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The astonishment on his mother’s face tells me this is unusual, and his father says in a booming voice, “Why don’t you join us so we can learn more about your beautiful girlfriend?”
Strangely, I feel myself blushing and I’m angry about that, but before I can react, Robert says quickly, “I’m sorry we must get back to the store.”
“Oh, you work together.” Sable is obviously digging, and I nod. “Yes, ma’am, it’s where we met.”
“Interesting.” She glances at her husband who stares at us with surprise. “That’s not like you, son. Mixing business with pleasure.”
Robert has obviously decided to end this conversation and shrugs. “It happens. Anyway, sorry to rush off, but we have work to do.”
I just catch a look on his father’s face that is gone as quickly as it came but there is something telling me he is not as amiable as I first thought and I wonder if it has anything to do with the story I heard of Robert replacing him and yet as I glance a little closer, he just winks as his wife says quickly, “You must bring Jessica to dinner tonight. I insist.”
“We…” Robert begins to say but she holds up her hand to silence him. “Non-negotiable. It’s been too long already, and you are becoming a stranger, Robert and I won’t allow it.”
I have a new respect for Sable Harvey because she is definitely a woman after my own heart as she cuts him down and gives him no room to manoeuvre and Robert says wearily, “What time?”
“Seven, and don’t be late.”
Robert nods and almost drags me away from the table and it’s only when we’re outside that he groans and says angrily, “I’m sorry, Jessica. Prepare yourself for a night of pure and utter hell.”
Before I can ask why, he pushes through the crowd with an urgency that has me running to keep up and as I follow him, I detect a story waiting to be told and despite his reluctance, tonight can’t come soon enough for me.
CHAPTER16
ROBERT
Despite the pleasure of Jessica’s company over lunch, I’m in a terrible mood when I return to the office. My parents always have a habit of doing that to me and now we must face an evening in their company when I would rather pull out my own teeth slowly and painfully. I know what they’re doing, and I’m almost tempted to call with an excuse.
For some reason, my parents have sought to control my entire life, and this will be no exception. It’s why I keep away; why Imovedaway as soon as I could. The fact I earned so much money making me independent of them gave me my way out and they’ve never forgiven me for that. Then my grandfather replaced my father with the son he appears to resent and I’m guessing he’s playing a waiting game for it all to blow up in my face.
Part of me wondered if the Christmas card thing was his doing. I never took it seriously at first, thinking he was just being petty. The trouble is, I don’t believe he is, not really, and so when the tenth one arrived, I decided to report it. There are so many people it could be and I’m not proud of that. Although it did bring with it a very silver lining because now I have Jessica and despite what she thinks, I’m not letting her go anytime soon.
I like her and could even be falling in love with her, which surprises me more than anything.
I love the way she tries to be cool and efficient and yet in unguarded moments, the mask slips and I see a vulnerable woman trying to disguise it. I’m protective over her, which is amusing considering she is meant to be protecting me, but there is something so fascinating about my bombshell detective and part of me hopes we never find the identity of the postman as she calls them.
The afternoon is spent taking care of business, which is luckily on the upward trend, which in turn makes the shareholders and directors extremely happy. I will be hosting an important board meeting, a few days before Christmas, where I will unveil the figures and explain my plans for development for the coming year. My grandfather always likes to attend them as is his right as the Chairman of the company. My father is also on the board of directors, but it was made clear he was to be a silent investor due to his mismanagement during the period he was in charge.
Sometimes I wonder how he feels about that. All I know is he plays a lot of golf and shepherds my mother around town, shopping and enjoying lavish lunches. Half of their time is spent in Florida where they have a villa and to everyone else, they appear to be living the dream.
However, there are the unguarded moments when I see behind the smile and note he is struggling. Part of me is sorry about that, but the businessman in me pushes it aside with scorn. He never measured up against the force to be reckoned with, otherwise known as my grandfather, and perhaps that’s why he was so hard on me because it was obvious from a very young age that his own father preferred my company to his.
Sylvia enters my office and I note the shadows under her eyes and wonder how she does this every day. She works long hours here before heading home to care for her family which appears to be taking its toll and despite my abrasive attitude, I’m worried about her.
“Take a seat, Sylvia.”
She looks startled as my voice appears to come out of nowhere and she sits nervously before me, probably fearing the worst.
I don’t do kindness and I’m not one for conversation, but this time I will make an exception for her.
“Is everything ok?”
“Yes, sir.” She seems anxious and I repeat my question.
“I mean, is everything ok with you and your family?”
“Of course, sir.”
The fact she looks down tells me she’s lying, and I say in a stern voice, “I don’t believe you.”
