WITH YOU- I Never Had A Choice ✔️

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

DYLAN

I look away quickly and step back. Her eyes are still wide open. Giving her the time to recover, I say, "we can do this all night. How 'bout we eat something? 'Cause I don't know about you but I am starving" I tilt my head, gesturing towards the dinner table.

Today, the plates are not on the opposite ends of the dinner table as it is always. I wanted her to be...close to me. I've set our plates beside each other at one end of the table. I wanted to apologise to her decently.

Just when I think, I will try to do something like this, she has to throw the deal thing on my face. Yes, I made the contract, and yes, it's still valid. Still, I don't want to think that she would be leaving as soon as the contract is over. I'm quite vulnerable right now, and that's the reason why I'm having such thoughts.

"Yeah, " her voice comes out softly, and she looks down at the floor. I don't know which Avery I like the more, the rebellious one or the one who stands in front of me, blushing hard. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ears and says, "why did you wait?"

"Apparently, that's how an apology dinner works. Shall we?" I hold out my hand for her. She looks at my hand and then at my face, astounded. Gently, she puts her hands on mine and I wrap my fingers around her tiny ones. Up until this moment, I didn't realise how much I wanted to hold her hand again. As if her hand was made just to fit in mine, precisely.

I lead her to the table and pull out the chair for her. She sits down, not removing her eyes from my face. As if she is seeing me for the first time. Well, to some extent, it's true. After the way, I have behaved with her since our wedding, it's pretty much unexpected, isn't it?

I take my seat beside her and begin serving. Filling her plate with food, I start with mine while her eyes are still fixed on me. Unable to stop, I say, " Will you keep staring at me all night?" That didn't come out well.

"Oh...um...I'm sorry!" She squeaks and looks away, rapidly blinking. I glance at her face. She is blushing harder. "How did you know I was back? You were sleeping..."

"Your shoes, " I answer and start eating.

"Oh..." She goes quiet for some time. "You apologised to me that night itself."

"I apologised to you for what I didn't say not for what I said." She stops eating and looks up. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

"It's ok. You didn't know."

"You know Olivia, that's the problem. I never tried to know you. I was being so selfish. I heard about you not having your parents and then on the wedding day when you stopped at the graveyard. It was clear but I was too busy being an asshole to think about you."

She stares blankly at me and then says, "You weren't. You were just stressed. And...no one said I would've answered your questions if you had asked me then..."

"Now you would?"

"What do you want to know?" I can't believe she wants to open up. I just know something, she isn't the type of girl who would open up easily. She keeps a lot hidden inside her. And something in me wants to know her better.

"Let's complete the dinner, " I say, giving her a tight smile and dive in. We eat in silence like we always do but there is this anticipation working inside me. After dinner, I wanted to sit with her and talk. Just talk. But...does she want that?

After we complete the food, she helps me clean up the table and carries the dishes to the kitchen along with me. I knew she would help but that is a hard part. I'm nervous. I might not appear, but I am.