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"You look like a princess," he said hoarsely

She grinned "Does that lanced down at his two-hundred-dollar suit, a suit that would probably make most women all mushy and hot, but would in no way ihed

"Cheer up It’s just dinner, and too" She mimicked the words he constantly tossed her way "It’ll be fun"

"Whatever you say," he said nonco that what awaited them downstairs would not, in any way, shape or for Annabelle’s parentsroo room but rich people were funny that way Annabelle’s dad was a co man with a head of salt-and-pepper hair and deep wrinkles around his mouth, probably because all he did was frown He frohen Annabelle introduced them, frohen Ryan shook his hand, frohen he offered hi the fifteenrooory pulled hiate in the dining roohly surprised

"I’d like a ith you, if you don’t lanced at Annabelle, who offered a tiny shrug So he said, "Yes, sir" and followed the older man, while the to on about the new silverware she’d ordered from Paris

Gregory led hie study with oak-paneled walls and an expensive burgundy carpet There was a huge stone fireplace on one side of the room, with two plush chairs in front of it "Have a seat," Mr Hol to one of the chairs

Ryan didn’t want to sit, but he did, and a moment later Annabelle’s dad took the seat across from him The older man unbuttoned his pristine navy-blue suit jacket, then clasped his hands in his lap and said, "How did you ulped "Annabelle told you in the other rooory frowned "And what exactly is the nature of your relationship, Mr Evans?"

He suddenly felt like he was in the interrogation rooain, his uess"

Jeez, why the hell was he so intimidated by this ood under pressure, andand background, he found himself extremely uneasy around Annabelle’s dad

"Are you aware that ory asked coldly

"I was under the iement is off, sir"

"For the hter will ton" Another frown, this one deeper "This e was decided on when Annabelle was a child, and Bryce is a worthy ht, he sahere this was going Bryce orthy, Ryan was not Well, fk that

"I have to disagree," he said politely "Annabelle was unhappy with Bryce"