Seducing Mr. Grumpy

5. Never say never.

Summer Cooper’s message vault to Dominic Pauls:

One of my favourite childhood memories is the day you saw the dulce de leche muffin I’d made, ate it without realising it was mine—and smiled. That was the first time I saw you smile. The first time I felt something like love for you.

Sincerely, a nostalgic Summer.

---

5. Never say never.

Dominic.

The next morning, when I wake up, there's no trace of Summer in the flat, so I assume she’s still asleep. I slip out quietly to avoid waking her—God forbid she pulls one of her chaotic stunts this early in the day—and head to work.

Armed with enough coffee to survive, I bury myself in back-to-back meetings, contracts, and the latest marketing strategy, since the previous one clearly missed the mark. Around lunch, Laney asks if I want her to order something to eat, but I wave her off and tell her I need to be alone.

I’m ignoring the world when Archie strolls into my office like he owns the damn place. The i***t has the audacity to prop his filthy shoes on my desk, unwrap a sandwich, and start eating it with the most obnoxious slurping sounds known to man.

I lift my eyes just enough to let my glare do the talking. I’m in a foul mood, and he knows it.

"Don’t you have anything to do?" I ask, turning back to my screen. "You’re my Chief Operating Officer, not a drifter. You’re not immune to getting sacked, you know?"

"It’s lunch hour, mate. Not all of us survive on thin air like you do."

I ignore him. Unlike him, I actually run this company. I carry my family’s legacy on my back—a multinational clothing brand present in over seventeen countries. And it’s not just about my family. It’s about the families of every single one of my employees who rely on this place staying afloat.

He keeps chewing like a cow, which is barely tolerable, but when he starts sucking down his drink like a toddler with a juice box, I snap.

I grab the small glass company logo from my desk and chuck it at him. He catches it mid-air, saving himself a cracked rib.

"You know you could get sued for workplace violence?"

"Get your grimy feet off my desk."

"Christ, you’re worse than usual today, Dom."

I growl but return to my screen, where more important things await.

"Did you at least get a few hours of sleep?" he asks, then suddenly remembers. "Oh, right. Last night was that meeting with the investors. I forgot how much of a pain in the arse you are when you're sleep-deprived."

"Is there an actual reason you're here? Or are you just here to be a pain?"

"Honestly... not really," he says, the smile in his voice crystal clear. "Just the simple pleasure of watching you unravel."

Laney calls before I can tell him off.

"Speak," I answer the phone.

"Sir, there’s a girl here asking to see you. Summer... what's your last name again?" Then I hear her voice faintly—“Cooper”—and I grit my teeth.

"Tell her to piss off."

I hang up, only for the bloody phone to ring again three seconds later.

Jesus Christ.

"She says she won’t leave until she sees you."

I rub my temple, feeling the start of a very real headache.

I sigh. "Let her in."

"Who’s coming?" Archie asks.

I don’t answer. Just keep my eyes on the screen. When the door opens and Summer walks in, I still don’t look up, but unfortunately, I have ears. And those two start making noise the second they spot each other.

"Summer!" Archie sounds genuinely surprised. "Well, love, if I’d known you were coming, I’d have rolled out the red carpet."

"Archie Robertson. Still a flirt, I see."

"And still handsome?"

"Not as much as you’d hope."

"Ouch." I can almost see him clutching his chest dramatically. "So, when did you get back?"

"Yesterday..." Her gaze is heavy on me. "Nic, you didn’t tell him?"

"Why would I?" I reply without looking.

"He’s your best friend. Don’t you talk about important things?"

"‘Important’ being the operative word."

"God, you’re insufferable."

"Ignore him," Archie says to her. "He gets like this when he hasn’t slept."

"Only when he hasn’t slept?"

Archie laughs and throws an arm around her shoulders, guiding her to sit beside him. She does, smiling up at him. I’d forgotten how close they used to be. Time hasn’t changed that.

I try to focus on the new ideas from marketing, but their constant laughter and chatter make it impossible. I push back my chair and stare at them, raising an eyebrow to signal just how irritating they are.

Now I’ve got two of them. Brilliant.

Summer is the first to notice.

"Oh, you're done!" she says brightly. "Don’t be mad at Laney—I was very persuasive. I heard you skipped lunch today. Apparently, it’s a bit of a habit, so I thought I’d bring you something. Just a little thank-you for yesterday."

She pulls out several brightly coloured Tupperware containers and sets them carefully on my desk. When she opens them, the smell of food hits me like a wave. Shredded pork with roasted vegetables. Four dulce de leche muffins—the same ones she’s always made for me.

"You didn’t have to do this," I admit. "But thanks."

"You’re welcome." She places a mandarin drink beside the containers, then rummages through her bag with a frown. "I forgot the cutlery. Where can I get some?"

"Since you and Laney are best mates now, ask her."

She does. The second she’s out of the room, I pinch off a piece of muffin and pop it into my mouth. She’d have insisted I save it for dessert.

Archie’s watching me with an annoying little smirk.

"What?" I snap.

"Summer Cooper, huh?"

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing." He raises his hands. "Just… for a second there, you two looked like a married couple."

I roll my eyes. "You know what she’s like."

"And I know what you’re like. Which is why I still don’t understand why she bothers with you."

I shrug. No clue. "She likes me."

"No one likes you. You don’t even have a heart."

"Let me cry about that over the millions I make every day."

"Arrogant bastard," he mutters, then asks, more seriously, "So, what’s she thanking you for?"

"She’s staying with me for a while."

"Oh no. That’s a recipe for disaster."

"I know. Living with her will be hard."

"Actually, the opposite. Living with you will be hell."

I wave him off. No point arguing.

Why is she taking so long with the cutlery? I’m this close to eating with my hands.

"Does Summer have a boyfriend?" he asks suddenly.

"How would I know?"

"You didn’t ask?"

"Why would I ask?"

"Oh, I don’t know. To make sure some angry bloke doesn’t show up at your door when he finds out you're sharing a bed with his girlfriend?"

"We’re not sharing a bed."

Seriously, what’s taking her so long?

"How long’s she staying?"

"I don’t know," I growl. "Jesus, Archie, what’s with the bloody interrogation?"

He stares at me, then leans in with genuine concern. "I don’t know, Dom. But you’ve spent your whole life running from this girl. You never liked her. And now suddenly, she’s living under your roof. Are you sure there isn’t something you’re not telling me?"

It takes a second for his meaning to sink in—and when it does, rage shoots straight to my head. This bastard. If he were any closer, I’d punch him.

"I’m not trying to sleep with her, if that’s what you think," I growl, genuinely pissed off. "And who the hell do you think I am? I’d never take advantage of her. Of any woman. And you know that."

The regret in his eyes tells me he knows he crossed a line. But still…

"So why is she staying with you?"

I’m not about to share Summer’s past trauma. That’s not my story to tell. I just shrug. Let him believe what he wants. To hell with him.

When he sees I’m seriously pissed off, he softens a little. "Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything. I’ve just always had a soft spot for her. She’s so damn sweet, and you… well, you can be a right bastard to her. I just don’t want you to hurt her."

"I’m not a monster."

"No, but you can be a proper arsehole."

He’s only making my mood worse.

Thankfully, Summer returns with the cutlery—blissfully unaware of the tension hanging in the room.

I start eating with more enthusiasm than I care to admit. It’s been forever since I had anything remotely homemade, and this has all the signs of something she cooked herself. I honestly can’t remember the last time I ate this well—maybe last night with that ridiculous sandwich she made—but before that? Could’ve gone months without touching a proper home-cooked meal.

My mom used to invite my sister and me over for dinner all the time, but ever since she left on a world cruise with Dad, it's been months since I last tasted one of her dishes.

In any case, having a full stomach eases my stress, soothes my headache, and lightens my mood a little.

Once everything is clean and covered, I walk over to Summer to take her big bag from her. She smiles at me, and I start putting away her Tupperware containers while listening in on her conversation with Archie.

“No, last time I was in a small town in Germany,” she’s saying.

“Gone off big cities then?” Archie asks.

“I don’t mind them,” she replies, “but I find it more fun to visit lesser-known places. Bring a little attention to them, help get more tourists to discover what they have to offer.”

“Helping the local economy, then?”

“Something like that,” she says, a bit sheepishly. “It’s not a big deal. Just... my way of contributing a little something to the world.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Archie says. “Dom—did you know her Tik.Tok has over fifteen million followers?”

Wait—what?

I glance at her, genuinely caught off guard.

“And don’t even get me started on how many she has on Insta.gram,” he goes on. “Raising awareness for those small towns must be amazing for the people who live there. And it’s not like you’re spotlighting Michelin-star places—you’re boosting small, family-owned businesses. I bet they grow because of you. You’ve got real influence, Sum.”

I grab one of the mini muffins and sit down next to them, chewing slowly as I study the look on Summer’s face. She’s clearly embarrassed, unsure how to take the compliment.

Truth is, I know almost nothing about her job. I’ve never even bothered to look her up online. Which, yeah, makes me feel like an arse—especially considering how much she’s always cared about me.

Maybe I’ve been unfair, judging her choices from the outside.

But still—grabbing a camera and wandering around random towns doesn’t exactly strike me as a career path. Especially not when her father has a perfectly good company she could’ve taken over. The last I heard, Aaron’s selling the business to a Russian conglomerate. Which feels like a waste, if I’m honest. But the man wants to spend all his time with his wife now—one of those absurd things love makes people do.

“I’m starting pastry school tomorrow,” Summer says suddenly. “Seems like the right time to give that a go. Taking a little break from social media too.”

I file that away for later. She’s definitely lying about the reason for her ‘break.’ I’m not an i***t—I know it has to do with what happened to her. The thing she refuses to talk about.

And I keep wondering just how bad it must’ve been, for her to give up something she’s always seemed so passionate about.

“And you two?” she asks, shifting the topic. “What have you been up to these past five years?”

“The usual,” Archie replies with a grin. “This i***t glued to his job, and me—well, working my way through whichever woman comes next.”

“Disgusting,” I mutter.

“Have you seriously not had one proper relationship?”

Archie isn't as much of a womanizer as he likes to pretend—he's actually pretty decent, to be honest. But he runs from relationships. He only has friends with benefits, and none of them last more than two months. I, on the other hand...

I sigh as they both turn their eyes on me, waiting for a response.

“I’m engaged—to my company. That’s more than enough responsibility, thanks.”

“No serious girlfriend, Nic?” Summer asks, clearly surprised.

“I’m not a monk, if that’s what you’re implying,” I tell her.

“When’s the last time you had s*x, Dom?” Archie chimes in, grinning like a devil. “Because if I remember right, wasn’t it that blonde—what—six months ago?”

Summer laughs, watching us like we’re some bizarre comedy show.

"Is it normal for you two to be this aware of each other's s*x lives?"

"See this man?" Archie asks her. "In what world do you think Dominic could get a woman on his own? I'm always the one doing all the work—if it weren't for me, he’d never fuck."

I glare at him for being so crass in front of her, but Summer just laughs again, clearly amused.

“Glad my s*x life entertains you, Summer,” I say flatly.

Unfortunately, he’s not lying. I don’t have the patience to charm a woman—nor the time, or the interest. So it’s usually Archie’s hookup’s friends that end up in my bed. Women who already know what I want and aren’t looking for anything more than a night to blow off some steam.

Unromantic? I guess. But being in a relationship has never been part of my plan.

“And you, Summer?” Archie asks.

I roll my eyes. Of course he’d be the one to ask a woman about her s*x life like it’s nothing.

“Out,” I say, pointing at the door. “That’s enough of your presence for one day.”

He stands, hands raised in mock surrender.

“Alright, alright. Don’t go disappearing again, Sum.”

She stands and gives him a tight hug. While she’s wrapped in his arms, the bastard flips me off behind her back like we’re still uni students and he’s just beat me at a basketball game.

I let out a small laugh, amused, but my expression shifts when I catch the soft smile Summer gives me the moment Archie walks away.

“What?” I ask.

“I forgot how old-fashioned you can be. Did you know it’s perfectly normal now for women to talk openly about their s*x lives? It’s not taboo anymore, Mr. Nineteenth Century.”

“I know,” I say. “I just didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable—it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Alright, fine. I have old man tendencies. Sue me.”

The musical sound of her laughter echoes through my office, and I shake my head, taking a sip of my drink to keep myself from saying anything else.

“Want me to call you an Uber?” I ask when she stands up.

“No, I want to walk a bit.”

“In this weather?” I nod toward the gloomy grey outside.

“It’s perfect.”

She’s insane.

I reach for another muffin and slowly peel off the paper before taking a bite, savoring it. This damn thing is so delicious—even at the tender age of eight, she was the best at making them.

"I’ve always liked the way you take your time eating my muffins. You savor them, Nic."

"They’re good."

"They’re my favorites too."

We smile at each other without looking away, and I watch as her cheeks gradually flush a deep red, making her look younger than her twenty-three years. This girl—she really wears her heart on her sleeve.

“I’m leaving now, Nic,” she announces dramatically, then moves as if to hug me. I place two fingers on her forehead and gently push her back.

“Go already.”

“One day, you’ll beg me for one of these hugs. You’ll see.”

“Never.”

She steps out the door, then pops her head back in with a grin and sings, “Never say never, Nic.”