Page 159 of Brighter Together

Her eyes narrow.

“Tommy.”

“I told him my staff know I’m in love with his daughter and my guests only care if their poached eggs are runny.”

For a second, she just stares at me.

Then she laughs.

Properly.

Her body shakes against mine.

“Runny poached eggs?”

“It was the first thing that came into my head.”

“That is possibly the least romantic declaration of love anyone has ever made about me.”

“I had already covered the love bit.”

“You did.”

Her laughter eases.

Then she becomes quiet again.

“My dad really said that?”

“Yeah.”

She looks down at the water.

I wish I could take the words back for her.

Not mine.

His.

All of them.

Every accusation he has apparently spent years planting inside her.

“I’m sorry,” I say instead.

She shrugs.

The movement is too casual.

“I told you what they’re like.”

“That doesn’t mean you should be used to it.”

Her fingers find mine beneath the bubbles.

“I never really belonged in that family.”

I hate hearing her say it like she was the one who failed some test.