by Celeste Raye
“Why would you ask something like that?”
“Well, your nails are manicured, and I bet if you wipe off some of that grime and washed your hair, you would be a knockout, so why are you here, agreeing to this, unless you are in trouble?”
It made sense to Chris, but she insisted that she wasn’t that way.
“You know what? It doesn’t really matter to be honest. I know that we all have our secrets, and as long as you promise me that it won’t affect my kids, you’re more than welcome to keep yours.”
Chris was thinking about his own secret. The one that he had to keep close to his chest, no matter what. It had become just another part of life. He knew better than to let it get to him. Sometimes he wanted to tell the world about his secrets, but most of the time, he understood that secrets were meant to be kept.
“I will not let it affect my job with you. I promise.”
She was hesitant for a moment, but he knew that her secret wasn’t as big as his. Whatever it was that sent Fran to spend a few nights in a barrel room was nothing compared to what he had up his sleeve.
“Good enough, Fran. I am usually good at reading people, and I have faith in you.”
Fran wasn’t sure what to say, but she thanked him for the job and looked out the window. Chris was trying to figure out how he was going to tell his kids about the new live-in nanny, but he knew that it was better if he just came out with it. They should take it well. He hoped they would, anyway.
When Chris got home, he looked at the clock and was glad that there was a little time for Fran to get acquainted with the house. It was rather big and sprawling. One could potentially get lost.
“Let me show you around before you meet the kids. This will be their first time having a babysitter, or nanny, so it might just take them some time to get used to the idea.”
“Does that mean that they are little terrors? I mean, it won’t change my mind, but maybe it will change my tactics.”
He chuckled. “Little terrors?”
“Yeah, I know everyone loves their kids, but some are terrors, and the parents know it. It won’t scare me, but I feel like I should get an idea of what I am walking into. You’re hiring a woman off the streets basically, so I just have to know.”
“No, it’s not like that. They are great but going through a rough time with their mom flaking out. It will be fine once things settle down; I am hoping that you will help with that. They are great kids, and I am sure you will find that out soon enough. Why don’t you take a shower and get washed up and we will figure out the rest?”
Chris didn’t want to say much to her, but her appearance was a bit of a problem. It would make Dante and Jasmine ask questions, and he wasn’t quite ready to get into the truth with them.
“Yes, I think that would be a good idea. I wouldn’t want to frighten the kids.”
Chris was relieved that he didn’t have to spell it out. He showed her to her room, with an attached bathroom, and all Fran could do was smile.
“Is this to your liking?”
“You are asking someone that slept on a floor the last few nights.”
“Yes, though I can also see that you weren’t raised that way.”
“My old room was bigger, but this will do perfectly, Chris. Thank you. I don’t know how I am going to repay you, but your children will be safe with me.”
“That’s all I need. I will be downstairs when you are ready.”
She thanked him and Chris left the room. He had mixed emotions about all of it, but when she smiled his way, it was rather hard for him to think straight. She had a frightful appearance at the moment, but Chris could see the potential that lay underneath the mop of hair that was dirty enough he couldn’t discern the color.
Chapter Five
Fran sighed and tried to settle herself. What a whirlwind the last hour had been. She couldn’t even imagine how she had gotten to where she was now. It all seemed like a dream, and it was certainly one that she had no intentions on waking up from.
She went into the bathroom and ran the bath water. She preferred a shower but she couldn’t figure out how to work it. Fran didn’t want to go back out and ask Chris. He was perplexing and Fran just wanted some hot water. She would only soak for a few minutes, just long enough that she would be able to rest some of her muscles and get ready for the day.
The bathroom was just as opulent as the rest of Chris’ massive house. When she asked him how many bedrooms it had, he’d shrugged and told her that he didn’t know. Fran had been raised in a wealthy family, but they still knew how many rooms their own house had. Fran couldn’t imagine not knowing.
Chris was a mystery to her. She had no idea what to think of him, except that for an older guy, he was cute. He was serious at first, and in general, but Chris had lightened up a little bit and he had been quick to see exactly what it was that she needed.
He also handled her with kid gloves, and brightened up when he talked about his kids. Fran wasn’t sure what to think of her new employer, but he’d helped her in more ways than he was ever going to know. She’d never imagined that something would come along like him. She didn’t know what to say or what to do; all she could think was that she was grateful. What would she have done if Chris hadn’t popped up? Fran shuddered thinking about it.
The bathwater was steaming, and it was starting to heat the room. She took off her clothes. She had found some bath gel that smelled good, as well as some salts that she poured in. The fragrance was enticing as she made her way to the tub.
It was only when she looked at the large mirror to her side that she really saw herself. It was the first time that Fran had looked in the mirror in a very long time. She was astonished at how bad she looked. Fran was also trying to figure out how she had ended up so dirty. It looked like she had rolled around on a barn floor.
She told herself again that being on the run didn’t look good on her. She looked a mess, and it made Fran move a little faster to the tub. At this point, she needed a miracle and a lot of shampoo.
Fran sat down in the tub; it was big enough to let her lie back, and deep enough that her knees were completely under water. It felt like heaven and Fran could immediately feel the tension leave her muscles. This was what she was used to, and her body was begging for more.
She didn’t move for several moments, just taking it all in. Her eyes were fluttering closed; she didn’t see it as a problem. Fran told herself that she was just going to close them, just for a moment. She needed it. Sleeping on a hard-wooden floor had not made sleep easy and she certainly hadn’t gotten enough of it lately.
“Fran?”
Fran heard her name and she opened her eyes. Chris was standing by the door, asking her if she was okay.
“I have called your name several times. You had me worried. I bet that water is cold.”
He was looking away, not at her, and Fran had the sense to finally cover up as well as she could in her current situation.
“Sorry about that. I must have dozed off.”
“I just wanted to let you know that the kids will be here soon. From the looks of it, you’re going to need some more sleep. Why don’t we do introductions in the morning and you can just rest? I will have Maria send something up for you later.”
“That would be great, Chris, thank you.”
Their eyes met in the mirror, and Fran could feel a darkness stir in them. He was thinking about something else now.
And just like that, he was gone. She was trying to wake up and the idea that she could crawl into the bed and go to sleep was too tempting. She wrapped a towel around her and went towards the bed. It was softer and more comfortable than she could have imagined. It was all she could do to sink into it. She sighed loudly and let all of her worries slip away.
Fran didn’t know how she had gotten to where she was, but it didn’t matter to her anymore. She was now exactly where she needed to be.
Chapter Six
Seeing Fran in such a state had certainly not helped him at all. Ch
ris was trying to get his mind right but walking in on Fran laid out in the bathtub made the rest of Chris’ night a little bit worse. The kids were well-behaved, but his mind wasn’t.
When they went to bed, Chris hoped that Fran would get up and they would have some time to talk. He had a lot of questions, but she did not even stir the rest of the night. Chris went to bed, leaving some leftovers in the refrigerator for her to find. Maria tried bringing her a tray, but she did not answer the door.
The problem was that Chris wasn't thinking about anything but the new babysitter. He should have been relieved. She was going to make his life easier, or that was the plan, anyway.
That was what Chris should have been thinking about. He should have been thinking about how much easier it was going to be and how he could focus on work finally. That was the whole point. He wanted to prove to his father that he could take over the business so that Dalton would finally step down. That seemed to be the only way that Chris was ever going to get out of his father’s shadow.
Chris wasn't thinking about any of that though. His mind was on the street urchin that he had found in his winery. Well, she appeared to be a street urchin, but Chris knew that it wasn't true at all. Fran came from wealth. That was what made him curious. It would be one thing if she were genuinely homeless. But it seemed like she had chosen the route that she was taking. Chris needed to know why.
But her motivations were not the only thing occupying his mind. Chris thought about the long, lean, lines he had seen just below the surface of the water. By the time he’d checked on her, most of the bubbles had evaporated, and there were only a few that were clinging to the side of the tub. Everything else was slightly discolored from some salts that she must put in the bath, but it still left nothing to the imagination.
Chris finally fell asleep when the sun was starting to come up. He only got a couple of hours before he was awakened by the alarm clock. He sighed to himself and started to grumble. Even with a babysitter, he still didn't get any sleep.
He showered and dressed before he made his way downstairs. The kids were usually in the kitchen already and the maid would be making them breakfast. Chris had never been able to manage anything edible.
Maria wasn't there making breakfast though. Instead, Fran was standing in front of the stove and Jasmine was talking excitedly to her. Apparently, no introductions were needed.
The color of her hair was almost the color of his daughter’s, and that surprised Chris. Her hair had been in such a state before that he had not even realized that it was red. The lights overhead made it flame like it was on fire. That must have been the perfect in for Jasmine.
She was making eggs and bacon and that most likely was the reason that Chris’ son was so quick to like her as well. Chris was starting to think that he had made the perfect decision when he hired her.
“Smells good.”
Fran jumped a little bit and then smiled at him. “I didn't know what time you got up but I figured it was pretty early. The kids were already up when I got down here. Would you like some breakfast?”
She was babbling a little bit, and finally, Fran just looked down. Chris found the action endearing, and he liked the idea that she couldn’t meet his eyes for a moment. He wondered if she was thinking about what he was thinking about. Most likely, she wasn't worried about it nearly as much as him. Chris was the one that had gotten an eyeful, and he certainly wasn't going to be able to forget about it.
“Yeah, that would be great. You know, we have a maid that does the cooking around here. Her name is Maria, and I need to introduce you as well.”
Fran waved him off and told Chris that she had already met and talked to Maria.
“She wanted to go see her little girls’ recital this morning, so I told her that I would take care of breakfast. It’s no big deal.”
Chris paused a little bit at the idea that Fran was taking things upon herself so quickly. It was, of course, what he had hired her for, to make his life easier, but maybe she was a little too quick on the uptake. Or he wasn’t used to anyone else having a say besides him.
He didn't mention it, but Chris made a mental note to add it to the list of comments and questions that he had for her later. Chris did not have much time before he had to go to work, but that was helped as well because Fran offered to take the kids to school.
“That would be great. They only have a couple of weeks left and then it will be summer vacation.”
“I remember. It wasn't that long ago that I was going to school as well.”
“How long ago?”
Fran shrugged. “Well, it's been at least five or six years now since I left high school.”
For more than one reason, Chris was satisfied with that answer. For a moment, he had been worried because once the dirt and grime were washed away, her full appearance was quite breathtaking. He wasn't supposed to be looking at her, thinking about her in that way, but it was kind of impossible not to. She really was pretty.
Chris was able to eat breakfast and get out of the house with enough time to spare to get coffee from the café down the way. Little things like that really put a pep in his step, and for the first time in a long time, Chris was starting to look forward to the day. It did not seem so draining all of a sudden. Now that he had help, in the form of a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, with the prettiest face he'd ever seen.
Chris was just going to let it ride. The feeling of lightness was new and one that he wanted to hold on to a little while longer.
Chapter Seven
Her first day was even better than she thought it would be. After getting some quality sleep, she felt like a whole new person. The problems that were breaking her did not seem as bad, and for some reason, now all she could think about was what her next step was going to be. A week ago, Fran was convinced that she didn't have another step.
She took the kids to school, and that left her quite a bit of time to discover the new house that she was living in. It was big and sprawling, and Fran lost track of where she was a couple of times. The good thing was that there were several people that worked inside of the house and she was able to go to them for directions. At some point, Maria offered to make her a small map of the downstairs and the upstairs.
“What about the door that leads to the basement?”
Maria shook her head. “We never go down there. It is always locked, and I wouldn't worry about it. That is for Chris’ eyes only.”
Of course, as soon as Maria told her that she couldn't go down there, the first thing she wanted to do was break the rule. Fran knew that she was in a delicate situation, and Chris was helping her more than he could understand, but it did not change the curiosity that bubbled up inside of her and threatened to boil over. Would it be so bad just to see? Just a little look?
“Well, what is down there?”
Maria shrugged and Fran felt it seemed rather strange that she didn't care. As soon as she heard that she couldn't go in, she just wanted to find out what was on the other side of that door. It was some kind of secret, and Fran didn't like secrets. They could make life a lot more complicated, and she should know because she had far too many to count.
“I never asked. It never seemed like a big deal to me. I wouldn't worry about it.”
It was excellent advice, and Fran should have taken it. She knew that she should, just from the way that Maria was so against doing it. Fran didn’t make any more queries about it. The last thing she wanted was for Maria to tell Chris that she was poking around and asking questions when she shouldn't be. Fran should just be happy that she had a job in a relatively safe place, where she could ride out the rest of the adventure that had become her life.
Fran told herself that over and over again because the need to find out what was in the basement was becoming stronger and stronger. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the sweet set-up that she had. The kids were a dream, and the house was gorgeous. She didn't have to cook if she didn't want to and she didn't even have to clean.
All she had to do was occupy two children, that were starved for attention.
That should have been enough. Fran should have seen it for what it was—a godsend—and she should have to shut her mouth and went back to her room. She could have watched a movie or read a book, anything that would have kept the status quo. Anything would have been better than her going back to the door to check the lock.
Since her family was quite a colorful one, Fran had learned quite a bit from them. One of the things that she had learned was lock picking. It wasn't the sexiest skill to learn, but it had come in handy more than once for Fran. She was now going to use it to satisfy the curiosity that she had. She had to know what was on the other side of the door, and the lock was old. It would not be hard for her to pick it at all.
Fran went back to her belongings and got what she needed. She was convinced that there was going to be something earth-shattering on the other side of the door. Chris was too nice. Maybe there were girls down there that were in cages or something. Fran’s mind came up with all kinds of scenarios, but none of them were close to what it was she saw when she got down there.
She had built it up so much in her mind that anything short of a dungeon was going to be a letdown. When she got down the stairs and turned on the light, there were only cars there. Many cars, so many that she couldn't even count them all because they were just rows and rows of them.
“If you needed something to drive, all you had to do is ask Ernest. He is the driver, and he will take you wherever you want to go.”
Fran jumped at the sound behind her and turned around to find Chris standing at the bottom of the stairs. He had an amused look on his face, but there was something else in his eyes as well.
“I'm sorry, I must have been turned around. This house is so big, you know...”
Fran’s voice trailed off because she didn't know what else to say. He obviously had caught her red-handed and Fran could not think of a way to get out of it. She was worried that he would fire her and she would be right back where she started.
