AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They should,” Phil said lightly. “We pay them enough. They’re the top earners after Kevin.”
“Phil,” she growled. “You’re looking at me as though I’ve overlooked a couple of staff, but I’m telling you those people don’t work here. Who the heck are we paying?”
“You’re serious?” he asked, brows drawing together. “You can’t be serious?”
“I’m very serious.” She pushed her hair back from her face. “What the heck is going on here?”
“I have no idea.”
Allie’s jaw tightened at the thought that someone at the club had been playing them for absolute fools.
“Leave it with me,” she said tersely. “I’ll get to the bottom of whatever is going on here.”
CHAPTER 39
When Emmy refused to go to school again on Wednesday, Hugh barely even bothered discussing it with her. The situation with Allie plagued him, and part of him wanted to follow Emmy’s lead and curl up in bed to shut out the world. Logically, he didn’t see why he should have a problem with Allie. She might have kept things from him when they were getting to know each other, but she was being honest now. Also, when he thought back over their conversations, he suspected she hadn’t outright lied to him. She’d just kept some details to herself.
On Wednesday afternoon, he stared at his phone, fingers hovering over the keypad as he tried to conjure words. He’d ignored two messages from Allie now and it felt petty, but he had a niggling sense of unease that he couldn’t shake. As irrational as it may be, he felt betrayed.
“Can I get something to eat?” Emmy asked, appearing in the doorway of his office.
“Yes,” he said tightly. He was annoyed with Emmy too but knew that deep down his annoyance was not knowing how to handle the situation.
After five minutes of alternating between staring at his phone and his computer screen, he decided he needed to make progress in at least one area of his life. Since he had no idea what to say to Allie and zero headspace for work, it seemed Emmy was going to bear the brunt of his attention.
Determinedly, he headed downstairs and joined her in the living room where a plate strewn with crumbs lay abandoned on the coffee table.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked, sitting beside her.
“Not really. I think I’ll go back to bed.”
Hugh put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. “Not so fast. We need to have a conversation.”
“Why?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “You’re going to have to go back to school tomorrow, you know.”
“What if I’m still ill?”
“Em. You’re not ill.”
“I’ve got a headache,” she said adamantly. “And my stomach doesn’t feel great.”
“Should I take you to the doctor?” he asked.
“No, I’ll be okay.” Her eyes cast down. “It would be nice if you believed I don’t feel well.”
Trying to keep his composure, Hugh inhaled deeply. “I believe there’s something wrong, but I don’t think you’re ill.
“I don’t want to go to school tomorrow,” she said sadly.
“Em,” he said, turning to face her. “If something is bothering you, you can talk to me about it. Then you’ll feel better.”
“I can’t,” she said weakly.
“You can. Tell me what’s on your mind and we’ll figure it out together.”
She shook her head as tears welled in her eyes. “I’ll only tell you if you promise not to tell Mum.”
