a sigh of relief the moment he heard his daughter coming down the stairs. He knew she'd come down-

herself weirdly. Fortunately, she had guessed right. All of them wore something presentable

towards them. Claire genuinely thought Adria was the most beautiful girl

dria. Come sit," Clair

happening. Her father looked at her too with an appraising smile. Surprisingly, the

ins said as he gestured

on about where each person would sit. Hon

s fork to cycle through his empty plate, pretend

at him, but both her pa

xt to him, but disagreein

s before pulling the chai

Nathan and then smiled

istence in his world if not for the

and coconut hit him hard, and he turn

win

been so close to her for more than a fe

he attention, and more from him woul

auty, he literally wanted to jolt his

eautiful-too beautiful, attention-drawing

pulled up in a ponyta

aire," Adria's wor

ilt, but today? She saw a glint of disappointment on her ste

anded Adria the

Adria smile

r parents watching them closely, waiting for interaction. They suddenly looked at

chewing. "Hi, Nathan," she said, real

plied, his voic

made Adria's blue eyes flutter as she searched his eye

ther, their eyes holding slight app

e wondered what Nathan's expression meant...it was the first

t time he kept turning t

something on her face an

from her mother's s

back genuinely. "Mom makes the best steak. Have you had a tast

have some," Adria repl

look at her, his express

on; he just wa

e to Adria. "Thanks," Adria said witho

ents talking occasionally, while the childre

ainly not for Lily, wh

*************

o one could keep their hands off the cups of

lins and his wife cuddle

s crossed, resting on the bed, indi

e screen, but Adria

the popcorn, now halfway gone. Maybe it was because she

a, getting comfortable as Ad

were off, hiding her

used on the show. He glanced at the scre

looking at his phone whenever s

respect everyone else

the only one who did

st of the time, his gaze was on

s brows creased with confusio

her waist so slender? Wh

just right for her

e made drew h

. The way she adjusted with discomfo

ndering why she had

ouldn't be mean to her. But s

tes passed and she didn't hear her move. T

e her. She looked at the

your eyes always flutter, or ar

hat was the possibility

him; his glistening eyes were

er?" she replied, then r

d, dropping his phone to the

her attention, but his g

n't tu

thought against it. He was her stepbrother af

tall frame unt

of someone's phone ringing

She looked around, alm

ad were gone. But Lily

saw that it was Nathan'

ed eyes met his, his

way, pressing the phone to h

he wasn't bad-looking, she hated him not for

is girlfriend

ying on her lap. "Hey Lily" she called ou

so she tapped her

d sleepily while a

s late" she whisp

's go" Lily held onto her step-sister's arm, slightly

ur room?" Lily sai

her room? She absolut

e girl no? And why the hell did he

ust for

see if Nathan was