Page 15 of Trouble from Abroad
The switch flips so fast I nearly get a whiplash. Gone is the polished host; in his place, a man who’s barely suppressing a grimace now that he knows he’s not tending to the new billionaire in town.
Liam Gunn attracts these types—leeches, all of them after his money, power, and whatever favors he can grant.
Politeness? Love it. But this isn’t it. This is brown-nosing with a wine list in hand. And I can’t stand it. It warms me to see the doctor can’t either.
The maître d’ disappears in a puff of awkward silence, and I barely hold back a scoff. These clowns never fail toamuse me, but Preston doesn’t look a bit entertained—he’s wound up. So, of course, I joke around with Dr. Grump. Some harmless banter to lighten the mood. I don’t know why it’s so fun to tease him; it just is. Is it risky to poke a bear? Yes. Yes, it is. But it’s safer than addressing the lingering tension between us.
“What's the problem now?” I ask, propping my chin on my hand. “You look ready to spit out the food they haven’t served yet.”
He doesn’t answer me. Just glances sideways, jaw tight, face momentarily shadowed. Then his eyes find mine. Steady. Unreadable. “I see what you’re doing.” The warning landing quiet and clear. “I’m not playing.”
I smirk, because we obviously are, and it looks like I’m winning.
CHAPTER EIGHT
preston
The only way tosurvive Mia Thorne is to take the lead. Give her room, and she turns me into a human cockpit, pressing buttons just to see which one sets me off.
“Do you want to take a look at the menu?” I offer it as a peace treaty. Anything to stop her poking at what’s left of my nerves. She doesn’t make a move to take it. She smiles, full wattage, making me wonder if she ever runs out of energy.
“No.” There goes my fleeting hope. “I want to know more about my new boss.”
She can’t be serious. “Do you expect me to recite my resume over dinner?”
“No.”
“Good.” Maybe there’s some common sense under all that mess, after all.
“You’re notreallymy boss.”
My chin ticks back, instinctive. Defensive, too.Did I just get demoted?“I’m not?”
“No. Lily is. Tell me about her.”
That I can do. For hours. “Lily is… the sun. Like I said in the car, she’s my own private sunshine.” I pause, choosing my words. “If I hadn’t been in the delivery room, I’d swear she’s not from this world. She’s just… too good. Too special. Definitely too evolved for a six-year-old.”
I’m not the most religious man, but Lily makes me believe in fate, in a higher power that has sent her to me. “I’m the dad. I’m supposed to be the teacher, right? But damn it, she’s the one handing out lessons. Humbling ones. Every single day.”
When I’ve had enough of staring at my empty plate and smoothing the napkin in my lap, I glance at Mia, and she’s grinning, delighted.
Salvation arrives in the form of April and Liam. We were just together a few minutes ago, so there’s no need for fanfare.
April slides in across from me, and the memory of her smelling my breath to see if I’ve been drinking is enough to curdle my mood.
The nerve. How dare she treat me like a drunk after everything we’ve been through?
She knows me too well and stares at me with a question mark on her face. “What’s wrong?” she whispers.
I answer as quietly, “Nothing. Let it go, Sherlock.”
“Bullshit,” she quips.
Fuck me, this is going to be a long night. But a public dinner table with Mia and Gunn isn’t the place to unpack April’s behavior earlier. Or her decision to plant a spy in my house.
I turn my attention to Liam and start small talk. We’re on much better terms now, consideringthat when we first met, I threatened to kill him if he ever hurt April. April is like a daughter to me, so I was just doing my fatherly duties.
The threat still stands. But now I know April’s got him by the balls and he’s not playing her like I once thought. He’s all in, and then some.
