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“Why am I the black sheep of the family?” he grumbled. “It’s the same at work. Everyone loves Chloe more than me. Do you know how peaceful it’s been while she’s been off on her romantic rendezvous with Theo?”
Uncle Jay froze. “What romantic rendezvous?”
Oh, Jesus Christ.
“Stop being a brat!” I gave Harvey a quick smack around the back of the head. “There’s nothing romantic or rendezvous about ourbusiness trip,” I said to Uncle Jay.
Look.
It was only partially a lie.
It wasn’t romantic—technically—but there was quite a lot of the rendezvous-ing going on.
At least there had been over the last week.
Uncle Jay ran his fingertips over his goatee. “Mm. I don’t trust that one. He’s rich and handsome. That’s always a combination for disaster.”
Harvey grinned. “Keep not trusting him. I’m sure it was a scheme cooked up by him and his grandfather to ensnare our innocent Chloe.”
I smacked him again, but there was nothing quick or light about this one. “You can talk shit about Theo all you like, but I’ll fight you if you slander the duke.”
Aunt Fizz narrowed her eyes. “She’s right. The duke wouldn’t do something like that. Charles is a lovely man.”
Well.
I wouldn’t put it past him, if I was being entirely honest.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Uncle Jay said dryly. “Anyway, Chloe, tell us. How is it living with Theo? He’s treating you well, isn’t he?”
That was one way of putting it.
“It’s much better than I thought it would be,” I said, sitting next to Harvey at the kitchen island. “Turns out he’s not a demanding arsehole all of the time; just most of it.”
Harvey buried his face in his hands. “If that’s your opinion of him after four weeks of being together almost every hour of the day, he’s doomed.”
Uncle Jay fixed his attention on Harvey. “Why is he doomed?”
“No reason.”
“Harvey Edward Park,” Aunt Fizz said menacingly, planting her hands on the island and leaning forwards. She glared at him with her chestnut brown eyes. “Why would Theodore be doomed if Chloe thinks he’s a demanding arsehole?”
“I’m thirty-one-years-old. Why am I being interrogated like I’m a teenager who snuck out of their bedroom window?” he grumbled. “It’s none of my business.”
“Then stop talking about it,” I muttered. “Honestly, it’s fine. It’s far from the worst thing I’ve ever done, and six weeks isn’t so long in the grand scheme of things.”
Aunt Fizz softened. “I just get so worried about you all the way up there by yourself. It’s not as though I can rush to you if something happens.”
“Of course, you can,” Uncle Jay said. “I’ll just charter a helicopter.”
Ah.
How the other half lived.
This particular ‘other half’ was my beloved family, but we still lived vastly different lives.
Uncle Jay turned to me and sniffed. “I told you that you didn’t have to do this. I could just hire you a lawyer to force him to accept your resignation.”
Although it wasn’t for a lack of trying on their part.
