Page 15 of Modern Romance Collection March 2025 (1-4)

Too bad.“I am going to make the food while I’m here. We had a contract.”

“I think the one we signed yesterday overruns the original.”

“Ienjoycooking, and so I will do it.”

“All right. Do I get to make requests?”

“No.”

He sighed. “I didn’t think so.” He watched her as she sliced some bread and put it in the toaster before taking the eggs off the heat.

“Perhaps you can teach me.”

“Teach you what?” she asked, paying special attention to how and where she crumbled feta on top of thestrapatsatha.

“To cook.”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

Because I don’t want to be anywhere near you.“What possible reason could you have for learning how to cook?”

“So I can make the things I enjoy that you’ll refuse to make me simply because I enjoy them.”

“Then watch a video.”

“Come, Lynna. We needn’t bequiteso antagonistic. We’re partners. For the next year.”

When he said things like year, and partners, regret seeped into her like poison. Why had she done this to herself? “Partners like our fathers were partners? Should I wear armor to guard myself from the back stab?”

“If you wish.”

Shehatedwhen he didn’t get mad in response. Particularly when she was letting her temper get the better of her and she shouldn’t.

“Breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes.”

“Excellent.” But he didn’t leave. He slid onto a stool at the little breakfast counter, got out his phone.

She thought he’d settle into work, and as much as she didn’t want him there, that was fine. She was used to all sorts of strange situations while being a hired chef.

But then Athan spoke. “Did you talk to your mother?”

Lynna didn’t know that she really wanted to discuss it with him, but she supposed he had a right to know who knew the truth. “Briefly.”

“How did she take the news?”

Lynna tried not to sigh. She actually didn’t know. Her mother had neither seemed horrified by the union, nor too happy about it. For both of them, Rhys was the focus. He had been so young when Father had died. Only fourteen. And mother had struggled under the weight of grief those first few years while Lynna had still been away at university and not fully aware of how bad life at home was until that last month.

But they’d both fixed things now, and Mom could hardly argue she’d done thewrongthing.

I worry, Lynna. Your father thought he knew what he was doing too and look where that got us.

Father trusted Constantine. I don’t trust Athan at all.

But you’ll be married to him.

And that had really been it. Her mother had given Lynna a tepid blessing, in between emotional apologies for being such a failure as a parent.

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