Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
“Assuming that was a mistake, and you are in fact a plant lover, why have you suddenly decided to shove it in my face by interrupting—and dirtying—my morning coffee with your soil?” I tilted my mug in her direction to prove my point.
She peered into it, looking somewhat ashamed of herself. Whatever shame she felt didn’t last long, though, because it quickly melted away from her expression as if it’d never been there to begin with.
The woman had a cracking poker face, I’d give her that.
“Just… try not to make such a mess with this new hobby in the future.” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I got up and took my mug to rinse it out in the sink.
I no longer had the taste for coffee.
“What’s wrong with you this morning?” she asked, momentarily abandoning her repotting to turn and stare at me. “You’ve had a stick up your arse since you got up.”
“There’s nothing up my arse, thank you very much.” I scratched the back of my head and sighed again. “Just got a lot on my mind, that’s all.”
“Mm. Does one of those things happen to be a red, wavy-haired woman with a proclivity for chaos and a tongue that could slice you in two without a second thought?”
“Don’t forget the jail cell,” I muttered. “Also, no.”
“Then why did you mention Rose’s jail cell if you’re not thinking about her?”
“I—” I clamped my lips together. “I’m going to the study. I have work to do.”
She barked out a laugh and got up, following me out like a puppy.
Brilliant.
She clearly had a bee in her bonnet about something this morning, and I was certain I didn’t want to hear the buzzing that would result from it.
I stepped into my office and sat behind my desk, watching as Mum delicately perched on the edge of the desk.
“Ah,” she said, quickly getting up and wiping off her backside as if she’d sat in something unpleasant. “Is there anywhere safe to sit in this office, or have you sullied every possible surface with your extracurricular activities?”
“Mother?”
“Yes, dear?”
“Sit down or get out.”
She responded to my glare by scooting to the corner of the desk. She gave it a thorough check before perching on that instead of the front. “This should be fine,” she murmured, glancing around.
What did she think I did in here? Filmed pornos?
All right, so Rose and I had done it on the desk once, but it wasn’t as if it hadn’t been cleaned since.
Besides, the woman was an uninvited guest.
I put on my glasses and booted up my computer while waiting for her to say whatever was on her mind. She wasn’t going to talk to me until she was ready, and I’d long learnt not to bother trying to wrestle it out of her.
It’d just piss me off more.
I checked and replied to three emails before she finally spoke.
“You could just tell her, you know.”
My fingers stilled over the keyboard. “Tell who what?”
“Tell Rose you have feelings for her.”
Ah.
“That… isn’t something she’d ever care to hear from me,” I replied, switching from my email to a file Luke had sent over for my approval. “If I had feelings for her, that is.”
“You have feelings for her.”
“Your imagination is getting away with you again, Mother.”
“Didn’t I ever teach you not to lie, Oliver?”
I clenched my jaw and slammed my hands on the desk, pushing away from it. I pulled off my glasses and glared at her, meeting her gentle gaze in the process.
Shit, what did she want me to do? Hire a plane and have them write it in the sky?
What does it fucking matter?
I knew what I was to Rose. I knew how she saw me. These feelings that were blooming inside me were ridiculous. Irrelevant. Useless. I could offer her the most romantic confession of love in the world and she’d probably wrinkle her face in disgust, laugh, and tell me to fuck off.
She hated me.
And rightfully so.
No matter how many times we laughed together or how she melted under my touch, I couldn’t let myself forget that.
If I did, I’d only hurt myself.
“What have you said to her?” I ground out.
Mum flinched. “Nothing.”
“Perhaps you should consider your own lies before you call me on mine, Mother.” I rubbed my fingers across my forehead and put my glasses back on, pulling myself back towards the desk. “Whatever you’ve said to her, don’t do it again. Just drop it.”
“But, you—”
“I am a grown man who can handle his own relationships,” I reminded her quietly, staring at her. “No matter how well you mean, do not interfere with my personal life. I love you, but if I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it.”
She sighed, lowering her head. “I’m sorry, dear.”
I nodded to acknowledge her apology and turned my attention fully back to my computer, effectively dismissing her. She got the memo after a minute and got up, slowly walking back to the door. She paused, glancing over her shoulder.