Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 112701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“Tell me about your boss,” Mom says, and I take another sip, sighing around the strong bite of lime.
“What’s there to say?”
Lily snorts. “A lot,” she says under her breath, and I fix her with a look of warning.
Her eyes half-roll, but she doesn’t say anymore. But my mom hears everything, and she didn’t miss Lily’s remark.
“Spill,” she demands, and I wince.
“I’ve only seen him once, but he’s not easily forgotten,” Lily says with a giggle, leading me to believe Lily is already feeling very good from the margaritas. “He’s one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen.”
My mom looks at me with a raised brow. “He’s attractive?”
That’s an understatement, I think to myself.
“I guess. If you like grumpy ass British men,” I say, hoping that’ll be the end of the conversation.
“British grump, eh?” Her teasing tone tells me she sees right through my false indifference.
“Ya, today the asshole told me if I can’t walk in adult shoes, I need to wear ‘trainers.’ Ugh. So embarrassing.”
Mom laughs because she knows me too well. And based on the way she’s staring at me with that knowing look, I can tell that I’m going to get the third degree once Lily is gone.
Great.
Lily left shortly after eleven, taking an Uber across town. Mom stuck around, which wasn’t unusual on a Tuesday.
Since Dad died, sleepovers have been a normal thing for us.
We were lying on my bed, watching an old episode of Frasier, when Mom decided to catch me off guard.
“You gonna tell me about this crush you have on your boss?”
I roll over to face her. “I don’t have a crush on him. Why would you say that?”
She smacks her lips, searching my face. “I know my daughter, and I know that starstruck look you get in your eyes. It happens every time Henry Cavill comes on the TV.”
I roll my eyes. “You are ridiculous. Charles and I work closely together. I respect him and how hard he works.”
“And . . .” she drawls.
“And he’s doing great things for Cavendish Group here in the United States. And I can’t help but admire his tenacity.”
She snorts. “Tenacity? Goodness, me, bringing out the five-dollar words. That’s more than a crush.”
I grab the pillow from behind my head and whack her with it. She squeals, grabbing her own pillow. Sometimes we act like children, but it’s just how we are.
It wasn’t always like this. We had a typical mother-daughter relationship throughout school. One day, I loved her, and the next, I hated her.
She was always the strict one. When she said no, I always went to Dad, and he’d give in, earning himself a scowl and the cold shoulder for a couple of hours.
Their fights never lasted long. They were the true definition of love, and it broke my mom’s heart when dad died.
It broke mine, too. We were a solid unit, and the world only made sense with us all together.
We both fall back onto the bed, laughing at our shenanigans. My mom grabs my hand and squeezes, and I know the moment is about to get heavy. That’s her telltale sign that a serious conversation is about to begin.
“Promise me you’re not falling for your boss.”
I look at her. Really look at her, wondering why this bothers her so much.
“Would it be so bad if I were?”
She presses her lips into a straight line but doesn’t say anything.
“I’m not, but I’m just curious why you’re so bothered by the idea.”
She blows out a harsh breath. “From all that you’ve said, it sounds like heartbreak waiting to happen, baby girl. He’s the heir to the entire Cavendish Corporation, and the headquarters are in London. His home.”
I don’t say anything, but I give her a look that says and so.
“What happens to you if he goes back there? Would you go to London?”
I bark out a strangled laugh. “Mom, I told you nothing is going on between us. It’s ridiculous to even consider what I would do in a situation that will never happen.” I take a breath and offer a small smile. “But you know I’d never leave you.”
She would never admit it, but I know, deep down, that’s what really scares her. The thought of being alone is my mom’s biggest fear.
“Not that it matters. You and I both know wherever I go, you go. It’s not the first time you’ve packed up and followed me,” I say, offering a bigger smile, but she doesn’t return it.
“I’m worried about you. This is your dream job. In your dream city. You worked so hard to get here, and I know how easily a man like Charles Cavendish could creep under your skin.” She said his name as though it were a disease. “I don’t want you to give everything up for a man because nothing lasts forever, love. You’ve got to take care of yourself first.”