Chapter 44
Tyler scooped up a spoonful of soup and tasted it.
wis
Olivia watched him with anticipation and asked, âHow is it?"
The soup had a delightful sweetness and the fragrance of truffle oil. But
Tyler responded in a matter- of-fact tone, âNot bad.â
Olivia couldn't tell if he was just being polite, and her disappointment
showed in her flat response,
Oh.â
Tyler noticed the change in her tone but acted as though he didn't,
asking, âWhat's wrong?"
She shook her head and replied, âNothing,â before taking her seat
across from him.
The maid brought in the dishes and shared a bit of information with
Olivia. âMr. Tyler is hardly ever home for dinner. This is the first time in
half a year.
Olivia was taken aback and looked at Tyler for confirmation.
Setting down his spoon, Tyler explained, âI'm usually busy entertaining.
But since it's your first day here, I should at least have dinner with
you.â
Olivia felt touched. âYou don't have to do that, Tyler. Just stick to your
routine. I can manage on my own.â Despite the imposing size of the
house, she offered to be by herself.
The maid informed him which dishes Olivia had prepared, and he
tasted each one.
Olivia was not sure if he liked them or not. She stared at him, relieved
to see no signs of displeasure.
As dinner came to an end, Olivia's heart raced, and she felt
increasingly flustered. She stood by the table, unsure of what to do.
As if not noticing her awkwardness, Tyler asked, âDo you want to take
a walk?â
She shook her head. âI'll help with the dishes.â
Tyler let her go, but he called her back, saying, âWait.â
Olivia stopped and turned toward him, wondering why he had called
her back.
He could no longer hold back. He walked toward her, gently lifting her
chin with his hand and patting the tip of her nose. âThere's flour on it.â
Olivia felt like she was suffocating as he drew near, her nose tingling
from his touch. She felt too embarrassed to meet his gaze, so she
nodded in response.
Tyler, sensing her nervousness, said, âGo.â
Even though he didnât make things difficult for her, Olivia still felt
flustered. She quickly headed to
the kitchen, feeling lucky that the maid hadn't witnessed the
interaction.