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“Can you be my aunt too?”
Something in my chest clenched as Holly's son looked at Mulaney. He was such an open book. Trusting.Was I once like that?
“Gabriel.” Holly's reprimand was only halfhearted.
“I'd be honored,” Mulaney returned, fist-bumping Gabriel.
“What am I supposed to call you now?” he asked.
“How about Aunt Mulaney, like my nieces do?” she suggested.
“Okay, Aunt Mulaney. Want some of my cookie?”
That issue was resolved. Why couldn't everything be as simple as it was to a child?
“Here's your dip, honey.” Miss Ruby pushed a plate piled high with spinach artichoke dip and tortilla chips into my hands.
“Thank you,” I said, clutching the plate.
She patted my cheek. “You go get settled in the living room. Holly will bring you another glass of sweet tea,” Miss Ruby said. “Gabriel, go tell those boys in there to make room for you.”
He hopped down from his barstool and raced to the living room, taking some of the energy in the kitchen along with him. I watched him go, nearly dropping my plate when a gentle hand touched my forearm. Holly's fingers were soft, but she yanked them away before I could fully absorb the way her touch felt. Her reaction was as if I'd burned her. Maybe an angel like her could feel the flames that encapsulated my soul.
“You don't have to do this. We won’t be able to get a dog for a while.” Her tone was guarded, something I could relate to well.
“I understand. I wasn’t sure what to say to him, so my offer just came straight out.”
“Yes, Gabriel does often incite that reaction from people.” Her features clouded. “I’d very much like for him to have a dog. All boys should. But it’s something we haven’t been able to do,” Holly said, as if I’d insulted her skills as a mother.
“Maybe someday you’ll be able to. I hope I didn’t cause any harm.”
Her lips pressed together. I appreciated the sultry shape of them. I could kiss that pissed-off expression right off her face and replace it with one of pleasure. What was I thinking? This beauty was no doubt deeply in love with her husband.
And that was fine. It was time for me to get my life together. To start again. To start living the right way.
Chapter Five
Holly
“I should’ve warnedyou about him, but it was kinda fun to see your reaction.”
Miss Jacobs gave me a smirk as I stared toward the living room. So what if Carlos was unnerving? And so what if he was beyond handsome? That didn’t mean it had anything to do with me.
I shivered as I thought about those piercing dark eyes and the way his lips felt as he brushed them against my cheek. The hint of an accent when he’d introduced himself was like a lingering caress that refused to let me go. He was trouble all rolled up into one big, beautiful package. And I avoided trouble at all costs.
Miss Jacobs snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Are you here or in the living room?”
I grew warm with embarrassment. All the ladies in the kitchen wore knowing expressions except Muriella, who worried her lip between her teeth.
“I started looking through the balance sheet for the exploration division,” I said, changing the subject, even as I glanced back toward the living room again.
It had nothing to do with Carlos. I couldn’t see my son, and whenever he was out of my sight, I got twitchy.
“Find anything?” Miss Jacobs asked.
“Not yet. It’s a lot to wade through, but I should be able to get the rest of it done by tomorrow.” All the numbers were dizzying, but I thrived on the challenge. Even though I was only an assistant, I appreciated that my boss didn’t just give me menial tasks to complete. Just because I hadn’t finished college didn’t mean I wasn’t capable.
“When you’re done, go through it again,” she said. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but we will to get to the bottom of it.”
