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I look down at my hands and feel bad for myself. Mother is always too busy caring for the family to remember to ask how I am. She knows very little about the things that I have accomplished, it really hurts sometimes.
Declan fills my plate with the dipping sauce and breaks bread for me. I whisper thank you. I'm glad to lose myself in the food and fill my mouth with it so I won’t be obligated to answer any more questions.
After the first course is done, the chef comes in again with the main course, and my mouth instantly waters as soon as the lid is taken off. Everyone takes a helping of the chicken parmesan with spaghetti and marinara sauce.
I dig into mine when everyone has all settled down and begun to eat theirs. I can’t help but let out an embarrassing moan of appreciation the moment the first taste hits my tongue.
"I'm sorry," I blush when the others stop eating and glance at me. "This is really good."
Baron chuckles.
"I have always loved women who appreciate good food and don’t count calories and all that nonsense like their lives depend on it. My son has chosen well."
I duck my head shyly when Declan reaches for my hand and whispers, "It's Italian."
"I have never eaten anything quite like this."
Declan chuckles at my words. Right now, Baron and Helen are conversing with Eli, I am thankful for the little reprieve.I had felt put on the spot when Baron demanded to know me better.
"There are so many meals I would love to introduce you to,"Declan murmurs.
"Really?"
"Yes," he answers, his voice tinged low so that only I can hear what he says. "Why don't you consider it my way of saying thank you? Count it as a way of getting to know one another?"
"What are you proposing?"
"Dinner with me. We can go anywhere you want. But I know some really good places here. We will have different meals every day-- something you have never had before. It will be fun."
"It does sound like fun," I say thoughtfully, imagining going out with Declan every evening to sample different meals across different restaurants.
"Say yes."
I look at Declan, who is now staring at me, the sight of his lips, stained slightly with the sauce we'd had earlier, causes me to reach out a hand without thinking.
"You have something here," I say, bringing my hand to his lips to wipe the slight stain off. Declan looks as shocked as I feel when my hand slides over his lips, wiping the sauce away.
We stay like that for several seconds because I don't know what else to do. I want to, more than anything, bring the sauce to my lips and have a taste. But I know I cannot do that, not in front of his parents and Eli.
And what the hell am I thinking of doing? Licking the sauce off my fingers?
I shouldn't be thinking about something like that.
Someone clears their throat, I look quickly away from Declan's eyes. When I look up again, my eyes switch to Helen, who has a soft smirk. I don't bother to look in Baron's direction because my cheeks have already felt incredibly warm, I know that they've caught the exchange between Declan and me.
We eat the rest of the meal in silence. When thunderclaps, we all look out the window. The skies have completely darkened, and the pelting sound of rain makes its way into my ears.
Baron frowns.
"Today had been predicted to be sunny."
At his words, my heart skips a beat, I get up before I know it. The others join me because the sound of rain has become louder.
"Well, the rain might let up soon. While we wait for it to pass, we'd better have dessert."
I am in no mood for dessert, but I know better than to say that. So, I follow everyone again to the dining hall. I’ve been keeping up the act of being in love with Declan for two hours. Even though I have enjoyed my time with the Grays, I don't think I want to spend more time with them than is required because something is unnerving about Baron's hawk-like stare.
We've been doing a very good job of pretending, but we are not professional actors, I know that the more time we spend with Declan's parents, the better the possibility of a slip-up.
