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Sebastian snickers in the background at the same time Lana shakes her head in disapproval. I take a seat at the table, wishing a tornado would sweep through and deposit me elsewhere at this precise moment. Since it’s California, an earthquake would be more probable.
“Apparently, Aussies feel compelled to abbreviate people’s names to something that ends with an ‘S,’ ” Lana informs me.
“I prefer to be called Gabriella.”
A smirk spreads across his chiseled face. “We don’t always get what we want, sweetheart.”
Right there.
Yep! One hundred percent asshole from last night.
I wasn’t imagining things.
He isn’t some knight in shining armor saving me from everything unholy.
Lana breaks the tension by placing Ace in the highchair beside us, asking me to watch him while she heads back inside. I welcome the distraction, placing a cracker on the tray table and immersing in a conversation about his toy car.
Sebastian is busy chatting to his sister, Lizzie, who arrived earlier. Even Bubbles is preoccupied with a carrot which obviously looks too good to pass up.
Oliver takes it upon himself to sit across from me, his eyes falling upon me with an expressionless stare. I sense his judgment, his laughter inside his head ridiculing my behavior.
“You’re quiet. Not at all like the opinionated girl I met last night.”
“Yeah,” I say casually, trying not to appear agitated. “I see you’re still the same jerk from last night.”
“Quite the chip on your shoulder. Is it heavy?”
“Look, I was just out to have fun. What you saw… that’s not me. It was just?—”
“You being fine?”
If it weren’t for the cocky smirk plastered all over his face, I would have dismissed the way he mocked the word fine.
“Yes. I am fine.”
My phone buzzes on the table. Perfect timing. Thank you, universe. The name Prince Charming appears on the screen only to stop seconds later. Now would not be the time to pick up that call. I retract—the universe is against me.
“So, you’re spoken for by…” He lowers his eyes to read my phone before I snatch it away. “Prince Charming?”
“Yes. No. It’s complicated. Why are you even snooping?”
“It’s hardly snooping if it’s in my view. You didn’t try to hide it the moment it buzzed. It’s almost as if you wanted me to see it,” he comments, continuing his annoying gaze on me. “Aren’t you going to call him back?”
Thankfully, Lana returns, stopping our conversation in its tracks.
I offer to help once again, but she demands I sit and relax.
Sebastian serves, and with all the food placed on the table, we quietly eat until Sebastian cracks some joke. “So, Olly’s new here, and you’re new here. Maybe you guys should hook up and check out the local sites.”
“Sebastian,” Lana scolds. “You can’t ask them to hook up.”
“Sorry, I meant catch up.”
I quickly intervene, “I’m kind of busy these days.”
Oliver raises his brow, placing his fork down. “What exactly do you do?”
If it weren’t for everyone at the table waiting for my response, I would have told him to stick his nose into someone else’s business.
