The House Keeper

29.

Oliver had become perplexed.

"I never said I was engaged. I said he proposed." I slipped my arm out off his hand, but I didn't move, I stayed on the stairs, watching him, trying to read him.

"Why didn't you accept?"

I sighed. "Because, Cody needs me."

"Don't use Cody as an excuse." Oliver lashed out.

"But you can?" I scoffed at him as I crossed my arms.

"Cody is my nephew."

I shrugged at him, my face blank. "But you still can't use him as an excuse. So finish telling me what you tried saying at the restaurant."

Oliver smirked at me. "Oh no. We are way past that."

I arched an eyebrow. "I don't think we are."

We stared at each other for several long minutes before I turned. My feet were starting to ache in these boots. I took another step up then another. Bidding my time, waiting for the moody Oliver Black to speak again.

"I don't think it matters now."

I turned my head to Oliver. "Then I guess my answer doesn't matter either."

"I think it does. Tell me why without using Cody as an excuse and I will too."

I spun around and looked at him. Are we on the same page? Why is it so important for him to know why I'm not engaged to Percy?

"Why does it matter? You didn't like him. You can't even keep a straight face every time I say his name."

"Because he has a stupid name. It sounds so, snobbish. Like he was too good for everyone else."

"What? That's a stupid reason! So Percy sounds like a wuss name and Oliver doesn't?" I made my voice deeper when I said his name but in a mock tone.

Oliver took a step up on the stairs, a smirk on his face. "Exactly."

I shook my head. "You're full of yourself."

"I can be, yes."

I snorted as I took another two steps. I wasn't even half way up.

"I did it originally because I stood by what I first said." Oliver blurted out, making me stop. I kept my back to him, waiting for him to continue. "Professionalism. Then Cody," he paused waiting for me to remind him not to use Cody as an excuse, but I remained silent. "Cody came along and I started saying Monty to make him feel more comfortable here. But it was making me comfortable as well."

I turned my head slightly, indicating for him to go on.

"When you told me about the proposal, I knew Cody would be hurt. Because he is too much like me. I was hurt in a weird way. I didn't know why. I thought that if I started talking to you formally again like when I first hired you, it wouldn't be such a void here for when you left."

I didn't know was holding my breathe. My heart had felt like it stopped. I knew it was my turn. Oh my.

"I don't think Percy was the right person for me. We have nothing in common. We barely get past the formalities of a conversation. It didn't feel, right."

I turned to Oliver in that last sentence. We both eyed each before I continued my ascension up the stairs.

I was three steps away from the top. Then the walk to my room. Come on, Monty, I said to myself, you can do it.

"Wait."

Bugger.

Oliver ran up to me and stood in front of me. "There's more, isn't there?"

Was there? I thought about it, but I couldn't form a single sentence in my head that made sense. His cologne had assaulted my nostrils and it smelt so good.

"More? Do you think the reason for me not accepting Percy's proposal has something to do with you?" I laughed to cover up how weak that came out. "You do think of yourself high and mighty, don't you?"

I saw the emotions flicker over his face and it hurt me. The words stung him and it hurt me. "I'm sorry." I whispered as I tried stepping around him.

But Oliver took my arm, I followed his hand to his face and saw him staring at where I stood seconds ago.

"Monty. Tell me the truth."

He didn't buy it. Hell, I couldn't even convince myself and I was the one that said it.

I exhaled. "Fine. Percy wasn't the right one for me. But the rest of it is because of Cody."

"I thought we said,"

"I know what we said, but Cody plays a part in it too. I saw how hurt he was and he got me thinking. I can't leave him. He needs me. Between the pair of ya's, you both need me. It hurts me deeply about you replacing me. I know I'm replaceable, but I don't want to go."

"I don't see myself having a future with Percy. Percy was a distraction for me." I finished up. I couldn't look at him. I don't know why, but my head and eyes didn't want to look in to his grey eyes.

But at the same time, it felt so good to say that. I felt free, lighter. Like it was a truth I wasn't ready to admit to myself.

Oliver let me pass him as I headed to my room. I didn't hear him walk to his room or down the stairs as my hand reached for the door knob.

Then I gasped in surprise as I spun around forcefully and landed against the wall.

⭐⭐⭐Bonus Chapter⭐⭐⭐

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