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“It’s mine, Aunt Abagail.”

“No, it’s not.” Abagail stepped between him and Ivy. “I’m sorry, just give me a second.”

“Sure,” Ivy answered, but she didn’t walk away like Abagail would expect her to.

“The ring isn’t yours, Warren. I don’t know how many times I can tell you that. It belongs to the family, and I’m the executor of the family’s estate. I’m in charge of where it goes and doesn’t go, and I don’t think you know how to take care of it or anything yet. Get yourself straight and your life right, and then we’ll talk again.” Abagail kept her hands at her sides, making sure that Warren understood that she wasn’t going to give in.

“Aunt Abagail!”

“No. And I’m done talking about this.” Abagail turned on her toes and walked back into the library. She waited for Ivy to settle into the chair next to the one that she’d occupied and then waited to make sure that Warren was well and truly gone. “Did you want something to drink? Tea?”

“Uh. No?” Ivy sounded and looked nervous.

“I’m not firing you.” Abagail’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Trust me, I wouldn’t bring you to my house to fire you.”

“I didn’t think…” Ivy trailed off, her brow furrowing. “Does this have to do with Nathalie and the lawsuit?”

“What?” Abagail shook her head. “No. I gave the evidence to the lawyer.”

“Right. I just thought since everything is so muddled now.”

“Yes, well, you four didn’t help your case by all ending up in bed together, now did you?” Abagail waved down her house manager and asked for hot tea to be made and brought to them. “You could have easily waited untilafteryour divorce and the civil suit Nathalie brought against Penny before entering into a relationship, now couldn’t you?”

“Uh… sure.” Ivy crossed her legs, but she didn’t add more to the conversation on that front.

“I wanted to talk to you about the future of Kerr HR.” Abagail moved her palms across her thighs. She’d never had this conversation with anyone before, but she was ready for it. Thelast few weeks had been a high point in her life, and she was ready to make more time for what future things needed to come.

“Are you closing down?”

“What? No.” Abagail scrunched her nose and shook her head. “But I do want to start training you to become the future of the business, perhaps eventually buy it out from me when the time is right.”

“When the time is right…?” Ivy repeated slowly. She sighed, her skirt pulling up higher on her knee, and Abagail couldn’t help herself from trailing her gaze over Ivy’s leg before focusing back on her eyes.

“Yes. In the next few years, I’d think. I’d like some more free time in my life.”

“Free time.” Ivy seemed unconvinced by that.

“I have plans.” Abagail wasn’t going to give Ivy any more than that. She wasn’t someone who shared often, and she certainly wasn’t going to share personal things with an employee. “You used to run your own HR business.”

“Sort of,” Ivy said with a frown. “It was nestled in Nathalie and Lachlan’s private practice, so it wasn’t a separate entity.”

“Hence the training.” Abagail wiggled her toes in her heels. “I think it’d be a good arrangement for both of us.”

“I don’t know about that.” Ivy leaned back into her chair nervously as the tea was brought in and settled between them.

Abagail immediately picked up a cup for herself and made her tea the way she liked it. She assumed Ivy would do the same if she really wanted it. “I don’t want to give up the company to someone who’s going to ruin it.”

“That’s lofty confidence coming from someone who can’t stand me.”

Abagail paused, the cup at her lips. “Who said I couldn’t stand you?”

“Uh… you did?”

“When?” Abagail sipped her tea, reveling in the flavor. She loved this blend.

“Why am I really here?” Ivy asked.

Abagail paused, setting the cup onto the saucer on the small table. “I’m looking at how I can retire, Ivy. I’m getting older, and I don’t want to be working until I die.”