Page 45 of A Linton Scandal

Over the last few days, Juliette had sent me a steady stream of pictures of her and Nelu doing everything from homework to going to the park. I think I’d gotten more pictures of my son since Juliette had come into my life, then when his mother had been alive.

I didn’t even know when I’d started to smile when the sound of someone clearing their throat pulled me out of daydreams. Nao stood in the doorway, a knowing look on his face.

Quickly recovering, I replaced my phone in my back pocket. “What is it?”

“I’ve a few things I need you to look over before I send them on to the next department,” he said, fully entering the office.

“Okay.” Giving him my back, I walked behind my desk and took a seat. I would focus on work and maybe, just maybe I’d regain some sanity because clearly, I was acting ridiculous.

Juliette

“I don’t know what to wear,” I muttered to myself as I looked over the clothes in my closet.

A part of me wanted to reject Mihai’s invitation, but I’d told myself that the earlier I met his friends. The earlier I could see if this would work between us. So far, he’d done nothing to make me run for the hills. I decided to ignore the fact that our contract made it damn near impossible for me to do that. Yet, I couldn’t help waiting for the other shoe to drop.

My life that I could predict had turned on its head because of one drink. I couldn’t really know how anything else would go from here. If someone would have told me I would be married and not talking to my mother, I would have laughed at them. Now, it had been more than a week since I’d spoken to my mother. Sophie had texted me she’d called her looking for me. I was still debating on whether to let her know I was married or not.

I knew what I was doing was immature, but I still couldn’t bring myself to call her. It probably would have been harder if I was one of those daughters who always talked with their parents all the time.

Frowning, at where my thoughts were going, I clapped my hands together. “Come on, Juls, focus.”

Regaining my focus, I finally settled on the classic cocktail dress with black and gold heels. Pulling them out of the closet I went to get ready, and since Mihai usually got home by seven, I knew I had more than enough time.

* * *

It didn’t takeme too long to get dressed, I even had time to spend time with Nelu getting his homework done and settling him down for the night. As I was picking his book for the evening a knock came on the door, turning I found Mihai standing there. I’d spent nearly a month in this house, and I still couldn’t get used to his looks. No one should be blessed with such a handsome face.

“I should have known you’d be in here,” he said as he walked over to my side. He placed a hand on my lower back and kissed me on the cheek before he walked over to Nelu who’d climbed down from his bed and ran over to him.

“Hi, Nelu. How was your day?” he asked him as he lifted him up and gave him a big hug.

“He actually passed his two tests today with full marks,” I said, walking over to the bed and setting the book down for the night. “I told him we’d take him out for ice cream tomorrow.”

“Is that so?” Mihai said, giving Nelu a mock shocked look. “Then ice cream it is, how about I add a trip to the pound to that. I think someone is old enough for a dog.”

Nelu’s expression brightened as eyes widened, then he started to bob his head up and down eagerly. Seeing this, both Mihai and I started to laugh.

“Okay, okay let’s not get him to excited otherwise he won’t be able to sleep,” I said, stepping forward and taking Nelu from him. I was still surprised when the young boy easily came to me. I had no intention of trying to be his mother but being, instead, someone he could gain comfort from and see as a friend. When I was growing up that’s all I honestly wanted, even before my mother turned her attention to my stepfather and his kids, I had always felt disconnected from her and the world in general, like I was only here to watch.

And I felt Nelu, and I both saw the world similarly, at least how I used to as a child.

“What’s wrong?” Mihai asked me as we left Nelu’s room and headed downstairs to meet the driver.

“Nothing, I was thinking about meeting your friends,” I said. I still hadn’t spoken to Mihai about my mother. I’d gone out of my way to avoid talking about her.

“You don’t have to worry too much about them.” His expression became thoughtful. “Okay, maybe you should worry a little bit.”

I side eyed him. “Why, because they think I’m some gold digger who bewitched you?”

“How did you know?” His voice held a bit of a chuckle.

I rolled my eyes. “Because that’s what I would think iftheKing of business showed up married to some nobody.”

“You aren’t a nobody, Juliette. You’re the mother of my child and the woman I care for, if they don’t respect that then I won’t lose sleep over ruining them,” Mihai said calmly as we stepped outside. He stopped forcing me to do the same, those azure eyes staring into mine. “Surely by now you have some inkling of what I feel for you?”

I avoided his gaze. “Some.”

He took my right hand. “Then don’t worry about what they think. Honestly, you should only think about me. I don’t like the idea of your mind being occupied with other men. Maybe we should stay home.”

---