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“She’s something,” I mutter as I walk out.
“Oh, I’ll use the main stairs.”
I look behind me to where Ava is cautiously hovering at the top step of the house’s old rear staircase.
“I wouldn’t. Margaret washed the front hallway floor earlier; it’s still drying.”
“You don’t want to get on the wrong side of Margaret,” she says with fondness.
“You don’t,” I agree with a grunt. I liked our old housekeeper who retired. I didn’t think anyone would run the house as well as her. But I like Margaret, and so does my father. He’s more than capable of taking care of himself, but since we lost Mum and I moved to LA to take over as CEO, I’ve felt better knowing he isn’t in this house alone all the time.
And my father’s always liked strong women with adon’t-mess-with-meattitude.
Spitfires. Like my mother.
“Do you sit here a lot,” Ava asks as she inches down the stairs toward the one I’m sitting on. She’s changed out of the skirt she flew home in and is in a white T-shirt and tiny denim shorts that hug her hips.
“Sometimes.”
Her bare thigh brushes my leg as she sits beside me. I stiffen as waterlily and caramel wafts in my nostrils.
“Weren’t you on your way downstairs?” I side-eye her.
“Don’t worry, I’m not staying.” Her lips twitch. “I know how you moody CEOs like your space.”
How many other CEOs does she know? Has she dated any? Have any asked her if her hair matches her… Fuck, I must be jet-lagged.
I sigh, and she turns her body toward mine.
“I wanted to say thank you.”
I meet her eyes, breathing through my mouth so I don’t have to inhale her scent.
“For what?”
“Not treating me like a freak on the plane.” Her lashes fan over her cheeks as she looks at her feet.
“You’re not a freak. I used to throw up every time I got near a plane as a kid.”
Her eyes are round as she brings them back to meet mine. “But you said you’ve been flying since before you were born?”
“I have. But my first memory of being on a plane is screaming the whole time because I hated it. But when your great grandfather starts an airline that becomes the family business, you have to get over it.”
Ava laughs.
We sit in companiable silence for a while until she asks, “This deal with Callaghan, is it serious?”
“It’s important I get what I need from him. The airline is everything to me and I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure its success. Nothing and no-one, even an ass like Callaghan, will stop me doing what’s best for it.”
“Hm.” She smiles softly. “I love that it’s your family business. It must have brought you all closer, working on the same goal over the years.”
She makes no attempt to move from her place beside me. Instead, she lets out a contented sigh.
“You know, they say that if you like sitting on the stairs, it means you had a good childhood.”
“Who’s they?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugs, her lips twisting into a smile as she glances at me. “Some people with a lot of time on their hands to think these things up.”
