Page 33 of Claimed By the Boss

“What’s that?” Gabrielasked.

“Dated? A brief fling isnot dating.”

“For the past four months,I’ve been dating Nora,” Gabriel said.

“Four months?”

“Yes, four months, andstill counting. She is … something else, Esther. Trust me, Granddad would haveloved her. She is strong and loyal and brave.”

He saw Esther’s eyes gowide, as if he was making it up, so he told her a few little facts about thewoman she was judging.

“Oh, my,” Esther said,once he finished.

“That is the briefversion. Trust me, that woman in there is not after my money. She is not afteranything, and I pursued her. She’s real. She’s…”

“The one?” Esther asked.

Gabriel took a deep breathand nodded his head.

“Son, if you can’t evenadmit it, how do you hope to propose to her?” she asked.

“I’ve … not gotten thatfar.”

“But you love her?” Estherasked.

“Yes, I love her and Iintend to spend the rest of my life with her.” He stopped and smiled. “She’sthe one.”

Esther stepped toward himand cupped his cheeks. “I am so proud of you. Come on, come on, I better go andmeet her, and show her I’m not a first-class bitch.”

Gabriel laughed, and oncehe entered the sitting room, he saw Nora had moved closer to Lawson, who hadpulled out his wallet, along with his never-ending photographs. He always keptseveral of his favorites, as close reminders of good memories. Gabrielremembered his grandfather always did that and was always finding an excuse tolook at them, especially ones of his wife.

“You were a cute baby,”Nora said, looking up.

“Ah, that he was, and alittle terror as well. He never liked to sleep much throughout the night, and Iswear, he used to hear the house settling, and the merest hint of a creak, andhe was up.”

He smiled as Nora’s gazeseemed to warm. His woman looked good here, in this house.

For the next couple ofhours, they enjoyed some lunch, some tea and coffee, along with the telling ofmemories. Lawson and Esther loved to retell his most embarrassing moments. Bylate afternoon, he saw Esther was getting tired, and the two retired for a fewhours, leaving him alone with Nora.

“Well?” Gabriel asked.

“I love them. Does shehate me?”

“No, she doesn’t hate you.She didn’t know if you were a gold-digger or not.”

She winced. “Seriously?”

“Esther is blunt. It isone of the things Lawson loved about her, what my grandfather admired in her aswell, and of course my grandmother also loved her. She was always refreshing.”

“She’s wonderful. They’rewonderful.”

Gabriel held out his hand.“Would you like the full tour?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’d love to. Am Iallowed to see all of your home?”

“Baby, you can seewhatever you like.” She chuckled and he pulled her close, putting his handsacross her shoulders.

He kissed the top of herhead, and took her from room to room, telling her about a memory in each room.By the time they got upstairs, Gabriel was desperate to be alone with her. Hetook her straight to his room.

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