The Nanny's Secret (A Locke Industries Novel) by Kiersten Modglin

Author:Kiersten Modglin [Modglin, Kiersten]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kiersten Modglin
Published: 2020-06-15T16:00:00+00:00

I’m still crying when Tom comes into the office, and I hurriedly wipe my eyes, sniffling into the tissue in my hands. I look back up, a forced smile on my face, ready to pretend everything’s fine, but by the look on his, it’s easy to see everything isn’t.

I stand, walking to his office and stopping in the doorway. “Good morning, Mrs. Locke,” he says. His eyes are red and bloodshot, and it’s obvious he’s been crying, too.

“Is everything okay, Tom?”

Aside from the usual office chatter, we’ve never talked. He and Orrick are close, and I’m typically left out of the loop, but not today. Today, Orrick is out of the office. Today, my heart is broken. Today, as much as I pride myself on not needing anyone, I need someone to make me feel something other than broken.

He glances up at me, confusion filling his green eyes. “Are you okay?”

I shake my head, fresh tears blurring my vision, though I brush them away as quickly as they fall. I never cry at work. “My son started kindergarten this morning.”

“I’m…sorry?” he offers with hesitation in his voice.

I huff out a long, slow breath. “I’ll be fine, I just need to get my mind off of it. Tell me what’s going on with you.”

“I’m fine,” he says, shaking his head. “It was just a long night.”

I take a seat in front of his desk, crossing one leg over the other. His eyes travel up my bare calf, meeting my hemline, and with it, my strength returns, despair diminishing. My smile feels catlike as I watch stains of scarlet appear on his cheeks. He looks away, back to my eyes, but doesn’t address his momentary lapse in resolve. Neither do I.

“Come on, tell me.” It is nearly a command, and he takes it as such, sucking in a deep breath before beginning to talk.

“I proposed to my girlfriend last night.” He clears his throat. “And she said no.”

I place a hand on my chest, half on the fabric of my shirt and half on my exposed skin. “I’m so sorry, Tom.”

“Honestly, I don’t want to make a big deal about it,” he says, waving off my concern. “I’ll be fine, and work’s a good distraction.” His gaze sweeps over my hand, but comes back to my eyes much quicker this time. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Actually, there might be…” I lean forward, giving him a peek down the front of my pale pink dress. As I expected, his eyes travel down my neck, stealing a glance, then looking back at my face. It’s almost magnetic, like he can’t keep from looking. I watch him with smug delight. “Would you like to have lunch with me today?”

When he speaks, his voice wavers. “Is that…I mean, is it allowed? Orrick’s out of the office. Shouldn’t someone be here, just in case?”

“Orrick’s out of the office today, Tom,” I repeat his words back to him slowly, pressing my lips out more than necessary.

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