a brick and my father is not much better. Even after seeing Arthur with you yesterday, they gave it another try this morning. Spend the day together, have fun, you must have a lot to talk about, and blah blah blah…But you have nothing to worry about. Arthur is obviously totally smitten with you and I need someone who can take pieces of advice here and there without considering his manhood is being injured…”
“Good luck with that.” Arthur grunted, uncertain of which part had bothered him the most: the “totally smitten” absurdity or the fact that Isobel had accused him of machismo. He also didn’t like the amused spark in Maya’s eyes. The hilarity, however, flew away when his hand settled on the small of her back, as he escorted her inside the elevator.
Of course it was pride which drove him to do so, only pride. As they started moving up, Arthur kept his arm around her just for the satisfaction of feeling her discomfort.
The constant questioning about the Foundation and its management were more than enough to distract her without the need to add Arthur’s hand brushing on her back. Maya moved slightly to shake it off.
“By the way, what were the papers Arthur had to handle back in your office?”
Arthur gulped some inexistent saliva, momentarily taken aback. He should have remembered that Isobel was not just a pretty face, but her father’s daughter, observant and cunning. Maya turned to the blonde, gracefully pushing her braid off her shoulder. The movement recaptured his attention momentarily.
“Arthur is Matthew’s guardian angel...The Foundation can’t rely only on the revenue from our financial investments, even if we are doing pretty well. Donations are always welcomed, especially at this time of the year. Pendletons & Associates have been particularly generous this year…”
He swallowed again. Her hand was now locked around his elbow, and Maya was looking at him with big shiny eyes.
His “girlfriend” had spoken nothing but the truth; still, she had twisted it a little so suspicion was diverted and then added some comedy for good measure. She even sounded admiring. Arthur took a mental note to remember she could act quite well.
Isobel grinned, “I’d say Arthur had ulterior motives when he suggested the Foundation be awarded a P&A donation.”
Maya tightened her grip on his arm. He suggested the Foundation be awarded a donation? Not likely… Just a façade, Maya… Keep it up. “I really don’t know what makes you say that.”
The blonde woman just giggled and Maya sighed internally.
The eight-year-old boy was alone; his roommate was in the playroom. Matthew glanced up immediately when they entered and smiled at Maya. She walked briskly to his bed and sat there, taking him into her arms.
“Hi…You’re going to see some doctors this morning.”
The boy stiffened and hugged his horse tightly. Maya caressed his head gently.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ll join you very soon, but I have some things to do first. Arthur will be with you in the meantime. You remember him? He is my friend.”
Matthew nodded silently, his clear eyes moving to Arthur while he cuddled against the young woman. Maya kissed his hair and rested her cheek on his head.
“You’ll be good, and we’ll talk more about your wish this afternoon, okay?”
The lovely picture brought a gentle smile to Isobel’s features. She peeked at Arthur, who was stoically looking at them.
“Who is the boy?”
“Matthew is an orphan.”
“Maya seems to care about him a great deal.”
“Yes, she does.”
She paused and asked, “What is so special about her, Arthur? You’re generally not so cautious around women.”
He turned his full attention back to the blonde, with the sickening feeling that she was seeing right through him. Arthur crooked an eyebrow in a silent dare but Isobel refused to recoil.
“You’d better know what you’re doing. She’s completely out of your league and…”
“I
“Good luck with that.” Arthur grunted, uncertain of which part had bothered him the most: the “totally smitten” absurdity or the fact that Isobel had accused him of machismo. He also didn’t like the amused spark in Maya’s eyes. The hilarity, however, flew away when his hand settled on the small of her back, as he escorted her inside the elevator.
Of course it was pride which drove him to do so, only pride. As they started moving up, Arthur kept his arm around her just for the satisfaction of feeling her discomfort.
The constant questioning about the Foundation and its management were more than enough to distract her without the need to add Arthur’s hand brushing on her back. Maya moved slightly to shake it off.
“By the way, what were the papers Arthur had to handle back in your office?”
Arthur gulped some inexistent saliva, momentarily taken aback. He should have remembered that Isobel was not just a pretty face, but her father’s daughter, observant and cunning. Maya turned to the blonde, gracefully pushing her braid off her shoulder. The movement recaptured his attention momentarily.
“Arthur is Matthew’s guardian angel...The Foundation can’t rely only on the revenue from our financial investments, even if we are doing pretty well. Donations are always welcomed, especially at this time of the year. Pendletons & Associates have been particularly generous this year…”
He swallowed again. Her hand was now locked around his elbow, and Maya was looking at him with big shiny eyes.
His “girlfriend” had spoken nothing but the truth; still, she had twisted it a little so suspicion was diverted and then added some comedy for good measure. She even sounded admiring. Arthur took a mental note to remember she could act quite well.
Isobel grinned, “I’d say Arthur had ulterior motives when he suggested the Foundation be awarded a P&A donation.”
Maya tightened her grip on his arm. He suggested the Foundation be awarded a donation? Not likely… Just a façade, Maya… Keep it up. “I really don’t know what makes you say that.”
The blonde woman just giggled and Maya sighed internally.
The eight-year-old boy was alone; his roommate was in the playroom. Matthew glanced up immediately when they entered and smiled at Maya. She walked briskly to his bed and sat there, taking him into her arms.
“Hi…You’re going to see some doctors this morning.”
The boy stiffened and hugged his horse tightly. Maya caressed his head gently.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ll join you very soon, but I have some things to do first. Arthur will be with you in the meantime. You remember him? He is my friend.”
Matthew nodded silently, his clear eyes moving to Arthur while he cuddled against the young woman. Maya kissed his hair and rested her cheek on his head.
“You’ll be good, and we’ll talk more about your wish this afternoon, okay?”
The lovely picture brought a gentle smile to Isobel’s features. She peeked at Arthur, who was stoically looking at them.
“Who is the boy?”
“Matthew is an orphan.”
“Maya seems to care about him a great deal.”
“Yes, she does.”
She paused and asked, “What is so special about her, Arthur? You’re generally not so cautious around women.”
He turned his full attention back to the blonde, with the sickening feeling that she was seeing right through him. Arthur crooked an eyebrow in a silent dare but Isobel refused to recoil.
“You’d better know what you’re doing. She’s completely out of your league and…”
“I
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