Page 12 of Trouble from Abroad
It’s time for me to act like the sensible father that I am. Her boss. A professional.
And I will.
I’ll be polite. Detached.
I’ll draw the line in permanent ink. Never think about crossing it.
Halfway down the stairs, I hear the full party already gathered. One foot hovers mid-air when I catch Mia’s voice.
“I’d never say no to anything Liam asks.”
Those words hit harder than they should. What the hell does that mean? Why am I so curious?
I stay put, rooted to the spot, too caught up in whatshe’s about to say to risk giving myself away. And also, since when did curiosity start tasting this much like jealousy?
CHAPTER SEVEN
mia
By the timeI’m ready to join April and her pre-dinner snacks, I hear Liam in the kitchen.
As soon as I lay eyes on him, warmth spreads through me. It’s a mix of comfort and familiarity. Liam is loud, cranky, and exhausting, but damn, I missed him. Which says a lot about my social life. Or the lack of one. How sad is that? Not that he's escaping my bear hug. If I’m all up in my feelings, he’s coming down with me.
“Gunn!” I yell before charging in.
“Miss Thorne.” He smiles—such a rare occurrence pre-April. “So kind of you to join us on this side of the pond.”
April adds, “We’re so happy you’re here, Mia. Thanks again.”
“I’d never say no to anything Liam asks,” I tell her, then turn to him. “After all you’ve done for me, Gunn? Of course I came running.”
April’s eyes narrow. “What does she mean, ‘all you’ve done for her’?” She attaches herself to his side, two piecesof LEGO snapped perfectly together. “Have you been hiding your nice side again?”
“Shhhh, Mia. I have a reputation to uphold.” He lifts April’s chin with a single finger and kisses her, light but lingering, and it’s so damn sweet, I nearly gag. Luckily, my daily intake of sugar is high enough for me to endure this moment.
I swoon dramatically, though. The sound tumbles out of my throat even though my lips are pressed.
Slipping into full PA mode, I announce, “Sorry, April. Liam made me sign a bunch of NDAs working for him.”
His smile tilts crooked, half smug, half proud.
“But hey, not for this,” I say, switching to a perkier tune and locking eyes with April. Her focus zeroes in on me, ready for me to spill the juiciest gossip. “I don’t think anyone knows this, but your fiancé paid off all my student debt on my first day of work,” I say. I shake my head at the absurdity of the memory. “I couldn’t believe it. Went to work the next day terrified of what he’d ask for in return.”
Liam’s face drains of color. “Mia Thorne, you’ve never told me that. Whatever gave you that impression?”
“The patriarchy, Gunn,” I answer flatly.
“Mia, I’d never?—”
I cut him off with a scoff. “Oh, I know. Well, I learned it.” He’s still white and unblinking. “Relax.” I wave him off and whack his chest. “You were never anything but a gentleman. Well… maybe ‘gentleman’ is too strong of a word for you, Gunn. You tested my mental health far too many times with your tantrums and perpetual bad mood.”
I wait for him to contest my very accurate description, but he just raises his glass of water in agreement.
“But one thing’s for sure. You always treated me with the utmost respect.”
He exhales in relief, smug smile making a comeback. But I’m not done yet. Giving him hell was my side job. I excelled in both.
“The only obscene thing he ever showed me—repeatedly, I might add”—I glance at him from the corner of my eye and smile, watching his expression twist back into worry—“were the ridiculous bonuses he kept paying me.”
