Harper’s jaw dropped. For a full second, she couldn’t even blink—just stared at the screen, mortified, as her brother grinned like a devil in disguise.
Her stomach twisted in that familiar mix of dread and irritation. Why did he have to say that? Why now? She could feel Ashcroft’s sharp gaze like a phantom from across the table, piercing through her even on the other side of the world. Ugh. I cannot deal with him right now. I just… can’t.
“Kenji!” she hissed, voice strangled between outrage and disbelief.
But it was too late. Everyone at the table was laughing, Ashcroft’s expression had gone dangerously unreadable, and Maya looked like she was trying very hard not to burst into nervous laughter.
Harper forced a stiff, painfully bright smile and blurted out, “Umm—okay, well! That was… f
