Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
I nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”
He gave my shoulder a light squeeze before stepping back. “I have a meeting. If you have nowhere to be, you’re both welcome to talk things through here so you won’t be disturbed.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Theo said. “We have a bit of time.”
Alastair nodded and pulled on his jacket, then left us in his office with a wave of his hand. The moment the door clicked shut behind him, I collapsed into a heap on his desk, burying my face in my arms.
Theo touched his hand to my back and leant in, kissing the back of my head. “You okay? That was a lot.”
“You could have warned me,” I muttered into the crook of my elbow.
“You wouldn’t have accepted it from me. You had to hear it from Dad.”
“Did you really only just find out about it?” I turned my head.
He crouched down next to me, bringing himself equal with my eye level. “Just this morning, like I told you. He called me not long after I got the office.”
So, that was what they were discussing for long. “Mmph,” I grunted. “Do you really think I can do it?”
“I do. And he’s right when he says it would negate any gossip about you getting the position because of our relationship.” He brushed the hair from my face and smiled. “But it’s ultimately your choice. You did want to leave, after all.”
“Yeah, but it wasn’t as though I had another job lined up. I didn’t even know what I wanted to do,” I said as he took my hand and linked our fingers together. “It’s not like I have nothing to leave for. I don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t get yourself all worked up about it. Like Dad said, you can think about it for a while. I’m already doing the job anyway, so I can always tell you what your responsibility would be as we work on it.”
I nodded my head slowly.
Theo brought our clasped hands to his mouth and kissed my fingers. “I don’t care if you resign, Chloe. Just don’t leave me. Please.”
“Silly.” I sat up and touched my free hand to his cheek. “I don’t plan on it. As if you could live without me.”
He grinned, turning his face into my palm. “It’s true. I would be utterly hopeless without you.”
“I’m very glad you’re aware of that.” I checked the time. “Come on. You have a meeting in half an hour.”
“Do you want to take the rest of the day off to clear your head?” He pulled me to my feet and wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on top of my head. “I’ll allow it.”
“Stop giving me special treatment.” Still, I smiled at his words and hugged him back. “No, I’ll be fine. But you won’t be if you don’t get moving and read my report for this meeting.”
Theo sighed. “I miss the cottage.”
Me, too.
“Hey,” I said softly. “If I accepted your dad’s offer, would it mean more trips up to the cottage?”
Theo pulled back and looked down at me. “Why? Does that tempt you?”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, brushing my lips across his. “Only if I could kidnap the company Vice-President and make him go with me.”
“Hmm.” He kissed me softly. “It’s not kidnapping if he’s willing.”
“Your grandfather might not think so.”
“It’s fine. We can just bribe him with marriage. He’s easy pickings.”
“Who’s easy pickings?” The office door swung open, and Charles stomped back inside. “Stop canoodling at work! Put her down, you little sod!”
I pushed Theo away, laughing. “He’s right. We have to get back to work.”
“Ow, ow!” Theo flinched away from his grandfather. “Stop hitting me, you fossil!”
“Fossil?” Charles gasped. “Who are you calling a fossil, you foetus?”
I covered my face with my hands.
“Foetus? You wanna talk foetus?” Theo taunted. “Keep beating me, and there’ll be no great-grandchildren for you.”
Silence.
I peeked through my fingers, and Charles was staring at Theo, cushion still raised.
“Great-grandchildren?” he asked after a moment. “From you?”
“No, from the weekly farmer’s market,” Theo replied. “Yes, from me.”
Charles swung his gaze towards me. “Great-grandchildren from you means…”
“Mhmm.” Theo nodded. “That will never happen if you hit me every time we canoodle, as you put it.”
What on Earth was he saying right now?
Charles took a step back and tossed the cushion onto the sofa, then brushed his hands down his shirt. “I want a great-granddaughter. Like Chloe. Not you.”
“You can’t really order babies like that, but sure.”
“I suppose I’ll allow some canoodling.” He cleared his throat. “I won’t tell your father.”
“Thanks, Gramps.”
He shuffled towards the door. “Carry on.”
I watched as he left, slamming the door behind him. “What just happened?”
Theo grinned. “Told you. Easy pickings.”
“You’re insane.” I shook my head and followed in the duke’s footsteps to the door. “Let’s go. You have a meeting to get ready for.” I paused and looked back at him. “Sir.”