I really wished I could’ve pulled off the laxatives stunt. Seeing him writhe in discomfort would’ve been worth every bit of the consequences.
“You keep forgetting I’m an invited guest.” Sebastian leaned back, his gaze filled with cool amusement. “I didn’t barge in here unannounced.”
“You were invited to dinner, not here. With me.”This is my spot, I almost added, but that sounded too petty. Besides, if Sebastian knew how much I loved the conservatory, he’d never leave.
“You can get up and leave any time you want.” He shrugged. “No one’s forcing you to talk to me.”
“I was here first. I’m not leaving.”
“Ah.” A faint smile touched his mouth, contrasting with the boredom stamped across the rest of his face. “Then it appears we’ve reached an impasse.C’estdommage.”
Translation: That’s too bad.
I wasn’t a native French speaker like him, but I was fluent in the language thanks to my Swiss boarding school education.
I swallowed some other choice words I could’ve said in French.
This was ridiculous. We were full-grown adults acting like children, but that happened every time we were in close proximity. He always brought out the worst in me.
But Sebastian was like the world’s most annoying peacock. He craved attention. Maybe if I deprived him of that oxygen, he’d do me a favor and wither away.
Instead of acknowledging him further, I pulled out my phone again. A deluge of news alerts flooded the screen, and all thoughts of my unwanted company fled as my pulse kicked into overdrive.
The press release.
It’d gone out, and the media had latched onto it like wildfire to dry brush.
A frantic skim of the headlines revealed only a basic regurgitation of the facts, so I went to the one corner of the internet where I was guaranteed to see opinions: social media.
My heart climbed into my throat as I typed “Singh Foods” into the app’s search bar. The topic was already trending, with new posts refreshing every other minute.
There were a few cynical naysayers, but overall, the initial reactions were overwhelmingly positive.
The vise around my chest loosened. For the first time in hours, I was treading water instead of drowning.
I exited my socials and switched to my email, where I sent Ezra a follow-up and checked the rest of my messages.
Sebastian didn’t say a word the entire time, but the heat of his stare seared into my skin.
Now that my initial adrenaline rush had subsided, I was hyperaware of how silent it was. Of the way my blood pulsed in my veins and the way his presence charged every molecule in the room.
I didn’t have to see him tofeelhim there.
Silent. Assessing. Judging.
I stared at my phone, willing myself not to twitch or do anything that would indicate his scrutiny had any effect on me whatsoever.
Which it didn’t. Obviously.
“It’s a good press release.” His tone contained the casualness of an afterthought. “Let me guess. You convinced your father to pull the entire line because you were worried aboutcross-contamination. Trust over profit. Very on-brand for the chief brand officer.”
I remained silent and jabbed theDeletebutton on a generic party invite with more force than necessary.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Sebastian yawned. “Smart. It’s what I would’ve done.”
“I’m so glad I have your seal of approval.” I couldn’t hold back anymore. “What would I have done without it?”
I regretted taking his bait the second the words left my mouth, but it was too late. I caught a flash of triumph in his eyes before he unfolded himself from the couch. It was almost time for dinner. I should leave too, but I’d rather gouge my eyes out than leave with him.