Mr. Everhart relinquished his seat at the head of the table to Hawthorne, who took


    it without the slightest fuss, as if this was how things had always been.


    Gwh couldn''t help but whisper to Leonie, "Did your uncle save your entire family''s life or something?"


    By age and seniority, Hawthorne should never outrank Mr. Everhart, yet the Everharts treated him with an almost reverential respect. It was baffling.


    Leonie''s face fell, her expression bleak.


    "Pretty much. I told you before the only reason the Everhart family business has survived this long is because of my uncle. My dad hates business; he''s content to live off the house our grandfather left and his shares in thepany. The family firm is all on my uncle''s shoulders."


    Gwh fell silent. No wonder this manmanded so much authority.


    Layne, who''d been holding court just moments ago, suddenly went quiet and stared down at his te, eating in silence.


    The housekeeper brought out a ce setting for Hawthorne. Gwh found her gaze drifting to his hands-elegant, cool, and almost translucent in the dining room light-then followed the line of his wrist up to his sharply defined Adam''s apple.


    Almost as if on cue, Hawthorne''s throat bobbed with a swallow. His eyes met Gwh''s across the table, sharp and unexpectedly direct.


    Gwh quickly looked away, ducking her head and shoveling a mouthful of food as if she could hide behind it. Her ears flushed pink, and her heart was racing.


    "So, what were you all talking about? Sounded lively."


    Hawthorne''s voice cut through the silence, an unusual move for someone so reserved.


    Mr. and Mrs. Everhart exchanged a quick nce before fixing their attention on their son. Mrs. Everhart gave Layne a subtle nudge, urging him to answer his uncle''s question.


    "We were talking about Leonie''s friend," Layne said, not daring to fudge the truth. "Her boyfriend''s made it impossible for her to find a job in Greenvale, so Leonie was asking if I could help out."


    Leonie shot Layne a frantic look, silently pleading with him not to mention it, but the pressure from Hawthorne was too much for Layne to resist.


    Hawthorne gave a nomittal, "Oh," and idly picked up a piece of braised pork with his fork, though he didn''t eat it.


    He seemed to mull over Layne''s words, his brow furrowing slightly. "How old is Miss Langford? Do her parents know she''s living with a man?"


    Gwh nearly choked on her water, trying to hide her unease behind a sip.


    She fought the urge to cough, while Leonie looked absolutely startled.


    It wasn''t just them-the whole table seemed to freeze. Mr. and Mrs. Everhart and Layne all stared at Hawthorne in disbelief.


    Was the sun rising in the west


    today? Hawthorne, usually


    vel


    indifferent to everything, was suddenly interrogating a girl be barely knew, and with such intensity.


    Gwh''s face went pale, then flushed pink with indignation.


    "We weren''t living together. We dated for a few months, that''s all."


    There was really no need to exin herself to this man, but Hawthorne only nodded slightly.


    "Leonie''s a good girl. We just don''t want her falling in with the wrong crowd."


    So he was just looking out for his niece-but his way of doing it was so overbearing it was hard to swallow.


    If Leonie weren''t so na?ve, Gwh would have snapped at Hawthorne herself. With that level of protectiveness, why not just lock Leonie up at home?


    But-


    Forget it.


    Mr. Everhart looked like he was about to say something, and Mrs Everhart seemed ready to smooth things over to spare Gwh from embarrassment, when Hawthorne spoke up again.


    "What else were you talking about?"


    Leonie rolled her eyes. "Leonie''s worried I''ll starve if I can''t find work, so she suggested I get a job at my brother''spany. Uncle, if you have any more questions, just ask now. I''ve got my ID on me if you want to run a background check."