The Bride He Took For Granted novel Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Harold took off his suit jacket, and the waitress hung it up for

him.

Elise noticed that he was wearing a blue dress shirt. The collar was crisp, and his tie was knotted with the same precision he seemed to bring to everything else.

Tall and lean, he carried himself with a cool, effortless

confidence.

Elise had already ordered, but the young waitress showed no sign of leaving.

She turned to Harold with an eager smile. “What can I get you to drink? We have lemon water, fresh juice, coffee-”

She ran through the options without taking her eyes off him.

Elise lowered her gaze and pretended not to notice. She and Harold barely knew each other. It wasn’t her place to interfere.

Then Harold looked at her.

“You’re buying tonight. You pick.”

Elise blinked.

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Chapter 27

Before she could answer, Harold turned to the waitress. “I’ll

have whatever she chooses.”

The waitress’s smile faltered.

“How about lemon water?” Elise said.

“Fine.”

The waitress reached for the pitcher on the table, but Elise placed a hand on it first.

“Thank you,” she said with a polite smile. “We’ll call you if we need anything else.”

The waitress hesitated, then walked away.

Elise poured Harold a glass of lemon water and handed it to

him.

“Thank you again for helping me, Mr. Nash.”

Harold took a sip and set the glass down.

Dinner was going more smoothly than Elise had expected.

Now she just had to find a natural way to bring up working together.

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But Harold’s expression remained cool and unreadable. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking-or how he would react if she brought up business.

The dishes arrived one after another until they nearly covered the table.

Harold glanced over the spread, one brow lifting. “Did you order the whole menu?”

Elise chose her words carefully. “They’re all supposed to be house specialties. I figured we could try a few and see what’s good.”

Harold looked up at her.

He could tell she’d expected Laurel to join them. That was why she’d ordered such a variety-she wanted to make sure there was something they would both like.

But he didn’t call her out on it.

Since the food was already there, Harold picked up his fork and started with the dish closest to him, eating at an unhurried pace.

Elise ate too, taking small, careful bites.

When Harold set down his fork and reached for his napkin, Elise to the opportunity to speak.

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“Mr. Nash, I left a meeting request with Firefly Glow’s front desk

Harold lifted a hand, cutting her off.

“I didn’t come here to talk business.”

Elise swallowed the rest of her sentence.

Seriously? I can’t get a meeting with him, and now I can’t bring it up over dinner either. How am I supposed to talk to him about the partnership?

After that, there wasn’t much left to say.

Elise asked the waitress to pack up the dishes they hadn’t

touched.

But when she went to pay, the cashier told her Harold had already taken care of the bill.

Elise frowned. “When did he pay?”

“He left his card with the hostess when he arrived,” the cashier

said.

Just then, her phone chimed.

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Elise checked the notification. The restaurant had refunded her deposit.

When she returned to the table, Harold was waiting with his suit jacket draped over one arm.

“Mr. Nash, I said dinner was on me.”

“You poured me a drink. I’d say we’re even.”

“That was lemon water.”

“It still counts.”

Elise blinked.

Does that even make sense?

The waitress returned with the packed food and held it out to

Harold.

He nodded toward Elise. “Give it to her.”

Elise quickly took the bag from the waitress.

As she and Harold headed toward the exit, a burst of noise came from the private dining area.

ndon, Joan did all this for you. Don’t you think she deserves 4

< Chapter 27

a reward?”

“Kiss her! Kiss her!”

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