Showcase

by P. Roper

  “So, the job sort of fell into your lap as well. Just through a different course of events? And please, it’s Deliah or just Dee. Miss Woods is far too formal for me.”

  “Of course,” she nodded. “Now, you can access the porch and pool from almost any room along the rear of the main floor. As well as via a staircase, off a balcony from the second floor that connects the five rooms across the back of the house.” She opened a large glass double door and gestured for me to go outside.

  “Grey is a big thing around here, hey?” I noted, taking in the slate patio and the grey washed porch.

  “Huh. Yes, I suppose it is,” she glanced around as well. “Um, the pool is kept open and heated until we get snow. Then Nate usually has a crew come in to transform it into a skating rink for the winter. But the hot tub is there and kept at 104 degrees, year round.” She stopped at the edge of the pool. “We’re expecting snow at the end of next week, so you’ll probably have at least another few days with it like this.”

  “Does he skate?” I ask. Realistically, why would he put in a skating rink if he didn’t? But I’m also reminded of that particular room upstairs.

  “Yes!” her eyes lit up as she turned to me, taking steps to move her around the pool. “Nate played Division 1 hockey for Harvard for four years before trading his skates in for suits. He probably could have gone pro, but he knew his future was in the company. He’s never stopped skating though. I assume you don’t have skates?”

  “No, I don’t think I’ve been skating in at least ten years,” I chuckled, looking out over the property.

  “I’ll be sure to have some and socks that would be appropriate to wear with them, included with the remainder of your welcome package that you’ll get later today. If there is anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. I can acquire almost anything.”

  “Sure. I won’t really know what I’ll need until my things arrive but Nathaniel says that should be later today.”

  “Of course. Anyway, two more things, then we’ll need to head back in and get you out to the car. Nate’s first meeting starts in a little over an hour.” She walked a handful of steps away from the large house before stopping in front of a smaller version of it. “Pool house. It’s mostly used for seasonal storage right now since Nate really doesn’t need it. But it provides space to house the estate’s vast holiday decorating collection.”

  “He uses an entire pool house for Christmas decorations?” I found myself having to ask, as my eyebrows rose.

  “Well not just Christmas. I mean, the house has been extraordinarily empty since the Halloween decorations came down two weeks ago, when he left for Europe. It feels pretty barren compared to its usual state at the moment. But the team will be here to decorate for Thanksgiving and Christmas this afternoon. The estate gets decked out for every major holiday and most seasons. Christmas is my favourite though. Major things like the trees will go up now, but on the first of December the place shifts from festive to absolutely magical.”

  “Wow, okay. Wait, its Thanksgiving next week, isn’t it?”

  “A week from tomorrow,” she added to a nod. “There will be a large event here at the house that you’ll definitely need a dress for. But we have plenty of time, even if you need it tailored. Not to worry.” She waved off the notion, as if it really was no big deal.

  Pointing in the distance away from the house, she finalized the tour by saying, “The stables and private beach access are that way. The property is 18 acres and more than half of it is treed. But it is fully fenced, so it’s safe. Even should you choose to wander the woods. Shall we?” Leading the way back to the house, she paused. Keeping her back to me she spoke so softly it was almost inaudible. “You’ve been here less than a day and he already seems lighter. I have a good feeling about this year, Deliah.” Then she disappeared into the house.

  Following after her, I didn’t make it far before I was met with Nathaniel's smile. “Did you have braces?” I say, momentarily distracted by his perfectly straight teeth.

  “Uh, nope. God given,” he says, dragging those teeth over his lip. “Ready to head out? It’s almost an hour into the city. Most of the time I work from here. But about once a week, I have a day full of meetings at the actual office.” He explained, taking my coffee cup to the kitchen and placing it in the sink.

  Following him to the front door, I felt almost naked without a bag full of things. But I didn’t really have anything with me yet. My only available possessions that weren’t merely sentimental were a passport (that I wasn’t about to carry around with me anyway), a tube of very red lipstick, a European phone, an envelope full of euros that I had never even counted, black pumps and a black silk slip dress. I know the rest of my requested short list of items was around somewhere, but the list had definitely not consisted of practical things.

  Unsure what to do with my hands; I crossed my arms over my chest. Noticing the movement in his peripheral, Nathaniel turned to me fully. As his brows pulled together slightly he asked, “You okay? Things will feel a little more normal throughout today, I hope. I know it must be strange, being here.” His hand went up and rubbed at the back of his neck.

  A half smile touched my features. “Oh, no. I’m good. Maybe a little overwhelmed, but mostly good. I’m just not used to leaving a place empty-handed.”

  “Oh,” recognition washes his face. “I have a phone, a laptop and probably a dozen other things waiting at the office for you. I’m sorry. I figured it would be easier to just have them there for you.”

  I step into him, sweeping my hands down his shoulders and across his chest. “Please don’t apologise. Really, I’m good. The fact that you have things waiting for me at all is more than I would have thought of. I do realize now though, that I will need sunglasses. And probably actual glasses, at that. I haven’t worn any since I left the states because I’m only minorly near-sighted. But I should probably get some new ones if I plan to do things like driving,” I said, gesturing to the car we had come to a stop beside.

  “We can get you sunglasses and I’ll have someone on the team to make an appointment with an optometrist to check your prescription. But you won’t need to drive. I mean, unless you want to. I have the car service always available. I just felt like driving today.”

  He reached down beside me, fingers grazing my thigh, to open the door of the restored black ‘74 Javelin we stood beside. After gently ushering me into the passenger seat, he rounded the car and deposited himself into the driver's seat. Before pulling down the long drive, he turned on some barely audible music that floated through the vehicle.

  “It’s a bit of a drive up the coast,” he explains. “So tell me what’s going through that pretty head of yours, now that you’ve seen the house and spent an hour with Audrey?”

  I look across him, out the window at the water, before speaking. “Honestly? I’m not sure. I think my head is still trying to wrap itself around everything. Audrey covered a lot of ground and said a lot of things. Damn, that girl can talk. But she’s thorough, so I think we’ll be able to work well together.” He nodded, prompting me to continue. “I do have a couple questions about the nature of our arrangement. Like, what are you telling people? That you paid me to be part of your PA team and your lover? Because as much as that’s what I mostly gather the deal to be here? I’m not sure that will reflect very positively on either of us.”

  He laughed as his hand landed softly on my denim hugged thigh. “As far as the outside world is concerned, we met in Amsterdam and I brought you home. As mine. I gave you a job because if I read you correctly, you wouldn’t have agreed to return stateside with me without one. I’m leaving that up to you though. You can choose the level to which you want to invest yourself in it. Right now, you are my companion and you will essentially fill the role that pretty much every corporate wife on the eastern seaboard does. Audrey is my executive assistant and now yours as well. Does that clear some things up for you?”

  My ey
es narrowed as I mulled over his words. He paid me to come here and be his companion? So the job is a smokescreen?

  “No, not a smokescreen.” My eyes widened again at his unexpected response. Shit, I said that out loud? “Think of it as more of an offer. Completely open for you to choose your level of involvement in. Audrey and the team will continue to do whatever you choose not to.”

  “So, I could just sit back and be a kept stepford, if that’s what I wanted?” Frustration and confusion flooded me, “Why the fuck would you offer someone that?”

  “You could, if you wanted to,” his fingers stroked at the seam of my jeans near my knee, in what felt like an attempt to calm me. “But I observed you for the last two weeks, Deliah. In doing so, I concluded that doing only that would honestly drive you insane. Correct me if I was mistaken?” He glanced at me before adding, “I’m sorry that I was not completely forthcoming. But when I saw you, I knew it had to be you.”

  Shrugging, I responded, “You’re right, I would lose my damn mind without having something to do. That said, you have a full staff of people, so I’m not sure what I’ll actually be able to contribute. But I suppose I’ll find something? And what do you mean it had to be me? What did?”

  “Audrey will have a full run down of my staff and their responsibilities waiting for you at the office when we arrive. You can review it and then choose your preferred level of involvement. We do have a very formal Thanksgiving to attend next week, as well. But to actually answer your question? The woman I brought home. It had to be you, whatever it took.”

  I nodded and turned to look out the window. What had I gotten myself into? Time would tell, I supposed. But how was I supposed to fill this role for a year and then just walk away?

  “You don’t have to walk away, if you don’t want to.” He responded quietly to another question I thought I had asked myself silently. Letting his answer hang in the air, we spent the remainder of the drive into the heart of Boston, in silence.

  When he pulled up in front of a tall brick and glass building, I tilted my head seeking a glance at the top. “Welcome to New America Holdings. On his 25th birthday, my great Granddad used his trust fund to found the company for railroad holdings in the twenties. We’ve diversified, so transportation isn’t our main game anymore. But the company is steeped in history.” He took a deep breath and unbuckled his seatbelt, “Ready for this?”

  He was out of the car and opening the passenger door for me before I had a chance to respond or begin an internal pep talk. He offered an outstretched hand to help me from the low car, but once I was upright he tangled our fingers together. Noticing me glance at our hands, he whispered, “Please trust me,” as we walked into the goliath of a building.

  I pasted a polite smile on my face, while his demeanour broke into full-on welcoming and I attempted to follow his lead. It was endearing that he greeted every single person we passed, by name. I could see that he was deeply respected but imagined that literally growing up in front of the eyes of a company would garner a lot of that familiarity.

  Finally, we stood in the elevator watching the numbers count higher. His thumb brushed repeatedly against the back of my hand and he rocked on his heels. For a fraction of a second, I caught a glimpse of what I thought may be nervousness. What could this man beside me possibly have to be nervous about? Unless it was me?

  “You know, you’re right pretty girl,” he whispered. “About the nerves. Not about what prompted them though.” My breath caught, as I realized I had spoken an internal question again. His hand released mine and came up to rest at the small of my back. “My office is this way,” was all he said as the doors opened and he led me through the fairly open space to a large wall of frosted glass.

  One thing caught my eye, before we stepped through the oversized glass door. Turning to him, all I got out was, “Wait, Nathaniel...” before he ushered me through the threshold.

  Rounding on him and waiting till he closes the door behind him, I took a deep breath. “Sorry, but you’re the CEO? Are you even old enough for that? I thought your father ran the company? Didn’t you also mention an older brother at some point?” I ask, trying to recall more details from our conversations over the last 18 hours.

  “Sit, Deliah. Please?” He gestures to the plush seat positioned in front of his desk. Unbuttoning his jacket and running a hand down his face he leans against the desk in front of me. “Yes, I run the company. I have since I was twenty two. My older brother, Niles, was bypassed to take over in 2017, when my father was forced into early retirement by a heart attack, Niles refused to give up his lifestyle for the company. I was fresh out of Harvard and more than prepared to take the reins. I’ve been doing this for three years now, while my brother has retained his affinity for disappearing for months at a time. Usually until he needs money.” While he spoke, he unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them to the elbow. The man was more distracting than he probably realized.

  “Okay, so three years in and you suddenly need a companion? You’re still not telling me something.”

  “Look, I have lived and breathed this company since I graduated. I've been a hyper-focused bachelor. Taking family friends, most often Audrey, to any event that I absolutely couldn’t swing attending solo. To be frank, it’s no more complicated than admitting I was tired of being lonely. Upon a recommendation from someone close to me, I went looking for someone to fill a space in my life. Even if only temporarily, I needed someone there and Lord knows I don’t have the time or patience to find myself some decent company by conventional means. Long story short, pretty girl? I found you.”

  His gaze stripped me of any words that may have been resting on my tongue in that moment. So, I nodded. Because what else could I do?

  Breaking eye contact with me, he glanced at his watch before standing to his full height. “Now, if you’re ready? Audrey is waiting in the conference room; with what I’m sure is a very elaborate plan to get you not only connected on this continent, but also up to speed with the rest of the team.” He reached a hand out to me, prompting me to stand. Pulling me as face to face with a giant as one could be, he ran a finger down my jaw. “I want you to be happy and comfortable here, Deliah. Please ask whatever questions you must. But as no one except Audrey knows exactly how I met you in Amsterdam, I only ask for your discretion in regards to that. Simply because of the ears of those who may pry. To you, I will be an open book. You need only to actually ask the questions you need answers to.”

  Again, I found myself nodding. “Okay. I may need a small notebook. To write down my questions,” I said through a grin

  Drawing me close by my shoulders, he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll have one specifically sent to the conference room, with black pens. As soon as you head down there.”

  A breath of a snicker escaped me, because I was partly joking. But I turned and headed to the door. “I’ll see you later then?” I asked feeling sort of insecure, with my hand on the door handle.

  “Yes,” he tried to reassure me with his disarming smile. “I’ll pop by between my meetings to check in and we’ll be heading back to the estate no later than six. Conference room is 4 doors down, to the left.”

  “Sounds good,” I said, walking out the door. I sighed, heading to fill my head once again with far too much information.

  Chapter 7

  Audrey’s curls pop up, as I step through the threshold of the conference room. The first thing I noticed after her hair was the view. A full cityscape and the Boston Harbour. In that moment, it dawned on me just how much I had missed this side of the ocean.

  “Oh, good! You’re here!” Audrey’s sunny voice greeted me again. I returned my attention to her and the conference table she seemed to have covered in anything she thought I may need. She scurried over, handing me a very large coffee cup. Taking a sip of the deliciously hot drink, my surprise must have been evident on my face. “We asked the cafe owner below your flat, what you drank. You know, to have on file, whe
n he noticed us packing up your belongings. He sends all his best wishes.”

  “Sure. It’s just a really specific drink. I’ve never had anyone except Heinrich make this drink accurately.”

  “I’m sure you’ll find our coffee guy, James, in the main lobby can make legitimately any drink you set your heart on.” A broad smile stretched across her face. “Now that I have caffeinated you, I’m going to just walk you around the table so I can show you what I’ve brought for you. Then you can take your time to go over the details of everything over the course of the week.” A knock on the glass door interrupted her. “Come in,” she called out, pausing her steps.