by Abbi Glines
“You’ve got your own shit to deal with. Jesus, the drama. Stay out of mine,” I heard Stone say to him.
Jasper chuckled. “But yours is more fun to discuss.”
“Because you like to pretend your life is fucking peaches.”
“My life has never been peaches. But then neither has yours. Now, tell me. Has your mother picked out the engagement ring she intends for you to give Margot?”
Whoever Margot was, I felt sympathy for her. No amount of good looks and money could make living with Stone a pleasant thing. But he hadn’t mentioned my job. That was surprising. I had expected he wanted to get me in trouble. It seemed to be his way of doing things.
Thinking about that and poor Margot was pointless. I pushed it aside and thought of other things. Like how many nights I could go without sleeping only three hours before I crashed. I made myself a thermos of coffee and carried it with me as I went to the second floor to do the weekly dusting and changing of linens for beds that no one ever slept in.
The only real thing needed on that floor was dusting and the floors had to be swept. Everything else stayed spotless because no one was ever up there. Portia’s master suite was on the third floor. I only went up there when she was gone for the day. She liked her privacy.
The next three hours passed by swiftly, and I was checking my watch every ten minutes waiting for ten o’clock to arrive. The idea Portia might be able to tell me something about my mother might not seem like a big deal, but to me it meant so much. Anything to understand why she’d sent us here. A small piece of her past. To hear her talked about again.
At ten, I put the cleaning supplies away and made my way to the great room. My eyes locked with Jasper’s as I entered and he gave me a small smile. It wasn’t much, but it was encouraging. Like I wasn’t alone and he was my friend. I knew that wasn’t the case, but it felt like it.
“Why is she here? I assume this is about her other job. Yes, I knew, and if you have a problem with it then deal with it yourself.” Portia didn’t even glance my way. “I need my coffee, Beulah. Where have you been?”
Jasper cleared his throat and got my attention then motioned for me to take a seat. “Please Beulah, ignore her and sit down.”
Portia’s head snapped up from the iPad in her lap that she’d been studying. “What?”
“I want to talk to you. I have questions. I feel that Beulah should be in here for this. Now, let’s begin with how you knew Beulah’s mother. You and I both know you don’t have a kind bone in your body. So why did you so willingly help these two girls?”
Portia’s gaze swung to me. “You told him?”
“I had to. He needed to understand why I was working a second job.”
She sighed dramatically and slung her iPad down on the sofa beside her with obvious disgust. “I help you and this is the thanks I get. Do you understand that he could take all that back? Demand a refund? Are you that dense girl?”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. I stilled and waited, dropping my gaze from hers to study my hands.
“Father left me this house, the money, the investments, and the corporation. His will stated that I was to do with you whatever I pleased. If I chose to take care of you, fine. If not, you’d find another man to leech off. So, mother, I’d be more careful how you speak to Beulah. All she did was tell me what you should have already explained. Since it was my money that was helping Heidi, I’d like to know why you did it. What do you owe Beulah and Heidi’s mother? Because you don’t do things out of the kindness of your heart. There must be something you’re hiding. I need to know what that is.”
Portia glared at me. I could feel it burning through me where I stood. But I didn’t look up. I felt guilty. She’d helped me, and now here I sat with Jasper who was talking to her in a way I didn’t think was necessary, demanding she answer questions. I wasn’t here when he was growing up. I didn’t know the kind of mother that Portia was, but from the anger and bitterness in her son’s tone, I imagined it hadn’t been a happy home.
“I knew Pamela many years ago. She made some bad choices and went a different way in life. I don’t owe her a damn thing. No one does. She had passed away and I felt a connection and pity for the life she’d lived. She had so much potential when I knew her. But she,” Portia paused and I lifted my eyes to finally look at her. “She was stupid. Naïve. It got her nowhere. I was kind to a woman I once knew. That was all. I feel like I did my duty and whatever you choose to do with Beulah’s employment is fine with me. She’s had plenty of time to figure out a way to take care of Heidi and herself. She’s almost twenty. Past time she grew up.”
Nothing more than what she’d already said to me before. No explanation. No real connection to my mother, but my mother had known if we came here she would help us. Because I knew my mother, I didn’t believe what Portia was saying. She was hiding something. But why?
“Why would I fire Beulah? She’s an excellent cook, keeps the house clean and puts up with your bullshit. I’d say the only smart thing you’ve ever done in your life was hire her. I thought for a moment there you possessed some compassion I had missed when she told me how you helped her and Heidi. I see I’m wrong. That’s disappointing.”
Jasper dropped his hands to his sides that had been crossed over his chest. “I’ve got things to do. You can continue your pointless routine of living,” he told Portia. Then he turned to me. “I need to speak with you about a business matter. Please meet me in the pool house in thirty minutes.”
Then he turned and left the room.
I stood slowly. I wanted to apologize to Portia, but I wasn’t sure if I owed her an apology. She was hard to understand. The longer Jasper was around, the colder she became. Instead of trying to smooth things, I said, “I’ll get your coffee now.”
She didn’t respond.
PORTIA HAD IGNORED ME COMPLETELY when I brought her coffee and a bowl of fresh strawberries. She was angry—with me or Jasper I wasn’t sure. Probably both.
I didn’t have time to worry about it. Jasper wanted to meet with me about business which I didn’t exactly understand. Unless he meant he had more chores for me or he wanted more groceries. Although I couldn’t imagine that was the case. I’d stocked his kitchen well in the pool house.
When the time came to meet with Jasper, he was inside the pool house, so I knocked instead of walking inside.
“Come in,” he called.
I opened the door to see him on the sectional leather sofa with a computer on his lap, his right ankle resting on his left knee to prop up the computer and a cup of coffee in his hand.
He smiled. “Punctual. Good. Please have a seat.”
I walked over and sat on the chair that faced the sofa. There was a large wooden barrel that was once filled with Makers Mark Whiskey according to the black labeling on its side. Now it was a coffee table.
“This morning with Portia went about as smoothly as I had imagined. I know you were hoping for a more definitive answer. But if there is one, I’m afraid we will never know it. That isn’t why I asked you to meet me out here, however.
After breakfast, I was out here going through emails and the endless bills, investment, and correspondence with Van Allan Industries that have come through just this week. It’s a lot of paper filing I don’t have time for. Jed Bankhead has been handling everything since my father’s death. My father’s personal secretary became Jed’s. She was to become mine when I was ready to completely take over next year but two days ago his wife walked in on Jed and Bethany, the secretary, naked on Jed’s desk in the Chicago office,” he paused and took a drink of coffee. “Gotta love marriage and happily ever after’s, huh? Anyway, I can’t run Van Allan industries yet. I am still learning; working in the Savannah offices now to learn, which are the smallest of the three and the newest. There will be sexual harassment filed by Bethany I am sure when Jed let’s her go. More bullshit that he has to handle. But here in Savannah I need help.
The actual building was serving
as a meeting location when personnel from the other officers came into town to meet with my father after he relocated here. After his passing, it hasn’t been used much. That’s what I’ve been doing. Moving people here to make it a functioning office. An office so Van Allen Industries can expand into the southern states and have a central location. I need some help with organizing all the piles of paperwork that have been ignored at the office here. I am looking for a qualified administrative assistant, of course, but for now I just need some extra hands. I know you need another job. Working nights isn’t going to be enough for you if you want to keep Heidi in the home she’s currently in. I’d like you to work in the offices for three hours a day Monday through Friday. You’d continue your duties here of course. I’m willing to pay you fifty dollars an hour which will average about $750 a week. This would help me and fix my current problem as well as help you.”
Seven hundred and fifty dollars a week was a lot. It would be more than I needed to take care of Heidi when added to my income from cleaning. If I kept my night job then I could put money away for college. “Are you offering this intending for me to quit my evening job?” I asked.
He frowned. “I’d hoped you would. You looked exhausted this morning. But I’m not demanding you do anything. That’s up to you.”
“I could cut back my hours there if the manager would be okay with it. If I worked there a couple nights a week then I would be able to save for college.”
He nodded. “Fair enough.”
It was that easy. He was giving me a way to make more money. He wasn’t demanding anything of me. I took a long, easy breath. The first full breath I’d taken in three days. Heidi was going to be fine. And now I’d have a chance to get my nursing degree.
“Thank you, Jasper. Thank you so much.”
He grinned. The kind of grin that I was sure made most women lightheaded. It made me feel a little swoony. That was a bad thing though. I couldn’t look at Jasper that way. He was my boss. He held the power to break me. His smile, the way he wore a pair of jeans, and his sculpted chest that I still could picture clearly after his never ending pool party were of no consequence to me.
“You can start tomorrow. However, after you’re done inside, we can ride over to the office and I can show you everything. Introduce you to the staff there.”
“Okay,” I said as I stood up. “I should be ready to go in two hours.”
“Very well. See you then.”
As I hurried out of the pool house, I couldn’t get the silly smile off my face. I was going to be okay. We both were. I’d make cupcakes this week. Heidi would never understand we had a reason to celebrate, but that was more than okay.
This Jasper was so different than the one I thought he was when he arrived. He was all business and mature in there. But the party he had held was a much different Jasper. At the party, he was the spoiled trust fund kid with nothing to worry about in life. I liked this Jasper much better. I just couldn’t figure out his choice in friends.
The next two hours flew by as I hurried to get everything done, then changed into the only nice dress I owned. My mother had made the pale blue sundress for me three months before she got sick. She’d made it for me to wear to a job interview at the bank. A job I didn’t get because I needed Saturdays off to take care of Heidi.
Mom would have been so excited about my new job. She’d love that I wore her dress. The silver flats that were my correct size and that I reserved for special occasions had also been bought by her. I slipped them on and my toes thanked me.
I quickly made my way to the doors leading to the pool house to meet Jasper, passing Portia as she came down the staircase with her white tennis outfit on. Her hair was pulled up neatly in a ponytail. But she was scowling at me.
“Why are you dressed like that?” she snapped.
“I’m going to the office with Jasper. He needs me to organize and file paperwork.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sure he does. He’s just like his father.” She stalked past me and the expensive perfume she wore filled the air.
I wanted to defend myself and tell her that Jasper did, in fact, need me to organize for him. But she was gone. Maybe I should have apologized earlier.
WHEN JASPER SAID THE OFFICE was new and small I imagined something much different from the twenty-story building made of glass we were walking into. Van Allan Industries was written on the front door and the sign out front. There was a doorman and a front desk where you check in upon entering.
A young attractive brunette, whose eyes locked on Jasper the moment we entered, smiled brightly. “Good afternoon, Mr. Van Allan.”
He paused at her desk. “Brandy Jo, I’d like you to meet Beulah Edwards. She will be coming in for a few hours every day to do some work for me.”
Brandy Jo gave me a tight smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” I replied with a sincerer smile, hoping I could thaw her iciness.
Her gaze swung right back to Jasper. And her bright smile returned. “Can I get you coffee?”
“That’d be wonderful, Brandy Jo. Thank you. I’ll be in my office. Send someone up with it in about twenty minutes.”
Brandy Jo blushed. I couldn’t help but wonder what else Brandy Jo did for Jasper. He hadn’t seemed very upset about Jed having an affair with his secretary. Maybe all Van Allen employees hooked up in the work place.
Frowning at my thoughts, I figured that wasn’t fair to assume. Besides Jasper wasn’t married and could sleep with whomever he wanted.
When the elevator doors closed behind us, Jasper turned to me. “I slept with her last week. It was late, and we’d been working all day, we had some wine. She got naked and climbed up on my desk with her legs spread. It was a one-time thing.”
“Oh,” I said wondering if I had said my thoughts out loud.
He gave me a crooked grin. “You’re expressive Beulah. I could see where your head was. I thought I’d clear it up for you.”
Because my mouth had a mind of its own, I blurted out, “Do your employees often get naked and get on your desk?”
He laughed loudly. “No. But I’ve only had employees for two weeks. I’ll let you know in a couple months.”
I nodded as if that were a reasonable response. He laughed harder then. “God you’re fun.”
The doors opened at the twentieth floor. Jasper’s floor was fancy and impressive. There was a large area with sofas, tables, and magazines. A chandelier hung from the ceiling. There were two large wooden doors ahead of us that seemed to hold the rest of this floor of the building behind them. Jasper pulled a card out of his pocket and touched it to the metal box on the door. A light turned green and the door opened.
“I’ll get you a key before you leave,” he said, holding his up.
We entered a massive room. Shelves lined the walls to the right and left as we walked by. They were filled with books. Then we came to a bar—a well-stocked bar that was to the left, and to the right was a door that stood open and I could see an elaborate bathroom inside. He motioned for me straight ahead. “Go on in. I’ll show you my office then we can walk over to the filing area.”
We walked through the next door. His office was filled with large, masculine furnishings and smelled of oak and cigars. The entire back wall was windows overlooking Savannah’s business district. It didn’t seem like Jasper’s style at all.
My gaze fell to his desk and I couldn’t help but picture Brandy Jo and him going at it right there with the night view of the city behind them.
“As you can see it’s a large desk. Plenty of room for a wild fuck,” he said behind me, and I jumped, jerking my gaze from the table as my cheeks heated. Jasper was trying to get a reaction from me and it worked because I was caught thinking about his lewd words.
“I, uh . . .” I had nothing to say to that.
“Relax, Beulah. It was just sex. No need to get nervous. Now, this pile of shit you see on my desk is only yesterday’s mail and nonsense t
hat needs to be opened and organized. The rest of it is through that door at the back of my office. I have fifteen filing cabinets, and about ten piles of a complete mess that needs attention. When I offered you such a hefty hourly pay it was because this is a headache. You’re not going to enjoy it.”
I liked organizing. I could do the filing alone and focus on nothing but the work. “I can start now if you want,” I told him.
He went over to his desk and picked up the pile of papers, and with a relieved look on his face he brought them to me. “Sounds good to me. Let’s get you to the filing room, and if you have any questions try and figure it out. If you can’t, then ask. But honestly, I just need it organized. You do what you think will work best.”
We walked through a narrow entrance into a square room lined with filing cabinets. There were no windows and it was like a massive walk in closet. In the center of the room was a bigger pile of papers than I had imagined. He wasn’t kidding about the mess.
“See, it’s not going to be easy,” he said, as I looked at the job in front of me.
“I’ll get to work on it now.”
“Okay then. When you’re done for the day I can call a car service to take you home.”
“Thanks.”
He started to walk out, but paused. “I can pay you in advance this month if you need it.”
The concern in his eyes was nice. He cared.
“I don’t owe anything for two more weeks,” I answered.
“I’ll make sure you have your first month pay by then.”
“That would be great. Thank you.”
He didn’t say anything else before he turned and left.
I stood looking down at the most insane scattered mess on the floor and smiled. This would take time. I had plenty to do and this was really going to help Jasper. It wasn’t a hand out because he felt sorry for me. It was a job. One he needed organized desperately. That fact made me feel much better about this situation.
The next couple of hours, I got lost in my task. When I glanced down at my watch, I realized I needed to get back to the house to do a few things before I went to my evening job at the club. I enjoyed being tucked away in this room alone with the files. I was dreading working at the club tonight. But if I ever wanted to go to nursing school, I needed to start putting money away.
