You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 610

She kept saying it was no big deal, but inside, she was grumbling the whole time.

After hanging up, Patricia sat there for a while, staring at her phone before finally dialing Jackson.

“I need you to take Marian and Aiden over to Chelsea’s place. If any of Chelsea’s packages ended up at Mr. McKee’s, grab those too, okay?”

Jackson was in the middle of a workout and wiped sweat from his forehead before answering. “It’s just picking up a few packages. Do we really need a whole crew for this? I can handle it myself.”

Less than thirty minutes later, Jackson found himself standing at Hector’s front door, the two of them locking eyes. Between them was a literal mountain of packages. Across the pile, he caught Taylor’s gaze.

No one said a word at first.

Hector looked completely unfazed, just watching him with cool detachment.

Then he asked, almost politely, “You came alone?”

Jackson stared at the boxes, at a total loss. “I’ll call for backup.”

He wasn’t about to play the hero. Moving that many packages was basically asking for a back injury.

Luckily Marian and Aiden showed up fast.

Most mornings at Cloud Peak, Marian would be the one serving breakfast. There was no real reason—Patricia just liked having her around.

Marian would hover nearby while she and Oliver ate and chatted.

But today was different. Marian was nowhere in sight.

At the table, Oliver called Johns over and asked where Marian had gone.

Patricia finally looked up. “She went over to Chelsea’s.”

“Chelsea’s back?” Oliver asked.

“No, Mr. McKee called you this morning, but I picked up. He said Chelsea’s packages accidentally went to his place, so I sent Jackson and Marian over to get them—and help clean up a bit.”

There was the faintest crease in Oliver’s brow. He just nodded and said, “Let’s eat.”

After breakfast, Oliver headed upstairs to get changed.

Patricia followed, picking out a tie for him—a deep black jacquard one she’d given him last month.

Oliver looked down at her, watching her fingers move as she fixed his tie. Something inside him softened in a way he couldn’t explain.

He pulled Patricia up onto the island in the walk-in closet, his hands firm on her waist.

Patricia froze, startled, her hands pausing mid-tie. The half-tied knot dangled loose around his neck.

Mr. Padilla gave her waist a gentle squeeze and murmured, “Go on.”

For a second, Patricia wondered what she’d done wrong. Was he mad because she’d answered his call? Had she crossed a line?

“What’s wrong?” she asked quietly.

Oliver looked away. “Nothing.”

He honestly didn’t know why that wave of jealousy hit. All he could picture was Patricia, gentle and peaceful, tying his tie—and the idea of her doing that for anyone else made him lose it a little.

That’s why the question had just slipped out.

Patricia finished the knot. Oliver set her down, then gave her a reassuring pat on the back. “Don’t overthink it.”

Patricia nodded, changing her clothes and getting ready to go out.

The whole way over, Jackson wouldn’t stop complaining about Chelsea’s endless packages.

For once, Aiden actually joined in from the passenger seat, backing him up.

Usually, Jackson was the only one grumbling, but today, it was a double act.

Patricia was off in her own world, replaying Oliver’s question from earlier. She only caught half of their conversation.

It wasn’t until Jackson called her name that Patricia snapped out of it, leaning her head on her hand and sighing. “Is it really that bad?”