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)
“You’re uncomfortable with me calling you sir outside of work and I’m uncomfortable using your name, so I just won’t call you anything.”
Theodore stilled. “You won’t talk to me at all?”
“No, I’ll talk to you, but I won’t address you unless it’s necessary.”
“How do you mean?”
“Um.” I paused midway through buttoning the shirt and looked up, meeting his gaze. “If you’re working when dinner is done, instead of knocking on the door and saying, ‘dinner’s ready, sir,’ I’ll just stand in the middle of the kitchen and yell ‘dinner’s done!’ instead.”
His lips twitched, slowly curving into a lopsided smile. “Let’s do that.”
“I’m glad we got it cleared up.” I coughed and stepped back, taking the hanger from him. “Now, iron a shirt.”
“I don’t think I can.”
“Why? Because you were rabbiting on at me about your name instead of paying attention?”
“That’s exactly it, yes.”
I sighed and hung the hanger on the door. “Do you know what that’s called? Weaponised incompetence.”
“That’s the first time anyone has ever called me incompetent in my life.”
“You live alone, don’t you?”
“You know very well that I live alone.”
“Then I suggest you get used to being called incompetent, because something tells me you’ll be hearing it a lot over the next six weeks.” I laid another shirt out on the board and raised the iron. “Pay attention this time. I won’t be showing you again, and I’ll tell Auntie Pat that she’s not to do your ironing until you’ve learnt yourself.”
“It’s starting to feel like you’re my mother.”
“Which makes it worse, considering that I’m two years younger than you.” I smacked the ironing board. “Pay. Attention.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And don’t call me that.”
“Yes, Chloe.”
I shot him a dark look before quickly recovering my senses and schooling my expression back into one of nonchalance. Once again, I showed him how to iron the shirt, repeating the steps I had just a moment ago.
“I think I’ve got it.” He put his mug down and rolled up the sleeves of his jumper, then took my place behind the board.
I watched as he laid out the shirt and got to work, almost nailing it the first time. “You are surprisingly good at this.”
“Why do you sound so shocked?” he asked, putting the iron down and picking up the shirt to survey his handiwork. “Hey! Look at that. As smooth as butter.”
“You look almost as shocked as I sound,” I said.
“I’m not shocked. After all, I’m good at everything.”
“I sincerely hope you’re not including frying eggs under your definition of ‘everything.’”
He brought his fist to his mouth and cleared his throat. “That was a well-intentioned attempt at breakfast this morning.”
“Well, you know what they say. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” I met his gaze. “And if I’d left you alone in the kitchen any longer, we might well have ended up there.”
“I think I should be offended by that.”
“Perhaps.” I unplugged the iron and set it on the counter to cool. “You have two shirts. That should be enough until Auntie Pat returns tomorrow.”
He filled the kettle and put it on to boil. “I thought you’d stand there watching me until I’d ironed every single one.”
“As tempting as the thought is, I’m not getting paid to teach you basic life skills.” I felt under the ironing board for the lever to collapse it. “In fact, right now, I’m not getting paid at all.”
“You’re efficient at setting boundaries.”
If that were true, he wouldn’t have been able to monopolize so much of my time outside of working hours.
“Mm,” I said, picking up the ironing board. “If only.”
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
I paused. Had this man ever offered to make me a cup of tea before? “If you’re making it, then yes, please.”
“We should also think about buying food. Weekends are our only chance to buy groceries, and I don’t want to rely on Auntie Pat to do it for us every week.”
I put the ironing board back in the cupboard and checked my phone on the side. “Do you even grocery shop?”
“You make it sound as though I pay people to do absolutely everything for me.”
“You once had me ask Daniel to collect a prescription from the pharmacy for you. It’s not that big a leap to make.”
He rubbed the side of his neck as he pulled two mugs down from the upper cabinet. “I’m starting to understand why you want to resign.”
I fought back a smile. “I don’t mind going grocery shopping, especially since it’s the company card. Just tell me where the nearest store is.”
“I’ll come with you.” He poured boiling water into the cups. “It’s probably something we should do together.”
I couldn’t help the way my face wrinkled up in displeasure.
“Do you find the idea of shopping with me that distasteful, Chloe?” He rested his hands on the edge of the counter, looking over at me with a smile.