Page 9 of Unforeseen Love

Without missing a beat, she looks over her shoulder as she continues walking.

“Technically, you’re not officially my boss until tomorrow, and I don’t start until eight-thirty.”

And then she disappears into her office.

“Touché,” I mutter under my breath as her door softly clicks closed behind her.

As expected, I find Uncle Ewan in his office with one box filled to the brim. I tap on the door as I enter.

He peers over the rim of his glasses and smiles. “You don’t need to knock.” His eyes scan my T-shirt, and he raises his eyebrows.

“I know, and before you say anything, Miss Addams already gave me shit.”

Standing up to his full height, he tilts his head to the side.

“If you’re referring to Sienna, I’d prefer you didn’t. We brought you up better than that.”

Of course, he’s right, and I immediately feel contrite.

“I already feel bad enough about your last-minute decision to move in with her before I even had a chance to give her fair warning.”

He sits down at his desk and removes his glasses, rubbing between his eyes before staring at me again. “Why you didn’t just come to stay at ours is beyond me,” he says.

I shrug and stuff my hands in my pockets. “Well, technically, I do own it, and it’s closer to work. Besides, I know you––if I’m living with you, you’ll never ease off about the business, and the whole point is for you to give over the reins.”

“Hmm, as long as that's all it is.”

I plonk down in the chair in front of his desk.

“I have no idea what you mean.”

He studies me for a beat. “Okay, well, I’ll take your word for it, but if I find out you’re giving that poor girl any grief, you’ll have me to deal with.”

I want to ask him why he’s so protective of Sienna Morgan, but I bite my tongue. What, did she think she had a way in with my uncle and that suddenly he’d leave the business in her hands? I internally shake my head. Granted, I don’t know her well enough to assume that, and my uncle is right, he and my aunt did raise me better than this.

“Come on, let me help you finish packing up your stuff and get your car loaded. I have some of my stuff arriving a little later.”

He pushes to his feet, and I notice how he stiffens, and I’m immediately at his side.

“I’m good, son. Come on, times a ticking.”

I know he’s trying to play it off, but Aunt Meredith spoke to me in confidence and told me how his symptoms have progressively been getting worse. I spent hours researching and looking into the disease, wanting to understand better what’s to come. The thought of him not being here isn’t one I want to consider, he’s one of the good ones, and I want to be a better man. I want to make him proud.

“I only want to take a few of the books. The rest are yours, unless you’d rather donate them or offer any to Sienna.”

I let out a snort. “I’m not sure this is her preferred genre,” I say under my breath, thinking about the book I found in her bedroom. To be fair, I’m kind of interested to see how it pans out. Maybe I’ll sneak in a chapter here or there when she’s not about.

“What was that, son?”

Shaking my head, I clear my throat. “Nothing, I’ll be sure to let her know.”

After taking the boxes to his car and loading the boot, he tells me he’s having lunch with Sienna and asks me if I want to join, but I turn him down. I still have a few bits I need to move into the flat.

“We’ll see you on Sunday for dinner?” he asks before we part ways.

I nod. “Of course.”

Back in the flat, I sort out my laundry, put a wash on, and make a mental note to go to Costco and buy some bits in bulk. As fun as it is to wind her up, I’m not a complete prick––well, not most of the time anyway. What can I say? She brings out the worst in me.

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