Chapter 1

Notification chimes sounded from my phone.

Felix Zimmerman couldn't help shooting me a look, frowning as he chided, "Didn't I tell you my parents hate it when we're distracted at the dining table? Why are you still on your phone?"

I stood up to grab my bag and leave. "Your parents have nothing against anyone using their phones at the dining table—they just don't like it when I do it."

As I spoke, I pursed my lips at Cassidy Crowther, who perched beside him. "Her eyes have been glued to her phone screen since she sat down, but I don't see any of you coming for her. You even gave her helpings of the food!"

Felix followed my gaze. Cassidy's phone screen was still lit up. It was obvious she hadn't heard her name being mentioned, for she hadn't locked her phone screen.

Felix grimaced, rendered speechless by my accusation.

His father, Andrew Zimmerman, interjected in hopes of doing damage control, "You've got it all wrong. We've told Felix the same thing while he was growing up. It's nothing personal.

"We only want you to mind your manners because we see you as family. Cassidy's a guest, and we're in no position to criticize her."

I maintained my smile. "Oh, stop spewing nonsense, Andrew. Helen and Cassidy are women, yet you didn't stop them from eating crabs just because it requires unladylike gusto. Besides…"

I padded into the kitchen, grabbed a few ziplock bags, and filled them up with crabs and other food I'd made. "I bought these crabs and made the food. Don't you think it's a little weird that you're stopping me from eating them?"

I'd swallowed my pride and slaved away in the kitchen for three hours earlier. While cleaning the fish, one of the bones embedded itself under my nailbed.

Fresh blood beaded from the wound immediately, and I'd keeled over as the sharp pain seized me.

But Felix didn't do anything beyond handing me a Band-Aid. "You know I can't stand the smell of fish. Deal with it yourself."

He could have taken me to the hospital to get the wound checked out or forced me to take a break from the kitchen. But instead, he'd let me continue assisting him with kitchen prep work, be it cutting vegetables or carrying dishes.

He'd miraculously stopped minding the smell of fish once it had been served and the family sat down for dinner. He'd claimed he was busy earlier, but in truth, he was picking out fish bones for Cassidy.

"Oh, heavens! What are you doing?" Felix's mother, Helen Danes, shouted as she tried to snatch the plate I was tipping over a ziplock bag.

But she was too late. After I'd dumped the last plate of food into the ziplock bag, all that was left of the spread on the dining table were plain vegetables.

I replied coolly, "I'm just packing food for the dogs."

Then, grabbing my bag along with the pudding I'd brought for dessert, I headed out of the Zimmerman residence.

Before I left, Felix tugged on my wrist and demanded, "All I did was bring Cassidy home for a meal. Must you be so melodramatic?"

To him, bringing Cassidy home for dinner was like an ordinary part of daily life. But he'd forgotten that when he invited me over for dinner, he'd told me it was a family affair.

I shook off his grip. "So, Cassidy's family to you too?"

Felix understood what I meant right away.