Chapter 13

It's been a month since my amazing week with Miles. We've spoken almost every day, and finally, I have a free weekend to see him. I can't wait to be in his arms and to feel his lips against mine. I have a few things to finish at work, and then I'm out of here. I've got petrol. I bought a satnav for my car, so—fingers crossed—I won't get lost. Although getting lost worked out better than I could have dreamt of last time, I want to find my way back to Miles.

I do my last few jobs as quickly as possible without sacrificing the quality of my work. Then I turn off my computer, pack my things up, and?—

"Where do you think you're going?" Nigel demands.

"Home. It's five thirty." I should have left half an hour ago, but I'm too conscientious to leave the office with tasks undone.

"A prospective client is arriving in half an hour. You need to be here."

I frown. "Since when? There's nothing on the calendar." I contemplate turning my computer back on to double-check, but I'm ninety-nine per cent sure I'm right.

"I arranged it this afternoon. Didn't I tell you?"

"No. I can't stay."

"You have to."

"I can't. Besides, why do you need me? It's your business. You know it better than anyone. You'll be able to convince them to sign a contract with us."

Nigel gives me a withering stare. "You know pricing better than I do."

"I gave you an updated price list and discount matrix last week."

Nigel waves his hand. "I don't know where I put it."

I sigh and turn my computer on. "No worries. I'll print you another copy."

I drum my fingers on the desk while waiting for the computer to boot up. Why can't Nigel invest in machines with decent processors?

"I want you to stay," Nigel says firmly.

I hunch my shoulders. "I've got plans."

"What plans?"

"I'm visiting Miles."

My family knows all about him, except that he's my Daddy.

Nigel snort-laughs. "You mean the guy who's stringing you along and probably screwing around while you're not there?"

"What? Why would you say that?"

"That's what ‘long-distance' is code for. If you don't know that, you're naive."

"That's not true."

Nigel waves his hand. "Whatever. Believe what you want. I'd hate to see you get hurt, little bro. Anyway, this thing won't take long. You'll be out of here by eight. At the latest."

"Eight? I've got a one-hundred-mile drive ahead of me."

"And? You'll be there by ten. Maybe midnight, given you drive like a granddad." He laughs.

"You can be a real arse sometimes, do you know that?"

The humour drains from Nigel's face. He draws his eyebrows together, narrows his eyes, and clenches his teeth. His skin flushes. "You can't talk to me like that. I'm your boss. I could fire you. I should fire you."

My skin prickles. Anger flashes through me. "Maybe you should."

Nigel's jaw drops. "What?"

"Maybe you should sack me." What am I saying? I need this job.

He rolls his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. Now, do me a favor and go to the shop and get some snacks and drinks for our meeting. Nice ones. Don't skimp."

"No."

He sighs. "Don't start this nonsense again. I've given you an order. Run along." He flicks his hand in the direction of the door.

"No. It's five-thirty. I should have left half an hour ago. I'm not staying late. Again. I'm not running an errand. Again. I'm going home to get my things, and then I'm spending the weekend at my boyfriend's. Don't bother calling me. I'll see you at nine Monday morning."

I hover the mouse over the shutdown option, but instead, I let out a sigh, open the price lists and discount matrix, and print both off.

Nigel watches me in silence as the printer whirrs quietly in the corner. Once it's finished its job, I collect the printed papers and slap them on Nigel's desk.

"You have everything you need. I'm sure you can go to the shop yourself. Good evening." I walk toward the exit.

"Walk out that door, and don't bother coming back. A good brother wouldn't leave me in the lurch like this."

Tears sting my eyes. I keep my back turned to him, not wanting him to see the effect he's having on me.

"You hired me to do marketing. It's not my job to help secure new clients."

"Marketing isn't a full-time job. If you won't pull your weight, I'll dock your pay. I reckon you can do the marketing bullshit in about six hours each week. Am I right? If you're going to get pissy about what you've been hired to do, so will I, Harris."

I clench my fists. "It takes longer than that, and I'd have more time to spend on marketing if I wasn't doing half a dozen other jobs as well."

"Poor Harris. So hard done to. Who gave you a job when you didn't have one? Who ensured you had the money to pay rent and bills so you didn't lose your flat? Me. I saved your arse, and you repay me by being petulant and sulky."

I stare at the ceiling and take a deep breath. "I quit." It's like a weight gets lifted off my shoulders.

"What?"

"I quit. As of right now. Bye, Nigel."

"Well, fuck you. Fine. I accept your resignation. Don't bother coming back, Harris. No amount of grovelling will convince me to give you your job back."

I walk out and get into my car. I'm shaking too much to drive. My chest aches, and my eyes sting as I hold my breath so I don't cry. I expect Nigel to come rushing after me, but he doesn't.

My phone buzzes with an incoming text message. It's Miles asking how my day was. I fall apart. Sobs wrack my body. I fumble with my phone to find his number and hit Dial. My eyes blur. I can't focus on anything.

"Hello, boy," Miles says in a soothing tone.

"Daddy." My voice croaks out of me, small and pathetic.

"What's wrong?"

"I've done something stupid." My words slur together. Can he understand anything I said?

"Take deep breaths, boy."

I obey. It helps.

"Feeling any better?"

"A little, Daddy." I'm still crying, but it's more of a snuffling whimper than loud, ugly sobs.

"What happened?"

"Nigel wanted me to stay late. He was horrible about it and about you, and I-I snapped. I quit. Oh, god, what have I done, Daddy? I need that job. How am I going to pay rent? How am I going to pay my bills? I'm such an idiot. Should I ask for my job back? I can't. He told me I wouldn't be able to grovel enough to get it back. Plus, I don't want to work for him. I can't. I can't go back. He's been working me into the ground for months. I can't do it anymore." I sob loudly.

Miles makes soothing sounds until I gain some semblance of control of myself.

"Do you think you could drive home?" he asks.

My hands aren't shaking like leaves in a breeze anymore. "Yes, Daddy. But I'm supposed to be driving to yours."

"Change of plans. I'll come to you. I wouldn't want you driving so far when you're upset. Go home, boy. Change into something comfy and do something that makes you happy. Watch your favorite film or TV show, or order your favorite takeaway. I'll be there soon."

"Thank you, Daddy."

"Boy."

"Yes?"

"You did the right thing."

* * *

When Miles arrives, he immediately pulls me into his arms. He rubs my back, strokes my hair, and kisses me. I fall apart again, sobbing on him until I drift asleep.

When I wake, I'm in bed, cuddled up to Miles, who is staring at me with the sappiest expression I've ever seen.

"Morning, boy."

"Morning, Daddy. Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I was thinking, that's all."

"About—?"

"You. Us."

"Me?" I groan and cringe. "Oh, fuck, I quit my job."

He kisses my forehead. "You did the right thing."

"Did I? What if I've fucked up my relationship with Nigel?"

Miles strokes my hair. "You're more likely to be able to repair your relationship when you're not working together."

I press my lips together and mull his words over. Things have been bad between me and Nigel for months. Ever since he started taking advantage of me. Or rather, ever since I let him take advantage of me.

"You're right, Daddy. But that doesn't change the fact that I don't have a job and that I have bills and rent to?—"

He silences me with a kiss that leaves me breathless. "I have a proposition for you."

Is he going to suggest sex to help me relax and take my mind off my problems? I wouldn't say no.

"Be my business partner."

I wasn't expecting that. Did I hear him correctly?

"Your passion, enthusiasm, and ideas are fueling every step I've taken toward making the Open Arms Activity Centre a reality. I wouldn't have got as far as I have without you. Heck, I'd have given up on the whole idea."

"That's not true, Daddy."

He gathers my hands in his. "It is, boy. You told me that if you could do anything at all, you'd want to do something that matters."

I nod.

"Do you believe the activity centre matters?"

"You know I do, Daddy. You want to create a place where everyone feels welcome and everyone can succeed. It's going to be amazing."

"Yes, it will be, especially if you're there to help. Besides, I have an ulterior motive in asking you to be my business partner."

I blink. "You do?"

"Yes. It would make sense if you're on site. Move in with me."

My heart beats so fast I'm sure it'll fly off into the stratosphere. Thankfully, I'm lying down. I'd have collapsed if I weren't. My limbs have turned to jelly. My head is spinning. This can't be happening. This wonderful, gorgeous man can't be asking me to move in with him and be his business partner. Can he?

He chuckles. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Not a ghost. I need a moment to process. You're not asking me because you feel sorry for me, right?"

"No," he replies firmly.

"Then why?"

"Because I love you."

"I must be dreaming." I pinch myself.

"You're not."

He grabs my wrists, pins them against my pillow, and kisses me so hard he steals my breath. Then he bites my lip harder than I pinched myself. It's the most perfect thing he could have done.

"Still think you're dreaming, boy?"

"No, Daddy. I-I-I love you too." My heart swells the moment the words pass my lips. "I love you." I laugh, suddenly giddy. "I love you." I grasp his face, tickle his beard, and kiss him. "I love you!"

He lies over me, kissing and stroking me, as our declarations sink into my heart. I love him. He loves me.

He nuzzles my nose. "Now that's settled, will you move in with me? Or do you enjoy doing the long-distance thing?"

"Fuck, no. I want to be with you, Daddy."

"So, will you?"

"Yes. Yes. Yes!"

He laughs. "And be my business partner?" He raises his voice and his eyebrows.

"Yes."

Why did I even need to think about it? Miles is everything I've ever wanted. He's everything I need. He makes me happy. I want to help him turn his dream into a reality. I want to share his dream and be part of it. Most of all, I want to be with him.

"I am so glad I got lost that day."

"So am I. What did you call it? Luck? Fate?" He strokes my face.

"I thought you didn't believe in that stuff, Daddy."

He kisses me. "I might be coming around to the possibility of luck and fate."

"You might be?"

"Well, I can't deny I'm the luckiest man alive."

"You are?"

"I met you. Didn't I?"