Her laugh carried genuine amusement. Or at least the performance of it. With Vivian I couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.
I sat. Not across from her. On the other end of the sectional. Close enough for conversation. Far enough that she'd have to commit to a lunge if she wanted to reach me.
Old habits.
"Drink?" She tilted the wine bottle on the table. Chateau something. French label. Probably cost more than my monthly food budget, which was saying something given that I fed three people and one of them was Mera.
"Water."
"Really."
"I don't drink when I don't know what I'm walking into."
"Smart." Vivian poured herself more wine instead. "Father would be impressed."
"Father would be suspicious. There's a difference."
That landed. Her eyes tightened at the corners. Just for a second.
"You really have changed. The old Rome would have downed half this bottle before I finished my first glass."
"The old Rome sounds like he had terrible judgment."
