Ocean Breeze

by Laura Conway

  The only way she could be sure was to see her again and sit her down for an informal interview. Carley would get a shock when she realized that they’d already met, but Andrea wasn’t ready to reveal herself yesterday. She didn’t know why Carley was looking for her, and she wasn’t in the habit of inviting complete strangers into her home.

  If tonight went well, hopefully she’d have a new P.A. starting tomorrow morning, and she could stop worrying about such mundane things as checking her emails and changing her passwords.

  Chapter Five

  Carley looked over her shoulder to see the gates close behind her as she walked up the driveway to Andrea Harris’s house. The lawns on either side of the driveway were well manicured, and everything about this house screamed luxury. Carley couldn’t even fathom how much this place was worth. A black convertible was parked in front of the two-story house, and Carley tried not to gawk at all of this wealth as she climbed the steps onto the porch area and pressed the doorbell.

  For some people, traveling the world alone would seem intimidating, but it never was to Carley. It was always the little things, like finding the right thing to say at dinner with a group of friends or coworkers or wearing a dress to a party. That’s what made Carley nervous, and today was no exception. She needed this job, and she was struggling to keep her nerves in check.

  Carley ran her hands across her black pants and glanced down at her gray v neck top. This is probably too casual for this interview, but most of my clothes were stolen so...

  Not that Carley would have had anything sophisticated to wear. She’d never met Andrea Harris, but judging by this house and the car outside, she probably dressed similarly, in designer clothes. Surely being someone’s personal assistant wouldn’t mean that she’d have to dress the same way.

  I’m getting way ahead of myself... I haven’t even been interviewed yet.

  The door finally opened, and Carley somehow kept her jaw from dropping. Standing in front of her was Vega Reyes. The Vega Reyes.

  Her ninth-grade Spanish teacher had introduced her to the actress, playing one of her movies during class and breaking down the dialogue with them. Carley always credited Vega Reyes with teaching her Spanish.

  Carley had seen all of her movies and rewatched them again and again, modeling her Andalusian accent. She learned more from watching her work than she had in years of sitting in class, and now Carley was standing in front of her.

  “Are you looking for Andrea?” Vega Reyes asked in accented English, giving her a warm smile.

  “Yes,” Carley managed to say, returning her smile.

  “Come in. She’s upstairs, but she’ll be down in a few minutes.”

  Carley followed her inside, reminding herself to breathe. How was this happening? Why was Vega Reyes in Andrea Harris’s home? Was Andrea really that big of a deal that she had famous actresses for friends? Maybe they were neighbors?

  “Can I offer you a drink?” Vega asked.

  Carley forgot to speak for a moment, taking in the actress. She’d aged well. She was probably in her early sixties, but she looked ten years younger. Her dark hair fell just above her shoulders and was styled in waves. She was dressed casually in white linen pants and a black top.

  “Just water maybe,” Carley answered as she followed her through the house, her black heels clicking on the white tiled floor that ran from the foyer into the kitchen.

  “Why don’t you take a seat outside?” Vega suggested as she opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water.

  “Sure,” Carley said, watching her pour the contents of the bottle into a tall glass.

  “I’ll let Andrea know you’re sitting by the pool,” she said, handing her the glass. “She shouldn’t be much longer. She just got a phone call... Is she expecting you?”

  “Yes,” Carley said, “And thanks...” Carley couldn’t keep herself from smiling. She’d just spoken to Vega Reyes.

  Carley showed herself outside, finding the French doors at the other end of the kitchen that opened up onto a patio and infinity pool. She didn’t think she’d ever been in a house like this. It was right out of a magazine. Nothing was out of place, inside or out.

  Carley took a seat on the white sofa, bringing her glass to her lips and taking a long drink, her hand shaking slightly. She couldn’t quite believe she’d just met Vega Reyes.

  Carley heard Vega’s voice, speaking Spanish now, and she assumed that she was on the phone, but then she heard a second voice, and they both grew a little louder. Carley stole a glance behind her. She’d left one of the French doors open, and their conversation wafted outside as if Carley was standing right beside them. She could hear every word in that distinct southern Spanish accent:

  “You have a visitor. She’s outside.”

  “Is it eight o’clock already?”

  “Is she your girlfriend? She’s cute.”

  “No. She’s not my girlfriend. Hopefully she’ll be my new personal assistant. I’m supposed to be interviewing her right now... I need someone. I’m going crazy trying to manage everything on my own.”

  “What happened to Jessica?”

  “She stole some jewelry from me.”

  “What? Are you sure?”

  “I don’t have proof if that’s what you mean, but it had to have been her. No one else was near it.”

  “Where’d you find this woman?”

  “She actually found me. She knows Jessica and wants to be her replacement...”

  “She knows Jessica and you still trust her? Does she at least speak Spanish?”

  “I doubt it... Ugghh. I have to take this. I can’t deal with answering my own phone for much longer. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  Carley took another drink. She could hear heels clicking on the tiled floor as Andrea left. Carley didn’t know why it surprised her that her Spanish was so good. She sounded like a native speaker.

  Carley ran a hand through her hair. When would she ever be in the same place as Vega Reyes again? She had to talk to her, to thank her. She didn’t know how she wouldn’t sound like a gushing teenager, but she had to do it.

  She stood up and took a deep breath as she went back inside. She was just in time. Vega Reyes was getting ready to leave. She’d just slid the strap of her handbag onto her shoulder.

  Carley cleared her throat, knowing her Spanish was more than good enough to have a conversation with her. She just had to keep her composure.

  “Excuse me. I’m sorry to bother you.”

  “You’re not. Can I get you something else to drink?”

  “No. I’m fine, thanks. I know this is going to sound strange, but I just want to thank you. I probably wouldn’t have progressed past basic Spanish if I hadn’t watched your movies.”

  “You’ve seen my films?”

  “All of them. I’m a huge fan. I enjoyed your movies before I could even understand everything that was going on. But that’s how I learned.”

  “I can tell. Your accent is fantastic. Like you were from Seville.”

  “Thank you. I don’t want to hold you up. I just thought I had to say that... It was a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Likewise. Good luck with Andrea.”

  Carley waved ‘Goodbye’ as Andrea entered the room and Vega left, kissing her on both cheeks.

  Carley tried to keep her jaw from dropping for the second time that evening. That’s Andrea Harris? The woman I met the other day and nearly ran over?

  Carley closed her eyes for a second, trying to remember her conversation with her. What had she said? She vaguely remembered joking with her about how many personal assistants she’d gone through.

  Oh my God...

  Carley could feel her cheeks darkening. Andrea appeared, her hands on her hips. She’d done some research on Andrea Harris earlier today, but the photos were from movie premiers and fundraisers where she was dressed elegantly, her hair immaculately styled in long loose waves. She thought she looked familiar, but she never would have thought it was the
woman she nearly ran over on the promenade.

  How much had Andrea heard? Carley didn’t want to give her the impression that she couldn’t be professional, but at the same time, she’d rather have spoken to Vega Reyes and not get this job than pass up that opportunity.

  Carley gripped the edge of the marble counter top, needing something to do with her hands. They were shaking slightly, probably from the adrenaline of having met one of her idols. She needed to get it together, fast. Andrea was standing on the opposite side of the island, her eyes locked onto her.

  “So... You speak Spanish,” Andrea said, her lips moving into a slight smile. “That was going to be one of the reasons that I didn’t hire you. I assumed you only spoke English.”

  “How much did you hear?”

  “Enough to know that you’re fluent, and that you’re a fan.”

  Carley nodded.

  “Let’s go outside and talk,” Andrea said, brushing past her to lead the way.

  Carley took a deep breath and followed her out, her eyes lingering on her charcoal trousers and the way they hugged her figure. She looked so different today. Her black hair wasn’t tied back. It fell across her shoulders and over her black sleeveless blouse in loose curls. She was also wearing makeup today, and as Carley sat down beside her on the sofa, she found it hard to focus when her hazel-green eyes met hers.

  Chapter Six

  Andrea sat down beside Carley, angling her body towards her as she crossed one leg over the other. “Let’s get right down to business. Did Jessica give you any indication of the type of work you’d be doing as my personal assistant?”

  “She said it was hard work, and that she needed to be ready to go pretty much around the clock.”

  “Are you prepared for that?”

  Carley nodded. “I’m stuck right now to be perfectly honest.”

  “You said you were robbed? And that you need a new passport?”

  “Yes.”

  “How long will that take?” Andrea asked, thinking ahead to the fundraiser she was going to in London next weekend.

  “To get a new passport? A few weeks. They didn’t tell me much at the embassy today.”

  Andrea nodded. That would be a problem, but she really didn’t want this to drag out any longer. Good assistants were so hard to come by, especially for Andrea. Most of her friends and business partners had more than one personal assistant. One might be in charge of their schedule while another took care of anything media related, and another took charge of day-to-day tasks like picking up dry cleaning, but that wasn’t Andrea’s style. She preferred to have one person she could trust.

  “Okay,” Andrea said, draping her arm across the back of the sofa. “I’m not sure this is going to work. I have an event next weekend, and then there’s another business meeting the following week in Dublin... And I would need to have you with me so unfortunately I don’t think-”

  “I have an Irish passport,” Carley said, cutting her off.

  “You do? And it wasn’t stolen?”

  “Yes. I’ve only been to Ireland once, but my grandmother’s Irish, and when I was planning to travel around Europe, I thought it would make sense to have an EU passport too.”

  “Okay. That changes things,” Andrea said, thinking aloud. “You also said you wanted to get back to traveling...”

  “I did, but that probably wouldn’t suit you.”

  “No. I don’t want to hire someone for just a few weeks.”

  Andrea studied Carley, trying to decipher her body language. She watched her lean into the cushions, mirroring Andrea with her elbow resting on the back of the sofa as she ran her hand through her blond hair.

  “I could stay for longer... I’m not sure what’s legal. I never looked into it because I was only staying for a week or two in each country.”

  “Don’t worry about that. You’ll be working so it won’t be an issue,” Andrea said, wondering what ‘longer’ meant. Would she hire Carley if she was only going to be her P.A. for a few months? It didn’t make sense, but she was desperate right now. “Would you be willing to sign a contract? I don’t want to wake up one morning and find you packing your bags. I’d like to know when you’re ready to move on.”

  “How long were you thinking?”

  Andrea broke their eye contact, watching a lime green parrot hop down from one of the palm trees and pick something out of the grass. “Six months minimum with the option to stay on if you end up liking it and an exit date if you don’t... Do you want some time to think about it?” Andrea asked, unsure of what Carley’s answer would be.

  “No. I’d be okay with that. It’s not what I’d planned, but I can just pick up where I left off and head to Portugal in six months’ time... And I have done some research since the last time we spoke,” Carley said with a slight smile. “I know that I’ll be doing quite a bit of traveling with you. Your businesses are worldwide.”

  Andrea nodded. “So, I’ll assume you’re okay with that.”

  “I’m more than okay with it... Although I couldn’t find out as much as I would have liked to. You’re a very private woman.”

  “I have my reasons,” Andrea said, surprised by her directness. She’d come across as shy almost until now. Carley held her gaze as Andrea shifted this conversation back to her. “So, tell me about yourself. This isn’t a normal interview as I’m sure you’ve gathered. We’ll be spending a lot of time together if you end up being my P.A. so I’d like to get more of an idea about what makes you tick.”

  Carley licked her lips, her eyes on the pool now as she appeared to gather her thoughts. “I left home ten years ago, when I was eighteen. My parents were not impressed with the fact that I was gay. They didn’t throw me out or anything, but I just didn’t feel comfortable. They were always setting me up with guys, and I hated arguing with them about it, so I moved out. I can look after myself is my point. I know you might be concerned that I’m new to this country, this city even, but I’ll figure out everything I need to know. Fast. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  Andrea nodded, unsure if she wanted to continue. Her mind lingered on Carley’s words though. She hadn’t exactly pinged Andrea’s gaydar, but she hadn’t really been that curious either. When they met the other day, she’d been concerned with why this woman was looking for her. Now that Andrea knew she was gay though, she found herself looking at Carley a little differently.

  Andrea noticed the way her blond hair fell across her shoulders and sea-blue eyes darkened as she spoke about her past.

  “I was always going against the norm, and my parents were convinced that I was going to follow in their footsteps and become a lawyer, join the family firm,” Carley said with a wave of her hand. “I didn’t want any of that. I just wanted to take photos and travel, so I worked a bunch of odd jobs, waitressing, bartending, cutting hair, you name it and I’ve probably done it. I saved up for years and now I’m in the middle of this huge trip that if I’m lucky... Will be extended for a few more months,” she finished with a confident smile.

  “So, you’re hard working,” Andrea said as Carley reached for her glass and took a drink. “You like to travel, and your Spanish is exceptional. I think you sold me,” she said with a smile.

  “Really?”

  Andrea nodded. “I know this isn’t what you thought you’d be doing, but I didn’t think I’d be here either. I thought Jessica was going to be with me for a few more years... Anyway, I think this could work. So, just to make sure we’re on the same page... This is a demanding job, but you’ll be paid accordingly.”

  “I’m pretty much a loner,” Carley said with a smile tugging at her lips. “I won’t be giving up nights out or anything to work for you. I’d probably be lying in my bunk at the hostel reading a book most evenings if I wasn’t working, so if the hours are long or varied... It’s fine with me.”

  “A hostel?” Andrea asked, not quite sure that she heard her correctly.

  “Yeah. I’m trying to stretch out the few hundred I h
ave left that wasn’t stolen, and I’m waiting to get a new bank card so...”

  Andrea stood up. “I’m going to get a contract. I just need to add in the six months, but I’d like to give it to you now, so you can read over it and get it back to me as soon as possible... Help yourself to whatever you want to drink. There’s wine, beer, whiskey... Have a look around. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “Okay.”

  Andrea pulled open the French doors and made her way through the kitchen and foyer area and up the stairs to her office. She sat down in front of her computer and brought up the standard contract she had, the one she’d used for Jessica, and added a few lines to include an exit date that was six months from now. She clicked print and sat back in her chair.

  She shouldn’t be thinking about this, but she was. She couldn’t have her P.A. staying in a hostel. How would that look?

  Andrea swiveled her chair to face the closet. The door was closed, and no one knew about the safe that was behind all the files and boxes. She’d always been very selective about who she allowed into her home, but she was extremely cautious about who came up these stairs.

  Her bedroom was next door, but if anyone was ever upstairs, they were limited to one of the guest bedrooms that were well away from this office and her personal space. Jessica was the only one who moved through her house like she lived here. She had to in order to do her job, but Andrea vowed not to give anyone that same level of trust.

  If she hired Carley, she told herself she’d set better ground rules. She’d figure out a way to keep her out of these rooms, but when Carley said she was staying in a hostel, Andrea felt her resolve slip away, and her mind had gone in the opposite direction. She couldn’t believe she was even considering it, but there was something about her that made Andrea feel safe, like she could trust her even though she hardly knew her.

  Andrea picked up the freshly printed contract and shuffled the papers in her hands, tapping them against her desk until they fell into a neat stack. She put a binder clip on them and brought the contract with her as she left the room, wondering if what she was about to offer Carley would end up biting her in the ass.