Page 77 of All's Well that Friends Well

I grunt as embarrassment creeps up my neck. “And I need to go back to work.”

I know I’m not imagining the little smile of amusement curling at the corners of her lips.

“Of course,” she says. “See you later, boss.”

I almost open a new conversation at this remark, one centered around appropriate ways to address each other, but then I decide I don’t have the bandwidth for that talk at the moment. So I stride down the hallway instead, a headache in my temples, a reluctant laugh still trapped in my throat?—

And I can still smell strawberry shortcake when I get back tomy office.

Rodney arrives fifteen minutes later.I’m so caught up in thought that I don’t even notice him approach; I startle violently when he knocks on the door, the blinds rattling, and then enters before I’ve waved him in.

“You’re woolgathering this morning,” he says, his eyes darting critically over me.

I sigh. “I really am.”

“Well?” he says, settling himself on the couch. His wiry brows are furrowed, but beneath his grouchy expression I see genuine concern, too. “Out with it, then.”

“You first.” I’m buying time.

He gives a jerky shrug of his shoulders. “Fine. Once Miss Marigold becomes your assistant, I’ll be asking her for regular reports on your behavior.”

I blink at him. “What—like anactualbabysitter?”

“Yes,” he says firmly. “I expect noticeable changes, Luca.”

“Couldn’t you?—”

“No,” he barks. “I shouldn’t have had to hire her at all. So make it work. I’m doing what I can.”

I don’t know what I expected Rod to say, but it wasn’t this. I slump back in my chair and take my glasses off, running my hand down my face.

I kissed Juliet Marigold. And now she’ll be reporting on me? Is this really necessary?

“Why is this so important to you?” I finally say.

Rod’s stubborn jaw sets firmly, his mouth thinning into a tight line.

“Why?” I ask again, exasperated now. “I’ll do better, all right? Do I really need someone watching my every?—”

“Because I want you to take over the company!”

The words burst out of Rodney’s mouth like a droppingbomb, abrupt and loud and full of irritation, and silence falls immediately. For three eternal seconds, all I can do is stare at him, at his furrowed brow and curled frown.

When I finally find my voice again, my response is not impressive.

“What?”

“Oh, stop it,” Rodney snaps at me, jerking his gaze away from mine. He shifts in his seat as his frown deepens. “You knew this was a possibility. Don’t act like this is the first you’re hearing?—”

“That was always theoretical,” I breathe, my eyes so wide they might pop. “This—we never—” I snap my jaw shut, trying to organize my swirling thoughts. “Is something wrong? Are you sick?”

“No,” he says, and relief courses through me. “But I’m no spring chicken. So I can either leave the company to you, or I can leave it to someone like Fuller. Which do you think I prefer?”

Me. Of course he’ll always prefer me, because I’m the one person he truly trusts here. And he’s not wrong to trust me; I’ll do whatever I can for him.

But this…

“I guess I always thought about this situation in a more abstract way,” I say, my voice hoarse. “Something that might happen someday, in a very distant future.”

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