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“Clary has always been sensible,” Edward said. “May’s favorite book was about sensibility. I think she was probably reading it for you to listen to, not Clary.”
“This is my granddaughter’s mansion. Do you want me to kick you out?”
Edward rolled his eyes.
Grandma Moretti gestured for him to sit as she took the seat next to him. “I only gave her temporary permission to date you. You don’t have my blessing to marry her.”
Seth already knew that, but it still hurt so much to hear it. “May I ask why?”
“Clary has a protective, nurturing nature. It doesn’t matter if someone has been hurting her; if the person needs help, she does the right thing.” Grandma Moretti crossed her legs. “I don’t know if that’s a curse or a gift.”
“You think she’s only drawn to me because of what Holly put my brothers and me through.” Seth had thought that too. Clary had told him that she wasn’t with him because she pitied him, but he still wondered sometimes.
Because it felt too good to be true that someone like her would fall for someone like him.
“Yes. She’s so used to taking care of other people, she never thinks to let anyone take care of her. She always has to settle her own problems, while taking care of others.” Grandma Moretti turned to Edward. “Which reminds me,” she said to the old man. “Find something for Hugh to do, or he won’t stop bothering Clary. I’m sure she’s busy enough at work.”
Grandma Moretti and Edward broke into a small argument, but Seth didn’t pay any attention to them.
He kept replaying what Grandma Moretti had said, and then thought about what Clary had told him. Can I do that? Let you protect me.
Seth had just wanted her to know that he would and wanted to protect her, but he hadn’t realized the significance of it until now. “She lets me.”
Grandma Moretti and Edward turned to him.
“She’s letting me help her with work. She lets me handle the problem with Gavin Ressler.” He grinned. “She did warn me to make a run for it if you reached for your shoe, but she trusts me to make sure you’re safe.”
Grandma Moretti’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Maybe she’s just too busy with work.”
He nodded. “Maybe, but it’s okay. I’ll still take care of her in whatever way I can.”
It was only a moment, but Seth thought he caught a flicker of a smile on Grandma Moretti’s face.
She pushed herself up. “Let me grab her present in case I don’t see her until after Christmas.”
CHAPTER 24
“The wonders of automation!” Andrea announced as they came out of the meeting with their new streamlined management. She turned her phone toward Clary.
All accounts refunded.
Clary grinned and gave Andrea a hug. “I almost can’t believe it.”
With Seth’s help, EB Co. had a temporary automation set up, and the lists of accounts were systematically being refunded. Once that was done, an automated text message would be sent out to alert customers of the refund.
Besides a few hiccups—all human-related—everything had been running smoothly.
Seth had already run the time and told her it would be done today. She believed him, but the way things were going, she’d kind of half-expected something bad to happen.
“You’ve got your Christmas miracle, in the form of Seth Anderson,” Andrea said.
“That’s true.” Clary laughed softly. They would never have cleared the refunds so quickly if he hadn’t helped.
Clary tapped on her phone and sent Seth a text. All accounts refunded. Thank you. She added in a heart emoji, then texted Mr. E to let him know the same, sans the emoji.
Seth had texted her when he left the Bay mansion. He didn’t get anything thrown at him, and Mr. E had apparently showed up. Uncle David had texted to tell her that he’d arranged hotel rooms for them and that she didn’t have to worry about them.
She’d almost asked them if they wanted to have dinner together, but she wasn’t sure if Seth would appreciate that. Elton and Aldric definitely wouldn’t.
