He nodded, appearing to consider. “Do you know how to clean?”
I snickered. “Doesn’t everyone?”
“No, I wouldn’t say that.”
“Do you know how?” I asked.
“I have someone to do that for me. Or at least I did.”
“I see.”
He clasped his hands in front of him. “I’m leaving tomorrow to go to Kauai, and I have a chef and a driver but no one to clean my house. The lady who normally cleans for me quit just last week, and she left me in a bind.”
“Oh?”
He nodded. “So, I’d like to hire you to clean my house in Kauai.” He paused. “If that’s something you’re interested in doing.”
My eyes widened. “You’re offering me a job?”
“Yes. I pay well, but here’s the catch: you’d have to be willing to leave first thing tomorrow morning.”
“How long will you be in Kauai?”
“Indefinitely. I have business to attend to out there, and I don’t know how long it will take.”
“Wouldn’t it be less expensive to hire someone once you’re there?”
“Well, I was about to do that until you came along. But I’d rather have you.”
My face heated at the compliment. “That’s nice of you, considering I’m a stranger.”
He glanced away, looking almost troubled. “You keep saying I’m nice, but you should never take someone at face value. It’ll get you in a lot of trouble.”
“I should be suspicious then? Are you trying to tell me in a roundabout way that you’re not a nice guy?” I smiled, expecting him to contradict me.
“I won’t pretend to be nice, and, yes, you should always be suspicious.”
His statement threw me off guard and I almost laughed, but there was no humor in his eyes. In fact, his expression was completely serious. What kind of man would say that right off the bat? It seemed like he was warning me, but there was a flicker of something in his voice, possibly regret or sadness. Whatever it was, he wasn’t happy with who he was.
I felt this irresistible need to reach out to him, but I wasn’t sure how. “Oh, I don’t know. You’ve been friendly. I’m having a hard time picturing you as some mean ogre.”
“Must be something in those cookies. I had one earlier.” This time the humor flickered in his eyes as if it had been waiting for the right moment to come out.
The urge to tease him back was almost overwhelming. “What makes you think I’d want to work for you if you’re not an easy person to be around?”
He shrugged. “You need a job.”
Yeah, unfortunately, I did. The offer didn’t seem bad though. A trip to Kauai sounded like a dream, actually. The only problem was that I’d never been on a plane before, and I’d developed a small phobia against flying. Ann, my last foster mom, refused to get anywhere near an airport. She was able to quote dates and times of plane crashes, which celebrities had died that way—there were a lot believe it or not—and she was great at pulling up articles on the internet of all the worst things that happened to passengers while flying. She’d pretty much made it sound like a nightmare.
“I don’t know,” I said, twisting my hands in front of me. “I’m afraid of getting that high up in the air. If it’s tomorrow, I won’t have time to mentally prepare myself.”
“If you had time to think about it, you’d build it up in your head. Better to just get it over with.”
“That might be true, but I still don’t know.” I nibbled on my bottom lip, looking for another reason why this wouldn’t work. “Where would I live? I can’t afford to pay rent in two different places.”
“My house has staff quarters and meals are included.”
I jerked my head back. “Are you serious? Meals are included?”
He looked at me like I must be ignorant. “Yes, that’s standard.”
“But I can’t afford to buy a plane ticket.”
“You won’t have to. My father chartered a private plane.”
I nodded, considering his words. “You must have a lot of money.” I stopped myself. “Sorry, that sounded rude. Your finances aren’t any of my business.”
“Don’t apologize. It’s not a secret that the Armstrong family is wealthy.”
Just then, I glanced up and noticed Alexa heading straight for us.
Lucas followed my line of vision and winced. “Great. My ex-girlfriend. She won’t like that you’re talking to me.”
“Why? She seems really happy with Dylan. You don’t think she’s jealous, do you?”
“No. She’s definitely not jealous. She just doesn’t like me.”
Before I could respond, Alexa reached us, a concerned expression on her face. “Aria, you made it.”
“Yeah, I almost missed my bus, but I’m here.” I gave her a hug. Despite Lucas’s warning, I was glad to see Alexa. She’d been really kind to me, and I had no reason to think she had ill motives.
“If I’d known you had to take the bus, I would have offered to pick you up,” she said.
I waved her off. “No big deal. I’m used to taking public transportation.”
Alexa appeared reluctant as she turned to Lucas. “What are you doing here?” Her voice sounded cold enough to freeze an ocean.
“You know my father,” he said, “always thinking of his own image. He insisted I come. Said it would look like I held a grudge if I didn’t make an appearance.”
“I see,” she said.
I glanced between the two of them, watching their expressions. It was obvious there was a lot of bad blood between them, and I had no idea what he meant about “putting in an appearance.”
Lucas wrote something down on the back of a business card and handed it to me. “Think about my offer. If you’re interested, give me a call.” He glanced at Alexa and then turned back to me. “As soon as I walk away, she’s going to try to convince you not to work for me. But if you’re smart, you’ll take the job. I pay well, and you won’t have to use public transportation anymore.”
He winked and then left without another word. My pulse picked up and butterflies swirled in my stomach. Should I take it? Of course, I should take it. I needed work and who’d turn down going to Kauai? But there was that one detail about having to fly there. It wasn’t as if I could take a train to an island.
I turned to Alexa. “He’s intense. Not sure why he offered me a job, but I really need it right now.”
“Aria, he’s not a good guy. I can’t emphasize that enough. Run. Get away as fast as you can. If you work for him, you’ll regret it.”
Nodding slowly, I realized she was speaking from the point of view of someone who’d had a bad break-up. She clearly didn’t trust him, but that didn’t mean I’d have a problem. And even if I did, what choice did I have? I was currently unemployed with no other leads. My bank account had two hundred dollars in it and that was it.
I’d come across some pretty shady characters over the years, and I wasn’t as naïve as I looked. During that short time when I was homeless, I’d learned to stand up for myself. Lucas was nothing compared to what I’d already been through. Plus, the man brought me cookies for goodness’ sake. He couldn’t be all that bad. “I’ve dealt with a lot of difficult people. He doesn’t scare me.”
“You should be scared,” she said. “Lucas Armstrong is not someone to mess with.”
I nodded slowly again. “Okay. Well, I’ll pray about it before doing anything.”
“Good.” She looked relieved. “Do you want to see the painting you’re in?”
“Yeah, I can’t wait. I’ve been looking forward to seeing it all day.”
“Great. They just brought it in from the other room.”
As she led me over, I read the back of the business card Lucas had given me. It said: If I don’t hear from you by ten o’clock tonight, I’ll assume you don’t want the job. Call me. He’d written down a cell number and next to it was a smiley face.
Something told me Lucas was a very complex man.
On the one hand, he inferred he wasn’t a nice guy, and on the other, here he was scribbling smiley faces on the back of his card and offering me a job. I would pray about it, but it appeared that God had dropped this job opportunity into my lap, and I’d be a fool not to take it.
Still, I needed to think it over and make sure it was the best choice before I put myself on a plane.
Later that evening I laid in bed, praying and asking God to give me the wisdom to make the right decision. Afterward, I made a list of pros and cons. There were a lot of pros and only two cons: having to board a plane and dealing with a potentially difficult boss. Since I’d never been on a plane before, I figured it was time to take the plunge and get over whatever fear had been building in my mind because of Ann’s phobia. Maybe it wouldn’t be as horrible as I pictured, and I wanted to see life outside of Los Angeles. As far as dealing with a difficult boss, I wasn’t too worried. Lucas had already demonstrated his ability to be kind. How bad could he be?
A small inner voice whispered that it might be horrible. What if Lucas lived up to his reputation? On a whim, I pulled out my phone and sent a text telling Lucas I’d take the job. I leaned back in bed and shook my head. I hope I hadn’t made a huge mistake.
Chapter 6
Aria
The next day Lucas sent a car to pick me up since I didn’t have a means of transportation besides the bus. He’d texted me saying he didn’t want to chance me not getting there in time, so the plan was for his driver to come to my home a little early, and then head back to his house to pick him up. He’d said his driver, Sam, and his chef, Leslie, would be the only other ones on the plane, not counting the flight staff and myself.
I decided to wait for the car on the sidewalk outside my apartment building. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a suitcase and everything happened so quickly there was no time to purchase one or even borrow someone else’s. Instead, I used a big black trash bag and put a week’s worth of clothing and a few toiletries inside. It was a little embarrassing, but what could I do? I also had my violin, tucked away in its case. There was no way I’d go anywhere without that.
I didn’t have to wait long because a black limousine pulled up to the curb, and a man with graying hair, appearing somewhere in his fifties opened the door and got out. My stomach fluttered, and I hoped his vehicle wouldn’t draw too much attention since my neighborhood wasn’t the best.
“Are you Miss Dasher?” he asked.
“Yes. Are you here to pick me up?”
He nodded. “Name’s Sam. Mr. Armstrong sent me.” He shook my hand. “Let me take your luggage for you.” He glanced around, and I lifted my trash bag off the ground, giving him a sheepish expression. “This is all I have besides my violin.”
He smiled wide, setting me at ease instantly. “I think I like you already.” He brought the bag and the violin case to the trunk and then opened the back door of the vehicle for me to get in.
He had a gentle and pleasant demeanor, reminding me of the character, Matthew, in the miniseries, Anne of Green Gables, but he was definitely a younger version.
Once we pulled away from the curb, I glanced at the back of Sam’s head. “Thanks for not laughing at me earlier. I’m kind of embarrassed I don’t have a suitcase.”
He looked at me in the rear-view mirror. “Nothing to be embarrassed about. Reminded me of myself before I married my wife.”
“Your wife must be sad she won’t be seeing you for a while. Lucas . . . I mean Mr. Armstrong . . . mentioned you’re coming to Kauai as well.”
“Yes, but my wife, Rebecca, passed away ten years ago, and my kids are all grown and living on their own. Rebecca died right before I began working for the Armstrong family. I was a driver for Lucas’s father in the beginning. Now I work for Lucas.”
“I’m sorry about your wife,” I said, sounding wistful as I looked out the window. “It’s hard to lose the ones we love.”
He cleared his throat and hesitated a few moments. “You sound as if you miss someone.”
I nodded slightly, still glancing out the window. “My Dad had a heart attack when I was seventeen. My younger brother . . . As far as I know, he’s alive. At least I hope. I just don’t know where he is.”
“I’m really sorry to hear that.” His voice was sincere and genuinely saddened. “What about your mom?”
“She died when I was a toddler. I don’t remember her.”
He appeared to consider my words. “You’re a brave girl. It can’t be easy trying to take care of yourself without the help of family to support you.”
“I don’t know if I’m brave. I had no other options but to survive or fall apart. With God’s help, I’ve persevered.”
“The Lord is faithful. He cares for our needs and provides when we least expect Him to.”
“That’s so true. Just yesterday, I lost my job and here I am today, on my way to Kauai to work for Mr. Armstrong. God provided before I even had to look for a job.”
He chuckled. “Things don’t happen that fast for most people, but I’m happy they did for you. The Lord’s blessings are new every morning. I remind myself of that each day when I get out of bed.” He glanced in the rear-view mirror and changed lanes. “I’m glad you’re coming along, Aria. Mr. Armstrong needs someone like you to work for him.”
“Why do you say that?”
He was quiet for a long time, and I started to wonder if he was going to answer. Just as I came to the conclusion that he wouldn’t, he cleared his throat. “He needs prayer. I worry about him. He has few friends that actually care about him, and he’s not close with his family. Throughout the years, I’ve tried to reach out, but he’s never confided in me. I’m just an old guy, you know? But someone young like you, he might be willing . . .” He trailed off.
“Are you saying I should befriend him?”
“That’s entirely your choice.”
“What’s he like as a boss?”
We were in a nicer part of the city now, and Sam turned down a street with luxury buildings. “This is your first day on the job. Do you want the truth or a version of the truth?”
I laughed. “I want the whole truth, of course.”
“Mr. Armstrong has the reputation of being cold and ruthless, but I’ve found him to be fair.”
“So, you think the reputation is false then?”
“I didn’t say that. But he’s always treated me well.”
We came to a red light, and he glanced at me over his shoulder. “I’ve learned all his idiosyncrasies by now. I know when to stay out of his way and when to speak up.”
I scrunched up my face. “I can’t figure out if he’s good or bad.”
“I’ve lived long enough to know people are complex,” he said. “And there are often multiple sides to a personality. Lucas is a troubled man—there are things he won’t talk about. Then again, if I had a father like his, I’d be troubled too.” He pulled into a parking garage and our conversation was cut short. “We’re here. I’ll go up and assist Mr. Armstrong. You can stay in the car. We won’t be long.”
About ten minutes later, Lucas came down with his luggage.
He grinned at me as he walked up to the vehicle. “Glad you made it, Aria. Sam told me you needed a suitcase, so I brought an extra one for you.”
The corners of my lips lifted up. He was going to let me use one of his suitcases? “You don’t have to do that. I feel bad.”
“It’s nothing. I’ll give you a few minutes to transfer your belongings while I make a call.”
About ten minutes later, we were on the road, headed towards the airport. At one point, I felt his eyes on me, and when I looked over, he just smiled. He didn’t say anything or try to make conversation. It happened a few more times, and in each instance, he’d give me this look like he was trying to figure me out. As if I puzzled him in some way.
Lucas’s chef, Leslie, met us at the airport and when it was time, we all boarded the plane. Lucas sat up front and drew a curtain, effectively separating him
self from the rest of us. I was a little disappointed he wouldn’t be sitting with us, but it was a good reminder that I was his employee and a strict line had to be drawn.
I followed Sam and Leslie to the back. A flight attendant showed us to our seats, gave safety instructions, and offered us a beverage. I’d heard plenty of stories of celebrities crashing in their own personal jets, so I was thankful the plane was quite large.
My heart began to pound in my chest as I thought about what was about to happen. Until this point, I’d been distracted with thoughts about what it would be like to work for Lucas, but now that I was on the plane, my apprehension turned elsewhere. Everything Ann had said about flying kept flipping through my head, despite the fact that I was trying really hard not to think about it.
I remembered her telling me about a plane that crashed in the ocean, and when they dispatched divers to assess the damage, the passengers were still sitting in their seats. The image of their clothing swaying back and forth in the water sent goosebumps all over my arms. I didn’t want to drown . . . that would be a horrible way to go. But then I recalled her saying people usually perished from the plane catching on fire. That was even worse.
As a Christian, I understood that I shouldn’t worry about those things. I knew where I was going when I died, and I also knew God would be there with me when it happened, showering His grace upon me as I went through it. Still, this was a completely new experience for me, and I wasn’t entirely ready.
Everything developed so quickly, and even though I believed I was making the right decision by taking this job with Lucas, I still worried about leaving my brother behind. What if I missed an important lead because I was off in Kauai? What if he tried to find me, and I was unavailable? What if I was essentially abandoning him? All the reasons I shouldn’t be on this plane ran through my head in a matter of seconds.
Plus, there was another issue. After talking with Lucas the previous evening, I’d developed a little crush on him. Maybe it didn’t seem like a big deal, but I had to stay focused. I couldn’t allow myself to get sidetracked. Lucas didn’t appear to be the kind of man I could have a relationship with since I wanted to be with a man who loved the Lord. From what I’d heard from Alexa, Lucas didn’t fit that description.
The Ruthless Billionaire: A Clean Billionaire Romance (California Elite) Page 4
