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Emma’s face reddened. “Oh, you weren’t meant to hear, boss.”
“I know that. But you were talking about two of my employees, so I’m curious.”
“Abby from customer relations and Sean from accounting went out on a date. Kim ran into them this past Friday night. I was just telling Camille.” She glanced at her coworker. “I think they make a cute couple. But please don’t say you heard anything from me.”
I pretended to zip my mouth. “My lips are sealed.” Putting on my acting hat, I did my best to seem genuinely curious and not as miserable as I felt. “So, do we think there’s something going on between them?”
Emma’s eyes darted around the room, likely freaked out by my sudden interest in the personal lives of my employees. “Not sure.” She shifted uncomfortably. “Too early to tell, I suppose.”
Not wanting to seem any more inappropriate than I already did, I chose not to pry for additional information. I hadn’t asked Abby if she’d taken Sean up on his offer, but now I had my answer, and that was all I needed to know.
Butwhywas I so perturbed by this? I had no right to be. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized Abby getting involved with anyone besides me during her time here was probably the safest option. I should’ve welcomed this development. But alas, the idea of her going out with Sean turned my stomach and made it impossible for me to concentrate on anything else for the rest of the morning.
Leo came into London to join one of our board meetings that afternoon, and he and I went for drinks at the pub down the road after.
He took a sip of his beer. “How’s Abby?”
I massaged my forehead. “Just splendid.”
“That was sarcastic, I take it. Is something wrong with her?”
“Oh, no. She’s doing better than any of us. Next thing I know, she’ll be joining the cast ofLove Island.”
“What are you talking about?”
“She’s dating blokes from work now,” I said, mutilating my napkin.
His eyes widened. “Blokes plural?”
“One bloke.”
He smirked. “And that bothers you.”
“Why would it bother me?”
“For the umpteenth time, because you clearly fancy her, even if you’ll never admit it.”
“What good would admitting it do? It wouldn’t change anything if I developed feelings for her.”
“There are no rules, Sigmund, aside from the ones you’ve self-imposed. No one ever said you couldn’t fall for her.”
“Do you not understand that she is literally the last woman on Earth I could get involved with at this point in time? Imagine the complications of her feeling obligated by this situation somehow. Imagine me fucking things up and having to tell this child I broke the heart of the woman who gave birth to it.” I took a sip of my beer. “Not to mention, she’s too young for me.”
“And yet you seem pretty affected by the fact that she’s dating someone.” Leo leaned back in his seat and scratched his chin. “I’m going to tell you something, and I’m probably going to go to hell for it…”
I stopped shredding the napkin for a moment. “What?”
“Felicity told me Abby confessed to having a crush on you but that she believes any hope is futile.” He paused. “She likes you.”
My chest constricted. That confirmed what I’d already suspected. But it didn’t change anything. I couldn’t let it—even if I couldn’t forget it. I swallowed. “I didn’t need to know that.”
“Do not ever let it be known that you heard it from me. I’ll kill you, if Felicity doesn’t kill me first.”
“Well, wouldn’t that be an interesting headline? The Duke of Westfordshire locked away for killing his own cousin…” I sighed. “Of course I won’t say anything to her.”
“Maybe she’s getting involved with this guy as a distraction from her feelings for you, because she believes they won’t go anywhere.”
“Probably for the best, then.” I grabbed another napkin and began the process of destroying it.
