{Third Person}
Barron did not hesitate for a second before pulling out a chair for himself.
Then he dropped into it as if he had always belonged there, already reaching for the food as though the earlier tension meant nothing to him.
"Well, this looks better than I anticipated, even far better than whatever awkward situation I just walked into," he said, glancing at the table with clear approval.
Amara quickly lowered her head, pretending to focus on her plate, but the heat on her face refused to fade. If anything, it got worse.
Barron noticed and flicked his gaze between her and Alexander, and something amused settled quietly in his eyes.
Then, as if deciding not to make things harder for her, he leaned back slightly and spoke in a much lighter tone.
"So," he said, turning to Amara, "how are you finding life here?"
It was such a normal question that it caught her off guard.
