Page 386 of Ruthless Court

“No waffles for you,” I tell him.

His face falls.

“Hannah.”

She folds her arms.

“My man gets first plate.”

The room erupts again.

I grin at Vale.

He points at me.

“I still have better dimples.”

“Eat last.”

I take my waffles.

Hannah reaches for the next plate.

And for the first time since I've known her, there is a picture of us somewhere online and she isn't running from it.

Neither am I.

* * *

Vale makes it through half a waffle before Hannah ruins his morning.

Not intentionally.

Which somehow makes it better.

He’s leaning against the counter, eating like a man who didn’t arrive uninvited and nearly get banned from breakfast, when Hannah watches him reach across the island for the syrup.

Her head tilts.

I know that look.

I’ve seen it across a seminar table.

From the stands.

In a film room.

Someone is about to learn something they didn’t ask to know.

Vale catches her staring.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

I almost laugh.

Vale points his fork at her.