by Nella Tyler
"I always went to the State Fair with my dad back home,” Luke commented. “He never did much with me, but that was something that we shared, no matter how busy he was. He always made sure that we could go."
I thought it was nice that Luke and his dad had been able to share something special, something just for them. "Tell me more about your dad."
Luke shrugged, keeping his eyes on the road. "Not much to tell. He was driven by money. That was basically it."
I frowned in confusion. "I thought you weren't raised around money-"
He glanced at me. "And what gave you that idea?"
Busted. I swallowed and tried for honesty. "Well, before I went to work for you, I did try to do a bit of a Google search on you," I admitted. I wasn't sure how he would take that. His response surprised me.
He laughed. "My grandfather was the one that made all the money. To tell you the truth, Molly, he gave my father what you might call a monthly allowance that was subtracted from his trust fund every month."
I lifted my eyebrows. That was unusual, especially for someone that was so old.
"You see,” Luke began to explain, “My father had slippery fingers. He liked money and liked to buy whatever he wanted with it, whether it benefited the rest of the family or not. He was a selfish old bastard, but he wasn't a bad guy. He was just…different."
I watched Luke's expression change and after several moments, a definite frown appeared between his eyebrows. “My grandfather caught on after a short while and pulled on the reins of the funds. He set up trust funds for various family members – all with stipulations. When it came to my dad, he put a small portion of his estate into a trust fund that he set up to release a certain amount to him every month.”
"You mean he-"
"What I mean to say is that my father had a lot of crazy ideas. He never researched any of them. He had several failed businesses, mainly because he was too lazy to put the effort into them to succeed." He glanced at Molly. "Like I said, when my grandfather saw his lack of business sense, he set up the monthly allowances. It was enough to provide a good roof over our heads, and I can't say that I ever wanted for anything, but it wasn't like my dad was showering me with cars, clothes, and other stuff."
I said nothing, rather surprised. While I had no idea regarding the amount of that monthly allowance that had been allotted to Luke's father, due to the fact that Luke had inherited literally millions, if not billions of dollars, I felt a little confused.
"Let me put it this way, Molly," Luke said as he drove. "While my father had slippery fingers when it came to money and himself, you might say that he was rather tightfisted when it came to his family." He paused for several moments. "While he did buy me a used car when I was sixteen, he told me it would be the only one I could expect from him. When it broke down my first semester at college, I had to purchase a new one. I worked two jobs to save up for it. It was used, but it got me through. I paid most of my own way through college, too. I got a scholarship for part of it, and with a lot of grumbling and mumbling, my dad did pay for one semester of tuition – I paid for the rest."
That must have been annoying, I thought. "So you pretty much had to make your own way, knowing all the while that your dad, or your grandfather rather, had millions of dollars tucked away?"
"Yeah," he said, shrugging. "I didn't know anything different. It was the way I grew up. It was just the way things were. After college, well, I decided that it would be best not to even count on anything and to make my own way in life. I know my father loved me in his own way, but after my mother died, he just distanced himself completely from anyone in the family."
"I'm so sorry to hear that," I said. I was fortunate to have had the kind of relationship I had with her parents. Money or not, they had done their best for me. Perhaps I could've worked a little harder to earn some of the things that had been given to me, but I was doing it now, wasn't I? Better late than never?
"I can understand why you want to be independent," he said. "I never really had anything handed to me until my father passed away a few years ago. Then I found out that my grandfather had left the bulk of his inheritance to me. My dad had gone through several million dollars after my grandfather passed away, before he himself died, but my grandfather was a smart man. He had given my father free reign of what he did with his monthly allowances until the trust ran out of funds, which it did just a month before he died. The rest of my grandfather’s estate was cashed out and then invested."
I didn't want to go there. This was where Luke's father had obviously tried to make the most of what had been left to him. I didn't understand. "But if your father was only given a certain amount of money out of your grandfather's estate, how come his…his…informants get involved in what you inherited from your grandfather?"
Luke was quiet for several moments. I realized we were nearly at the fairgrounds, and he followed the signs to a large and barren cornfield where the cars were parked. "It's complicated," he said.
As he drove up and down through the rows of cars looking for an empty space, he glanced at me.
"Let's forget about all that for a little while and just have fun, okay? I don't want to think about any of it for a few hours. For the rest of the day, I want the focus of my attention only on you. Okay?"
Although I had a million questions, I realized he was right. There was time enough for questions. Today, I just wanted to enjoy our time together. "Okay," I agreed, nodding.
I turned to look out the window, a smile on my face as I watched dozens of people making their way from the parking lot toward the fairgrounds. It was going to be super crowded. Nevertheless, I felt excitement surge through my veins. I already smelled the popcorn, funnel cakes, and roasting hotdogs. For a while, I would put my troubles and my concerns behind me and just enjoy the day with Luke.
*
The hours passed in a blur. I was having a wonderful time, and I would venture to say that Luke was also. He seemed so relaxed, and as we made our way down the arcades and explored the booths and tried a lot of food, we both shared childhood memories. As the day progressed and we enjoyed our time together, I finally acquiesced to go on a couple of the rides. Even though I felt a little silly, I climbed onto the Merry-Go-Round and sat on one of the horses, while Luke did the same. Some of the kids looked at us kind of funny, but as soon as the platform began to circle and music played, they forgot all about us and giggled with glee as the horses went up and down.
I had forgotten what it was like to be so carefree. I think I wore a smile plastered to my face during the entire ride. Several times I caught Luke glancing at me, his eyes shining with pleasure. He seemed to enjoy my pleasure as much as his own. In the late afternoon, after the Merry-Go-Round and a stick of cotton candy we shared, we ventured toward the Ferris wheel. It looked massive! Something about it niggled in my memory.
We stepped into one of the slightly swinging baskets, the buggy making a small squeaking sound as its rust hinges creaked back and forth. I made Luke promise that he wouldn't start making it swing as we went around. He promised, agreeing that he hated it when people did that. Now, at the top of the wheel and with the ride paused a moment, I gazed around in wonder. I looked out at the fairgrounds, the hundreds of people below, and then into the distance toward Raleigh. It was then that I realized that this was the fair that I had come to when I was a little girl – the State Fair.
I smiled at the memory, enjoying the sights, the sounds, the colors, and the smells. I couldn’t remember the last time I had such a wonderful time, and I had Luke to thank for it. This is what two people did on a date. Regular people. Not rich people, but people. Rich or poor, regardless of position in life, whether or not I was a maid and he was a billionaire. Well, I guess I was rich, too, but I didn't have that kind of money in my control. Maybe someday, but at that moment, I realized that it didn't really matter.
Sure, I wanted to be able to get through life and not have to worry how I was going to pay the next bill or keep
a roof over my head. What mattered to me most at this moment was to live life to the fullest. To experience everything that life had to offer. I counted my blessings that I had been so fortunate in my life so far.
"A penny for your thoughts."
Still at the top of the Ferris wheel, gazing down at everything going on around us, I smiled and turned to Luke. "I was just thinking what a wonderful time I was having. This is the fair I used to come to when I was a little girl. It just made me think that there's so much more to life that I want to experience."
He nodded, as if he understood where I was coming from. In this moment, I had no doubt that he did. Just then, the ride started again, and down we went. It was an exhilarating feeling. I hadn't felt so happy-go-lucky in years. What a shame that I had forgotten some of the simplest things in life, such as riding a Ferris wheel, enjoying the way cotton candy melted in my mouth, the taste of charred hotdogs, and playing silly arcade games.
By the time it grew dark and the lights came on, I felt as if we had been transported into a different world. Luke and I held hands and strolled around the booths. I laughed as he played a game with a water pistol and won me a stuffed animal. I was having a blast.
I didn't want the day to end, but I knew that it would, as it should. I had decided that even if Luke invited me to stay the night with him, I would go home to my own condo. I didn't want to rush things. I also didn't want to overdo it. After all, I did want to learn more about him, and I didn't want every interaction between us to end in sex, no matter how good that sex was.
By eight o'clock that evening, my feet were so tired, I had to sit down on a bench and rest a minute. Luke sat beside me, holding my hand, quietly contemplating the people walking by, obviously enjoying himself as much as I was. He turned to me with a question in his eyes.
"Did you have a good time?"
I laughed, nodding. "I had forgotten how much fun it was to go to the State Fair," I commented. "What a treat this has been. Thank you, Luke, for thinking of it."
"I thought you might enjoy it." He said nothing for a moment, watching the people walking by, some with children, young couples or elderly pairs or groups enjoying everything going on around them. "Would you like to come home with me?"
I knew he would ask the question and smiled gently as I glanced at him and shook my head. "Can I take a rain check?" I wasn't sure how he was going to respond, but he merely smiled at me and nodded.
"Sure," he said. "I'm so tired I think I could fall asleep the minute I get back home."
I laughed. "Me, too. My feet haven't been so sore since I went trick-or-treating as a kid."
He chuckled at that. "Seems as if we’re both taking trips down memory lane today, aren't we?"
I nodded. "Indeed we are. It's been nice."
After resting for several minutes, we both rose and slowly made our way back to the parking lot. It was only half filled now and wasn't difficult to get out. By the time he dropped me off at my condo, I was pleasantly exhausted. I turned to him and before I could thank him again for the wonderful evening, he had leaned forward, pressing his lips against mine. He gave me a sweet, gentle kiss, no tongue, and I kept mine to myself, as well. I knew that it would only take just a little nudge to make me change my mind and fall into bed with him.
Slowly, he broke off the kiss, staring at me quietly. I wondered what he was thinking.
"I had a wonderful time with you today, Molly," he said. "It was really nice."
"I had a nice time with you, too, Luke," I said, reaching for the door handle with one hand, the other cradling the stuffed elephant he had won for me. "I'll see you Monday morning."
He nodded as I got out of the car and closed the door. He waited at the curb until he saw me unlock my front door and disappear inside and shut the door. I peeked through the sheer curtain beside the door, gave him a wave, and only then did he start his car and back out of the driveway I shared with my neighbor. He made his way slowly down the street toward the gated entrance, which I could see from my window. I watched until the gates closed behind him, and then turned away, made sure the front door was locked and a bolted, and then slowly made my way to my bedroom.
Too tired to even take a shower, I disrobed and donned an oversized T-shirt to sleep in, my usual. I felt so relaxed and tired when I climbed between the sheets that in a matter of minutes, I drifted into a restful, calm, and deep sleep, my dreams filled with Ferris wheels, the sound of arcade bells and jingles, and most wonderful of all, Luke's smiles uppermost in my thoughts.
Chapter 5
I arrived at Luke's estate bright and early on Monday morning, roughly twenty minutes before I was scheduled to start. I hadn't talked to him since he kissed me goodnight on Saturday evening, and I wasn't sure why he hadn't called. Then again, I could've called him, just as well. Being that it was Sunday, though, I decided that we both needed to have some time alone. Saturday had been wonderful, and no matter what happened, I knew that I would always look back on the day with fond memories.
I was amazed at the difference I have seen in Luke's demeanor and attitude on Saturday. I could well imagine him as a carefree little boy, eyes lit up with excitement, darting from one arcade game to the next, his excitement and enthusiasm palpable. It'd been nice to just forget the woes and worries of being an adult, even for a day, enjoying the fair as much as I had when I was a child.
Yesterday, probably because of my memories evoked from the fair, I had toyed with the idea of calling my father, but then decided against it. I didn't want to shatter my good mood by talking about things that would likely end up in an argument. I already knew, through Luke, how my dad felt about me dating him. I was also more than a little concerned as to the specific reason my dad didn't want me seeing him. If he knew about the insider trading, or even heard rumors that it might be possible, Luke already had two strikes against him.
Even more than that, though, I knew that if I talked to my dad, I would want to know what kind of business ventures he was involved in with Luke and I knew it was none of my business. I had never gotten involved into my dad's business dealings before and I wasn't about to start now.
Instead, I had spent the day catching up on chores, laundry, and just lounging around. I had called Samantha, told her about the wonderful time we had at the fair, and laughed over old times.
Now, as I took the steps up to Luke's front door, I was ready and looking forward to a full day's work. I had begun to believe that I really would be able to enjoy the best of both worlds: being with Luke privately and working for him.
When I entered and headed toward the kitchen to stow my personal belongings, the chef was already there. I was surprised because he usually didn't come so early. When I asked him about it, he replied that Luke was going to be gone all day for meetings, but that he expected company in the evening and wanted something special prepared.
I kept my expression blank as I gathered my supplies. I decided I’d better do an extra good job in the downstairs dining room and living room. After that, I would venture upstairs to do the regular cleaning. Maybe I'd get a chance to clean his office since he wasn't around. I hadn't been in his office since I started, and I was sure it could use a good dusting.
I was a little disappointed that I wouldn't likely see Luke today, as I usually left around four o’clock, but that was okay. Absence did make the heart grow fonder, didn't it? I spent the first couple of hours working hard to make sure that the dining room and living areas were literally spotless. I dusted, polished, vacuumed, and mopped. The other rooms downstairs didn't receive quite such detailed attention, although I did make sure the bathroom was well stocked and cleaned, and the den was orderly and dusted.
After a quick lunch that the chef was kind enough to prepare for me, I headed upstairs with my cleaning supplies. I tackled the guest bedroom and the bathroom, and vacuumed the hallway, watered the flowers at the far end on the table in front of the window overlooking the backyard. I focused on his bedroom next, stripping th
e sheets off the bed, replacing them with fresh ones, vacuumed and dusted that room, then made sure his bathroom was clean and well stocked with fresh towels, as well.
It wasn't until midafternoon that I had finished every room upstairs except for his office. At first I hesitated, thinking that maybe he wouldn't want me in there, but then I shrugged. I was a maid. I hadn't received specific orders not to clean his office, and the door was slightly ajar, so it wasn't as if he had locked up behind him to keep me out.
Not thinking anything of it, I stepped inside, eyed his messy desk, and then decided to start dusting the bookcases first. Then I vacuumed, and then began to polish what exposed woodwork I could find. I really wanted to do a good job and thought that maybe he would appreciate it if I straightened up his desk, gave it a good layer of polish.
I began to straighten up the papers, not really paying too much attention; my intention was to at least organize them by separate piles as I found them. The least I could do was line up the edges so it didn't look so sloppy. I wouldn’t put the papers anywhere else or put them into any kind of order – merely align the edges to leave neat, orderly stacks.
If I could just clear enough away to do some polishing, I would consider it good enough. Determined not to snoop this time, I deliberately didn't focus on any of the writing or numbers on any of the papers I worked on straightening. Not until I got to the last stack, at the bottom left side of his desk. The papers in this pile were placed every which way, corners hanging out. One edge stuck out, slightly folded under. I reached for it.
Thinking to gather all the papers in my hand like a ream of notebook paper, I began to maneuver the corners back into place so that all the pages were lined up. Satisfied, I placed the stack down again, but then saw that one paper was sticking stubbornly out from near the bottom of the stack. I pulled a chunk of papers off the top of it, and then straightened the page, prepared to place the handful of papers I clutched in my right hand back on top of it, everything neat and tidy. Then, taking a second glance and yet knowing I shouldn't, I stared.
