Chapter 13 The Text From Dominic
My phone buzzed again.
New message.
Unknown number.
My stomach dropped slightly.
Because I had a very strong feeling I knew exactly who it was from.
Dominic Blackwood.
And something told me he was not going to find this situation nearly as funny as Sophie and Clara did.
I stared at the message like it might explode.
Then I opened it.
Unknown Number:
Come to my office.
That was it.
No hello.
No explanation.
Just... come to my office.
My brain immediately started panicking.
"Sophie," I said slowly into the phone.
"Yeah?" she replied.
"I think I'm about to get fired."
"What?!"
"He texted me."
"WHO?"
"Dominic."
Clara gasped dramatically in the background.
"Read the message!"
"I did."
"And??"
"He said come to my office."
There was a pause.
A very dramatic pause.
Then Sophie said,
"Oh."
Clara spoke next.
"That sounds serious."
"I know it sounds serious!"
I flopped back onto the bed.
"This is because of the pictures."
Sophie started laughing.
"Amelia you accidentally went viral with a billionaire's kid."
"I did NOT do it on purpose!"
"You look really cute in the pictures though."
"That is not helping!"
I rubbed my face.
"I am going downstairs now."
Clara sounded way too excited.
"Tell us if he yells at you."
"He probably will!"
"Or maybe he will confess his love."
I immediately hung up.
Nope.
Absolutely not.
I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror.
My hair was messy.
My expression looked slightly traumatized.
"Okay Amelia," I muttered.
"Deep breaths."
Then I paused.
Because another thought suddenly appeared in my head.
I was about to walk into Dominic Blackwood's office.
Dominic Blackwood.
The ridiculously handsome, always-frowning, scary billionaire.
I stared at my reflection.
"Why is he so attractive though."
Like seriously.
It was unfair.
No one should be allowed to look that good while also being that intimidating.
I shook my head quickly.
"Focus."
I fixed my hair a little and walked out of my room.
The hallway felt very quiet.
My phone buzzed again.
New message from Sophie.
SOPHIE:
If you marry him remember we knew you first.
I rolled my eyes.
ME:
I am going to be fired.
CLARA:
Update us if he proposes.
I shoved the phone in my pocket.
My friends were useless.
Completely useless.
When I reached Dominic's office door I stopped.
Okay.
Knocking.
Knocking is important.
Especially after the last time I accidentally walked in and he looked like he was about to fire someone just by breathing.
I knocked.
"Come in."
His voice was deep.
Calm.
Slightly intimidating.
I opened the door slowly.
And there he was.
Dominic Blackwood.
Standing behind his desk.
Dark suit.
Broad shoulders.
Perfect posture.
And that same serious expression he always had.
Also annoyingly handsome.
Like... unfairly handsome.
How does someone look like that before nine in the morning?
I stepped inside.
"Hi."
He looked at me.
Then at my phone which I immediately lifted like evidence in a courtroom.
"Before you say anything."
His eyebrow moved slightly.
"You have seen the articles."
"Yes."
I walked closer and put my phone on his desk.
"So apparently I am a mystery woman now."
He looked down at the screen.
Then back at me.
"They do not know who you are."
"Yes but they have theories."
His expression didn't change.
"I expected that."
I pointed dramatically at the screen.
"They think I am your girlfriend."
That got a reaction.
Not a big one.
But definitely something.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"They speculate."
I blinked at him.
"You say that like it is normal."
"It is."
"Being accused of dating your nanny?"
"They do not know you are the nanny."
Right.
Good point.
Still.
Thousands of people were apparently discussing my nonexistent relationship with the most intimidating man in London.
Very normal.
I crossed my arms.
"So... am I fired?"
Dominic looked genuinely confused.
"Why would you be fired?"
I gestured wildly at the phone again.
"Because the internet thinks we are secretly dating!"
"They do not know who you are."
"Still!"
For a moment he just looked at me.
Like he was studying me.
Which was slightly distracting because his eyes were very intense.
And also because he was very close.
And also because he smelled really nice.
Focus Amelia.
Focus.
"You did nothing wrong," he said finally.
I blinked.
"Oh."
My shoulders relaxed a little.
"Okay good because I really like this job."
A small pause followed.
Then Dominic said quietly,
"You made Noah laugh."
My heart softened instantly.
"He likes the swings."
"He does not usually laugh in public."
That made me pause.
"Oh."
Dominic glanced at the picture again.
The one where Noah was laughing on the swing.
Then he looked back at me.
"He talks more with you."
I nodded immediately.
"Yes!"
He looked surprised.
"Yes?"
"He talks a lot now."
Dominic's posture shifted slightly.
"A lot?"
"Full sentences."
That definitely caught his attention.
His eyes sharpened.
"Since when?"
"Yesterday."
For a moment he didn't speak.
And suddenly the room felt a little quieter.
Then a small voice appeared behind us.
"Amelia?"
We both turned.
Noah was standing in the doorway.
Still in his pajamas.
Hair messy.
Looking sleepy.
Dominic frowned slightly.
"You should be eating breakfast."
Noah ignored him completely.
He walked straight toward me.
Then grabbed my hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Where did you go?"
"I was talking to your uncle."
Noah looked up at Dominic.
Then back at me.
"Can we go to the park again?"
I laughed softly.
"You really like that park."
"Yes."
He tugged my hand.
"Please?"
I looked at Dominic.
He was watching the interaction very carefully.
Like he was noticing every single detail.
Then his eyes moved to me.
And for a split second something almost looked like amusement in them.
Very small.
Very quick.
But definitely there.
"Apparently," I said lightly, "I am now a public figure."
Dominic's eyebrow lifted slightly.
"You are not."
"The internet disagrees."
"Ignore the internet."
I tilted my head.
"Easy for you to say, Mr Billionaire."
That tiny spark of amusement appeared again.
And for the first time since I met him...
Dominic Blackwood almost looked like he might smile.
Almost.