Page 37 of Second Chance with the Enemy CEO
“While chopping vegetables,” she mutters reluctantly.
“Hm. Still clumsy with a knife, eh?”
Her eyes narrow, and she jerks her hand free, taking a small step back. “What are you even doing in here, Liam?”
“You called for me,” I say, shrugging.
She tilts her head, confusion flickering across her face. “Why would I do that?”
I mutter under my breath, “I’m going to kill that girl.”
Hazel rolls her eyes and turns back to the stove, stirring a pan. The scent of garlic and herbs fills the air. I lean against the counter, watching her.
“You’re still here?” She asks, not looking up.
“I have a right to be here.”
She snorts. “No, you don’t.”
“It’s my house.”
She spins, one hand on her hip. “For five more months, it’s mine.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that it’smyhouse.”
The air between us crackles as we glare at each other. She turns back to her cooking.
“What are you making?” I ask, breaking the silence.
She doesn’t even glance my way. “Vegetable stew,” she says, adding a handful of peas to the pan.
“Wait…, are those peas?”
She glances at me over her shoulder, her brow arching. “Yes, they are peas. What about them?”
I frown. “I thought you hated peas.”
She hesitates, spoon hovering above the pan.
“You used to hate peas. Loathed them. Picked them out of everything. It was kind of your thing.”
She snorts and continues stirring. “That was years ago. I am allowed to change my mind, Liam. It is called growth.”
“Growth? Eating peas is growth, now? That is a reach. What is next? You like pineapple on pizza now?”
She rolls her eyes, but I catch the faintest smile tugging at her lips. “You are ridiculous. It is just peas.”
“It’s never just peas,” I counter, pushing off the counter to step closer.
She glances at me, her eyes narrowing. “Oh, really? Please, enlighten me. What does it mean to you, Dr. Pea Psychologist?”
I lean just a little closer. “It means you are pretending to be someone you are not. For what? To look more..., refined? Sophisticated? Because last I checked, you were perfectly fine being a chaotic mess.”
Hazel’s jaw tightens, and she places the spoon down with a loud clatter. “You are unbelievable. Just because I used to hate something does not mean I am not allowed to grow up and change. Maybe you should try it sometime.”
My smirk fades. “Oh, trust me, I’ve changed plenty.”
Her gaze locks on mine, the air between us thick with tension. “You sure about that? Because you still act like you know everything about me. Newsflash, Liam, - you do not.”
