The store name wasn’t a chain that I recognized, but I didn’t let that stop me. “It’s time for new adventures, Billie,” I told myself before entering the brightly lit building.
Everything inside was pretty much the same as back home which made it easy to find something to eat. I picked up a few simple ingredients to make some easy meals until I got my first paycheck. I knew that if I didn’t pick anything up now, I’d end up living off take out and eating into my savings which was a terrible idea.
Mom had always taught me that savings were vital to surviving in the world. She told me to always put at least ten percent of my paycheck into a savings account. Recalling her advice made my heart ache and I wondered what she would be doing right then. I miss her, I realized sadly before resolving to call her once I arrived home.
With a big paper bag full of vegetables, fresh meat, and juice under my arm, I headed back out of the store and to my car. I waved goodbye to the cashier and packed my food away. This really does feel like home already, I thought to myself with a big smile. For once, my life seems to be going just the way I planned it.
Little did I know.
6
Quentin
For two whole days, Lincoln had been out of commission with his stomach bug. The poor little mite could hardly hold down any of his food and I’d been staying at his bedside day and night to make sure he didn’t vomit in his sleep and then choke on it. I’d been out of my mind with worry about him, but thankfully, by Thursday morning, he seemed to be as right as rain again. I always struggled when Lincoln was sick, even when he was a baby. My ex-wife, Carmen, had always teased me about it. She told me I was too worrisome and that a real man wouldn’t concern himself with something as minor as a cold. Yet, Lincoln was so precious to me, I couldn’t help myself.
Besides, maybe it’s because I cared about him too much and also that I was the one here looking after him now, I thought bitterly before shaking my head. Even now when she was miles away, Carmen was able to make me crazy.
My thoughts were interrupted by a loud yawn from Lincoln. He was standing in front of me at the doorway to his bedroom. He was still wearing his pajamas that said, ‘I Heart My Daddy’ and he was clutching his favorite teddy bear to his chest. His hair was messy and when I took in the sight of his flushed face and tired eyes, my heart sunk in my chest. If that meant I wasn’t a real man like Carmen said, then I didn’t want to be a real man.
“Lincoln, you promised me that you’d tell Daddy if you were still feeling unwell?” I asked as I kneeled down beside him and pressed my hand to his forehead. He didn’t appear to have a temperature, but I was still worried. He was so small and I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to him.
“I’m better, Daddy,” Lincoln told me with a big smile. “My tummy feels better!”
He was looking much better than he had been. His cheeks had a lot more color and his eyes were brighter than they had been for days now. I ruffled his hair and let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, buddy, I believe you,” I told him with a soft smile. “You’ll be okay with Nanny Mandy today, won’t you?”
Lincoln nodded as fast as he could before smiling back up at me adorably. It really was difficult to leave him when he was recovering and being so cute, but in all honesty, I wanted to get back to the office. So, I made sure that Mandy was informed of the medicine Lincoln had been taking and that she was to call me if any symptoms came back before I ventured outside to my car.
As I drove back into work, my thoughts slipped back to the new staff member, Billie. Even though I’d been home for two days, I’d made sure that Peter rang me every evening to give me a run-down of all the goings on at work. He’d told me that Billie was settling in well and that she seemed good at her job which hadn’t exactly been what I’d been hoping to hear. No, in all honestly, it would have been easier for me if she was lousy at her job. Then I could fire her and have no temptation waiting for me at the office.
But it seemed like the universe had other plans.
The short journey to work gave me enough time to calm myself down and when I arrived, I took a few moments to watch the sunrise over the tops of the grape vines in the fields. The sun was pretty high by now, but there was still a slight red tinge across the sky that made the scene look ethereal. It was breathtaking and I took a moment to remember just how much I loved my job. I loved this place that my grandparents had built with their own hands from scratch. It was the one thing in my life had been consistent and I hoped it would never be taken away from me. That’s why I had to be careful—especially around women.
Women could be tricky. I knew that better than most men. The woman I had believed to be my soulmate had cheated on me and left just after Lincoln was born. Then in a moment of madness, I’d found myself being comforted in the arms of our last nanny. I’d thought that things were different that time, but they weren’t. Peter had soon uncovered her scheme to steal money from me and she’d been ousted soon after.
No, I’d learned my lesson this time. No matter how attractive Billie was, she wasn’t worth sacrificing my life for. I couldn’t let anything come between me and the vineyard. Not again. Now, the only person I was going to care about was my son, Lincoln. Women were too complicated.
With a breathy sigh, I turned away from the fields and headed toward the office. It was hot and I rolled up the sleeves on my shirt to my elbow as I walked. For a second, I wondered if anyone was around since the main office was empty, but then I heard loud, raucous laughter coming from the lounge next to the staff kitchenette. I drew my eyebrows together in confusion and followed the sound.
Sure enough, Peter and Billie were sitting opposite one another in the lounge. Each of them had a cup of coffee and their eyes were intent on one another as they conversed. They hadn’t even noticed my arrival. My heart did a strange flip in my chest that I couldn’t identify for a moment.
My eyes settled on Billie and I found myself unable to look away. It felt like every time I saw her, she became more and more attractive. Her lustrous brown hair was braided and curled into an intricate updo with just a few loose strands hanging down and framing her face. It made her look effortlessly beautiful and it suited her so much that I wished she’d wear her hair like that every day. When I glanced down, I noticed that she was leaning forward in her seat as she spoke with Peter and her breasts were spilling out the top of her lilac dress which barely seemed to be able to contain her voluptuous figure.
She looked as pretty as a picture and I gulped. Lord, save me.
“So, then I told him that he had to be stupid as well as crazy to fall for that kind of scheme,” Peter continued, smiling broadly as he told a story I wasn’t privy to. “I mean, I knew my brother was a bit dim at times, but you could spot the scam a mile away!”
Billie laughed again. It was a sweet, angelic sound and I found myself drawn to it. I wanted her to laugh again, but I couldn’t bear that it had happened because of something Peter had done. An unpleasant and bitter feeling rose inside me and I found my fists clenching at my sides. Not once before in my entire life had I felt jealous of Peter, but right then and there, I envied his ability to be so close to Billie and be unaffected by her charms.
“Oh, please tell me you got him out of it!” Billie exclaimed, clasping a hand over her mouth. “The poor guy!”
“Of course, I did. What kind of man do you—”
Before he could finish, I slammed my car keys down on the table, interrupting their conversation, and then threw myself down on the couch next to Peter grumpily. My jacket rumpled from the motion and I let out a huff before straightening it. My best friend looked over at me and laughed. With a glare in his direction, I reached over to pinch a couple of grapes from the lunch box he was eating out of.
“Nice of you to finally show up for work, Quentin,” Peter greeted with a laugh at my silly behavior. “How’s the little one doing?”
I nodded as I popped a grape in my mouth. “He’s better. He was able to keep his brea
kfast down for the first time today,” I told him. “He all but pushed me out the door this morning. I think he was missing his friends at kindergarten.” I smiled as I thought about my son and his adorable mannerisms. It was the only thing that could put a smile on my face after the little scene I’d just walked in on.
“That’s great,” Peter replied. “I’m happy for the little fella. It’s never nice seeing Linc sick.”
I nodded again and finally glanced over at the other person in the room who hadn’t said a word since I made my entrance. She was looking down at her coffee cup and tapping her fingers nervously against the ceramic. It was odd. Just a moment ago, she’d seemed right at home and now she was back to being a timid little rabbit. I didn’t like it.
I leaned forward and attempted to catch her eye, but I was unsuccessful. It was really beginning to rile me up. I couldn’t keep quiet any longer.
“So, Billie,” I began. Her head snapped up at the sound of her name and she looked over at me wide-eyed. “Do you like it better when I’m not here or something?” I teased with a smile.
Thankfully, my playful nature didn’t seem to put her off. If anything, she was drawn in by it. She blushed prettily and placed her cup down on the table between us before finally meeting my eyes. I liked the sight of her cheeks flushed more than I was willing to admit. Her dark brown eyes bore into my own green ones and electricity flickered between us for just a moment before she spoke.
“Um, I’d say you’re not so bad,” she began in a lilting tone. “You’re a bit like a bear, don’t you think so, Peter?” She glanced over at my friend once more and I could feel the ire rising in me again.
Look only at me, Billie. Just me.
“I haven’t got a clue what you mean, Billie,” Peter offered with a shrug. “I’ve called Quentin a lot of things in the years we’ve known each other, but I don’t think bear is one of them.” He chuckled and I punched him lightly in the arm.
“Well, Quentin’s all tough on the outside but gooey on the inside. Don’t you think? He acts like the big man around here, but really, he’s just as sweet as any of us. You can tell just from the way he talks about his son.” She giggled and smiled over at me after she finished.
It was like she’d known me for years instead of days. How could someone have such an astute insight into another person? I didn’t believe in magic or superstition, so I knew Billie had to be special. I couldn’t help myself. I smiled back at her and I knew I was stepping into dangerous territory. Peter had cautioned me against getting involved with an employee—again. I needed to stop this and I needed to do it sooner rather than later before it spiraled out of control. But I didn’t want to.
With a nod, I dusted my hands off and pushed myself to my feet. I didn’t respond to what Billie said. I didn’t think I could without flirting. Instead, I looked over at Peter and said, “Well, I’ve got to get back to the grind. Catch up on everything I’ve missed the last few days. I’ll see you both later.”
I couldn’t bring myself to look back over at Billie. I needed to distance myself as much as possible while remaining professional. Boundaries were important here, but I’d messed them up before. With every day that passed, it was seeming more and more hopeless. But I had to try.
“See you later, Quentin,” Peter called as I walked out.
I didn’t look back.
7
Billie
What a mess! I thought to myself halfway through Friday morning. I was sat on the floor in my office which had soon become like a second home to me and I had emptied out a few of the filing cabinet drawers onto the floor in front of me. It was the end of my first week at my new job and I was still wading through all the chaos and confusion that the last accountant had left behind. Each different colored folder seemed to correspond to a different company or client, but that was about as much as I understood of the system here. As I scanned the notes on each account, it became clear that the man who had held the position before me clearly had his own way of doing things. His abbreviations for things didn’t seem to make any logical sense to me and I had spent most of the morning already trying to decipher what the hell was going on.
“How on Earth did we manage to pass audits with accounts like these?” I asked myself in a quiet voice. My delicate fingers reached out for a manilla folder in front of me and I lifted it to my face. I peered down at the smudged writing with a frown and narrowed my eyes, desperately trying to make out the writing and coming up short.
With a frustrated sigh, I slammed the folder back to the floor. “This is why everything should be electronic these days,” I declared to myself before moving onto the next folder and having even less luck with that one. “I’m going to have to start from scratch with all these files, but once I’m done, we’ll have the best damn system in place. I’ll make sure of it.”
The next file I looked at was just as bad as the first and I banged my head against it. It felt like an overwhelming mess, but I knew it needed to be done. Still, I was about to call it quits for lunch when I heard the door in front of me open. My hair was falling messily out of the updo I’d quickly created on the top of my head and brunette strands were dangling in my face as I looked up at my visitor. It was Peter smiling down at me and I blew a breath upward to push my hair back into place.
The man in front of me was dressed smartly and leaning in the doorway with an ease that said he belonged there. I had really been appreciating Peter taking care of me while Quentin was off with his unwell child, however, now that Quentin was back, I wanted to see more of him instead. Especially since Quentin had warmed up to me after our disastrous first meeting.
“We’re having lunch in the lounge. Now,” Peter told me in a serious voice which left no room for arguments.
“Yes, sir,” I answered quickly with a nod of my head. As fast as I could, I stood up, dusted off my knees, and straightened my skirt. I’d taken my heels off while I was working on the floor, so I slipped them back on, wobbling a little as I did so, before following Peter out the door.
“I apologize, I forgot to mention that on Fridays we have the restaurant downstairs to cater for us,” Peter informed me as we walked in a fast pace down the corridor. “At the boss’ expense, of course,” he added with a small smile in my direction.
Photographs of the vineyard throughout the years zoomed past us as we sped down the corridor and my jaw dropped at the new information. I’d never worked anywhere that provided a free lunch before!
“I see,” I said quietly as my mind ran away with me. My first impression of Quentin had changed so much over the course of the week. In spite of his standoffish exterior, it was clear that he was a sweet guy with a lot of love to give to those around him. I’d begun to picture him like a teddy bear in my head and the thought was so funny that I had to stifle a giggle before Peter noticed.
“After you, Billie,” Peter said with an outstretched arm as he held open the lounge door for me. Everyone I’d met at Wendall Winery had been so kind and considerate that I was seriously wondering if I’d been in a car accident on my way to Napa Valley and ended up in some kind of coma. If that was the case, I wasn’t sure I wanted to wake up.
“Thank you,” I said as I looked up at the man next to me. He was looking as handsome as ever in his black suit and tie, but I didn’t keep my focus on him for long.
When I stepped inside the stylishly decorated lounge, I was happy to bask in the warmth of the interior for a moment. It was a huge open-plan room with a lounge area upon entering, however, a small kitchenette was installed toward the back behind a dividing wall and to the left there were multiple huge tables for members of staff to eat lunch at. A few windows to the back overlooked the fields and gave a gorgeous view of the horizon. All in all, it was one of the best break areas I’d ever seen in a workplace. However, I didn’t dwell on the surroundings for very long because I was immediately confronted with a sight that drew all of my attention.
My boss, Quentin, was sat on the couch wi
th the cutest little boy I’d ever seen on his lap. Both of them had blond hair and green eyes. Quentin was looking just as attractive as I remembered, and it took all my strength not to start fantasizing about him right then and there. From their similar appearance, there was no doubt that this was the man’s son and the sight made my heart leap. There was nothing more attractive than seeing a man acting like a doting father. The two of them were snuggled close and chatting like best buddies. When Quentin spotted me, however, he leaned in to whisper something in his son’s ear. The child immediately perked up before leaping off of his father’s lap and all but sprinting in my direction.
For a moment, I thought the little guy might run straight into me, however, he came to a prompt stop just a foot or two away from me. He looked up at me with his bright green eyes and gave me a big toothy grin. He seemed to be pulsating with energy and was struggling to stand still. He looked the furthest thing from sick and I was glad he was in good spirits.
“Hi! Daddy says you’re new! I’m Lincoln, but you can call me Linc! Like that guy from Zelda! Have you ever played Zelda? It’s such a cool game!”
He spoke so fast and excitedly that it was hard to keep up, but thankfully, I just about managed. With a big smile on my face, I crouched down until I was only a tiny bit taller than him and I met his gaze. “It’s nice to meet you, Linc. My name is Wilhelmina, but you can call me Billie for short,” I told him. “And yes, I played Zelda once or twice when I was younger.”
The young boy had forgotten all about the game, however, after hearing me speak. “Wow!” Lincoln exclaimed happily. “You have a long name! Just like me!”
Dear Boss: A Single Dad Office Romance (Forbidden First Times Book 3) Page 4