The cab driver poked his head out, shouting in dialect, “Lady, you haven’t paid yet! It includes the speeding ticket!”
“I know!” Laura glared back. She fished out a few pink notes and threw them into the cab impatiently.
The cab driver got pissed. “Lady, you said that if I could follow that car, you would pay me one hundred thousand dollars!”
Laura sneered. “Why don’t you go rob a bank?”
“Are you going to go back on your word?” The pissed cab driver got out of the car, his tall build looking intimidating. In that remote location, Laura started to have kittens. Never mind how savage she was. At last, she still did not pay the cab driver one hundred thousand dollars, but she gave him all the cash she had.
Despite feeling disgruntled, thinking of getting to the young master of the Emerson family was enough to excite her.
…
Ava came out to receive her as soon as Summer arrived home. With her eyes smiling into thin lines, she looked very avuncular. Summer liked her very much, and she returned a smile.
“I’ll be out of town on a business trip tomorrow. I’ve got to pack up now.”
“Go. Dinner will be ready when Young Master comes home.”
“Okay.”
Summer was back in her room. Pulling out her luggage, she suddenly realized she did not know long the trip was going to take. Probably a week, she guessed. She went into the walk-in wardrobe, took enough clothes for a week, an extra jacket, and innerwear. Carrying everything to the bed, she bent down, starting to put them into the luggage. Just then, the door opened.
She looked back and saw Leonardo standing at the doorway. Smiling at him, she said, “You’re back!”
He came in, walking toward her. He then took her hand and put it to his shirt lapel, telling her to untie his tie. As if he was not afraid of the cold, he was wearing only a shirt and a jacket on the outside. Sometimes with an added overcoat at best, but most of the time, without one.
Summer was almost jealous of him. He could dress like a gentleman while she had to wrap herself up like a dumpling. So she playfully pulled his tie tighter against his neck. There was no emotion on his stony face, but she could sense he was not angry.
Leonardo smacked her hand and gave her an unintimidating warning. Summer pouted and took off his tie. Reaching out his hand to the back of her to support her, he came down with a kiss on her lips, then said with his sexy low voice, “This is your reward.”
She rolled her eyes as if saying that she would rather kiss the dog.
He seemed to get worked up this time, giving her a fiercer kiss this time. “I heard you have a trip coming up.”
This man was fast. She had just mentioned it to Ava a while ago. Nodding as she fiddled with a button on his jacket, she said, “Yeah, Grandpa called and asked me to go with him. It must be a last-minute decision. We’ll be leaving tomorrow.”
Leonardo listened but said nothing, his eyes widening as if something was going on in his mind.
“What are you thinking about? Summer jabbed his chest with her finger.
He arrested her runaway finger, saying in a low voice, “Don’t worry. At least your grandpa’s smarter than Lynn.”
Smart people did not do stupid things. It did not matter why Alexander wanted to go with Summer on a business trip. One thing was sure, Alexander was going to bring her home safe and sound. The other Jarretts still thought he was “Douglas”, but Alexander knew he was Leonardo. The purpose he came home with Summer for lunch that day was to send a message. He was telling Alexander that Summer was his wife and part of the Emerson family, that they had better get wise to it and stop doing something stupid to challenge the Emerson family.
Summer shot him a look. “You found out again!”
Patting her head, his eyes landed on the pile of clothes on the bed. He picked up the overcoat, looking down at her. “This thin?”
Summer pulled at the jacket he was wearing, mimicking his tone of voice, “This thin?”
He nearly choked himself. “I am a man. Man is not afraid of the cold.” While speaking, he went into the wardrobe and came out with a down jacket.
Oh gosh, not again! Her mouth twitched. She nearly could not stand him. “I’m not afraid of the cold, too!” She rebuffed. She was a twenty-something woman. Could he not see that? Wearing an overcoat over a dress was pretty!
Leonardo still ignored her, folding the down jacket, and then he stuffed it into her luggage before putting in the rest of her stuff. Everything was well organized and down to a fine art. He must have done it a thousand times over.
Summer looked in awe like a kid seeing an airplane for the first time. “You pack luggage like an expert!” Leonardo was the young master of the Emerson family, yet he knew how to carry out this “chore”. She remembered when she was living with the Jarrett family, it was the maid or Karen who did it for Vicky.
“I’ve been doing this all along.” Leonardo said as he went into the bathroom for her toiletries.
“I can do that!” Summer ran after him.
Leonardo glanced at her with a half-smile, stepping aside to let her go on with it.
She now realized how little she knew about him. She thought he was an overbearing and fickle lad. But his luggage skill really impressed her. Things seemed so right now that Summer thought the conversation could go deeper.
“Who taught you that?” she asked.
Leonardo was silent for a moment. He then said, “My mom.”
Summer was transfixed for a while, realizing she had touched on something she was not supposed to ask. She felt so sorry, and it showed on her face. She became silent, not knowing what to say.
“What is this expression?” Leonardo reached to pinch her cheek, his voice calm. “No one had dared to mention my mom in front of me. But sometimes, I wish they would mention her. It was a long time ago. People would forget her, and those who killed her are still at large, living a good life. How unjust.”
Looking at Leonardo, Summer felt sorry for him. She wanted to cuddle him, and she did just that. Leonardo bent over, burying his face in her shoulder and sniffing her. He tightened his arms.
“You can refuse Alexander’s request and choose not to go on the trip.”