Hot Boss, Boardroom Mistress

He’d been such a strong man—capable. And she hadn’t been easy for him.

She put her hand on his and then caught a glimpse of something dark under the short sleeve of his nightshirt. She lifted the hem a little. There was a big bruise on his upper arm, a few smaller ones above, one old and yellowish but most of them looked fresh.

‘We had to hold him down. He got a bit cross,’ the nurse said briskly as she walked in and saw Amanda’s frown. ‘You know how he gets. He bruises very easily.’

He got agitated sometimes. Could get a bit stroppy. But to be held down? Hard enough to get bruises like that? She looked closer, could see individual finger marks. OK, so older people did bruise easily, but still…She stroked her grandfather’s hand.

‘He’ll sleep for a while yet.’ There was definitely a defensive note in the woman’s voice. ‘You might as well go and come back later.’

‘I’m happy to sit for a while.’ Refusing to add the ‘Is that OK?’ the over-polite bug in her normally would insist upon.

The nurse paused on her way out. ‘He’s been more confused recently.’

Amanda nodded. She’d noticed it on the phone.

‘Thinks the world’s a conspiracy against him.’ The nurse smiled the smallest of smiles, but her eyes were keen, as if waiting for Amanda’s reaction.

She managed the smallest of smiles back but said nothing.

Towns changed. As the greats grew old they were so easily forgotten. Did that nurse know that it was Grandfather who’d raised the money to rebuild the library? That he’d been a councillor and on the local health board—a small-town dignitary, no less.

At seventy he’d been fearsome. Now at eighty he was fearful. She’d seen him go tense and quiet as the staff went past, seen how thin he was, how he fretted. And Amanda’s heart was breaking.

She spent the morning with him, smiling as he woke up. He was pleased to see her. She talked about the rugby with him. Glad it was his team that had won the night before. But then, as he pointed out, they always won—he’d never forget that.

Her tummy was rumbling by the time she left. He’d had lunch and would snooze for the afternoon. She’d go back at dinner time to keep him company and watch the next game of rugby tonight.

She strode through the chemically-smelling corridors and blinked back the tears. She needed to meet with his doctor. But she’d have to be here for a weekday to do that—a five-minute chat over the phone wasn’t going to cut it. Things needed to settle down at work before she could ask for time off. But if things were as bad as she feared she knew she was going to have to come back here and look after him.

There weren’t any ad agencies in this town. Maybe she could look for a job as a copywriter for the local paper? Or she could work at the supermarket or gas station or anything. Whatever she had to do she’d do. As Jared had said the other night, Grandfather would have done anything for her. Now it was her turn.

The thought of Jared made her heart contract. She’d pushed him from her mind. This weekend wasn’t about her or him. She sighed; moving might be good. She’d need a complete change to help expunge him from her soul when their affair was over.

She flicked open her mobile. Searched out the number for Grandfather’s old GP. She’d leave a message asking him to call. That would be the start. She could work out more from there.

She stopped just outside the doors. At the bottom of the steps, leaning against the railing, was Jared. The Jared of old in jeans and jersey with unsmiling, penetrating eyes. Despite her distress her heart did a back flip and emotion rushed to the surface. She very nearly cried. She very nearly crumpled, longing for his arms to enfold her.

Instead she repeated her phone number to the answer machine and closed up her phone, not taking her eyes off him the entire time.

She walked down the steps but stopped on the last one. She didn’t know what to say.

‘You should have told me,’ he said, expression unfathomable.

She jerked her head to the side.

His face went even more masklike. ‘I know we’re just sleeping together, Amanda. But I am interested in what else goes on in your life.’

Was he actually hurt? ‘You know what Grandfather’s like. Very proud.’

He looked down and pulled away from the railing. ‘You had lunch?’

‘No.’

‘Let’s find somewhere and grab a coffee and a sandwich.’

Cafés had changed in the time they’d been away. Gone upmarket with fifty fancy coffee varieties and freshly made gourmet snacks. He chose a little one on the edge of town that had a gallery and sculpture garden to add to the atmosphere as well. Shame it was drizzling or they could have sat outside. As it was he pushed her into a seat at a small table overlooking the garden.