Reborn to Dodge the Bad Marriage novel Chapter 163

Chapter 163 Popcorn and a Suit

ToNora, Olivia-turning friendly out of nowhere was strange enough on its own, and an offer to study under Cordelia was stranger still.

She didn’t believe for a second that any of it came from admiring anybody’s talent. Something else was going on here.

Olivia took the refusal without getting upset. “I know you have a problem with my grandmother and me. That’s a misunderstanding. Give it some time and I think we’d be good friends.

“It’s fine to say no tonight. Whenever you change your mind about studying with her, the offer stands.”

Nora smiled and said nothing.

Olivia glanced at the black roses in Nora’s arms and smiled. “I’m going to bed. Good night.”

Olivia headed up, and at the landing she nearly walked straight into Julian, who was just coming out of the study.

But she sidestepped him at the last second, gave him a small nod, said nothing, and kept climbing.

Julian came down and stopped in front of Nora. He looked her over first, and once he was sure nothing was wrong he asked, “You’re home late. Did your father give you trouble?”

“No. I left early. I went by the Ivory Club to talk to Ryder about something.”

Nora tipped her chin toward the stairs. “Why is Olivia sleeping up there now?” Her room had been right next to theirs.

Julian nodded. “She moved next to Grandma. She says Grandma’s health is bad and it’s easier to look after her from there, and that it keeps things proper between her and me.”

Nora raised her eyebrows. “That’s a complete one-eighty.”

No more snide little comments, no more sweetness with a blade in it, and now she was changing rooms for the sake of appearances.

Has she really given up on him, or is this a longer game?

Nora let it go. As long as Olivia stayed out of her way, she might as well not exist.

“Are you done working?” she asked.

“I am. Hungry?”

Nora almost laughed. “I don’t eat that much. Why are you always so worried about me starving? If you’re not tired, let’s go watch that movie.”

Julian looked at her, surprised. “Now?”

It was past 11 and closing in on midnight.

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Chapter 163 Popcorn and a Suit

“Now.” Nora smiled. “We never got to the movie tonight. Unless you’d rather sleep.”

mer and a movie had been the plan, and then Victor had called her home.

“It’s early.” He paused. “Do you want to go out for it, or watch here?”

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Finished

Under that flat voice of his, Nora could hear how hadly he wanted it, as if answering too slowly might cost him the whole evening. She checked the hour. “Here is fine.”

The estate had its own theater and gym and everything else, better equipped than anything in town.

“I’ll have it set up,” Julian said.

Nora nodded. “I’ll shower and change.”

She showered, put on pajamas, and went straight to the theater. Every piece of equipment in that room was top of the line, with recliners on one side and a bed along the back, so a person could sit up or lie down to watch.

Julian was waiting at the door in a pressed suit, his hair combed within an inch of its life, holding popcorn and two Cokes.

Nora stopped in front of him and caught a trace of cold bergamot, which wasn’t how he usually smelled. Cologne?

Nora looked at the suit, then down at her own nightshirt with the cartoon bear on the front. It was a movie

at home.

She decided not to think about it. “You made popcorn?”

Julian nodded. “Isn’t that standard for a movie?”

He had looked up online what a man was supposed to do the first time he watched a movie with a woman.

Nora bit back a smile. “There’s a standard?”

Julian watched her grin, and the corner of his mouth moved with it. “What do you want to watch?”

A romance would put them somewhere she didn’t want to be, and there might be love scenes. Horror was worse, because for everything Nora had lived through twice, ghosts still frightened her, and she didn’t want him seeing that.

So she played it safe with a well-reviewed adventure movie about a group of people surviving on an island, which seemed impossible to get wrong.

They watched, they ate popcorn, and for a while the dark room was quiet and easy.

Julian kept turning his head to look at her. She chewed with both cheeks full, like a squirrel working through its winter supply, and it undid him a little.

Nora’s scent cut right through the sweet smell of popcorn, and he couldn’t keep his attention anywhere else.

Nora watched the movie.

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10:49 Thu, Oct 1 σ

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