When he finally pulled away, he looked shocked; at the danger, at his actions, and at mine too. His hands dropped, and his expression turned into what I could only describe as fear. Stepping to one side, he hurriedly left me and walked to the door, stopping with his hand on the knob. Without turning he said, “I’m sorry, that shouldn’t have happened. Mrs. Griggs will show you where you’re staying.” Then he was gone.
Chapter Eight
Alec
“Mrs. Griggs said I’d find you out here.”
I’d heard her open the sliding door before she spoke. “You’ll want a jacket, it’s pretty nippy out here.”
“I’m wearing a sweater.”
I turned to see her leaning against the door, still clutching the handle. I knew she was uncertain whether I wanted her around. I’d behaved like a jerk the night before.
I turned back and looked out over the lake. “I’m sorry about last night.”
She came up beside me and leaned on the railing. She chose to ignore my comment. “I see why you like it here. It’s unbelievably gorgeous.”
"My favorite time of year here," I told her, looking out across the lake ringed by the brilliant colors of autumn, merging with the water's reflection into a stunning painting. "Someday I'm going to get an artist in here and have that painted to hang over the fireplace."
“I can see your fascination with this place. It’s truly a world of its own.”
I could see her profile from the corner of my eye. Her skin was fresh and soft with youth; her teeth perfectly aligned and her clear eyes free of the wrinkles brought on by distrust and lost dreams. “Did you sleep well last night?”
“Oh, Alec, it’s such a beautiful room that I wanted to leave the lights on all night to see it. It’s so different from the rest of the house.”
“I thought it would suit you. The rest of the house isn’t very feminine.”
“You’ve had excellent taste in everything I’ve seen so far.”
I stood back, leaving one hand on the railing as I looked at her face. “You’re avoiding the topics and are wearing your good manners,” I observed. “Why?”
“Because I was raised to have good manners. How about you?”
“What you mean is why did I kiss you and then leave you to fend for yourself, isn’t it? Hardly good manners on my part.”
“If you say so.”
“I don’t need to. You already did.”
“I was told to call you for breakfast.”
A short laugh escaped. “That’s an excuse and you know it. You came out here to satisfy your curiosity.”
She turned from the railing now and faced me. “Look here. Why are you giving me such a hard time? Are you sorry you brought me? Do you want me gone from our arrangement? Your life?”
I studied her face for a few moments before shaking my head. “No, I don’t want you to leave.”
“Good.”
“You passed, by the way.”
“I passed? Passed what?” Her eyes became suspicious.
“Although my leaving you last night wasn’t planned in advance, you handled it well and this morning, you let it go. That shows you know how to keep the goal in front, and that don’t get dragged down in the details. That’s valuable in business. Too many good deals end up in the trash because someone said or did something the other didn’t like. Business is business. No room for emotion there.”
“Is that why you’re so cold this morning?”
She went for the gut without hesitation. “Touché, my dear. Come on. Let’s get some breakfast while we’re still friends.”
I pushed open the slider and stood back to let her enter ahead of me. I caught a whiff of her perfume, or perhaps it was the scent of her freshly-shampooed hair. Either way, my body responded, even if I was trying to ignore it.
Mrs. Griggs was standing in the doorway from the kitchen. “Well, are you coming in to eat or do you plan to sit out there in the cold all day? Do you know how hard it is to keep eggs warm?”
“Almost as cold as your heart, Mrs. Griggs.” She was used to my teasing her.
“Hmph. Well, don’t complain to me if the toast is tough. Go in and sit down there. I’ll see if there’s anything worth salvaging.”
“Is she always like that?” Callie was smiling as she took a seat and spread the napkin onto her lap. She was wearing jeans with a plaid sweater. They were the perfect color combination for her blue eyes and light hair. She looked as fresh and beautiful as the autumn morning.
“She prides herself on it,” I answered, glad she was there with me. “I thought we’d go for a walk after breakfast. We might even get old ‘Grumpy’ in there to make up a couple sandwiches to take with us. Let’s make a day of it, what do you say?” I made a point of stating my preference up front by giving her an option. I waited to see how she’d handle it.
“It’s been a long time since I had the chance to explore woods—I’d love it. Should we take old ‘Grumpy’ with us in case you get lost?” she teased.
She’d taken the court, returned my serve, and then slammed me into the corner as she skillfully made her point. Well done!
“You may invite her if you feel the need, but keep in mind she talks almost as well as she cooks.”
“I heard that!” Mrs. Griggs yelled from the kitchen.
Callie giggled like a young girl and pointed toward me, mouthing ‘You did it now,’ as she nodded. “No, Mrs. Griggs, you get to stay home,” she called out. “I’ll get him out of your hair and you can have the day off.”
Mrs. Griggs looked around the doorway. “Fine. As soon as the breakfast dishes are done, I’m off to my sister’s for the rest of the day. Eat up and let me get going, will you?” Mirth twinkled in her eyes as she wiped her hands on her apron and went back to banging dishes.
“I believe we’ve been outdone,” I offered up. Callie grinned and winked, and suddenly I realized how nice it was to have a whole afternoon to look forward to.
“I’m glad you had an extra jacket,” Callie said as we began our trek around the lake. "Even if it is way too big for me,” she laughed.
She’d come down with a light scarf over her sweater. “Don’t they know how to dress for winter in Ohio?” I teased her.
“This isn’t winter, and it isn’t Ohio. I didn’t expect to go hiking in the high woods of Minnesota when I left home. In fact, it was late summer when I finished school and look at this now. Somewhere, we skipped fall.” Her arms were outstretched as she looked around, framed by the autumn colors circling the lake.
“A good place to begin,” I told her. “This is lesson number one. Always expect the unexpected.”
“But shouldn’t you use a bit of logic at the same time? I mean, it was hot when I left home…well, at least still warm.”
“Therein lies the unexpected. And never argue with the lessons. They’ve already been learned the hard way. Appreciate the fact that you’re getting them without the pain.”
She nodded. “True. Point well taken.”
I handed her a backpack Mrs. Griggs had packed and shouldered my own as we set off companionably. Callie looked a little fragile with my jacket sleeves rolled up around her wrists, with her legs only visible from the knees down. "You know I think you could probably camp in that thing."
She gave me a ha-ha look. “By the way, Mrs. Griggs?”
“What about her?”
“Why does she treat you like that, like a child? Walter toes the line, I notice.”
“Callie, this can be lesson number two. Everyone, absolutely everyone, has at least one good quality; something they’re well-suited to do. Even a killer does that one thing well.” I saw her shudder at my words. “No, it’s true. Of course, I’m not comparing Martha Griggs to a killer, far from it. She’s a nurturer. She lost her husband and son in a car accident, as she told you within the first few minutes you met her. So, she has only herself to rely on. So, she has adopted others to look after. Me, for one, along with Walter and even Roman. So
mething she didn’t tell you is that her sister lives in a nursing home. She only gets around if someone is pushing her wheelchair. I believe she has M.S. Mrs. Griggs looks after her, visiting and spending time as often as she can. I’m sure she wishes she could have her full-time, but she has to work, so it’s not possible.”
Callie stopped, turning to face me. “Really? And you? You must have, well, millions, and Mrs. Griggs is certainly at or near retirement age. Haven’t you got it in your heart to let her retire, set her up in a little house somewhere and let her take care of her sister?” There was outrage on her face.
“Indeed, I do, Callie. I’ve offered a hundred times. I even bought the house and it’s sitting empty.”
“But why? Why would she turn you down?”
“For one, she hasn’t worked for me for long, so she thinks she hasn’t earned it.”
Callie gave me another look. “And you’re good to let her stop there?”
“No, I’m not ‘good’ as you call it. The house is in her name, as is the bank account where her retirement money sits waiting for her. She chooses to ignore it because she needs to be needed. Everyone does, Callie. Even that killer I referenced a few minutes ago. People have what I call a shine inside them. It’s that nugget of what makes them valuable to others. Sometimes they only get a few moments to shine. For example, the man who pushes the mother away at the curb and throws himself in front of an oncoming bus to save her wandering child. In that split second, in his eyes, his life was validated. You see?”
She nodded weakly. I went on.
“Mrs. Griggs knows the best place for her sister is exactly where she is. They have the round-the-clock nursing staff to care for her needs. They have the lifting devices, the trained medical staff, and probably most important of all, they have others who are like her sister, so she has companionship at her own level. Mrs. Griggs isn’t ready to retire, and she knows her sister would feel guilty that she took Martha away from a fulfilling part of her own life to care for her. So, Martha continues to work for me, feels fulfilled and needed—hence the right to boss me around like her own son. When Martha’s sister succumbs, I’ll still be here for her. Walter, Roman, and I will get her through and keep her vital and healthy for a long time because she is needed. In short, we bring out her shine.”
“Shine.” She shrugged. “I’ve never heard that word used like that, but it does make what you’re talking about visual. I’m sorry if I accused you without asking, Alec. That wasn’t fair. I’m fascinated at how insightful you are.”
I shrugged. “Martha and I both know why she’s here. She’s free to leave any time and to go and come back when she’s ready. She knows that, and that’s what makes our relationship work. She keeps me fed, and between her and Walter, the house staff is managed, so I’m free to do my thing.”
“What’s your thing?”
“You already know I lecture.”
“Yes, of course, but what’s your…shine?”
“I cultivate the shine in others, I suppose.”
Callie stopped again, turning toward me. “I knew it the moment I heard your voice. You’re exactly what I knew you to be, but I’m sure you’re often misunderstood.”
“In what sense?”
“I’m sure that some people would say you like to control women, maybe even take advantage of them.”
“Is that what you think?” I held my breath.
“Obviously it isn’t, or I wouldn’t have shared that thought with you. That would put me at a distinct disadvantage.”
“You know what, Callie?”
“What’s that?”
“I think you just taught me a lesson.”
She smiled and wrapped her arm around mine in a companionable sort of way. “Now, you’re catching on,” she responded playfully. We walked a dozen feet more before she stopped again. “What lesson is that?”
I couldn’t help myself, bursting out laughing. “Oh, Callie, you’re a trip.”
She giggled a little and responded, “That’s a good thing, right?”
“Yes,” I patted her arm in mine, “it’s a good thing.”
Chapter Nine
Callie
Alec was wonderful company. We’d left the lakeshore and had trekked perhaps three or so miles into the thick woods. There were no paths. Alec went ahead, holding branches aside for me until I lunged past. I wished I’d brought hiking boots but the white sneakers on my feet were the sturdiest things I owned.
We began a buddy system. Alec would walk ahead and with his much taller body, he’d bend back the branches, letting me pass ahead into the next obstacle. We repeated this, and it became a game. The faster I ran past, the faster he’d endure the whiplash of the previous branches and launch into the next. I began giggling, and soon Alec couldn’t help himself, laughing as well.
We were tracking uphill and I could feel myself growing tired. I didn’t want to be the first to give in, but I knew for every step I took forward, I would have to take another back to return to the house. I began to worry that I might not be able to make it, in which case Alec would have to carry me on his back. The idea of it wasn’t repulsive at all, but I didn’t want to put that on him. He seemed very protective of his personal space, for whatever reason. I had to respect that or face the possibility that he would exclude me from his company. I didn’t ever want that to happen, and that fact alone was a major realization.
Then came the sound that changed everything. I froze, thinking it was the growl of a bear. I knew there were many wild animals in this remote area of the country and bears tended to be in the forests, particularly here in Minnesota. Alec stopped walking too, but he looked upward, which puzzled me. I looked over my head into the canopy of the trees and saw nothing but branches. The occasional withered leaf would fall, but other than that, all was still. Then came the rumbling again.
“A storm is coming in,” he said, grabbing my hand and retreating in the direction of the house. It thundered again. It was all we had to go by since the sky was obscured. “It’s too still,” he commented. “When that wind picks up, it’s going to be a monster. I could feel the humidity growing and I don’t know why I ignored it. That was a stupid thing on my part.”
“I don’t understand? It’s just a storm. It will blow over in no time and we’ll be back at the house.”
"Callie, maybe you don't realize how far we've come. I know we've been playing a little game here, but this could be serious. I've walked these woods many times, but the property is huge and it's easy to take another path than the one you took before."
“Uh-oh, sounds like we should’ve brought Mrs. Griggs along,” I teased him.
“Honey, you just don’t understand.”
I was surprised I heard anything after that. He had called me honey. “Then explain it to me.”
“Follow me and I’ll talk while we walk. We’ve come maybe five miles, including walking the shoreline. On a straight flat road, with a good even pace, that’s maybe two hours’ worth of walking. With this densely-wooded area, and then the mucky soil around the lake, you could easily double that. That storm isn’t going to wait for hours. In fact, by the sound of it, it’s moving quickly and it’s liable to break any time.”
“I still don’t understand, Alec. We’re going to get wet, that’s all.”
“What may be one thing on a 90° day in Ohio can be something entirely different in late October in the northern woods. We’re not dressed for it. Everything we’re wearing will be soaked and we can become hypothermic in no time. That’s very dangerous, and I can’t emphasize that enough.”
“So, what do you want to do?”
His head tipped up as though he'd remembered something. "Now that I think of it, I remember the previous owner saying there was an old shack somewhere in this area. There was no house here then, just the land and the lake. The guy had a wife he didn't get along with, and from time to time he'd come out here and stay in the shack a few days to get away. I've never looked for it. I d
idn't have a wife and didn't have the need. Now, I think I have the need. Help me look for signs."
“What kind of signs?”
“Callie, as much as I’d like to make this a lesson for you, right now we need to focus. You’re smart, what kind of signs would you look for?”
Was he testing me, or sincerely asking my opinion? I shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe some path-like opening between the trees where someone would’ve walked before? Assuming he came for a few days, he’d have to bring some supplies. Those would take room, and some sort of transport. So, I guess I’d look for an unusual opening between the trees, somewhere where branches had been cut off on one side of the trunk.”
“Excellent thinking. You see? I told you that you’re smart. What else?”
“Well, I suppose it would be ideal to get some sort of a vantage point. You are stronger than I am, but I don’t think it takes strength as much as the ability to climb in tight spaces. What if I were to choose one of these trees with the bigger branches and you lift me up until I find one I can grab hold of? I’ll climb as high as I can and have a look around.”
“Now you see why I chose you. Good thinking, let’s try that one over there.”
He pointed to a monster of a tree, one whose trunk could have easily been 6 feet around. The dense overgrowth in the canopy blocked sunlight, and most of the lower branches were over our heads. This tree, however, being so tall, had managed to reach above the canopy and draw on enough sunlight and moisture to grow into a monster. I nodded and held my hands out toward him. He bent his knee somewhat and I stepped onto his thigh. “I’m suddenly very happy I learned to do pyramids in cheerleading,” I commented, and while holding his hands, I twisted around his body until I could stand on his shoulders. He held my hands until we were beneath the lowest limb, at which point I slowly stood and managed with just the slightest jump off his leg to reach the bottom-most limb. I was lucky I caught it. I pulled myself up and started to scale the tree.
My Dream Job: A Billionaire Boss Romance Page 4
