Page 24 of Heartless
“It’s okay, we’ll do something when I come back.”
“Oh.Are you leaving?”
“Business trip to Stockholm.I’ll be back on the twenty-third.”
The trip wasn’t planned for another six months, but I needed to keep her tethered.
“That’s really far,” she whined.
I suppressed a smile.“I just wanted to see you before my trip.I know it’s fast, but it’s just the way you make me feel.I’ll text you when I’m back.”
“I’m having lunch with Nigel, and I’ll ask him to reschedule dinner.I haven’t written anything in months, anyway.”
Lunch and fucking dinner.Morrison was keeping her real close.“I’ll cook for you at my place.I’ll pick you up at seven.”
She giggled.She had a throaty voice, and her laughter was no different.
“What should I bring?I can buy dessert or wine.Or beer.”
“Just you, Sienna.”
There was a smile in her ‘okay.’
“Um...Jake?”
“Yes?”Here comes my bottle of Weller.I leaned into my cell.“What is it, sweetheart?”
“I’m happy I met you...because I like you.A lot.”
This time, I wasn’t lying when I replied, “I like hearing that, sweetheart.Seven.”
****
Sienna
Nigel had taken me to another exorbitantly expensive restaurant.As the server ambled away, he said, “I’m sorry about your mother’s house.I’ll have someone take care of the insurance papers.”
After I’d completed a dictionary-size amount of paperwork, the insurance company was still waiting for all kinds of reports in order to make the payment.Thankfully, Mom had left me a little bit of money, but it was thinning fast.
“It’s okay, Nigel, I’m taking care of it.But thank you.”
He tapped gently on my hand.“You’ve suffered one terrible loss after the other, and I worry about you, little dear.You should be with family.Why don’t you come live with us?”
He’d been so kind, but...I didn’t know exactly what it was.I exhaled a slow breath.No, I did know.I couldn’t forget my conversation with Rowena Wheelan.
Nigel’s hand weighed heavier on mine.“Let me be your father and take care of you.You’ll have your own wing, and Kimmy is wonderful company.”
Maybe to you.
God, I was being so ungrateful to this lovely man who’d welcomed me with open arms.
Pulling my hand away, I smiled.“It’s really kind and generous, Nigel, but I’m fine.”
His gaze hardened.Nigel Morrison did not like being told no.Which oddly grounded me in my decision.
Fortunately, the arrival of our food broke through the tension.
The fish melted in my mouth and was perfectly seasoned.“Did Joel go back to Tokyo?And how was your trip?”
