The Princess and the Paupers

Chapter 51

Romeo sat down next to Arabella, holding her hand tightly and handing her the menu. “What would you like to eat?” Arabella took a gander at the menu, picked a few dishes haphazardly, Romeo padded the order with a bunch more. As the manager ducked out of the room, Arabella arched an eyebrow, “Mind letting go now?”

Romeo asked demurely and seriously, “Can we hold it a little longer? Just for a moment… It’s a sight for sore eyes during the day too, I’ll bring you here next time, alright?”

Arabella stayed mum. After a beat, the manager waltzed in with a few chefs, dishes in tow.

At lunch today, Romeo had taken note of the dishes Arabella didn’t touch, and the ones she seemed to fancy, so he had a rough idea of her taste and ordered accordingly.

“All this grub, you think you can polish it off?” Arabella eyed the spread, a good twenty dishes laid out before them.

“Slow and steady.” Romeo’s one hand was still holding hers, the other serving her dishes.

“Can I have my hand back now?”

If he didn’t let go, she wouldn’t be able to eat!

go of her right hand, only

Arabella was speechless.

you sure we’re eating like this?” Arabella was not used

“Yup.”

I think we

first.” Romeo peeled a shrimp perfectly, picking it up and presenting it to her, “Wanna try?”

it here, I’ll

start to talk, Romeo popped the shrimp right into

him a warning look, but Romeo didn’t get ruffled. He looked back at her with a

“Yuck!”

stuttering in broken English, “Which dish didn’t suit your palate? Just say

about the person, not the food.”

foreign chef was a tad confused, unsure

guys can scram.”

spoke, the chefs and the manager beat a hasty retreat, practically fleeing

girl before him tenderly, “I guess I got ahead of myself.”