Page 24 of Unlocking my Boss's Heart

“And the water,” I reminded him with a grin.

“And the water,” he echoed.

“See you on Monday.”

“Yeah, see you.” He seemed reluctant to leave. Or was he just being nice?

I closed the door behind him and leaned on it, still somewhat in shock by the uncanny time I’d spent with my hunky boss. The room felt empty without him.

Maddison peeked into the living room.

“Is he gone?” she whispered.

“Yeah.”

She came over, took my hands, and pulled me to the couch, where we sat. A teasing light danced wildly in her eyes as she turned her attention to me.

“He works fast,” she said.

“What do you mean, ‘he works fast’? What kind of girl do you think I am?” I’d never been one to mess around, though I had to admit Anton’s visit here looked pretty incriminating.

“Oh, come on. It’s okay to let your hair down, girlfriend. Tell me how you managed to get your magazine cover-worthy boss to visit you here.”

A smile formed on my face.

I’d always thought Anton was out of touch with the likes of me. But having him over was a revelation. He was unexpectedly fun, showing a side of himself that I never would have imagined. It made me see him in a whole new light. My magazine cover-worthy boss had a lighthearted side, making him more enjoyable to be around than I ever expected.

Chapter eight

Anton

Istepped into my place and locked the door behind me. As I bent down to set my briefcase on the floor, a whiff of citrus with hints of vanilla caught my attention.

My mother’s perfume.

“Don’t tell me you still drop your things at the door,” came her voice from the living room.

I smirked and shook my head. “Hello, Mother,” I said, taking off my shoes and placing them neatly under the small table where I’d dropped my keys. Then, I crossed the foyer to the living room.

Hannah Waltons was still a beautiful woman at fifty-five, with dyed blonde hair and brown eyes. She sat on the three-seater couch, dressed in a flowing maxi dress, her feet propped on the matching ottoman as she flipped through one of my case notes.

“Those are confidential,” I reminded her.

She chuckled, closing the file and setting it aside. “No secrets from your mother, dear.”

“That’s not a secret, but clients’ private information.”

With one graceful move, she stood and wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug. I took a deep breath at her familiar scent.

“I haven’t seen you in ages. Did you miss me, darling?” she asked.

“Very much.” I smiled tightly.

She pulled away and sat back down, picking up the file again. I reached out and took it from her. “If you’re bored, why not read a book from my library?”

I sat beside her, draping an arm over the couch behind her shoulders.

Waving me off, she said, “I wasn’t really reading. If I was, I don’t remember any of it.”

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