Page 41 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2

“Here you are, Ms DuMont.” George walked in balancing a tray.

“You made it, right?” Best to be sure. I would hate to lift the cover and see wet eggs again.

“Yes, Ms DuMont,” he confirmed with a waggle of bushy grey eyebrows as he came over and placed the tray in front of me. “I doubt Mr Bradley would appreciate your feet on his desk, Ms DuMont.”

I ignored his chastisement and lifted the lid. “Oh, George, you are the best and don’t you think you should call me Madi?”

“No, it would be improper.” he replied all starchy-like.

I grinned as I picked up the fork and started on my eggs. He had done bacon also with some buttered toast. “I don’t care about that, George.” I mumbled with my mouth half-full.

George did nothing to hide his distaste. I had done it on purpose, to ‘wind him up’ as Liam would say.

“Yes, well, I do, Ms DuMont,” he stated firmly, yet he lingered in Matt’s office, absentmindedly straightening the stack of files by theedge.

“You never mention your family, George.” I said after swallowing another forkful of yummy eggs.

George gave me a tired smile. “Because I have none.”

I put the fork down. “No one?”

His tired smile turned into a sad one. “No, Ms DuMont.” He fiddled with the stack again. “I have come to view Mr Bradley and his family as my own, although it is presumptuous to say so.”

I got up from the chair and walked around to the grey haired butler. He refused to look at me and I tapped his arm until he did.

“I think you’re great and I hope when Matt and I get married you’ll see me as your family too. Family is very important.” I said with a touch of melancholy. Then I hugged him quickly. Yes, yes, I knew he found it improper but sometimes you just need a damn hug. The sound of a harsh cough had both George and me turning towards the door. The FBI had finally caught up to me.

“Good morning, Mr Bradley,” I greeted with a strained smile.

“Grumps,” he corrected and levelled George with a cold stare. George immediately inclined his head politely in Grumps’s direction and excused himself.

Grumps wandered further into Matt’s office while I returned to the chair I had recently vacated. I told myself it was because I wanted to finish eating and not due to wanting some form of protection against Grumps. Matt’s desk afforded a good measure of protection if the old man stayed on the other side of it.

“Madison, has Matthew not told you the proper manner of interacting with his members of staff?” Grumps never beat around the bush, did he? “Why were you in such a familiar position with George?”

I took a forkful of eggs and looked up at Grumps. “I treat people like people. Besides, George is practically family, Matt told me he’s been around all his life.”

Grumps peered at my studio through the glass wall as he spoke. “Be that as it may, he is an employee of my grandson and should be treated as such.”

I stuck the forkful of eggs in my mouth and chewed silently as I pondered the best way to address his statement. I couldn’t wrap myhead around it. To me it was unnatural. This was another issue I would need to deal with if I married Matt.

Did I just thinkif? My eyes landed to the beautiful engagement ring gracing my left hand.

“And how do you treat staff, Mr Bra - Grumps?” I finally asked.

“With a certain level of respect, of course. They do after all tend to your needs,” Grumps snapped. “But you must always ensure you do not blur the lines of your relationship. They are employees, not friends. They should be in the background-”

“Seen but ignored?” I interrupted as I picked up some crispy bacon.

“Do not interrupt me, Madison.” Grumps said curtly.

He smoothed his hands over his jacket and my eyes narrowed. Where had he gotten those clothes from? Had he brought an overnight bag last night? That would mean he had already planned on staying at Matt’s, which meant he had already assumed everything would be fine between them after last night. I inhaled sharply. And that meant Grumps had known I would forgive him and inform Matt of this. Son of a bastard. He had played me. He knew exactly what to do to get in my good books. How? How on earth could he have read me so easily? These damned Bradley men! I chewed my bacon stoically, cursing myself for being a pawn in Grumps’s manoeuvrings.

“I will arrange for you to speak to Hannah, my granddaughter will instruct you on the proper way to behave.” He rubbed his chin, a reflective grimace on his face. “I would direct you to Portia but we all know she is less than pleased with the prospect of having you as a daughter-in-law.”

“I don’t need instruction and thanks for pointing out Portia doesn’t like me.”

I grabbed another piece of bacon and shoved the whole thing in. I tried not to swallow before it was chewed completely. Better to have a full mouth to stop my instinctive retorts.

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