by Ciana Stone
“Yes. What does the job pay?”
Richard chuckled as if amused. “Forgive me, my dear. Your lodging and meals will, of course, be provided. You’ll receive a weekly allowance of a thousand dollars for personal incidentals, and if you prove capable of remaining in the position until our scheduled return you will receive a lump sum of fifteen thousand dollars.”
“Fifteen thousand dollars?” When he said a thousand a week she was thrilled. But fifteen thousand?
“Too little?” Helen asked in a somewhat catty tone.
“Oh, no, no. That’s fine, just fine.”
“Then if there’s nothing else,” Richard said.
“Well, there is one other thing.” Nikki hated to push her luck, but it seemed to be part of her nature. “Would it be okay if I met Maxwell?”
Richard quickly looked at Helen who spoke up rather hastily. “Actually, dear, Maxwell is probably napping. He had a rather hectic morning and was completely exhausted. I’m really not sure if he’s awakened yet.”
Something about the tone of Helen’s voice and the way she and Richard looked at one another made alarm bells go off in Nikki’s head.
“Well, maybe he’s ready to get up. And I really think it’d be better if we met. That way if he hates me on sight or something, I don’t have to waste any more of your time.”
Helen and Richard shared another look and Richard nodded. Helen picked up the phone and punched in two numbers. She was silent for a long time. Nikki looked at Richard who smiled in what seemed a forced manner. Finally, Helen spoke into the phone. “Maxwell, please join us in my sitting room immediately.”
She hung up the phone and smiled somewhat coldly at Nikki. When five minutes had passed, with the three of them making idle comments about the weather and such, Richard stood.
“Nikki, would you excuse us for a moment?”
“Sure.”
Richard escorted Helen from the room. Nikki watched them leave. As soon as they were gone, she slumped back in her chair and let out a long breath. She felt like she’d been holding it forever. Something was quite odd about the Westons. Maybe Gaspar was right. Then again, maybe not. If the Westons really did have the Stones or the housing device stashed somewhere, it would be next to impossible to find it. The house was enormous and chances were, she wouldn’t have the opportunity to explore it freely.
But then again, they were willing to pay a thousand dollars a week plus a bonus of fifteen thousand at the end of the summer. With her current situation, she’d be a fool to pass it up.
After cutting a look at the door, she got up and wandered around the room. It was filled with very expensive artwork and the windows overlooked a beautiful garden. She wakled over to the window, looked outside then continued around the room, peaking behind pictures on the walls to see if there were hidden safes and checking the fireplace and mantle for anything that would resemble a hidden mechanism for a secret compartment.
She felt a little foolish and told herself to not get too caught up in the secret-agent role. She also couldn’t help wondering what could be so unusual about the child that made the Westons so reluctant for people to meet him.
As Richard and Helen made their way down the hall, Maxwell hurried across the arboretum and to the door of his mother’s sitting room. He knew they were interviewing another prospective “warden” for him and he wanted to get a look at the candidate without his parents being present.
Since the last drone quit, they’d been rather frantic about finding a replacement. Maxwell was accustomed to the succession of companions his parents hired to watch him, but he’d never seen them quite so urgent in their efforts before. He wasn’t sure what their motivation was, but it was definitely out of the ordinary.
He made a mental note that he needed to upgrade his surveillance of his parents. Apparently, he wasn’t getting enough intelligence on what was going on because he’d been unable to discover what the sudden flurry of activity to hire someone was really about.
He peeked inside the sitting room and saw Nikki standing by the window. She didn’t hear him when he slid inside and leaned against the doorframe to watch her.
She was pretty, at least from what he could see. Her long hair was loose, hanging in a shining wave down her back, the light dancing on the silky strands like gems twinkling. Her skin was a little dark, like she had mixed blood—Indian or Middle Eastern, perhaps. And her figure was definitely appealing. The way her jeans clung to her displayed her shape nicely.
Maxwell was intrigued but also confused. Surely this couldn’t be someone interviewing for the job. Helen and Richard would never hire someone so young and pretty. Who could she be? A neighbor who’d just moved into the area? No, her clothes weren’t expensive enough. The daughter of a friend? No, there again, the clothes were too cheap. How about someone who worked for his father? No, Richard never invited underlings to the estate.
Suddenly Nikki turned and saw him. Maxwell got his first good look at her face, and it was like time had come to a screeching halt. She wasn’t just pretty. She was beautiful. And a beauty that was intimately familiar.
Nikki felt a powerful jolt when she turned and saw the man leaning against the doorframe. In the space of a heartbeat, she was completely oblivious to everything else around her. Every sense tuned completely on him. Here was the face of her dreams.
Their eyes met and something she could not identify, something that affected every nerve ending in her body, took hold of her. It was as if for a moment, the laws of the universe were suddenly in flux and she along with them.
Only by tearing her eyes from his was she able to stop the flood of sensation. Alarm bells rang in her mind, but she ignored them. Never before had she experienced such a reaction. It was like she had fallen into her fantasy. But things like that didn’t happen in real life. Did they?
It dawned on her that the man hadn’t spoken or moved. Maybe he didn’t know she was there about the interview. All at once she felt uncomfortable, not just because she felt the need to explain her presence, but because of her reaction to him. She told herself to stop looking at him and then immediately ignored her own directives.
“Hi, I’m Nikki. Nikki Morgan. I’m here to interview for the job. Mr. and Mrs. Weston just went to find their son and asked me to wait here.”
A series of expressions seemed to dance across the man’s face. Nikki watched curiously, wondering why he didn’t speak and why he kept staring at her. But then she was just as bad, the way she was staring at him.
Voices sounded in the hallway. The man must have heard them too. He dashed across the room and through the French doors that led into the garden.
Nikki completely forgot about the Westons. Her eyes were glued to the man as he hurried from the room. He stopped after he stepped through the threshold and looked back at her for a split second before he closed the doors and disappeared into the garden. As before, the look made her heart leap, her breath quicken and her nerve endings do an electric dance.
“Please forgive us,” Richard Weston said from behind her. “It appears that Maxwell is indulging in one of his favorite games. Hiding.”
“Huh?” Nikki turned, hoping her face didn’t show a flush from the warmth she felt. “Oh—well, well, that’s okay. I guess I can meet him another time. If I get the job, that is.”
Richard and Helen exchanged a look. Helen gave a short nod and Richard looked at Nikki with a smile. “The job is yours.”
“Are you serious? I mean that’s wonderful, but are you certain? Does your son have special needs, is he autistic or does he suffer from Down’s syndrome? I’d love to have the job. I really need it, but I don’t know the first thing about dealing with children with—special needs.”
“Our staff is fully qualified to service Maxwell’s special needs,” Helen replied. “Your primary function is to be a companion. Play video games with him or go swimming. You’ll be given a cell phone and should anything arise you do not feel you’re equipped to deal with, you
have only to call Osgood.”
If they already had staff capable of handling everything, why did they need her? Nikki was starting to think this whole situation was a bit bizarre. As much as she needed the money, maybe this wasn’t for her. What the heck did she know about dealing with a child who wasn’t exactly normal?
And why did the Westons seem so damn eager to pawn their kid off? She was feeling a bit apprehensive, but financial needs and the temptations Gaspar had filled her mind with made her willing to shove the misgivings aside.“ Well, thank you. When do I start?”
“We leave Friday morning,” Helen answered.
“Oh, okay. So I should be here what time on Friday?”
“We leave very early,” Richard said. “It would probably be wise for you to be here at least a couple of days prior to our departure to familiarize yourself with the estate and the staff.”
Nikki noticed he didn’t mention anything about meeting Maxwell. In fact, they didn’t seem too eager for that to happen, which made alarms go off in her head. What if the child hated her? Or what if he had too much of a handicap for her to deal with? There were a lot of what if’s floating through her mind. So why the heck wasn’t she asking them instead of nodding like some trance victim? Was money really that big of an allure?
“Okay. Should I call in advance?”
“That won’t be necessary. Simply announce yourself at the gate. I’ll have a card made up for you.”
“A card?”
“A security card for the gate, dear,” Helen said.
“Oh, okay thank you. It shouldn’t take me long to get my things settled, so I’ll see you in a couple of days?”
“That will be fine.” Helen nodded curtly and started for the door. “Richard, be a dear and show Ms. Morgan out.”
Richard gestured in front of him. “Shall we?”
Nikki shrugged and accompanied him to the front door. “Thanks again, Mr. Weston.” She extended her hand.
“Thank you.” He grasped her hand in both of his. “May this be the beginning of a long and satisfying relationship.”
She didn’t know how to respond to that comment. She was only there for a summer job, after all. As she disengaged her hand from his, she gave him smile. “Well, I guess I’ll see you soon.”
“I look forward to it.”
Nikki went to her car. As she opened the door, she paused to look at the mansion. What a strange turn of fate today had provided. First, she was handed a clue to a tantalizing possibility, got offered a job making more money than she had ever dared to dream, and then she saw him. The man whose face had inhabited her dreams for nearly a year.
What did he do for the Westons? Butler…cook…gardener…pool boy? It made no difference to her. She just hoped she’d have a chance to spend more time with him. For the first time in her life, she had experienced something she believed was only a wishful fantasy, and she had been bowled over at first sight.
Slow down, she told herself as she got in the car. Just because you want him to be the man of your dreams doesn’t make it true. Coincidence happens. He has the face, and the body, but that doesn’t prove anything. But even her advice to herself couldn’t erase the hope in her heart.
As she pulled away, it occurred to her that she still had no idea what Maxwell Weston was like. Hopefully, she hadn't taken the job of tending some spoiled demon of a child. But she wasn’t really worried. After all, how much trouble could one child be?
Had she turned and looked back at that moment, she would have seen the man who watched from the window high on the third floor.
Chapter Two
Instead of returning to her apartment, Nikki drove into the city. She had to talk to Catherine, her best girlfriend and ex-roommate.
Cat was a CPA with a prestigious group, a junior partner, thanks to her father’s influence. When Nikki arrived, the receptionist informed her that Cat was with a client. Nikki opted to wait. Luckily, she didn’t have to wait long.
“Hey, what a surprise.” Cat smiled as Nikki entered her office. “What brings you uptown?”
Nikki perched on the chair before the desk. “You won’t believe what happened to me today.”
Cat took one good look at Nikki and grinned. “Oh my god, you met someone!”
“Not just someone,” Nikki sighed. “The one.”
“No way! You?”
Nikki laughed. “Yeah, tell me about it. I didn’t think it was possible.”
“So spill—and don’t leave out anything.”
Nikki didn’t tell Cat how she found out about the job opening or about her meeting with Gaspar de Troyes. She quickly laid out the meeting with the Westons and the fantastic salary offer, and then took her time relating the meeting with the handsome stranger.
“So, you think he works there too?” Cat asked.
“Apparently. He was there and this isn’t a place you just walk into by mistake. It’s like Fort Knox with all the electric gates and security cameras and all.”
“Well it’s sure bizarre. I mean who would’ve thought a baby-sitting job would bring you face-to-face with Mr. Right?”
“Tell me about it. God, Cat, you should see him. He’s…”
Cat touched her index finger to the tip of her tongue then to the back of her hand, making a sizzling sound.
“Yeah, that’s pretty close.”
“Well, watch out, Nik, anything that hot’s bound to burn.”
Nikki sighed. “It’s more than that. It’s—I can’t explain it. It’s like when I looked in his eyes I saw…” She trailed off. She couldn’t tell Cat about the dreams. “I saw something I’ve been looking for all my life.”
Cat got up to walk around the desk and take a seat in the vacant chair beside Nikki. “Listen, I don’t want to throw ice water on your fire or anything, but as a friend, can I just say one thing?”
“Sure.”
“Be careful, okay? I mean, it’s not like you to go off the deep end for a guy, no matter how fine he is. And to be honest, I’ve never seen you like this. You’re always the one who plays it so safe in the men department, never allowing yourself to be fooled or misled. This−well this time it’s like you threw caution to the wind on just a look. I’m not saying you’re wrong. Hell, you’re usually more right than any of us about people, but I just don’t want to see you set yourself up to get hurt.”
Nikki knew Cat’s words came from caring and she didn’t take offense. She took Cat’s hand. “Thanks. I love you too. And I know I probably seem like some starry-eyed fool. I kind of feel that way to be honest. And maybe I’m setting myself up for an enormous fall, but Cat, I swear to you that when I looked in his eyes I felt something so strong it was physical. Nothing like that’s ever happened to me, but it’s like it’s something I know or recognize. I can’t explain it, but I know this guy is someone I was meant to meet.”
“Sounds like our little scholar has been delving into too many medieval romances to me.”
“I guess it does sound that way—especially coming from me.”
“Well, maybe you’re right. Maybe he is Mr. Right. How the hell would I know? Damn, the first time I saw my Mr. Right I was scared shitless of him.”
She and Nikki both laughed at the memory. Cat’s phone buzzed and she got up to answer it.
“Sorry, next appointment’s here. Want to meet later for dinner?”
“Not tonight, thanks. I need to get packed. Maybe this weekend?”
“Sure. Let me know.”
“Okay.” Nikki blew her a kiss. “Thanks for letting me bend your ear.”
“Any time. Keep me posted on Mr. Wonderful.”
“Will do. See ya!”
Nikki left the office, glad to have been able to talk to Cat. Admitting her feelings about the handsome stranger relieved some of the anxious excitement. To her surprise, it had also made her evaluate what she was feeling, and it was something of a shock for her to realize that for the first time in her life, she was completely spellbound by a man.
>
It was both exhilarating and intimidating. She was scared that when she saw the man again, she’d realize she’d been wrong about him. That he wasn’t the man from her dreams. Then again, what if he was and he had no interest in her?
For the first time, Nikki felt as if she was walking on foreign soil. She was always in control when it came to affairs of the heart. What was so different this time? And did she really want to find out?
Twenty-four hours after she’d accepted the job, Nikki arrived back at the Weston estate to pick up her gate card. Osgood Gaynor, the butler, had called and left her a message that she could pick it up any time. Eager to see if she would run into the handsome stranger again, she called and told Osgood she would come on over and pick up the card.
Osgood greeted her at the door. “Ms. Morgan, good day.”
“Hi, I thought I’d drop by and pick up that card.”
“Yes, please follow me. Mr. Weston asked that I notify him when you arrived.”
Osgood left her waiting in the library while he went to tell Mr. Weston she was there. Nikki looked at the massive bookcases, filled with expensive leather-bound editions on a wide variety of subjects.
“Nikki, hello, my dear.”
She turned at the sound of Richard Weston’s voice. “Hi, I hope I’m not bothering you. Mr. Gaynor said I could stop by and pick up a gate card.”
“Yes, I have it right here.” Richard pulled what looked a lot like a credit card from his pocket.
“Thanks.” Nikki looked at it. “So, I just swipe it through the thing at the gate?”
“Yes. Tell me, when do you estimate you’ll be moving to the estate?”
“I thought maybe tomorrow or Thursday.”
“Excellent.”
At that moment, Helen walked into the room. “Richard, have you seen—” She fell silent for a moment when she saw Nikki. “Ah, Ms. Morgan. I didn’t expect you.”
“I came to pick up a gate card.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Something you wanted, darling?” Richard asked.
Helen cut a look at Nikki before answering. “Actually, I wanted to know if you had seen Maxwell.”
