Page 10 of The Grumpy Boss Agreement

Sarah beams at them and then turns to me. “Cole! It’s so good to see you. Come here, give me some sugar, sugar.”

She comes over to me, giving me one of her tight hugs. I force a smile and hug her briefly.

“It’s nice to be here. Thanks for agreeing to put us both up.”

“Are you kidding? I may not have given birth to you, but I’ve lived with you since you were knee-high to a cricket. You’re always welcome in his house. It’s your home!”

I repress a sigh and move around to the convertible’s trunk.

“I was thirteen,” I correct her gently. I grab a couple of my suitcases and move toward the house.

Sarah follows, grinning at me. “You were the most handsome seventh grader in the tri-state area. That’s how I always think of all of you boys. Like you were the first day I moved in here, after your dear mother passed.” She crossed herself. “God rest her soul.”

I turn away so Sarah doesn’t see my grimace.

There are no subjects that are off-limits in Sarah’s book. It’s just like her to bring up my life-altering break up with my fiancée and the death of my mother in the space of a couple of minutes. Sarah’s probably never had a private thought that she didn’t immediately announce in her whole life.

“Uh huh,” I mumble. “Where should I put these bags?”

“Oh, just leave them there. Your dad can fuss with them when he gets a chance. You know how he is about making sure guests don't lift a finger while they’re staying here.”

My lips twitch. “I do. We might be here for a while, though. I hope y’all won’t be too put out by having us around for a few weeks.”

She leans in and whispers, “I think your daddy wants you to stay forever. He’s getting lonely in his golden years.”

My dad barrels out of the house with Charlie on his back. Charlie screeches a laugh. My heart squeezes at the sound.

“Okay, kiddo. Why don’t you have Mimi show you the beach? Your dad and I will catch up to y’all in a few minutes.”

Dad kneels down a bit stiffly and Charlie lets out a whoop. Sarah holds out a hand, grinning at Charlie. She looks at him like he is her pride and joy.

Obviously, I’m not the only one having that same thought.

Sarah leads Charlie off toward the beach.

“That son of yours shines a ray of light here, I’ll tell you what,” Dad says. “When you told us four years ago that you had knocked up your girlfriend and y’all weren’t getting married, I was madder than a toothless fox in a hen house. That’s certainly not the way I saw my first grandchild being born. But damn if that boy isn’t worth his own weight in gold.”

I wrinkle my nose but nod. “Yep. He’s been so strong through Holly leaving. He still cries for her at night, though.”

My father scowls and crosses his arms.

“Damn that woman. I still can’t believe she up and cheated on you. And she left Charlie alone downstairs while she did it! Anything could have happened to that boy while she had her back turned and she wouldn’t have been able to do boo about it. I tell you, I have never seen anything as shameful as that.”

My heart thuds in my chest at his telling me my own story. “Yeah,” is all I can say. “Holly seems to lack common sense.”

How can I explain what my fiancée was thinking when she screwed around behind my back?

“Lacks common decency is more like it. If Charlie hadn’t accidentally told on her, I think you two would be married and she would still be screwing around. It’s a good thing he turned on the sink and accidentally caused the first floor of your house to flood.”

A little acid indigestion burns my stomach and I run a hand over my chest.

“Holly got lucky. Charlie was young enough that he could’ve been seriously injured while she wasn’t watching. I couldn’t believe that I was foolish enough to leave them both while I flew all over trying to sign new clients. I just… it gives me nightmares.”

My father crosses his arms and rocks back on his heels.

“And to think, you found out about all of this after she left you at the altar. She came awfully close to being Mrs. Bennett.”

“It was only a matter of time before I figured it out. She hurt my pride when she disappeared, but she made the right call. We would be divorced if she had met me at the end of that aisle. If it weren't for Holly calling to talk to Charlie, I don’t think I would have talked to her ever again.”

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