“Holy crap!” she exclaims, making me laugh. She’s a breath of fresh air. It’s refreshing to be around someone who appreciates these things.
“Let me show you to the guest room,” I say, leading her down the long hall and stopping in front of said guest room. Opening the door, I motion for her to enter.
“Oh my god! This is stunning!” She gasps, running her hand along the feather duvet on the king size bed. With white bedding and white walls, there’s a feature red wall to bring some colour into the otherwise plain space. A dressing table sits opposite the bed and a wardrobe and chest of drawers are at the back of the room next to the door to the en suite bathroom.
Chuckling I say, “I’m glad you approve. The bathroom is through there. Would you like a drink or anything?”
“No, thank you. I’m ready to pass out. Thank you so much for tonight. For helping me earlier and letting me stay here tonight. I really do appreciate it,” she says, smiling up at me in gratitude. This woman is something else. I smile back at her.
“No problem. Sleep well, Mia.” Moving back into the hallway, I turn to face her once more.
“Have you seen the size of this bed? I’m going to hibernate until summer!” She laughs, and it lights up her face. Chuckling, I close the door to her room, making my way to my own with a smile firmly on my face.
Chapter 4
Mia
Shuffling into the kitchen in last night’s clothes, I spot him immediately. Wearing another black suit with a white shirt, he’s a sight to behold.
“Morning, did you sleep well?” he asks as I make my way to the dining table where he’s sitting with a mug of coffee and some toast.
“Yes, thank you, like a baby. Thank you again for letting me stay the night. I appreciate it. If I can have the address, I'll call a taxi and get out of your way.”
“Nonsense, sit. Join me for breakfast,” he insists, pointing to the seat beside him and motioning to the plate of toast in the centre of the table. A selection of jams and some butter is also laid out and I smile.
Sitting down at the large mahogany dining table, he offers me some coffee from a cafetière. I smile and nod, adding milk once he has poured it for me.
“So how long have you lived at the motel?” he asks, and I cringe, remembering his reaction when he saw where I was living. Granted, it doesn’t look like much on the outside, but it keeps a roof over my head and for that I’m grateful.
“About six months,” I admit, taking a sip of my coffee and sighing in bliss. Real coffee. Is there anything better?
“Why?” Curiosity is shining in his eyes when I look up at him.
“The rent at my flat went up, I couldn't afford it and there was nowhere near to where I work that I could afford. It's only temporary. Until I sort something out,” I defend, feeling like I'm being judged.
“And you work at that dive bar from last night?”
“Look, if you're just going to scold me for my poor life choices...” I move to stand, angry at the nerve of this man. He may have saved me last night, but he has no right to judge me. I’m a grown woman, for crying out loud!
“Sit down, Mia. I'm not scolding you. I'm trying to understand why you're in your current predicament. You're an attractive woman. You saw what happened when you attempted to walk home last night. The world is full of nasty people.”
“I am well aware! Unfortunately the world is run by money; and if you don't have it, you're controlled by it. I need money so I work at the bar.” Sighing, I sit back in my seat and bring my cup of coffee back to my lips.
“I have a proposition for you.” My outrage must show on my face because he chuckles, then quickly adds, “Not that kind of proposition. I need a new housekeeper. Someone to do the cooking, cleaning, that sort of thing. I haven't had time to look into hiring one. But here you are. If you take the job, you’ll be welcome to stay here in the guest room.”
“You want to hire me?” I ask in shock. This sounds too good to be true. Did I fall and hit my head on my walk home last night? Am I dreaming?
“Yes. I thought we could help each other out. You need a place to stay and a better paid job, I need a housekeeper. I'd pay you a good salary. You can pick your hours, and the guest room is yours for no charge. Call it an employment perk.” He smiles, trying to gauge my reaction.
“Are you serious? Like, is this real?” I gape. He chuckles and smiles at me. He has perfect teeth. That may be a weird thing to notice, but I’m mesmerized by his pearly white smile.
“Yes. It is. I will have a contract drawn up so you can see it is all legit. You can start as soon as you want, and we can move you in today, if you choose to accept the position.”
“So I'd be in charge of cooking your meals and cleaning the penthouse?” I clarify, taking another sip of coffee and trying to figure out the catch. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
“Yes, I'll let you know in advance what meals are needed. I'm usually in the office for lunch so no need for that during the week. I'd also need you to do the food shopping. Online or in-store. Whichever you prefer. Ironing, washing. I think that's about it. General housekeeping,” he confirms, pouring himself another coffee and looking at me to assess my reaction.
“Does the hotel not employ staff to clean for you?” I ask, confused. Surely as the owner of one of the best hotels in the country, he has a huge staff to undertake all of these tasks.
“I don't allow any staff up here. This is my private space and I like to consider it separate from the hotel,” he explains and I nod in understanding. I wouldn’t want random people rummaging through my things either.
“Ok, I understand. I don't know how much notice I have to give my boss, Tom. But I'd love to work for you.” I say, excited by this unexpected turn of events. Even if there is a catch, it has to be better than what I’m doing at the moment.
“Leave your boss to me. Is there anything you need from the bar?” he asks, taking a sip from his cup.
“No, I don't keep anything there,” I admit, biting into my slice of toast. I never usually eat breakfast so this is a treat!
“Ok. Are you happy to start Monday? We can get your things from the motel today and you can get yourself settled in over the weekend.”
“That would be amazing. Thank you so much, Mr. Carrington. I really appreciate you giving me this opportunity.”
He waves it off, “Not at all. Like I said, you'll be doing me a favour. And please, call me Jackson.”
Chapter 5
Jackson
After having spoken to her sorry excuse for a boss earlier, I got her released from her contract, if you can call it that. We’re currently carrying the few possessions she owns into the guest room. Two small suitcases of clothes and a couple of boxes of items is all she had to pack.
Placing the boxes on the floor by the dressing table, I turn to Mia and say, “You’re welcome to decorate this room however you like. It’s your space.”
She smiles up at me and it reaches her eyes, showing off her understated beauty. “Thank you, really. This is crazy, but I am so grateful.”