Page 39 of The Unwilling Bride

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So far, she hasn’t given me a reason to find fault with her. If I want to test her then I need to invent something. I move on down the line. Get three steps.

Turn back.

"Richie."

Harper meets my eyes. Waiting.

"Your cap." I nod toward it. "It's crooked."

She reaches up. Straightens it. It was already straight. We both know it was already straight.

"Better?"

"It's still crooked."

A muscle in her jaw ticks. She straightens it again. Further this time, tilting it slightly to compensate, which makes it even more crooked.

"Other way."

She adjusts.

"Other way."

Another adjustment.

"Back to where it was."

The look she gives me is magnificent. Pure controlled fury wrapped in professional deference. She tilts the cap back to its original position.

Exactly where it started.

"Excellent."

Now that I have riled her, I call out to the team.

"Service in fifteen. Final prep. No talking unless it's call and response."

11

Harper

"What the fuck was that?" I whisper to Mark as the group breaks up. We head to our stations.

"The Ice Commander seems to have taken particular notice of you today.” His voice is sympathetic.

"Not just today. It’s every day. Every hour. Every minute," I scoff.

"He likes to test the new recruits."

"I’ve been here two months," I protest.

"And the fact that he’s still testing you means he sees something in you," Mark says slowly.

I roll my eyes. "I’d rather he forget about me."

"Not happening. Not when he hired you off the cuff.”

“Only because he was in a jam. He fired his sous chef, and I happened to be there. I don’t think it means he was impressed with me.”

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