Chapter 19
“Is the food okay? If there’s anything you don’t like, just let Linda know. She can make pretty much anything, and she’s a great cook p>
Linda grinned. “That’s right. Dorothea, let’s swap contacts. Just text me what you feel like eating each day, I’ll handle the rest p>
And like that, Dorothea’s contact list grew by one.
After lunch, Dorothea just wanted to retreat to her room. But leaving right after eating felt a little rude, so she grabbed a book on hotel management and settled onto the sofa instead.
The room filled with small sounds—the quiet clink of spoons and plates, the soft chewing, the gentle rustle of pages as she read. Latham dabbed his lips with a napkin, then disappeared into his room, reemerging in a crisp white suit. He had two ties in hand, one gray, one blue.
“I’ve got a business dinner tonight. Which tie looks better p>
Dorothea was caught off guard and quickly set down her book. She studied him seriously. “Maybe the gray one? I think it goes better with your suit p>
Latham’s lips curved into a small smile. “Alright, gray it is p>
Dorothea waited for him to go back to his room, but he just stood there, his gaze fixed on her. “So, you want to learn management? Books alone won’t be enough, you know p>
She really did want to get the basics down, especially since she knew who Latham was. Working up her courage, she asked, “Do you have any courses you’d recommend, Mr. Stephens p>
Mr. Stephens. The words sounded awkward, even to her.
Latham’s mouth twitched. “We’re married now. Calling me Mr. Stephens is too formal. My dad will catch on to us faking it in a second. You can call me by my name… or just ‘husband,’ if you like p>
Morning sunlight streamed in through the big windows, casting a soft glow on her profile. She couldn’t tell if her cheeks were hot from the sun or from what he’d just said, but either way, her ears burned red. Latham, seeing her reaction, decided not to push it any further.
“I have a friend whose family runs hotels. I’ll give you his number later. If there’s anything you’re not sure about, just ask him p>
Dorothea nodded.
Then Latham’s voice came from right above her, a little teasing. “As a reward, Mrs. Stephens, will you help me with my tie p>
Dorothea’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Sure p>
Latham bent toward her. Dorothea’s cheeks heated up again as she reached for the tie, her fingertips brushing the skin at his neck. Their faces were so close
their brea mingled, and for a second it felt like they might actually kiss. The room went quiet, just the soft sound of fabric moving between her hands.
Latham looked down at her, his gaze dark and unreadable. As he watched her tie the knot, with surprising confidence, a tflashed
across his mind, and the little burst of happiness he’d felt faded away.
Dorothea stepped back, putting some space between them. “All done p>
Latham just nodded. “Thanks. I’m heading to the office. Call me if you need anything p>
Whatever moment they’d been
sharing evaporated, replaced by his cool, distant tone. Dorothea let out a small, self mocking laugh. Of course, Latham liked men. She really needed to stop letting her imagination get away from her.
пора
Meanwhile, Albert had been in a bad mood for days. It’d been three days, and
Dorothea hadn’t called or texted once. That slap still stung-when did that timid little bunny get so gutsy?
His eyes narrowed coldly as he gave instructions to his assistant. “Spread the word. Any company that hires Dorothea is picking a fight with me p>
“Got it, Albert p>
Albert blew out a slow stream of smoke, almost looking forward to the idea of Dorothea running into dead ends and coming back to him, desperate for help.