Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“I might lose my job if I agree with such a colourful evaluation of my boss, ma’am.”
Theodore eyed me. “That’s rich coming from the woman who’s only here to get her resignation accepted.”
“Does that mean you’d fire me if I agree that you’re a punk?”
“I don’t want to accept the resignation in the first place. What makes you think I’d fire you?”
“Then yes, I’m the poor assistant who’s been dragged halfway across the country to tend to this punk, ma’am,” I said, holding my hand out to her. “I’m Chloe St. James. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Ma’am? Nonsense.” She giggled, clasping my hand in hers instead of shaking it. “I’m Patricia Baker, but you can call me Auntie Pat. I’m one of the housekeepers up at the big house, and I’ll be popping in two or three times a week to help you out. I was also this brat’s nanny when he was a little lad.”
Ah.
That explained everything.
“Now, I won’t keep you long, as I’m sure you’re both tired from your drive up here.” She tucked her tea towel into the apron pocket so that it was hanging down. “I’ve stocked the kitchen with the basics to get you through tonight, and there’s a beef stew in the slow cooker that’ll be ready about five, so you don’t have to worry about cooking.”
“That’s very kind of you,” I said. “I was wondering what we’d do tonight.”
“Well, I worked out for myself that you’re probably on kitchen duty,” she said wisely. “The last time I saw this one cook, he almost gave me food poisoning.”
Theodore coughed. “Auntie Pat, we’ve had a long drive. Can we save the humiliating stories for another day?”
“Aw, I was looking forward to spreading some office gossip in the group chat,” I lamented.
“There’s a group chat?”
“Yes, it’s between me and my babies.”
“Who the hell are your babies?”
“Daniel and Melody. Who else would be my babies in the office?”
“You refer to my secretaries as your babies? What other chaos goes on out there that I don’t know about?”
I sighed and pulled my third bag from the backseat. “They’re more my secretaries than yours if we’re being honest, sir. You sometimes go three whole days without even acknowledging their existence. It’s as if you forget I’m not the only one capable of assisting you.”
He grunted and closed the boot. “I see our cohabitation is getting off to a good start. Why aren’t I in the group chat?”
“Because nobody wanted you in there, sir.”
“I demand you delete that chat.”
“I will as soon as you accept my resignation.”
Auntie Pat burst out laughing, grabbing her tea towel, and throwing it over her shoulder. “And here I was worried that I’d have to come and save the poor little dear stuck working with this cold boy. It appears I underestimated you, Miss Chloe.”
“Just Chloe is fine.” I grinned. “And of course, Auntie Pat. I haven’t survived ten months as his executive assistant without learning a thing or two.”
“You make it sound as though I’m a toddler,” Theodore said. “I’m taking this inside. Which room did you get ready for her?”
“The back bedroom overlooking the pond,” Auntie Pat said. “You’re in the master, and the extension has been set up as your office space with two desks as you requested.”
“Very well. Thank you.”
“I’ll finish cleaning up the kitchen and leave you to it.” She smiled at us both. “I’ll be back on Tuesday. Chloe, you’ve never been here before, have you?”
“Oh, no, I haven’t,” I replied.
“Then let Theo bring in your bags, and I’ll show you around.”
“I couldn’t possib—”
“Go.” Theodore touched his hand to my back. “I’ll take these to your room.”
I met his gaze, hesitating for only a second before giving in to Auntie Pat’s warm grip on my hand. She tugged me along into the old, ivy-covered, red-brick house, and I stepped into a warm hallway.
The so-called cottage was deceptively spacious. The slate floor that started in the hallway stretched through into the kitchen and back porch, and hardwood floors covered the living room, dining room, and the extension that had been transformed into an office.
With two desks.
We’d be speaking about that later.
A large sunroom made up the final room of the ground floor, and Auntie Pat took me upstairs to the bedrooms. There were four bedrooms; three doubles, one single, and I was happy to see that the one that held my cases was on the opposite side of the hall to Theodore’s.
The further away from him I was, the better. The work-life split I so prided myself on was going to be impossible as it was, and it’d been a long time since I’d slept in the same house as a man who wasn’t a part of my family.
Not that I was afraid he was going to jump me in my sleep or anything, but still. I didn’t want my bedroom to be next to his.