Page 31 of The Boss Problem

It was from Sean.

“Yes, Mr. Tassater?” I asked, my pulse racing when I answered.

So far, he’d kept his promise to not send me on errands at night. In fact, he had been very reticent the past few days, canceling most of his meetings and preferring to work alone in his office as much as possible.

“Are you busy, Chloe?” he asked, his voice deep and low over the phone.

“Kind of actually. I was just out,” I said, hoping to preempt any further errands from him. I needed to get home and keep my promise to Henry that I wouldn’t be away at night.

“What are you doing?”

I hesitated as I looked at the college building. “Just waiting for someone.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line.

“I see,” he said finally.

I didn’t know what he’d made of that, but I found that I didn’t want to leave him hanging anymore. I could let him in a little on what my life was like.

“I’m waiting for my brother,” I clarified.

I didn’t want to keep everything from him. Just the heavy, troublesome bits.

I heard a deep exhale on his end.

“Your brother,” he said, and it wasn’t much of a question. He seemed to mull over it. “I hadn’t pictured you having a brother.”

I hadn’t known Sean was trying to piece together the world I lived in at all.

“Since we’re on the topic of families, I need a favor,” he said, his voice sounding rushed. “After seeing how you interacted with Lucas that night, something occurred to me.”

As his PA, I was prepared to get calls from him at odd hours, even if he claimed he wouldn’t. But I wasn’t used to discussing families.

“Can you help me figure Lucas out?” he asked.

I blinked. “Figure him out?”

A seven-year-old? I wasn’t sure what deep troubles he thought Lucas was hiding.

Sean let out a deep breath, and I could picture him standing with his hand on his side, brows furrowed and looking lost.

“My ex-wife called me earlier and said she needs Lucas to stay with me for another month.”

“Oh.”

I hadn’t realized the wife was an ex. I felt a sense of spark and hope unfurl in me that had no place doing so.

“Lucas and I don’t exactly get along. He … well, he hates me.”

I waited. I knew interpreting a child’s behavior was hard, but to assume it equaled hate?

“I sincerely hope that’s not true, but I’m listening,” I said.

In the distance, I spied Henry wheeling himself out of the college building, and he stopped to scan the surroundings for me. Spotting me, he waved before slowly making his way to me. I waved back.

“If you could help me get along with Lucas,” Sean said, exhaling deeply, “well, that would be very much appreciated.”

“Me?” I repeated, sounding dumbfounded.

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