The Bride He Took For Granted novel Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Elise pushed the thought aside and carried the reheated dishes

to the table.

“The bowls and spoons are new,” she said as she sat down. “No one’s used them before.”

Harold wasn’t particular about things like that. He ate at restaurants all the time. As long as everything was clean, he

didn’t care.

“Thanks.”

He picked up his spoon and tried the egg-drop soup.

Trying to fill the silence, Elise said, “I usually add dried shrimp and cilantro, but I didn’t have either.”

Harold’s brow twitched.

Good. I hate both.

He took a sip, then paused.

The soup was smooth and savory, with just the right amount of seasoning. He took another spoonful before looking up at her.

“Did you ever take cooking classes?”

19:55

Chapter 32

“No. I’ve just been cooking for a long time.”

She wasn’t being modest.

When Elise was little, Jane had worked two jobs to support her

and her brother.

Her brother wasn’t much help around the house, so Elise had learned to cook out of necessity.

At six, she had stood on a stool to reach the stove, teaching herself to fry eggs, make oatmeal, and cook a few simple dishes. That way, she and her brother wouldn’t go hungry, and Jane could come home to a hot meal after work.

After that, silence settled over the table again.

Neither of them seemed to know what to say.

Then they both reached for the same chicken wing, and their serving forks bumped.

Their eyes met.

Harold picked up the wing and placed it on Elise’s plate.

“Thanks,” she murmured.

2/8

”

19:55

Chapter 32

Then he took one for himself.

“How’d you end up living here?”

Elise gave him half the truth. “I didn’t want to stay at home anymore, so I’m living with a friend for now. What about you, Mr. Nash?”

Harold gave her a half-truth of his own.

“I made a bet with someone.”

“So you lost?” Elise blurted.

The moment the words left her mouth, she realized how rude they sounded.

Harold thought of the deal he’d made with Laurel and looked at

her.

Elise met his gaze.

For some reason, his throat tightened. He looked away first.

“Of course not,” he said firmly. “I never lose.”

A faint smile tugged at Elise’s lips. She clearly didn’t believe

him.

3/8

T

19:55

Chapter 32

He definitely lost. Why else would he agree to live in a place like

this?

The rain continued through the afternoon.

That evening, Harold came over again to finish the boxed-up food. Elise made extra egg-drop soup, and he had two bowls.

The rain finally stopped late that night.

City crews worked through the night to drain the flooded roads, and by Sunday, the streets around the neighborhood were passable again.

To thank Elise for feeding him, Harold knocked on her door and gave her a bottle of low-alcohol champagne.

Elise recognized it immediately. Fewer than a hundred bottles were left, and each one could fetch around three hundred

thousand dollars at auction.

It was far too valuable for her to accept.

She took it straight back to Harold’s apartment.

Just then, her phone rang. Elise stepped into the hallway to

answer it.

Ms. White, your Wedding Blessing Quilt is ready for ickups:55

Chapter 32

Her voice brightened. “Okay. I’ll be right there.”

She hurried home to change, then grabbed her purse and keys.

When she locked her door, she found Harold still standing in the hallway, his suit jacket draped over one arm.

“Where are you going?” he asked. “I’ll drive you.”

Elise opened her mouth to refuse.

“I don’t like owing people favors,” Harold added. “Unless you’d rather keep the champagne.”

She couldn’t possibly accept a bottle of champagne that

expensive.

Letting Harold drive her was the better option.

******

Joan was about to start working at Firefly Glow, so Landon had taken her shopping for some new work clothes.

But after walking through several stores, she still hadn’t bought anything.

Landon slipped an arm around her waist. “If you see something

5/8

19:56

Chapter 32

you like, just get it. I can lend you the money.”

Joan’s expression changed immediately.

“I’m not going into debt just to wear designer clothes. Nothing here really suits me anyway. I’m going to check out the more affordable stores downstairs.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify