Hot Boss, Boardroom Mistress

Jared’s eyes were black now. ‘And you don’t think it was accidental?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘No,’ he said low, urgent. ‘You do know. Go with your gut. What’s it telling you?’

‘I think he’s been hurt.’ It felt so awful to say it aloud. Her eyes filled. She was terrified for him. Too scared to think she might be right.

‘Deliberately?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Are there other things?’

She frowned. A few bruises weren’t a lot. It could have been just as the nurse said. ‘He’s gone so quiet recently. But I don’t know, that could be part of his deterioration…I try to phone every day but sometimes they say he’s asleep and I know they haven’t taken the time to check.’ She paused. ‘And every time I see him he’s thinner. So much thinner than a few months ago…’

‘Why don’t you move him up nearer you?’

‘I can’t afford to.’

She’d investigated private care facilities in Auckland but the prices were prohibitive. ‘I’ve been paying extra so he can have medication that isn’t government funded. But it’s not enough.’

‘So what are you planning to do?’

‘I’m going to move back here.’ She expelled a deep breath. ‘That way I can pop in—any time, unexpectedly. Be the annoying relative who’s always asking questions.’

He was like stone.

‘It’s what I have to do, Jared.’

‘If you moved him, you wouldn’t have to give up your job. You wouldn’t have to move.’

‘I told you, I can’t afford to. And why put him through all that upheaval? He’s lived here all his life. This is his home.’

‘It sounds like he’s not in much of a position to notice that. Get him somewhere with a nice view and a lovely garden to stroll in. And you to visit more often—that’s what will make it for him. You’ll be the constant for him.’

‘How would he cope with the move?’

‘He’d cope with professional help and with you being there with him. It’s better than leaving him to be abused here.’

She flinched. ‘I’m not. That’s why I’m coming back.’ She dragged in a breath. Tried to minimise her fears. ‘I don’t know that it’s the whole place. It might only be one staff member. It might not even be that. I don’t know what else I can do, Jared.’

‘Report it.’

‘Based on what? A few bruises? Woman’s intuition? It would make his position worse, wouldn’t it? They’d hate me for it and take it out on him.’

‘Whether it’s one person or the whole damn lot it’s unacceptable. He can’t stay there, Amanda. And what about the other residents? Who’s there keeping an eye out for them? Don’t you owe it to them to make sure the place is being run OK?’

Guilt and impotence and frustration smothered her. ‘Damn it, Jared. Don’t put it all on me. I can only do so much. He’s my responsibility. He’s all I can handle.’

‘You’re the one who said I had the strength to do anything. Why don’t you think the same of yourself?’

She shook her head. ‘I’m not like you.’ She shrugged. ‘You were right. I’ve always been spoilt. Decorative. I studied art history, Jared,’ she mocked herself. ‘What’s the point of that?’

‘Maybe we need the beautiful things in life, Amanda. Maybe it helps the human condition.’

Her jaw dropped. ‘The human condition?’

‘I know.’ His grin was a little twisted. ‘I can’t believe I said that either.’

He spent a long time staring into his coffee. She watched him for a while, drinking in the sight of him. But then she let it go, looking out of the window, watching the wet streaking down the panes and forcing in a bite or two of her panini.

He lifted his head. Spoke quietly. ‘Let me take care of him.’

‘No.’ This was exactly what she didn’t want. She didn’t want to take like that from him. ‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘It’s like why you changed the conditions of the contract with the agency. I want you to be free to make your decisions.’ She breathed deep. ‘About us.’

‘We’re over when we’re over. And we’re not over yet. This will make no difference to that.’

‘I can’t let you. It would make things too complicated. I don’t want what you think all women want.’

Sex or money or both and nothing else.

His mouth tightened. ‘This isn’t about you, Amanda. In fact this has nothing to do with you. I owe him.’