"You don't have to pay for me, Maura." Selina's tone was clean and sharp. "I'm not broke."
Maura shrugged as if she expected that, stopping across from her. "I didn't mean to offend you if it sounded that way," she said, her voice deceptively graceful.
Selina paid with her card. The waitress bowed and walked away.
"Should I join you?" Maura asked lightly, placing her hand on the seat cushion—half-impatient, half-inviting herself.
Selina ignored her and slipped her card back into her purse.
Receiving no response, Maura began to sit—but Selina's cold voice stopped her.
"I didn't permit you to take a seat at my table."
Maura froze mid-movement, disbelief twisting across her features. Her eyes flashed with buried scorn as they met Selina's grim, detached gaze.
"Selina, you don't have to be mean all the time. I just wanted to have lunch with you," Maura muttered, trying to keep her posture straight so she wouldn't look embarrassed in front of the onlookers.
"Why would you?"
