Build And Break novel Chapter 56

When Steven held Angela's hand as she exited the car, he felt her more than necessary tightness of her hand. And when he set her hand in the crook of his arm, he felt her stiffen. "Hey." He held the hand she had on his arm. "You okay?"

Somehow, Steven could read her insecurity. How could he not? The look of dread on her face was similar to a puppy's trapped in a lion's den.

Before she could respond, Jack appeared out the door. "Mr. and Mrs. Morris. Good evening to you both."

Right, good evening, Angela thought. Was she imagining or was her father being extra nice that evening?

"Evening, Jack." Steven extended his hand in greeting.

"Hello, my daughter." Jack directed at Angela.

Angela remained still. Her fingers clutched on Steven's arm, her nails digging into his skin. "Father."

Steven noticed her queasiness. "Shall we get inside? I'm dying to taste that new wine you imported from France."

"There's a bottle waiting for you on the table already, Morris. Knew you'd request a taste."

The men chuckled as they made their way inside.

All the way to the grand dining room, Angela tried not to let the reminders of her twenty years living in that house to come back to her. For most of her years, she rarely seen her father due to his busy work schedule but the few times she did, he would either be shouting at her or ignoring her. Jack hadn't been the best father at all. And when he had shunned her out, she had buried every memory of him in the abyss of her brain.

From the very first second they had sat at the extra-large dinner table in the middle of the gilded room, Steven and Jack had immersed in a debate about the best grapes and wineries in the world. While she had been married to Steven, Angela had become a wine lover but never had the huge interest as him or Jack. So she barely spoke twenty words. It was when the soup was brought before them that the subject of the conversation had turned to food. Now that was a topic she was more fluent in. And they knew it because they had involved her more in the conversation about cuisines.

When the main plate of rich meat was presented on the table, the room went silent. For a few minutes, it was just the three of them enjoying their meal. No conversations, no nerves, no awkwardness.

After their meal, Jack asked the server to hold onto the dessert for a moment. He took the bottle of expensive wine and poured into their glasses.

"Legal, no, you're not." The words came out of Steven's mouth easily. "It's your place whether you're a Marshall or a Morris or anything else."

A part of her still couldn't believe what was happening around her. For a whole minute, Angela's eyes flickered between Jack and Steven. Waited for them to burst out laughing and telling her it was all a joke. But they didn't.

"If this is your way of making me forget what you've done to me four years ago-"

"Angela, stop." Jack spoke the words he usually spitted with demanding authority, that time he spoke them calmly. "Just say thank you."

"I..."

Angela turned to Steven who nodded at her encouragingly.

"Oh, and while you two are here and before we make a toast to this," Jack paused to take a breath. "I'd like to share something else with you."