Chapter 33
Bella
"Mom, please, stop staring. You're freaking him out," I whispered urgently, nudging my mother, who seemed utterly mesmerized by Ace's presence in our home.
Ace appeared engrossed in his phone, though it seemed more like he was using it as a shield against my mom's relentless scrutiny. She was practically beaming at him, firing off random questions with the subtlety of a freight train.
I had initially resisted the idea of inviting Ace over for lunch, but my mom was insistent. In her eyes, he was the potential boyfriend, the romantic interest who could bring new hope into my life.
"I'm not staring," my mom whispered back defensively, before launching into a series of inquiries about Ace's dietary restrictions.
Ace, with his striking emerald eyes, alternated between obs
