Winning the Heir Who Bullied Me Chapter 35

 “April, are you okay?”

I blink at Eliza. “Huh?”

She frowns, studying me in concern. “Are you good? You’ve barely touched your food and have been staring out at nothing.”

I glance down at the chicken salad I’ve been twirling my fork through for the last twenty minutes. I sigh, dropping the cutlery.

“I’m okay, just…tired.”

‘Tired’ is not the word to be used here.

‘Screwed’ would be better.

I’m absolutely, positively screwed.

What was I thinking?

No, wait—I know the answer to that. I *wasn’t* thinking.

Because someone with working thinking faculties would have apologized to Nathan Ashford for keeping a secret from him. She would not have dragged out that godawful argument, practically insulting him and throwing a sensitive situation in his face.

I groan, dropping my face onto the table with a soft thud.

We’d been having such a good time. I mean, yeah, it was awkward as fuck. But it was also funny and quirky, and I could feel us getting closer.

The worst part is that I’m not impulsive like that; I don’t usually say the first stupid things that come to my mind. I measure my words; I’m smart with my conversations.

But when it comes to Nathan Ashford…poof! All my senses scramble, and I’m either a bumbling mess or a loudmouthed dork.

“Spring is fine,” I hear June tell Eliza as she pats my back gently. “She’s just had a long day.”

“Are you hurting from your fall this morning?” Eliza asks worriedly.

This morning…

That feels like ages ago. Then, I was someone worth saving.

Now, if a horse comes barreling my way, Nathan would probably glue my feet firmly in the line of collision.

I raise my head and shoot Eliza a smile. “It’s good. I’m good.”

She looks unconvinced but nods. “Okay. Finish your food, then.”

I give her a wide smile I don’t feel. “Yes, ma’am.”

As I dig into my salad, shrill laughter filters into my ears. I look up to see Valerie holding court at the end of the table with her two lackeys, whose names I can never seem to remember—which, honestly, is on brand for the crappy eighties mean girl shtick they’re trying to recreate.

I wonder if Nathan is going to confront her. She lied more than I did. Will he yell at her like he did at me?

I scoff inwardly. Doubtful. He’s more likely to pretend he doesn’t know the truth so he doesn’t risk upsetting Valerie.

I manage to finish my dinner, and although I usually hang out a little longer with Eliza before we go to bed, I play into my tiredness and leave the dining room with June as soon as we’re done.

“So,” June starts the moment I close our room door behind me.

I sigh. “You heard the argument, huh?”

She shrugs her tiny shoulders. “It was kind of hard not to.”

I groan, sitting on the bed. “I’m sorry, Summer.”

She frowns. “Why are you sorry to me?”

I shrug. “You know…the part about why we were allowed to stay.”

June snorts. “Like I didn’t already know that.”

My eyes widen. “Seriously?”

She shoots me a look. “I’m diabetic, not stupid.”

I roll my eyes. “But you *are* very cheeky.”

She grins, joining me on the bed. “I'm sorry you got into it with Nathan. You were having such an adorably awkward time with your crush.”

I inhale sharply. “He is *not* my crush.”

“Uh-huh,” she muses, grabbing Bun Bun and hugging him to herself. “You keep telling yourself that.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m serious.”

“Why was he even here?” she asks, ignoring my rebuttal.

“He came to check up on me. I helped treat his hand, and then I…tripped.” I shrug. “That’s when you woke up.”

June beams. “And found you in such a scandalous position.”

Despite myself, I laugh. “Shut up. What do you know about scandals?”

She rolls her eyes. “I know plenty about scandals. I also know about tension and chemistry.” She leans back on her hands and smirks at me. “And I know that you and Nathan Ashford have both.”

I scoff, grabbing her legs as I stand up.

“Okay, time for bed.” I nod towards the bathroom. “Go wash up.”

June climbs off the bed. “Okay, but am I suddenly going to find another Ashford hiding in my space? Which one? Peter? Lucas?”

I smack her bum as she giggles. “Go!”

When she enters the bathroom, I hear her call out loudly. “Oh, hi, Samuel! Didn’t expect to see *you* here!”

I roll my eyes, unable to stop the bark of laughter from escaping my lips.

“Keep it up, and you’ll sleep outside.”

“I’ll just go sleep in Nathan Ashford’s room,” she retorts. “We’re close like that.”

I snort. “Brat.”

“I love you, too!”

Chuckling, I head towards the vanity. Just before I sit on the stool, I see the first aid kit I’d shoved under the table.

I sigh, plopping onto the seat. I bury my face in my hand, groaning quietly.

How am I ever going to face Nathan again? What will I say?

Do I apologize, or just pretend it never happened?

How had a nice gesture snowballed into such a disaster?

The bathroom door opens, and June pops her head out. I can hear the water in the bath running.

“Spring, come join us,” she says, smiling cheekily. “Marisol and I are having a lovely conversation.”

I roll my eyes, standing up. “You better hope Marisol can save you from me!”

June squeals as I pick her up and throw her, fully clothed, into the bathtub.

She laughs as I tickle her. “Stop,” she begs, squirming uncontrollably.

“Apologize,” I say in a fake deep voice.

“Peter,” my sister wheezes, “m-make her stop.”

I tickle her even harder. “You’ve definitely not learned your lesson.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry!”

My fingers still, and I raise a brow. “And you’ll stop making jokes about it?”

June pouts. “You’re no fun.”

I poke her nose. “Remember that.”

I help her sit up in the tub, and she gives me a loopy smile.

“What?” I ask as I begin to help her strip off her wet clothes.

“I like you in this competition.”

I still. “What?”

June wiggles her arms, gesturing for me to finish removing her top.

When I pull it completely over her head, she drops her hands with an exhale.

“It’s nice to see you with people your age, and you’ve made another friend other than Louise. You’re having new experiences, and you even have a crush on a cute guy.”

“Thanks,” I say, ruffling my sister’s hair. “But I do *not* have a crush on Nathan Ashford.”

June tilts her head and tuts. “I don’t know what we’re going to do about the lying, though.”

*I hate liars.*

I sigh as the memory unceremoniously pierces our cute little bubble.

“What about you? Are you having fun? Enjoying your new experiences?”

She nods, smiling. “Definitely.”

“You’re not upset about the allergy incident?”

She waves my concerns away. “It was an accident.”

I swallow back my reservations. June does not need to know about them.

I lean forward and kiss her head. Maybe what happened today was for the best.

Nathan will definitely stay away from me, and I can focus on the only thing that really matters to me—my sister.