Page 47 of The Grand Duel
I don’t need a man right now, no matter how lonely she claims I am.
I look up and over at Mr Aldridge, curiosity and the thick silence getting the better of me once again. “Do you have a wife, Mr Aldridge?”
His eyes snap up, his face pensive. “No.”
He doesn’t have a wife? “A girlfriend?”
His eyes drop to my lips. “Why?”
Oh god, does he think I’m interested? My cheeks flame beneath my makeup. “I saw the pictures in your office with the kids and thought?—”
“Not my kids.”
“Oh, sorry.”
This beautiful man doesn’t have a family?
I catch his eyes again, and he narrows them, as if he can hear my thoughts.
I roll my lips. “So…youdon’thave a special someone?”
“Do you?”
My heart jars.Lissie, you tit.I shake my head. “That was rude. I’m sorry…again.” I curse myself for bringing up something so personal. I know better, but I’m so nervous and off kilter by his silent treatment all the time.
Am I supposed to sit here in silence?
At what point do I learn anything?
Progress in my job role?
I’m supposed to be helping him find a balance.
I blow out a breath, knowing I need to patch up the conversation. “The dogs are adorable.” I somehow go off on a tangent again and feel myself instantly start snowballing. “I wanted a dog as a child, but my parents never let us. Us as in my sister and me. She’s younger.” A warm smile steals theprofessional façade I wastryingfor. “Her name is Jovie, and she lives?—”
He chokes, spluttering as coffee spurts out in every direction.
“Shit. Are you okay?” I reach for the pack of tissues I have in my open bag and hand him one. When he doesn’t notice it right away, I start to carefully blot at his suit jacket.
“I’m fine…” He clears his throat and knocks my hand away, making me flinch. “I said I’m fine,” he snaps.
I watch him try to clean himself and his laptop off, wondering what just happened.
Edna told me what a wonderful man he is, and yet I’m still waiting to see it. I can’t help but wonder what makes a man so closed off and short-tempered.
Is it his workload?
It’s why Edna employed me.
“Have you had a driver for long?”
He rights himself in the seat, smoothing out his tie. “Since yesterday.”
My eyes drift to Scott.Yesterday?“Scott and I started on the same day?”
“Edna worries,” he says, sounding bored, as he continues with whatever he was working on.
I tip my chin up, my tongue running over the front of my teeth in agitation.