Seducing Mr. Grumpy

10. One step forward, two steps back. [Part 1]

Summer Cooper’s message vault to Dominic Pauls:

Dear Nic,

Today is my birthday.

I’m alone, but my heart is full of pride for everything I’ve achieved. There’s only one candle to blow out, lighting up the dulce de leche muffin I baked—your favorite.

I wish you'd reply to this message…

With love,

Summer.

---

10. One step forward, two steps back.

Summer.

I try not to laugh at the things Maggie says, but it’s impossible. I don’t know if she doesn’t realize it or simply doesn’t care that I know her intentions, but it’s so obvious she’s trying to set me up with her grandson.

“I’m telling you, sweetheart, his ex-wife didn’t know what she had. My George is such a good man,” she says, watching me pack things away.

"And very handsome," I said, earning a smile from her.

"Oh, he's quite the charmer," she chuckles as I put away the fruit custard tart we made today. "Where are you taking that, sweetheart?"

“I’m bringing it to a friend,” I say, snapping the lid onto the Tupperware container and carefully slipping it into my bag. “Who are you giving yours to?”

“This?” She points to her half-eaten tart. “It’ll be all gone by tonight—I’m eating the whole thing myself.”

I let out a giggle.

“You should take care of yourself.”

“Nothing can bring down this old lady. Not even a sugar rush.” We walk out together and I offer her my arm for support. “And this friend of yours—he the same one you live with?”

“Nic, yeah.”

“Mmm…” She falls quiet for a few seconds, which can’t be a good sign. “I bet my grandson’s better looking.”

I burst out laughing. This woman is truly one of a kind.

“Maggie, you’re amazing. Never change.”

“I don’t plan to.” She pats my arm affectionately. “So, what do you say? You coming with us to Lewes?”

Her grandson has a cabin in Lewes and they’re going there for the weekend. They invited me, and even though I already told Maggie I’d join them, she still asks me every day. I guess she thinks I’ll cancel at any moment. Truth is, I’m actually excited. I need to get out of the city for a bit, breathe in some fresh air, rest in nature.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” I tell her honestly.

I spot her grandson, George, waiting in the car outside, so I wave and he waves back. Maggie looks thrilled by our clumsy interaction, and I just shake my head, smiling at her obvious matchmaking efforts.

“See you tomorrow,” I say, waving goodbye to the sweet old lady.

Then I head to the metro station, on my way to Nic’s company. The whole ride there, I guard my bag like a treasure chest, making sure the tart doesn’t get ruined. It arrives in perfect condition.

“Summer,” Nic’s assistant greets me with a smile when she sees me, but right away I can tell she’s flustered—maybe even worried.

“Is something wrong?”

“Today’s not the best day,” she says, sifting through papers on her desk. “Crisis mode.”

“Oh... but is Nic here? Did he have lunch?”

“Every day, I leave lunch on his desk, just like you asked. Without fail.”

“And he hasn’t fired you?”

“He knows I’m your protégé now. I’m basically untouchable.”

I laugh and point toward Nic’s office to let her know I’m going in. When I walk in, I notice he looks even more swamped than Laney. But unlike her, there’s a storm cloud of anger hovering over him. He senses me enter, but pretends not to see me—keeps talking on the phone and typing away.

I set my bag down in the elegant sitting area of his office and place the tart on the table. Then I head to the break room to get plates and cutlery, and come back. Nic’s now standing in front of the glass wall overlooking the city, almost yelling into the phone. He’s not rude in his words, but his tone? Brutal. This man is a full-blown business shark.

I sink into one of the plush armchairs and pull out my phone to chat with my friends in our group chat.

Elma: Sum, is he still ignoring you?

Nela: Dominic doesn’t sound like someone I’d want to meet. Why are you wasting your time on him?

Pablo: I say you kick his ass.

I snap a picture of the tart and send it to them, proud of my work. They instantly flood me with compliments and demand a delivery. That’d be tough—Elma lives in Australia, Nela in Norway, and Pablo in Brazil—but I love them for the thought.

Summer: Love you guys.

“Who are you sending pictures to?”

“Jesus, Nic!” I shriek, nearly dropping my phone in my lap. “You scared me.”

He raises an eyebrow, silently waiting for my answer. Then he waves it off, like it doesn’t matter, and goes back to his phone, his thumbs flying like a man possessed.

I sigh.

Dominic hasn’t exactly been avoiding me, but I can’t deny he’s been ignoring me. I know his routine by now and try to be around whenever I can. In the mornings, when he hits the gym in the apartment; at night, when he’s working in his study and I sit nearby with a book… but it’s all useless. He doesn’t speak to me. No matter how much I try to crack his shell, he shuts me out. We’re practically strangers sharing the same roof. Even when he drives me to pastry school every morning, all I get is a dry “have a good one.”

Yeah, we had a heated argument over a week ago, but since he insisted on sleeping next to me that night, I thought it meant peace had been declared.

I was wrong.

“I brought you the tart I made in class. Want me to serve you a slice?”

“This isn’t the best time.” He rubs his face harshly, looking completely stressed out.

“Do you have a migraine?”

“I’m fine, Summer,” he snaps. “It’s enough that you monitor my lunches—you basically turned Laney into my babysitter. I don’t need you checking up on my headaches too.”

“It’s not a crime to care.”

And honestly, it wasn’t easy putting together that list of his favorite meals. Nic is a picky eater, even more so than I expected. Giving that list to Laney took serious effort. The only way to get him to eat properly is to offer what he actually likes. Sounds easy. It’s not.

A knock at the door interrupts him before he can respond.

“Come in!” he barks.

An elegantly dressed blonde woman with legs for days and a magazine-cover face walks in. She’s so beautiful I wonder if she’s a model. Then she walks up to Nic, pointing at her tablet.

“Look, social media’s blowing up. That girl is seriously damaging us, Dom.”

“s**t,” Nic mutters, dragging a hand over his jaw—and I notice the light stubble he’s growing.

It suits him.

I go back to my seat, trying to focus on my phone, scrolling through comments and watching old videos. But I can’t help listening in.

Nic’s company launched a new line of jeans, and a fashion influencer posted a negative review that’s tanking sales. They suspect it’s a sabotage move from a competitor, but they have no way to prove it. And even if they did, repairing the damage to their reputation would be tough. Once a rumor spreads online, scrubbing it out is nearly impossible—convincing people of the opposite? Even harder.

[1/2]