Billionaire's Match novel · Chapter 24 of 24

Chapter 24: A Year and a Day

The Strathern dining table had been made for twelve.

On the Sunday that was a year and a day after the broadcast, it held six.

The old man sat at the head with his cane hooked on the chair, carving a roast with more patience than skill.

Dalton's grandmother sat at his right hand, which would have been unthinkable a year before.

Elliot's sister sat across from Brittany with a laptop open beside her plate and the sleeves of a grey sweater pushed up.

"It builds," she said, to nobody. "It finally builds."

"Not at the table," said the old man.

"It's the first line, sir. It has my name on it."

"Then it can wait until the pudding."

Teddy sat on a cushion beside Brittany with a napkin tucked into his collar.

He was six now, and his front tooth had grown in whole.

"Brittany," he said, "can I have the potato?"

"Ask Mr. Strathern."

"Grandfather Strathern, can I have the potato?"

"You may have the potato," said the old man gravely, and put two on his plate.

The old woman cut her meat into precise squares.

"Mrs. Hartwell has written again," she said. "She asks whether the boy may have her letters."

Teddy looked up.

"He may have them when he's twelve," said Brittany. "If he asks. I'll read them first."

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