AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Will your sister approve?’
‘Probably not.’ And telling her was something she was dreading. ‘That’s something I need to deal with, I know I do. I’ve been avoiding it because it felt difficult.’
‘Talking of avoiding things because they feel difficult—’ his voice was harsh ‘—was it your idea to give Ella to me to look after?’
She shook her head. ‘Cristiano’s. You think you’ve never been loved, Lucas, but you’re so wrong. Maybe your family didn’t love you but you have friends who love you. Cristiano and Laurel, Mal—’ she blushed ‘—I mean the Crown Prince. They all love you like a brother. And Ella, of course—’ she managed a light smile ‘—she adores you.’
His gaze didn’t shift from her face. ‘And you.’
‘Yes, me. But I don’t love you as a brother.’ Trying not to think about that, she picked up her case. ‘I’m not using the jet. I’m not working for you any more so it seemed like a liberty.’
‘For heaven’s sake, Emma, use the jet.’ He sounded irritable and angry but she knew it was just because she’d shaken up his routine. Lucas Jackson liked his life to run smoothly and her leaving was threatening that. He was worried that his business would suffer.
‘Goodbye Lucas. Be kind to Fiona. And to yourself.’ And without looking back, she walked towards the door.
‘I’ll hold the job open until the end of the month. Just in case your sister has a meltdown.’
‘You don’t need to do that. When I explain, she’ll understand.’
CHAPTER NINE
‘YOU resigned? Oh my God, are you mad?’
‘I’m not mad. It was a well thought out decision.’ The only decision she could have made and she clung to that belief as her sister’s censorship and judgement eroded her self-confidence like acid rain. ‘Don’t worry, Angie. I’ll find another job. And please calm down or you’ll worry Jamie.’
‘Worry Jamie? What about me? Don’t you think I’m worried? I don’t earn enough to support us all, Emma. I already have enough responsibility.’
‘I don’t expect you to support us all and I intend to take on more of the responsibility.’ Emma forced herself to stay calm. ‘I’ve told you—I’ll find another job. I’ve already started to look and I’ve called a few people I know.’
‘Why didn’t you do that before you resigned? I mean why the sudden hurry? What happened?’ Her sister paced the tiny kitchen and then suddenly stopped and turned, eyes riveted to Emma’s face. ‘Oh no—’ Her voice dropped to a whisper. ‘You slept with him, didn’t you? You slept with your boss. That’s what happened.’
Hearing her sister reduce her feelings to no more than a sordid encounter upset her more than she would have imagined possible. Suddenly she wished she had a different relationship with her sister. One in which she could confide and express her real feelings. She thought about the lovely chat she’d had with Avery and wished it could have been that way with her sister. The irony was that she’d been more open and honest with Lucas than she was with Angie. ‘I’ll get another job. That’s all you need to know.’
Angie didn’t appear to be listening. ‘Knowing what happened to Mum, you slept with your boss?’
‘I am not Mum. This is different.’
‘How is it different?’ Angie started clattering around the kitchen, crashing mugs together as she unloaded the dishwasher. ‘Don’t tell me, you love him and you think if you resign you can have a relationship. You think he’ll suddenly waltz up here and ask you to marry him, is that it? Oh God, you’re exactly like her. Delusional! A total dreamer.’
Emma was shaking. ‘I am none of those things and that isn’t what I’m thinking. I’m nothing like Mum and I don’t want to talk about it any more because you just don’t listen.’ She couldn’t even allow herself to think how her life was going to be without Lucas. It had only been a day and already she was aching.
But her sister seemed oblivious to her feelings. ‘You had an amazing job and you’ve thrown it all away for nothing.’ Another clatter of plates. ‘You seem to have forgotten your responsibility towards Jamie. Lucas Jackson is not the settling-down type, Emma. Anyone can see that.’
‘And I don’t blame him for that, given his experience of family.’ Struggling with her own feelings, unable to cope with her sister’s too, Emma lost it. ‘And you are supposed to be my family. You are supposed to love me and care about me. Instead all you do is yell at me and blame me and think about yourself.’
