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“Oh.” I stay silent, thinking carefully about what to say next. “I think Mr. Masters is going to fire me tonight.”
“Why?”
“I got caught in his room this morning. I was smelling his aftershave, and then I forgot to wake the kids up and lied about it, and then I had a raving row with Willow and dropped the F-bomb on her.”
Janelle bursts out laughing. “Oh my… you are honest.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah. It’s my biggest fault.”
Her eyes dance with delight. “Fault? I think it’s a virtue.” She dusts a little more. “One that is not shown around here often, unfortunately.”
I scowl. “What do you mean?”
She shrugs as she continues to clean. “It’s really none of my business, dear.”
I watch her for a while. “But if I’m going to try and make this work any information you have could be helpful. I don’t want to fail.”
She bends down and cleans the skirting board, her back to me. “Well, for what it’s worth, here’s my take on it.”
I listen intently.
“Mr. Masters has a broken heart and Willow reminds him of his late wife. They hardly speak, unless she is getting disciplined for something, and Samuel over compensates their lack of relationship with too much sweetness to make up for his sister’s cold front.”
My face falls. “Mr. Masters shuts her out?” I whisper.
“That, and she won’t let him in now. She won’t let anyone in. The damage has been done. You’ll soon know that she’s very difficult to get along with.”
Oh, that poor girl. Sadness fills me. She’s still only a baby. Suddenly I feel guilty for being horrible to her this morning. No wonder she’s snarky, and what an asshole he must be for shutting his only daughter out after her mother died.
I blow out a deflated breath and flop back on the bed.
Jeez, it’s like a bad Nicholas Sparks movie.
Janelle continues to clean around me.
“How did their mother die?” I ask.
“Car accident.”
“How was he after she died?”
“Who Mr. Masters?”
I nod.
“Quiet.”
I frown. “Is he always quiet?” She shrugs. “He is with me. He holds a very powerful position at work and I think it’s very taxing on him. When I first started, just after she died, I searched for Alina on f*******:. There were a lot of shots of the two of them out on the town together. She was beautiful.”
My eyebrows rise as I listen.
“But her page was shut down not long after.”
“Hmm.” All this information and I have no idea what to do with it. Janelle continues to clean, and I feel guilty for lounging here, just watching her work. “Do you want some help?” I ask. “Can I do anything?”
She smiles warmly. “No, dear, but why don’t you go and have a lie down. I’m sure you must still be jetlagged.”
“Yeah, I am. Dead tired, to be honest.” I hop up and make my way to the door, glancing back over my shoulder. “It was lovely meeting you.”
She smiles warmly. “You, too, dear. Sweet dreams.”
I make my way down to my room, set my alarm, and climb into bed. I pull my big, heavy quilt over me, and then I try to imagine I am home.
Julian
I walk into Rodger's bar at around 4:00 p.m. to meet with Sebastian and Spencer—something we all do at least once a week. We've been best friends since we were ten years old. I don't see them as much as I would like to, but they keep me sane when I need them.
“Hey, Jules.” Seb smiles.
“Hey. Where’s Spence?”
“At the bar.”
I glance over, falling onto a stool, and see Spencer deep in discussion with a woman at the bar.
“How’s your week been?” Seb asks.
“Yeah, pretty good. Yours?”
He curls his lip. “This new building is giving me a f*****g headache.” He shrugs. “I’ll get it right eventually.”
Sebastian is an architect, specializing in the designs of skyscrapers. Spencer owns a steel company. They both do very well for themselves.
Spence arrives back at the table with our three beers in hand. "Hey, Masters, what's up?" He holds a beer out for me too as he sits down.
“Not much.” I sip my beer. “My new nanny started.”
“What’s she like?” Seb asks.
“f*****g hot,” I sigh.
The boys both exchange a look and smile before they turn their attention back to me. “Seriously?” Spence asks. “How hot?”
"Like, I'm f*****g hard in my pants every single time she's in the room hot," I answer dryly.
“Have you shagged her?” Spence asks.
I wince as I sip my beer. “You don’t shag the nanny, Spence.”
“Why not?” He shrugs, raising his brows.” I would.”
Seb smirks.
Spencer’s eyes widen all at once. “Oh hell, I didn’t tell you about Marie.”
Seb and I sip our beers as we listen.
“Okay, so you know how I’ve been seeing that flight attendant, Marie?”
“Yeah.”
“I started going around to her apartment a bit more, and it turns out she’s got this female flatmate called Ricky.” “Oh God, don’t tell me.”
I smile to myself. Spencer is the worst player I know. He can’t keep it in his pants for longer than five minutes.
Spencer smiles and winks. “Ricky’s f*****g hot.” He shakes his head, as if the memory of this Ricky is making his mind foggy. “Like… stupid hot.”
Seb and I roll our eyes at each other.
We already know where this story is going.
“The other night, I was in bed with Marie, completely naked. She’s on top of me, and the bedroom lamp is still on...” He pauses to take a quick drink.
“Then all of a sudden, the door opens, and in walks Ricky, wearing nothing. Nude.” Seb and I glance at each other, both of us wearing a frown.
“She asks if she can join us in bed.”
“Where the f**k do you find these women?” Seb asks, indignant.
“I know, right?” I chuckle. “What did Marie say?”
He smirks and holds his hands out as he explains the story. "Marie asks me if I mind if her flatmate joins us. Apparently, Ricky hasn't had s*x in a while and Marie hates knowing her friend is lonely."
I sit forward, my face creased with confusion. “Wait, so are those two f*****g
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