about him. His intense gaze, his strong forearms, one of which was covered in colorful ink. That was something surprising and unexpected about him. I found it hard to stop staring. His longer beard and short hair. I don’t know how a man his age looks as good as he does, but boy does he ever.
I honestly don’t know how I’m going to work for him, seeing him day in and day out, being his assistant, being at his beck and call. I don’t know how I’m going to do it and not swoon over him all freaking day long. Maybe I’ll luck out and he’ll be a total asshole to me.
Though a man that has the benefits for his employees that he does and the childcare in place for them too, he can’t be a dick like that, it’s impossible. Thank goodness he’s married, off-limits, and thank goodness I’m not looking for anything at all. I’ll swoon from afar and nothing more.
Chapter Five
LANDRY
I spend the majority of my weekend working, locked in my bedroom, alone. Sunday evening rolls around and I let out a groan as I look at the clock. Susan will no doubt tell our children about the divorce, and I’m sure this is going to be uncomfortable, but it’s long past due.
Decades long past due.
After showering and dressing, I open my bedroom door, locking it behind me. I don’t have very many personal things in there and I hope that Susan wouldn’t bother them, but she’s pretty angry with me. If something for work gets destroyed, like my laptop, I’ll be fucking pissed.
I make my way downstairs, hearing the voices of my children as I approach. “Mother is drunk, more than usual,” Lucinda murmurs.
Her voice carries through the formal living room and up to my ears. I curse to myself, knowing that this will be a nightmare of an evening, but I’ve spent far too long avoiding it, avoiding everything. They are all adults now, they should be able to understand why I’ve done what I’ve done.
“Dad,” Lawrence calls out.
Lifting my head, I turn the corner, plastering a fake smile on my lips. He catches it, immediately. Though Laurent and I are the ones who work together, Lawrence and I are the closest. Perhaps because he is more like I am in personality. He is even-tempered, calm, and easygoing, but has a passion for what he loves.
“I’ve upset your mother,” I admit.
Their heads all turn to face me, Lawrence shakes his head once, looking down at his shoes, as if he already knows what I’m about to say.
“Yes, yes he has,” Susan screeches from the study.
I watch as she sways toward us, stumbling on her too-high heels. My body automatically moves to stabilize her. Taking a few steps in her direction, I wrap my fingers around her elbow and guide her into the formal living room and toward the sofa.
Susan jerks her arm away from me with a snarl. “You,” she says, pointing her finger toward me. “You and your bullshit,” she retorts.
I’m not doing this, not now, not ever, and especially not in front of my children. There is no need for it. This cannot come as a surprise to her. This cannot be a shock at all. What this is, is her being petty because she did not deliver the paperwork to me first. She thinks that I have the upper hand, and that is never allowed when it comes to Susan Astor.
“Children,” I say, clearing my throat. They shift their eyes from their mother to me. “We’ve decided to divorce.”
“You’ve decided,” Susan snaps. “You,” she says, lifting her hand and pointing her finger in my face. “You.”
Ignoring her and her finger, I focus on my children. They haven’t said a word. They’re all watching, but wearing different expressions, each of them.
Laurent is the first to speak. He’s smirking and jerks his chin in my direction. “Was this even a marriage? You’ve lived here, what? During the weekends since we’ve moved out?”
“Yes,” I say with a nod.
Susan growls. “Oh, Mother,” Lucinda coos. But she surprises me when she crosses her arms over her chest instead of running toward Susan. “You have been with countless men at the club, why do you care if Dad finally files? It’s been years in the making.”
“Don’t you dare talk to me that way. Landry, did you hear what she just said to me?”
This is what I wanted to avoid, all of this. I did not want to get