Debt Collector Page 9

“No.” I shook my head. “I’m just going to grab some coffee.”

  “Will you be working today?” Liam asked.

  “Always,” I mumbled and filled my usual mug.

  Without another word to Liam, I hurried down the hall to my office. With the door firmly closed behind me, I could allow my thoughts to return to Sophie. I closed my eyes and saw her face, her hair, her body. She was more enticing than anyone I’d ever met.

  When I first laid eyes on her, I knew she was attractive. It was impossible to miss. But after spending an entire day with her, my attraction was stronger than ever. I could no longer ignore the pull I felt for her. That tug in my stomach telling me to go for it was so powerful that it almost forced me to my feet.

  I fought it. Hard. With a shake of my head, my eyes flew open. I rolled my chair closer to my desk and got to work. No matter how much I wanted to give in to my feelings, I knew I couldn’t. Sophie Newman came from a family that could not be trusted. I wanted to believe she was nothing like her father. Everything about her proved she wasn’t, but I couldn’t let myself trust her. Not completely.

  There was still a part of me that believed Sophie was sent to my house on a mission from Rick. I couldn’t help but wonder if this entire situation was orchestrated by Rick as a way to rob me. It sounded insane, even to me, but the thought still spun its way through my mind every time I thought about being with Sophie.

  How could I let myself kiss her? How could I possibly allow myself the chance to be with her when I still didn’t know her true motivations? What if I was wrong about her? What if I fell for her, hard and fast, only to find that she was using me?

  My fears were greater than anything else. When I heard a soft knock on my office door, I knew it was her. Before I even made my way across the office, I could feel her presence. She was right there, on the other side of the door.

  I put my hand on the doorknob and then froze. We hadn’t seen each other since the night before. Then, the tension between us was so strong, I felt it in every inch of my body. I didn’t know if I could handle being near her again this soon.

  With a deep breath, I pulled open the door and fixed my eyes on Sophie’s face.

  “Hey there,” she said, grinning. “Working during the weekend?”

  “I always do,” I said shortly.

  Her smile faltered slightly, but she immediately put it back in place. I was unable to return it. As happy as I was to see her, the conflict I felt was too great.

  “Come take a walk with me,” Sophie said. “It’ll be good to get out of the house for a while.”

  “I don’t have time today,” I said. “I neglected a lot of work yesterday. I need to catch up.”

  “You don’t have a couple hours to spare?” Sophie asked. Her green eyes widened, and I felt my resolve begin to shake.

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. “If you want company, ask Liam.”

  “I’d rather spend time with you.”

  My stomach flipped. Sophie’s words were enough to make my entire body ignite. I wanted her so badly. Being feet away from her felt like torture. How could I let myself feel this way about the daughter of a thief?

  “Come on,” she said. She took a step toward me and grinned again. “Just for a little bit.”

  “Okay.” I heard myself say the word before I knew what was happening. “A couple hours.”

  “Great!” Sophie bounced up and down on her heels. I laughed and shook my head. I didn’t know which surprised me more: her persistence or the fact that I agreed to go with her.

  “Where should we go?” I asked when we stepped outside.

  “You tell me.” Sophie shrugged. “It’s your property.”

  “Have you seen the lake yet?” I asked.

  “No.”

  I pointed us in the right direction, and we slowly began our walk. Sophie didn’t talk much at first. She asked how the rest of my night was, and I asked the same, but we both fell silent after only a few short minutes. I felt as if there were a million things to say. I wanted to ask her what her look had meant the night before. When she hesitated on the staircase and gazed at me from a few steps up, what was she thinking?

  I didn’t ask. I couldn’t. No matter how badly I wanted the answer.

  “Are you comfortable here?” I asked as we crossed a small bridge. “I know it’s only been a few days, but do you have everything you need?”

  “Yeah.” Sophie shrugged. “Although if I’m being honest, I’m still not sure why I need to live here.”

  “It’s the deal I made with your father,” I said evasively.

  “But why?” Sophie asked with a frown. “Why not just have me show up every day for work?”

  I didn’t know how to answer. If Rick didn’t tell Sophie what he’d done, then why should I? He obviously didn’t want his daughter to know the truth, and while I didn’t care about Rick’s wishes, my concern for Sophie was strong. The last thing I wanted was to ruin her image of her dad.

  “It doesn’t really matter,” I said. “You’re here now, right?”

  “For how long?” she asked softly.

  “Sophie, you aren’t a prisoner.” I laughed. “If you want to leave, you can.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” Sophie said quickly. “I just wondered how much work you’ll have for me, that’s all.”

  “Honestly, I don’t know.” I sighed. “My accounting department is a horrendous mess, which I’m sure you’ve realized.”

  “Your books are all over the place,” Sophie said with a nod. “But I’ve seen worse.”

  I snorted. “That’s comforting.”

  “We’ll get it sorted out.” Sophie shrugged. “But enough about work.”

  We reached the lake soon after. Sophie’s eyes lit up when she saw it, but she didn’t say anything. We settled onto a soft patch of grass a few feet from the water’s edge.

  “This is my favorite spot,” I said. “The property is huge. There’s so much I still haven’t discovered, but this lake. I’ve always loved this lake.”

  “Why?” Sophie asked curiously.

  I shrugged. “My dad used to bring me fishing out here, and then, when I was older, I would bring dates back here for some privacy.”

  “Ah,” Sophie said, giggling. “I see.”

  “It wasn’t like that,” I said quickly.

  Sophie laughed louder. “Yeah, sure.”

  “Whatever.” I rolled my eyes. “Teenagers are teenagers. You know how it is.”

  “I guess.” Sophie shrugged. “I didn’t date much.”

  “No?” I asked, surprised.

  “Why does that surprise you?” Sophie asked.

  “You’re beautiful,” I said simply.

  Sophie’s cheeks turned pink. She looked away quickly, and I wondered if I’d crossed some invisible line.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I assumed it was obvious.”

  “I had a couple boyfriends,” Sophie said. “Just nothing serious.”

  I nodded. I wanted to ask more questions, but Sophie’s discomfort was obvious. She was such a strong person that I was shocked to see how easy it was to bring a blush to her cheeks.

  “Are you seeing anyone?” Sophie asked.

  “God no.” I laughed and leaned back on my hands. “I don’t have time for a relationship. Running the company is worse than a fulltime job.”

  “Are you happy though?” Sophie asked. “I mean, is this something you’ve always wanted to do?”

  I frowned and looked out over the lake. Sophie’s question was direct and personal. No one, not even my own family, had ever asked me anything like it. I didn’t know how to answer, or if I even knew the answer myself.

  “It was always the plan,” I said. “My father opened Hopper Antiquities years ago. My job was to take over when he retired or died. I never knew anything else.”

  “That’s not what I asked,” Sophie said with a sad smile. “I asked if it makes you happy.”

 
; I sighed and shook my head. The truth was, I didn’t know what it meant to be happy. Not really. My entire life was spent in my father’s shadow. He groomed me to take over the company. No other plan was an option. No other career was a possibility.

  “I’m happy enough,” I finally said.

  “That sounds convincing,” Sophie said sarcastically.

  “It’s all I’ve ever known,” I said. “I don’t think I’ve ever even considered doing anything else.”

  “What if you did?” Sophie asked. “If you had to sell Hopper Antiquities or if it caved or something, what would you do then? If you had no other choice?”

  Sophie could make me think more than anyone I’d ever met. In my thirty-two years of life, I’d never met anyone who could both intrigue and confuse me so completely. My head spun as I tried to find an answer to her question.

  A million things popped into my mind, but nothing felt true. What would I do if I couldn’t do this anymore? How would I spend my life?

  “You don’t have to answer,” Sophie said with understanding in her voice. “It’s just something to think about.”

  I nodded and looked out over the lake again. The sunlight glistened on the water. Sophie and I spent the rest of the day sitting out there, talking about everything and nothing. When we went inside, I still didn’t have an answer to her question, but I knew one thing for sure. Spending time with Sophie proved there was more to life than work.

  Chapter 14

  Sophie

  I nibbled on my breakfast to avoid working Monday morning. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to dive back in to Hopper’s finances, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave the kitchen table. I secretly hoped Andrew would make an appearance. My eyes kept flickering to the kitchen’s entrance, squinting down the dark hallway to try and catch a glimpse of Andrew on his way to his office.

  He didn’t show up, but after a while, I was no longer alone. Liam slipped silently into the kitchen from the back room. I didn’t notice him at first. He moved so quietly that when I saw him, I almost jumped out of my seat.

  “I’m sorry, Miss Sophie,” he said quickly. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  I laughed. “It’s okay. I’m easily startled.”

  Liam smiled kindly and continued his work in the kitchen. He wiped down the counters and then set to work brewing a pot of coffee. I watched him for a few minutes, wondering how someone his age never seemed to tire.

  “Why don’t you sit for a minute?” I asked. “Join me for a bite of breakfast.”

  “Oh, I shouldn’t,” Liam said. “There’s a lot of work to do.”

  “I insist,” I said firmly. “I’ve barely had the chance to talk with you since I got here.”

  “I don’t know,” Liam said nervously. He glanced into the hallway, clearly thinking about how Andrew would react.

  “If Andrew has a problem with it,” I said. “You can blame it on me.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Liam said, smiling. “I’m not afraid of Mr. Andrew.”

  “Then, sit,” I said. I pushed out a chair with my foot and raised my eyebrows.

  Liam laughed at my persistence and sighed. He slowly walked over to join me, sinking onto the chair as if he’d never sat down before in his life.

  “Thank you,” I said with a nod. “I’ve been dying for company all morning.”

  “Are you lonely here?” Liam asked with a frown.

  I shook my head. “No. Andrew was a gracious host the last couple of days.”

  I smiled to myself, remembering our motorcycle ride and talk by the lake. When I first met Andrew, I hated him instantly. Now, just a week later, I found myself inexplicably drawn to him.

  “I’m glad,” Liam said.

  “I was surprised,” I admitted. “I really thought he would keep hiding from me until I left.”

  “Me too,” Liam said. “Mr. Andrew isn’t always the most sociable person.”

  “What was his father like?” I asked curiously. “I never met Mr. Hopper, but my father talked about him for years.”

  “Mr. Hopper was a fine man,” Liam said. He smiled sadly, remembering his late boss. “In all the years I worked for him, I never once heard him say a negative thing to anyone. He was kind and generous to a fault. Forgiving. Loyal.”

  “Wow,” I said. “Sounds like he was a saint.”

  “In so many ways, he was,” Liam said. “I truly loved working for him.”

  “I’m sure.” I smiled, but it quickly faded from my lips. It didn’t make sense. If George was so wonderful, where did Andrew get his distant attitude?

  “It was terrible when he died,” Liam said. He shook his head and looked down at the table. “I still miss him.”

  “I’m sorry.” I reached across the table to squeeze Liam’s hand. He smiled at me gratefully, tears brimming in his eyes. “I’m sure you cared about him very much.”

  “He was like a brother to me,” Liam said. “After so many years of working for him, we became family. Mr. Hopper never treated me like a servant. He always asked me to do things. He never demanded. It’s so rare for someone in his position to act that way. I was blessed.”

  “And his wife?” I asked cautiously. “Was she the same?”

  “Oh, yes,” Liam said. “She was kind, but stern. Emily had a classic, salt of the earth attitude. She didn’t take much from anyone, but she would do anything for the people she loved. I’ve never met such a devoted mother in all my life. Andrew was her entire world.”

  “When did she pass away?” I asked.

  “Years ago.” Liam sighed. “It was sudden. It shook Mr. Hopper and Mr. Andrew horribly. I always wondered if that was what caused their—”

  Liam’s eyes widened, and he suddenly stopped talking. He looked horrified with himself. I frowned and glanced behind me, expecting to see Andrew, but he wasn’t there. Liam and I were still alone in the kitchen.

  “What is it?” I asked. “Are you okay?”

  “I shouldn’t share such personal things,” Liam said quickly. “My apologies, Miss Sophie, but it really isn’t my place.”

  “I understand,” I said. “It’s okay, Liam.”

  “Maybe I should get back to work,” Liam said, half rising from his chair.

  “Oh, don’t be ridiculous,” I said with a laugh. “We can talk about something else. Tell me about you, about your family.”

  Liam smiled and regaled me with stories about his sisters. He had four, two had already passed away, and two more lived out of town. His eyes lit up when he spoke of his nieces and nephews. He even pulled out his wallet to show me the pictures he carried with him. I could tell Liam didn’t get many chances to talk about himself. It was nice to visit with him, and soon, the morning had almost passed us by completely.

  “What are you two doing in here?” a voice asked from behind me.

  I jumped and spun around in my chair. Andrew had finally made his appearance. I smiled when I saw him, my eyes immediately locking on his. No matter how many times I saw them, I was still amazed by that one blue and one green iris.

  “Just visiting,” I said simply. “I was eating breakfast and insisted Liam take a break to chat with me.”

  “It’s almost eleven o’clock,” Andrew said sharply. “You both have work to do.”

  “You’re right,” Liam said. “I apologize, Mr. Andrew.”

  “It’s my fault,” I said. “I was lonely for some company, and I trapped Liam. Really, he was my prisoner this whole time.”

  “Don’t be silly, Miss Sophie,” Liam said. “I enjoyed every minute of our chat.”

  I smiled at him warmly, but the smile fell quickly from my face when I saw the anger in Andrew’s eyes. He wasn’t at all amused by my friendship with Liam. He glared at Liam sharply until the old man hurried out of the room to continue his daily tasks.

  “It really was my fault,” I said. “I got him talking, and once we started, it was hard to stop.”

  “You have work to do, too,” Andrew said.


  He didn’t bother looking at me again before disappearing back down the hallway. I watched him go, my forehead furrowed, and my stomach tied in a knot. What just happened?

  When I was sure Andrew was safely back in his office, I cleared my dishes and hurried back upstairs. My office was far away and cold, but I forced myself to focus on work. I slid into my chair and pushed myself up to my desk. My nose stayed buried in papers for what felt like hours as I did my best to keep my mind occupied.

  The last thing I needed was to let myself dwell on Andrew’s foul mood. My curiosity was already too strong where Andrew was concerned. I couldn’t keep myself from wondering about his childhood, his parents, his interests, his hobbies. Everything about him pulled me in deeper, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to detach myself.

  “May I come in?”

  I jerked my head up quickly. I was so absorbed with work that I hadn’t heard the door creak open. Andrew was standing in the doorway, watching me with a slight frown on his face.

  “Of course.” I nodded and gestured for him to sit down across from me.

  “How’s your day going?” he asked as he lowered himself onto a chair.

  “Good,” I said. “I’m getting through everything quickly.”

  “I’m sure you are,” Andrew said. “Listen, I’m sorry about this morning. I shouldn’t have behaved that way toward you and Liam.”

  “It’s okay,” I said, though we both knew it wasn’t.

  “I have a hard time distancing myself from work,” Andrew said. “When I’m in the zone, all I can see are numbers and bottom lines. So, when I saw you and Liam talking, I snapped into boss mode without thinking.”

  “I understand,” I said. “You were right. I’m here to do a job, and I should be doing it.”

  “You should also enjoy yourself when you can,” Andrew said kindly.

  I suddenly saw what Liam must have seen in Andrew’s father. The kindness that radiated off Andrew’s face was genuine and warm. It was impossible to miss, and from everything Liam said, he learned it at his father’s side.

  “I’m actually enjoying myself much more than I imagined,” I said.

  “I think I might be able to up your enjoyment even more,” Andrew said slowly.