Chapter 7

Andrew

I sat at the dining room table sipping my coffee when Liam appeared with my breakfast. He set it down in front of me and then took his usual two steps away from the table. As a kid, I wondered why Liam never sat down to eat with our family. Now, I’d grown so accustomed to his behavior that it would have felt odd if he pulled out a chair.

“Thank you, Liam.” I nodded my thanks and picked up my fork.

“My pleasure, Mr. Andrew.”

We lapsed into an easy silence while I picked at my eggs and read the morning paper. As always, I flipped straight to the obituary section. This was a habit I picked up from my father. In the antiquity business, it was never wise to stop searching. Estate sales were sometimes the best place to find antiques and valuables.

“Anything this morning?” Liam asked as I closed the paper and picked up a slice of toast.

“No.” I shook my head. “A few deaths. None wealthy enough to matter.”

“Hmm,” Liam said, his lips tightening slightly.

“I’m not being cavalier,” I said defensively. “It’s just the truth.”

“I know,” Liam said, though his disapproval was written all over his face.

“Did you get Sophie settled in yesterday?” I asked.

“I did.” Liam nodded. “Though she didn’t realize she would be staying here.”

“What?” I blinked and looked up.

“She was very shocked when I showed her the bedroom where she’d be staying,” Liam said sympathetically. “I don’t think Mr. Newman told her very much about this deal of yours.”

“Well, she knows now.”

Liam’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t argue. I returned to my breakfast without another word. It wasn’t my fault that Rick kept his daughter in the dark. If she was upset about the arrangement, she could leave. It wouldn’t upset me in the slightest to see her back as she walked out my front door.

“I wonder if there’s something we can do to make her more comfortable,” Liam said slowly. “I think she feels a bit like a prisoner.”

“That’s not my problem,” I said shortly. “She’s here to work. Did you show her the office?”

Liam paused. He eyed me closely. I knew him well enough to know when he disapproved of my actions. He was angry with me, but I didn’t care.

“Yes,” he said. “She knows where she’ll be working. After breakfast, I’ll go over her tasks for today.”

“Thank you, Liam. That would be helpful.”

“My pleasure, Mr. Andrew.”

Liam’s voice was still tight. I glanced at him again, but his face was once again impassive. He kept it wiped clean of all emotion.

While I ate, I thought about the moment we shared in the living room yesterday. Looking at my father’s picture together was something I couldn’t have done with anyone else. Liam, unlike the rest of the world, saw both sides of my father. He knew the kind-hearted, loving man that George Hopper showed the world, but he also knew the father who often made me feel abandoned. For that, Liam had sympathy for me. He understood why I distanced myself from everyone around me.

Part of me wanted to mention it, to say something about how I felt when I saw that picture. I turned to face Liam and tried to speak. Words failed me. I quickly gave up and returned to my food.

“Good morning,” a bright voice said from behind me.

I spun around in my chair to see Sophie Newman bouncing over to the table. She smiled warmly at Liam. He smiled back, though he seemed somewhat confused by her presence. My own confusion was quickly replaced by irritation when Sophie pulled out a chair and sat down beside me.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Having breakfast,” Sophie said. “Or am I not allowed to eat?”

“Of course, you can eat,” I snapped. “But do so in the kitchen.”

Sophie looked at me with a blank expression. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not,” I said firmly. “Liam can serve you in the kitchen. That’s where you’ll eat all your meals.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Sophie said, shaking her head. “Liam shouldn’t have to shuffle between two rooms just to serve us both breakfast.”

“What Liam does is not your concern,” I said. “He works for me.”

Sophie narrowed her eyes and sat back in the chair. She was challenging me. I felt my cheeks flush with anger, but I quickly checked myself. Getting into it with Sophie on her second day here wouldn’t help either of us.

Instead, I wiped my mouth with my napkin and pushed my chair back from the table.

“Are you finished, Mr. Andrew?” Liam asked.

“I’ll eat the rest in my study,” I said.

“Conversation is healthy, Andrew,” Sophie said. “You should try it sometime.”

My entire body tensed at her words. I couldn’t believe the audacity she possessed. After all, she was in my home to work off her father’s crime. Who the hell did she think she was?

I picked up my plate and coffee before turning to face Liam. He looked from me to Sophie and then back again, clearly nervous about how the situation was going to play out.

“I’ll be in the study if you need me, Liam,” I said. I walked over to him and lowered my voice. “It is your responsibility to keep her away from me.”

“Yes, sir,” Liam said simply.

He glanced back at Sophie. Even with my back to her, I knew she was watching us closely. I didn’t give her the satisfaction of a backward glance. I gripped my plate and mug tighter in my hands and left the room, feeling needles of anger pierce my back as I walked.

It wasn’t until I reached my study that I was able to breathe. I pushed the door closed behind me and hurried over to my desk. As I collapsed into my chair, I exhaled sharply and closed my eyes. All I could do was hope that Sophie would get the message. I didn’t want to see her. I didn’t want to talk to her. I simply wanted her to do her job and leave.