Page 26 of Gentle Fox

I gave Maisie my full attention. "Everything okay?"

She shook off the look and plastered a smile back on her face except this time it was all fake. It was easy to see the difference. "Yup. Have a great day and enjoy the coffee cake. I want you to tell me what you thought the next time you come in."

I took the brushoff for what it was. I didn't know Maisie well enough to call her out on it, so instead I turned around to leave. Hendrix merely tipped his head in greeting as I walked past but I didn't miss the fake chipperness in Maisie's voice when she greeted him.

If Kati came in to visit today, I would have to ask her about it. Meanwhile I had more important things to worry about. Like getting back to the office and checking my email. My father's attorney wasn't the only one messaging me.

My father's best friend wanted me to check in but I wasn't sure I was ready to talk to anyone else about what was going on. Was it too much to ask that everyone just left me alone for a few minutes to sort through my thoughts?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Owen

I shoved the laptop away and rubbed at my tired eyes. Computer work was one of the things I hated about this job.

"Did you find anything interesting?" Nolen worked across from me on his own assignment. The local school wanted to upgrade their security system and asked our company to head the project. Nolen was in the process of looking over blueprints and ordering the equipment needed to make the school as safe as possible.

"I found a lot that's interesting. Despite Seraphina and Dennis's healthy monthly allowance, they are both hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. It would appear the two like to live the finer life but don't have the capital to support it."

Theodore Bruce wasn't stingy. He left them more than enough to live off of, but it would appear Dennis and Seraphina had decided since the man's death to go on a whirlwind of a shopping spree. They blew through so much money, likely believing that Theodore's will would fund their purchases, only to find out that wasn't the case.

Nolen whistled. "No wonder they’re contesting the will. They need the money to pay off their debts. Were they in debt before Annalee's father died?"

I shook my head. "Nope, they acquired it after he passed."

"Shit." Nolen spun back and forth on his chair. "They managed to do that much damage in two months? What the hell did they buy?"

Everything. I doubt Annalee was privy to all the changes that took place at her father's estate. Furthermore, I doubt she cared. I got the impression she didn't visit there very often.

"You name it, they bought it, but something tells me Dennis has a gambling habit. I can't be sure but the amount of money he's dropped compared to what they've purchased doesn't add up."

"That seems to be a common occurrence amongst the rich."

Not just the rich. Gambling was an addiction, but for someone who suddenly didn't have as much money as they thought they would, it would be a way for them to justify their habit. If only they could win big just one time. The sad reality was, that never happened.

"I need to find out what Annalee knows about all this. I'm just not ready to bring it up to her yet."

I glanced behind me to where Annalee sat at her desk. She had left during lunch and returned with a Wickedly Delicious bag. I forced myself to work with my back to her so that I could concentrate. Having her within my line of sight was doing me no favors.

"You think she isn't aware?"

"I think she separated herself from her stepmother and stepbrother. She had no reason to be in their lives once her father passed away. They didn't get along."

"A classic case of Cinderella."

I smirked knowing it was the same connection Annalee used when she described her relationship with them.

"Something like that."

"And where has our dear Cinderella been spending her nights?"

Now my lips turned up for a completely different reason. The memory of Annalee waking up in my arms for the second morning in a row was front and center. I’d never slept so well as I had since she graced my bed, and I wasn't a bad sleeper to begin with. But knowing her body sought mine out in the middle of the night pleased me. Getting involved with her was sure to complicate things but telling my body that was difficult. All it knew was she felt right pressed up against me.

"Don't play coy. Everyone knows she's staying with me until an apartment comes available to rent."

The place Annalee looked at was less an apartment and more an in-law's suite attached to someone's home. It had its own bedroom, bathroom, and small living area, but she would be sharing a kitchen with the owner. I knew from asking around that the owner rented it out as a way to help pay for his children's extra-curricular activities since he was a single father. I wasn't sure how I felt about Annalee moving in with a man but it wasn't my place to dictate what she did. Enough people had tried to do that for her recently. I wouldn't add to that list.

"I also know your place doesn't have a spare bedroom with a bed."

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