You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 736

"What's wrong? You've barely said a word since we got in the car."

Inside the Bentley, Oliver kept his gaze on the passing city lights. Whatever was on his mind, he wasn't sharing. Only when Patricia spoke did he finally look away from the window.

"It's nothing." His answer was short, and the rest of the ride slipped by in silence.

Patricia couldn't figure him out. He'd been fine at dinner, laughing and talking like always, but now he seemed miles away.

When they got home at Cloud Peak, Patricia chatted with Marian for a bit downstairs, then escaped upstairs for a bath.

In the study, Oliver stood by the big window, hands in his pockets. Benji stood behind him, careful and precise as he reported on Patricia's day, right down to the details of her meeting with Theo.

"They met for twelve minutes. It was a quick talk at a coffee shop. The photo came from a waiter who almost bumped into Mrs. Martin. Mr. Newton reached out to keep her from being hit."

"She left right after and went back to the office." Benji kept it simple, making sure nothing he said could be misunderstood. It was just a meeting. Even if it was her ex, what could possibly happen in a coffee shop in that little time? But he would never say that out loud. That would be telling his boss not to worry, that he was overthinking things. They'd argued about this before. They'd only just made up, and now it felt like another fight was waiting to happen.

"Where's the footage?"

Benji quietly handed over the tablet.

When did Oliver start getting worked up? Maybe it was when he saw Patricia cut his call, not even hesitating. He had been worried about her, thinking about her, but what about her?

"When did Theo get back?" Oliver asked.

Aiden answered, "Mr. Newton landed at Riverdale at eleven thirty this morning. He went straight to Martin Group from the airport. He hasn't booked his flight home yet."

She stood up and undid her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders. He took the towel and started drying her hair gently.

Patricia glanced at him, searching his face. "You're acting weird. Did I do something to upset you?"

Oliver let out a soft laugh, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Did you do anything to upset me, Pattie?"

Was he testing her? Patricia's lips twitched, almost a smile.

"Well, do you think I did?" She shot the question right back.

Oliver looked at her, his eyes calm, but the familiar tenderness wasn't there. The way he looked at her made Patricia feel like a kid who'd just been caught in a lie.