Page 51 of The Grump I Got Stuck With

“Alistair insisted,” he said. “I’ve got Kenna, don’t you worry.”

“O-kay,” I said, wandering in the direction of the other door. I poked my head through, greeted by another woman named Melanie who introduced me to aromatherapy hot stone massage. Heated stones were placed all over my body while my muscles were kneaded with essential oils. Another woman appeared, taking a file to my nails. At some point during the hour, I forgot my own name, and when it was done, I practically floated back into the limo as Kenna eagerly showed me her nails.

“Ladybugs?” I said. “These are adorable.”

“I suggested dragons, but I was outvoted,” Alfie teased.

I frowned down at my own hands, noticing that I now had a French manicure of my own. When did that happen?

“Good massage?” Alfie asked.

“I think I just transcended time and space.”

He smirked as the limo started moving again. When we stopped this time, we were outside a gorgeous hotel in the heart of Mayfair.

“This is Claridge’s,” Alfie said as we climbed out of the limo. Uniformed doormen waited by a revolving door, ready to welcome guests. “They’re famous for their afternoon tea.” He swept Kenna and me inside, out of the chill, and my stomach growled in anticipation.

As we wandered to our table, I took in the high ceilings and sparkling chandeliers. Fresh flower displays adorned the round tables. We took our seats, and while I shrugged out of my coat, a tiered silver stand with an assortment of finger sandwiches, buttery scones, and tiny cakes appeared on the table. I blinked, and the staff produced fine china cups and a steaming teapot.

Kenna giggled as a staff member poured her tea and helped her pick a selection of tasty treats. Everything smelled delicious, and I was feeling positively pampered.

“Alistair said you hadn’t yet tried a scone with clotted cream,” Alfie noted, filling his plate.

I stared at the spread before me, and for a beat, I couldn’t help feeling overwhelmed. Hesitantly, I took a scone and added it to my plate, then turned to Alfie. “Jam first or cream?”

Alfie made a small squeal of delight. “I have so much to teach you.”

We finished tea, Kenna was given a box of mini macrons tied with a ribbon to take away, and then we headed back to the limo and across the city again. Kenna closed her eyes briefly, slumping against me as she caught a quick post-tea nap.

“So do you like working for Alistair?” I asked Alfie.

He nodded. “I like the unpredictability of it. Look at today. In what other job would I get paid to play tour guide like this?”

“I suppose it does make for an exciting nine-to-five.”

“Plus Alistair’s always been really good to me,” Alfie continued. “My mum got really sick a few years back. It’s just me and her, so I had to leave work to care for her full time. I tried to resign, but he wouldn’t let me. And the whole time I was away from the office, you know what he did?”

I shook my head.

“He just kept paying my salary.” Alfie sighed. “The tabloids would never even be capable of understanding the kind of man he truly is.”

“It was bad here, huh?” I said. “During the trial?”

“During and after,” Alfie said, waving his hand. “It was a mess. The board had no trust in him, and it showed in everything they did. With every tabloid headline, it just got worse. There was nothing else he could do other than leave to protect his family.”

“And the police really have no idea where Jessica is?”

Alfie snorted. “My guess is she hopped a flight to a place where she could bide her time on a beach until everyone stops looking for her.”

“I just don’t get how she could have left Kenna behind,” I said, looking down at the little girl. She’d quickly become one of the bright spots in my life, and I’d only known her a little over a month.

“Some people are just cruel,” Alfie said. “And others…they might not be brazen enough to hurt someone directly, but they don’t hesitate to enjoy other people’s misfortune. Alistair and Kenna both deserve so much more. I was honestly glad when he picked up and left London. I think it’s the best decision he could have made.”

“You didn’t fancy coming up to Scotland with them?” I teased.

He laughed. “I would have if there was no other option. But as always, Alistair was very reasonable.”

“You should come visit. I think you’d like Braeburn. It’s very…scenic.”