The Right Swipe (Modern Love, #1)(64)

He nodded to Aunt Belle’s housekeeper as he made his way through the house, though the older woman barely glanced at him. Aunt Belle’s staff had been thrown into a tizzy in preparation for their impending houseguests. It had been so long since Annabelle had entertained.

Samson hesitated with his hand raised to knock on Aunt Belle’s office door. He didn’t want to be the bearer of this particular news, especially now, right before she engaged with an important potential business deal.

Before he could decide, the door opened, and he and Tina both reared back. “Oh, hey.”

“Hey.”

She gave him a distracted smile and spoke over her shoulder as she scooted around him. “I’ll get this handled, Belle. The first guests will be arriving soon, you may wish to get ready.”

He stepped inside the cluttered office. This room was Aunt Belle’s favorite, smaller than one might expect from a woman as wealthy as his aunt, and crammed full of books and papers and pens. Annabelle loved pens.

He closed the door behind him and inhaled the familiar woodsy scent of the room. His aunt looked up from the computer, eyebrows raised above her reading glasses. “Oh Samson. I’m a little busy.”

“I’m sure you are.” He braced his hands on the back of a chair. “Can you spare me a minute?”

“For you, of course.” She clasped her hands in front of her on the cluttered desk. “What’s on your mind?”

“I was out, getting gas, and I got a phone call.” He resettled his weight, doing his best to look her in the eyes. The words were easy enough to draft in his brain, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. The call was from CRA. They got the results on Uncle Joe back. Do you want to write a statement?

She studied him as the silence stretched, then sighed. “Oh dear. You found out, didn’t you?”

Oh. That sounded like she already knew. “Yes. I did. Did he . . . did he call you first?”

“Well, it was a few weeks ago.”

He frowned. A few weeks ago?

“I only had your best interests at heart, sweetheart. That boy is genuinely trying to make up for his mistakes.”

Oh, okay. They were clearly talking about different things. He opened his mouth to correct her, but she continued. “I think, given your background and family name, you would be a perfect fit for his new organization.”

Realization dawned, and he mentally shelved his uncle’s diagnosis. “Aunt Belle, are you saying you gave Trevor my number?”

Her hands fluttered. The bells on the sleeves of her turquoise caftan jingled. “Oh. You didn’t know. What were you talking about? I mean, never mind, look at the time. I have so much to do.”

“Aunt Belle! You know what he did to me.”

She paused mid-jingle. “I know. I also know what he’s doing. Samson, the job he’s offering you is right up your alley.”

He gestured to the office, to encompass her own business. “I have a job. Remember?”

“Yes. I gave it to you. But it’ll end, and then what will you do?”

What would he do?

Her tone softened when he went silent. “Trevor’s job offer makes sense for you, Samson. You are good with the public, good at being in the spotlight. You’re sympathetic. You could make real change.”

None of that was wrong, but his stomach cramped at the thought of working with Trevor ever again, especially on this topic. Especially with Dr. Kamau’s words ringing in his ear. “Last time I breathed a word about my concerns about head injuries, I got shunned.” Even though his father had died from it, even though he’d already started to fear for his uncle.

That day he’d walked, he’d known what he was throwing away. Had he wanted to go to another team, he’d have been completely blacklisted. Some family.

“Times have changed, my love. People change. Look at Trevor! Why, look at the comments on any of the videos you and Rhiannon release.”

“No, thanks.” If there was one internet rule he knew well, it was don’t read the comments. He set his jaw. “Don’t meddle like this again, Aunt Belle.”

She sighed. “Fine, fine. But you should think about it.” She wagged her finger at him. “It would be good for you and good for the world.”

“Aunt Belle—”

She fiddled with the ring on her pinky finger. She might have turned down Joe’s marriage proposal, but she still wore the big diamond ring he’d given her. “I’m so lucky to have you, you know.”

Damn it. Like that, his anger deflated. “I’m lucky to have you too.”

Her computer gave an alert and she glanced at it, brow furrowing. “That’s William. He’s being so difficult about this weekend.”

“Difficult how?”

“Saying that having potential buyers come to my home is excessive and over-the-top. That it’s not what Jennifer would have done.” The lines around her mouth deepened. “Tina told me not to tell him about the glitter-gram I sent Rhiannon, she said he’d be even more scornful.”

“You know, you are his boss. You don’t have to put up with this.” The reminder was gentle, though his annoyance was not.

Aunt Belle waved that away. “It’s fine, really. What did you want to talk about, if not Trevor?”