Silver Moon (Colors of the Moon #3)

Chapter 5

With my eyes still half-closed, I drifted into the dining room.

"Good morning," came the instant chirpy greeting.

I couldn't understand how anyone could properly work at such an early hour, let alone be in a good mood. It wasn't even ten in the morning yet.

I mumbled something incoherent while making my way to the side table. No one commented on my still half-asleep state because they were used to my morning behavior. With a surprisingly steady hand, I poured myself a generous cup of steaming coffee and then meandered over to the table. I sank down onto the nearest empty chair before allowing my head to collapse onto the table. If only I could get a few more minutes of sleep.

A heavy set of footsteps entered the room, making me wonder who arrived even later than I. But I wasn't curious enough to actually lift my head and check.

The rest of the room grew silent, which allowed me to catch the sound of a chair scraping against the carpet and then someone sitting down.

"Good morning." 

My first instinct was to throw a plate at the culprit who dared to disturb the peaceful silence. Then I connected the deep voice with a face and my head snapped up.

"What are you doing here?"

At the head of the table, where Judy had sat for most of our meals, now sat Theo. Even this early in the morning he wasn't leisurely lying on the chair. He was sitting with his back painfully straight while dressed in a freaking ironed dark blue shirt.

I found it painful to just look at the uncomfortable clothes. I couldn't even begin to understand why he would put himself through such torture. This was his "house", after all. More than anywhere else he deserved to wear something comfortable in his own home.

I glanced at the others around the table and found them looking just as confused as I felt. Even Zara and Rob looked at a loss for words.

"It's my castle, so I can eat my breakfast wherever I want." Theo was daring me to contradict him with his perfectly arched eyebrows.

"No, you can't." I didn't give a fudge's sake about who he was. "You need to leave."

"Gabriela Olivia!" Judy exclaimed before Theo could respond. "You need to apologize to him right now."

The use of my full name told me just how much trouble I was in. Instead of doing as told though, I shot another glare in Theo's direction. Then I lowered my head back down and rested my forehead against the table. If only I had opted for not getting out of bed this morning.

"I apologize for her behavior. As you can see, she isn't a morning person." The cold undertone in Judy's voice told me that a stern talking-to was waiting for me the moment we were alone.

"It's fine," Theo murmured. "Olivia? Your middle name is Olivia?"

A short silence followed while everyone waited for me to answer. Yet I refused to open my mouth. I was not participating in whatever game he was playing.

"She got it after her late father and my husband Oliver." Judy once again stepped in.

Another silence stretched, which was disrupted only by the sound of utensils scraping against plates. What an annoying sound.

"Why aren't you eating? Is there something wrong with the food?"

I couldn't understand why he was so chatty this morning. Or maybe it was just that he was one of those annoying morning people. Blah.

"Don't mind Gabriela." This time Vivian butted in.

"She never eats anything for breakfast," Zara added.