“Oh, okay. Then, he’s verbally abusive?”
“No.”
“Do you feel he doesn’t provide for you adequately?”
“It isn’t that either. Look, I know what you’re trying to do, so you can save your psychology for my brother and sister. They’re still young enough to fall for it. Forget I brought this up, you wouldn’t understand it.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t understand unless you tell me, but since you’re the one to bring this up, I’ll share my observations about you and your father.”
Adam folded his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he muttered, turning back into the churlish teenager she’d encountered a few minutes ago.
“I’d be lying if I said your father hasn’t mentioned some issues the two of you have had in the past.” She held up her hand when he looked as if he wanted to protest. “No. Let me finish. He didn’t say anything bad about you, but he did admit to making a lot of mistakes and how he’d like to rectify them. From what I’ve seen, he’s been trying to make an effort, but it takes two to make something happen. I don’t know how you feel and I won’t insult you by pretending to know, but being angry with your father won’t change the past.” Jasmine raised her arms over her head with a yawn. Now was probably a good time to end this conversation. “I think I’ll go to bed now and leave you to your concert. If you still want me to speak with your father I will, but I won’t say anything until you tell me to. Goodnight.”
Adam nodded with a slightly perplexed expression scrunching up his face. “Yeah, sure.”
Adam and Victor had a long way to go, but she hoped she’d given Adam something to think about. Jasmine wished she had the answers to her problems.
She had a sinking premonition in the pit of her stomach that her problems were only beginning.
Chapter Fourteen
Victor couldn’t concentrate and it was all Jasmine’s fault. The woman was disrupting his house and turning his world upside down. He couldn’t eat, sleep or complete his job properly without thoughts of her running through his mind. The easiest solution would be to fire her but he could find no fault with her work.
Chelsea and Tyler It was if they counted the hours until she came back. His mother thought the sun rose and set on Jasmine. Madeline often came over for dinner, but instead of her usual visits to his office whenever he was home, she could be found in the kitchen chatting over coffee with Jasmine as if the two of them were bosom buddies from ages ago. And lately it seemed like the bond between them had grown tighter.
His mother had become almost protective of the younger woman. Victor couldn’t figure out what it was between them, but it was almost as if his mother knew a hell of a lot more about Jasmine than he did. Even Adam seemed to like Jasmine.
Victor figured it probably had a lot to do with Jasmine speaking on Adam’s behalf. It had been one of the few conversations he’d held with her that didn’t revolve around Chelsea or Tyler. His mind drifted back to that day.
“Jasmine, is everything allright with the children?”
“They’re fine, but I was hoping to have a word with you.”
A brief twinge of panic soared through his chest. Did she by chance want to tell him she was leaving? “Of course. But would you mind giving me a few minutes? I’d like to freshen up and have a cool drink. Can we meet in my office in twenty minutes?”
“That would be fine.”
He took his time changing as he tried to get the erratic beat of his heart under control. Every time he was around Jasmine, it was a struggle to not take her in his arms again. Once he was certain he could handle a face to face with Jasmine, he casually made his way toward his office. He halted mid-stride when he saw her standing outside his door. A slight smile tilted her full lips. An emotion Victor couldn’t quite put his finger on swam through him, but he refused to dwell on it long enough to figure out what it was.
Brushing past her, he opened the door and allowed her inside first. “After you.”
“Thank you.”
Victor felt better when he was seated behind his desk. It was easy to hide the erection that sprung when he got a scent of her perfume. He was on his turf now. “Please have sit.”
“Actually, I’d rather stand if you don’t mind. What I have to say won’t take long.”
He raised his shoulder to a casual shrug. “Suit yourself. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
“I wanted to have a word with you about Adam?”
Victor raised a brow. “My son Adam?”
“Do you know another Adam?”
“I know to whom you refer, but I’m surprised you wanted me to talk to me about him. Has he been giving you any trouble?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. I find him a delightful young man.”