Who's Your Boss? (Original Version) Revised version available in eBook/paperback

Chapter 15

Thank you for your support. Hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

(Reed)

A few minutes after two o'clock, the following afternoon, the driver pulled up in front of the house and brought the SUV to a stop. I thanked him for driving Winnie and me home and then informed him that I would get the bags. Winnie and I got out and I moved toward the back of the vehicle. I opened the hatch and seized the bags from the cargo hold.

"I'll take mine," Winnie said.

 "It's heavy," I warned her. "Are you sure?"

"Give me the bag, Drummond," she growled softly.

Grinning, I passed her the suitcase and closed the overhead door. I followed her across the yard and up the steps, retrieving my keys from the pocket of my jacket. I found the correct key on the ring and unlocked the door. Leading the way inside, I quickly deactivated the alarm and set my suitcase down.

"Well." Winnie put her bag down at her feet and grabbed handfuls of my jacket. She pulled me toward her and rose up on her tiptoes, kissing me on the mouth. "I'm sure you have some business to take care of and I have things I need to do, so I'm going to go."

"What do you need to do?" I asked, not ready to let her leave yet.

"I have some calls to make and errands to run," she answered. "Also I thought I would drop by the stables and check on Clancy." She winked at me. "You want to come with me?"

"Uh-no." I felt something brush against my leg and looked down. It was Starbucks. "Look who came to welcome us home."

"Starbucks." Winnie knelt down and scooped up the kitten. She rubbed her cheek against the top of his head. "Were you a good boy while we were gone?" she whispered to him.

"Probably not," I said wryly.

"You know," she muttered. "You never told me why you named him Starbucks."

"I was at Starbucks one day getting a cup of coffee and saw this woman giving away kittens," I explained, scratching the kitten on the back. "I had been thinking about getting a pet for a while so I took him. I was trying to come up with a name and decided on naming him after the place where I got him."

"Why a cat?" Winnie wanted to know. "You seem more like a dog person."

"Cats are easier to take care of," I pointed out. "You don't have to walk them."

"True." She handed me the kitten, pressed a kiss to my cheek, and picked up her suitcase. "I will see you later."

"I'm looking forward to it." Once she left, I glanced down at Starbucks. "I guess it's just you and me, little guy." I shook my head and sighed. I was talking to an animal.

"You're late," Mark snapped.

I glanced at my watch. It was one minute after eight. "I'm only a minute late. What do you want?"

He smirked. "Think about it."

"I'm not in the mood to play your game, Mark." I glared at him. "Just tell me what you want."

"Alright." He moved the receiver to his other ear. "I had a little talk with mother yesterday when she came to visit me. She told me that Winifred has decided not to come and see me anymore. That won't do. I want to see her, Reed, and I'm going to. You can't keep-"