Page 24 of Gold Digger
“And you don’t want that?”
Vicky shrugged again. “My half-brother can be overprotective.”
I moved further into the kitchen and put the cloth and spray down on the granite worktop. There was something vulnerable about this woman. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but the loneliness I felt a lot of the time seemed to cling to her for somereason. Like we were kindred spirits, which made no sense as I knew Vicky had a family and was nowhere near as isolated as me. But looking into her deep blue eyes, it was almost startling how much sadness I could sense there.
“Why do you call Ollie your half-brother?” I blurted out then bit my lip. I needed to remember I was just an employee here. These people probably weren’t used to the staff asking questions. But Vicky didn’t look annoyed as she stared at me with that slightly unnerving focus she seemed to have.
“Because that’s what he is,” she said simply.
“It’s just…” I looked to the side as I moved forward to take the stool across from her. Stuff worrying about how formal I should be, I felt a strange affinity for Vicky that I couldn’t shake. “He calls you his sister. He doesn’t make a distinction.”
Vicky looked down at her hands, then said. “He is incorrect. There is a distinction.”
I’d always had the ability to sense emotions, to read a room, and I could tell if someone was lying. It was harder with Vicky than with other people, but I could just about make out an undercurrent of hurt in her words.
“You don’t think you belong in the Harding family,” I said before I could stop myself. “That’s why you don’t want to work for the Buckingham Estate. It’s nothing to do with Ollie being over-protective.”
Vicky’s eyes went wide as she stared at me. “How could you?—?”
“Vics, honestly, you didn’t have to bail on us. I know you don’t like conflict. We just—” Ollie’s voice cut Vicky off as he and another man stalked into the kitchen. They both came to a halt when they saw me sitting up at the kitchen island with Vicky. Then the shock on Ollie’s face morphed into a wide smile as he unfroze and strode over to where I was sitting. Before I could make any sort of escape he’d come right up to me, his large handwrapped around my shoulders and he kissed me on my temple. Hekissedme. Right there in front of his sister and his best friend, as if I was hiswifejust hanging out in my own kitchen rather than the paid help taking an unsanctioned break to quiz his family member.
“You must be Lottie,” the other guy said as he walked our way as well with his hand extended. “Hi, I’m Felix.”
“Hi,” I managed to squeak out as I raised my arm from where it was tucked into Ollie’s side and leaned around him to shake Felix’s hand. He was a similar height and build to Ollie, but with warm brown eyes rather than Ollie’s startling blue. The two of them were quite the intimidating combo.
“Ollie’s told me a lot about you,” he said, still smiling as I dropped his hand, or rather was forced to drop his hand when Ollie pulled me back into his side again. Felix’s eyebrows went up as he looked between us and his smile settled into a smirk.
“Really?” I asked, frowning in confusion. I mean, I’d only kissed Ollie a few days ago. What had he been telling his friend? What even was there to tell his friend about?
“Oh yes. I understand you’re studying psychology?”
My mouth fell open and I managed to snap it shut. “H-how…?”
“Felix,” Ollie growled. “Shut up, man. You’re making me sound like a bloody stalker. Lottie,” he turned to me, “I saw the books in your bag one day, and there may have been a couple of times I noticed them out on the coffee table in the library but?—”
“Sh—sugar lumps,” I whispered, fear gripping me. I did think I’d covered my tracks pretty well when I snuck in revision on the job. “Ollie, I’m so sorry. I swear I would only work for the odd hour or two and?—”
Felix burst out laughing. “Oh wow. This is priceless. Lottie, I don’t think you have any idea how gone for you my boy Olsis here. I promise you he gives zero fucks whether you clean his house or not. He doesn’t even need a cleaner, for Christ’s sake.”
“Felix,” Ollie said in a warning tone. “I think it’s time for you to fuck off, mate.”
Felix held up his hands, still chuckling. “Okay, okay. I get the message. Come on, Vics. We’ve got that meeting at three in the office.”
Vicky was still staring at me in that disconcerting way of hers.
“Vics?” Felix called when she made no move to leave.
“I think psychology is a good choice for you,” Vicky said. “I think you’ll be very good at that.”
I blinked at her. “Uh, thanks?”
She nodded then pushed off the stool to follow Felix out of the kitchen. Ollie let me go a moment to go after her. He blocked her exit just before she could leave.
“You won’t reconsider?” he said in a low voice.
“You don’t need me there, Ollie,” Vicky said firmly and Ollie sighed.
“If anything happens or someone’s a dick to you, then you come to me, okay?”
