Chapter 32 Almost Noon

• The rest of the morning dragged on like an infomercial you can’t skip. After Mr. Thorne’s unexpected display of… whatever that was, I holed up in my room, alternating between staring at the ceiling and scrolling through my phone. My thoughts were like a playlist stuck on repeat: What did he mean? Why did he care? Why does his cologne smell so good?
• I knew I should let it go, but my brain refused. Every time I caught a whiff of the fragrance lingering in the air, my stomach did this weird flip-flop thing, which only annoyed me more. Why was I letting him get under my skin? This was supposed to be a contract marriage, not... whatever this mess was turning into.
• By midday, hunger finally got the best of me. I wasn’t about to starve myself just because Mr. Thorne’s brooding self was wandering around the suite somewhere. So, with a pep talk worthy of a championship game, I left my room and made my way to the kitchen area.