under his cold,

I was expecting," he said a

re supposed to meet my mom, Mrs. Davis. I'm her d

t a hint of disbelief be

with a flick of his wrist, "is the

isapproval. Then

n hold a kni

did

dgment was trash. And then he had the nerve to quest

ood b

yes narrowing, heat

keeping my voice steady, "I'd appreciate

sn't

ne. But I won't stand here and be insulted or

yes. Surprise? It was gone just as fast, r

mured from behind me, c

ckened with tension. You haven't known tension until

e?" Liam asked,

mi

ne, typed out a quick

ok in my kitchen?" he as

heek. Was this an interv

I replied, meeting his

d, unimpressed

nd about me. I'm not here to charm you. I know what I

long, char

the instructions. The rules. There are no sec

," I said, wit

longer, then turned and w

ight, Jason exhaled like h

was in

"I'm sorry he's your

Don't worry. I've heard worse. L

o insults someone five m

ot. Either way, you held your ground and that's

s. "Well, I'm n

ming obvious

nets and checking the pantry. "I need to t

mpany?"

e stil

Liam. But I ended up

sideways glan

how often are y

and Frida

ounter. "I'm shooting a music video

n eyebrow. "You've

Dead se

ok. I don't

ng his chest. "The first favor I ask

ed puppy look, com

w. You're not

er h

about it. Funny. I thought

twinkling. "You'r

insuff

ave no

d. "I need to call my

a breath I didn't realize I'd been

nts and jotting a quick list of things I'd need. J

s phone. "Type

actly that. I called my phone from his so I

l s

id, slipping it

, chopping onions and prepping for dinn

ng better to do?" I as

bothering Liam and

ell, mission

is chair. "How old

y-two.

nty-

, Em...can I c

ur

l me

ded.

do you do when you're no

ege. Culinar

studied engineeri

Wait, seriou

duated wi

eally impressive.

le are more layere

e not

as done for the day. As I pa

this was...

od way,

eah. Surpris

llowed me t

soft but playful. "Get ready.

"We'll see

, the warm breeze brushed against my

ty. Maybe a lit

feeling this summer was a