Page 46 of Don’t You Dare Marry Me (Love in Massachusetts #3)

thirty-eight

Warren stepped into the library, and Abagail narrowed her eyes at him.

He wasn’t supposed to be here. She’d been expecting Ivy, not him.

Setting her book down, Abagail crossed her legs and stared at him expectantly.

This wasn’t the time to make things easy for the promised, entitled child.

He needed to work for whatever he was here for.

Abagail put on the most stoic face that she could possibly muster, and she thanked every breathing second that Nicola wasn’t at the house. Seeing a conflict between Warren and Nicola again would surely throw Abagail over the edge and she’d completely blacklist Warren from her life.

“Aunt Abagail.” Warren nodded at her, standing there with his hands crossed in front of his body, looking like a kid who’d just been scolded.

Was that what he was expecting now that he was there?

“I wasn’t expecting you,” Abagail said, keeping her tone as cool and despondent as possible.

“I know. I just… you said to tell you how the interview went.”

Abagail narrowed her gaze. That was weeks ago at this point, maybe even a full month had passed.

She dashed her tongue across her lips as she waited in silence, needing to know exactly what he was there to say to her.

Because he was clearly here for something—a phone call would have sufficed otherwise.

Or hell, this was Warren, it’d be a text or an email that his mother sent.

“It didn’t go well. They didn’t like that I had no experience.”

“Right.” Abagail nodded, already knowing that was likely the outcome of any interview that Warren was going to go on.

Mid-twenties and he’d never held a job yet—hell, she wouldn’t hire him either.

Even his sex and skin color wouldn’t land him that privilege.

“And do you have another interview lined up?”

“Chaya’s father said he’d get me a job.”

Using connections? That was a step up for Warren. But also, Chaya? Were the two of them on talking terms.

“Which brings me to why I’m here.”

“Oh, I thought that was to tell me about the interview that didn’t result in a job.

” Abagail picked up her book again and pretended to read it.

She really wanted to feign disinterest. Warren had never done anything to deserve the accolades that he received from the family other than being born and being born male—neither of which he had any control over.

“No, I uh… I was hoping to get Nana’s ring.”

Abagail snapped her head up and the book closed simultaneously. “The ring?”

“Y-yeah,” he stuttered. “Chaya and I worked through our issues, and the engagement is back on.”

Pursing her lips, Abagail clenched her jaw and waited him out. She wanted to pry so much, and she had so many questions that she wanted answered just for her own damn curiosity, but she wasn’t going to ask them either.

“W-we set a date for June of next year.”

“A June wedding?” Abagail raised an eyebrow at him. How classic. She forced herself not to roll her eyes at that thought. “And who do you think is paying for the wedding?”

“Chaya’s father said he’d split some of it.”

“But you for the rest?” Abagail asked, dropping her gaze over him. “Better get that job quickly. I won’t be helping fund that adventure.”

“I know. I just…” He shuffled his foot slightly. “I just wanted the ring.”

“It’s not yours.” Abagail opened her book again, skimming the words on the page. “And I won’t be giving it to you.”

“It’s the family ring. It needs to stay in the family.” Warren’s voice took on the whining tone that Abagail absolutely despised. It was back to when he was a kid and not getting his way. Maturity took a long time to learn, and Warren was far behind the learning curve.

“And it is… in the family.” Abagail flicked her gaze to him. “Buy your own ring for Chaya. I’m not giving you a second chance with this one.”

“Ms. Kerr,” Ivy said, her voice reaching Abagail’s ears.

“Ah, yes.” Abagail looked directly at Warren. “Let me know when the wedding is. I’ll make sure to show up, and congratulations.” That word grated at her. “I’m sure you two will be happy together.”

Abagail stood up and ushered Warren out of her library before bringing Ivy in.

She’d never invited Ivy over to her house, but she didn’t want to have this conversation at the office during formal working hours.

This was going to be a conversation that would take time for them to explore possibilities and for Ivy to get a handle on what exactly Abagail was asking.

She looked over Ivy’s shoulder to make sure that Warren was leaving, but he was still standing there.

“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 until after your 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.

The last 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.”

“You don’t? I just assumed that you loved the business.”

“I do.” Abagail looked Ivy over again, finally finding that balance she’d been seeking before. “I’d only leave it in someone’s hands that would have a passion for the company, someone who had the ability to keep it going.”

“Why not just close down?”

“I don’t want to.” Abagail shrugged her shoulder slightly.

She wasn’t sure when she’d want to officially retire, but she would probably want to keep it going as long as possible to keep her brain in the game.

“I’m not sure when exactly I’ll be ready to give it up, Ivy.

But I’d like to do that on my own time.”

“I understand.” Ivy ran her fingers through her long caramel-brown locks. “Is this about Warren?”

“In some ways.” Abagail flicked her gaze to where Warren had been standing. “In other ways, it’s not about him at all.”

“I can try to find him a job.”

“No.” Abagail picked up her tea again, resolute in this decision. “He needs to work for a job, and he needs to learn how to work. I don’t want him to terrorize you.”

“Hey, I’ve grown a spine.”

“A small one.” Abagail’s lips quirked up slightly.

She had loved seeing Ivy come into her own, or perhaps, get back to who she used to be.

It was the smallest compliment that she’d give to Ivy.

The bigger one was the fact they were even having this conversation.

Despite Ivy’s rough start at Kerr HR, she was a hard worker, and brilliant.

She’d been the right choice for the company.

“Why me? You’ve never seemed particularly fond of me.”

Abagail hummed. “I recognize your tenacity, appreciate your hard work. You’ve had an uphill battle, but I don’t think for a second it was a choice of your own making or because you added to it daily.”

“Well, thank you.” Ivy’s cheeks tinged with a blush.

“Think about it, Ivy. Taking over Kerr HR won’t be an easy job, and there’s plenty of time for you to make that choice and remake that choice. I want to know that this will work in both our best interests.”

“So when do you want an answer?” Ivy looked at Abagail directly.

“When you’re ready.” Abagail nodded firmly. She’d already started to form a plan for the transition, one that would take quite a bit of time, but would be good for both of them in the long run, Abagail was sure of that.

“All right.” Ivy’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Do you know anyone, since you seem to have these odd connections, that might be interested in a front receptionist position?”

Abagail smiled. She’d hoped that would come up today, but she wasn’t sure that she wanted to be the one to bring it up.

“I have someone you can interview. Checkered work history, but similar to your situation. She’s a hard worker.

” Abagail flicked her gaze up to meet Ivy’s.

“I’ll send her to Nathalie and Lachlan, and they can decide on their own if she’s worth the trouble. ”

“Worth the trouble?” Ivy’s lips quirked slightly. “That sounds like she has a story.”

“Oh she does. It might be good for her to work in a medical office in the long run anyway. She needs to learn to navigate the medical system adeptly.”

“She does?” Ivy furrowed her brow.

“Yes, absolutely. It’s a skill she’ll need to develop quickly.” Abagail finished her tea and set it down. “Let me know what you think of my proposal when you’re ready to decide. There’s no rush. I plan to be around for a while longer.”

Abagail stood up, indicating the conversation was over. She was ready for whatever was going to come next. At least, she was preparing for it.