my mind. Why was I comparing my boss to Benjamin? I wasn’t making any sense.
He should’ve never come here. Now, I was more confused than ever.
I couldn’t forget what he was. He was trapping me in a job I didn’t want, and he sabotaged me. He was a terrible person. This didn’t change things, right?
Right?