Page 54 of Mated To My Boss

“I should be asking you. How come you missed lunch? Have you eaten anything?”

“Yeah, early lunch, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” she says before going to her bag. Madeline gasps when she opens it. She looks at me with wide eyes. “Oh, Nate.”

I look up. “Yes?”

“What's this?”

“Just some things.”

“You got me knitting supplies?” Madeline asks, diving through everything.

“How are you so sure it's me? It could've been anyone.”

“Thank you so much,” Madeline says with a squeal. “How did you even—you went to my yarn store?”

“I did.”

“How'd you find it?”

I leaned back against my chair. “I have my ways.”

Madeline picks up one of the yarn balls and holds it close to her chest. “Thank you.”

Her genuine smile warms my heart. “It's nothing.”

“No, it's not,” she insists. “It's everything. I need to tell Olivia.”

She bolts out of the office and I'm left laughing. I catch myself, but it's far too late. I shake my head quickly.

I'm just being nice. It's not because I have feelings … right?

Chapter 20

MADELINE

I enter the cold hospital room, surprised not to hear anything. “Aunt Cora?”

She rolls in the bed, still wearing the bland hospital gown. “Madeline?” Her voice is hoarse, almost like she hasn't had any water in a long time.

I rush to her bedside and lean against it. “What's wrong? Should I get the doctor?”

“They just left,” she says. I give her a glass of water from the table, supporting her shoulders.

Aunt Cora's hair seems to have lost its luster after being in the hospital so long. She takes a deep breath and then coughs. “What did they say?”

“No one knows what's wrong,” she explains. “I'm not just talking about the doctors here either.”

“But we're supposed to be able to heal, right? You should be better by now.”

“I don't know what's happening, but I feel better than yesterday so I'm probably on my way to recovering.”

“I really hope so,” I sigh, taking her hand in mine. I hold the back of her palm to my face. Aunt Cora looks so tired, but there's so little I can do.

“How's work?”

I let out a small laugh. At least she can still talk about what's important. “You don't have to worry about a thing. Work is great.”

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