Terraformed Skies

by Anna Lewis

  Exotic dancer… I glanced down at my body, imagining shaking it on a pole for a buck load of money, the sort of cash that I needed to pay for this home by myself, but there wasn’t any chance in hell. I just wasn’t the sexy type. Cute, maybe, with my cropped dark hair surrounding my heart shaped face, and my big blue eyes, but I wasn’t sure I could ever be classed as sexy. No, I didn’t have it in me to be a dancer, even if I really wanted to which I didn’t.

  Nanny… ooh okay, now this could be right up my alley. I delved right into the job description, liking where it was going. Two kids, single father, needs help while he runs the business… oh, but it was only for a month. A month in Hawaii nonetheless, but I needed something more permanent.

  Then my eyes fell on the payment and everything within me shifted. This was a decent amount of money, the sort that could keep me afloat for about four months. I could use that cash to help tide me over until I found something else, plus it would be a month in Hawaii. If I’d ever needed a time on the beach with no problems distracting me, it was now. God, it would feel good to get the hell away from this town, from them. The fear of bumping into them killed me every single minute of every single day. At this rate, I was going to become a hermit. At least if I was in Hawaii, there wouldn’t be anything to worry about.

  Surely it wouldn’t hurt just to apply?

  I clicked on my email and fired off my resume with a decent cover letter attached, a small bit of positivity filling my heart. Okay, so it wasn’t going to be a life changing experience, it wouldn’t solve all of my problems, but it was a start. Sitting here among all the memories of the betrayal wasn’t going to get me anywhere. If I left for a while then I could come back with a fresh new attitude. I could start all over again.

  Now I just had to hope that I actually got the job.

  ***

  Oh my God, it was actually happening. I couldn’t believe it! Excitement coursed through my body as I wheeled my suitcase across the airfield, ready to take the trip to Hawaii, ready to get away from here. I’d been brave, and now it was paying off. I was getting my escape and my job all in one go. It was absolutely perfect for me.

  To make it even more exciting, I was going on a private jet. I’d never even flown before, now I was going on the private plane of Hawlin Enterprises to the exotic location of Hawaii, how glamorous was that? I had no idea when I applied, but the man who was asking for a nanny was Evan Hawlin, one of the most famous technology entrepreneurs in the world right now. Okay, so I didn’t know exactly what he did, but I’d heard of his name. I sure as hell knew that he was a big deal.

  “Miss Jones,” a man in a butler outfit came over to me and took the bags from my hands, completely stunning me. I’d never been treated so well before, and I hadn’t even started yet! “Please, come this way.”

  “Oh right, thank you.” I followed behind him, feeling a little weird about the whole thing. Well, that was until I saw the awesome plane in front of me. To think I could’ve been starting some crappy waitressing job today if I hadn’t worked up the courage to just send off that application. Sending that random email was the best choice I’d made in a very long time. “Wow, this is incredible.”

  “These are Lorna and James,” the butler showed me two children, his calm tone and demeanor the total opposite of mine, both of the kids had their heads buried in smart devices as if they didn’t know how to survive without something to entertain them. The boy seemed to be about ten years old, the girl more about eight. The details about them hadn’t been put in the job advert, and Evan hadn’t talked about it when he called me to offer me the job, so it was only now that I felt a little bewildered. I was more used to looking after younger children.

  Still, it would be a challenge, that was what I needed. I just needed to act confident then no one would know just how nervous I felt inside. It was all about portraying a positive attitude.

  “Hello, I’m Ali.” I smiled brightly, but they barely lifted up their heads to acknowledge me, so my fake confidence wasn’t even needed.

  “And here is Mr. Hawlin.”

  Evan came into my view, making my heart leap up into my chest. This was a real man, nothing like the boy I now realized that Max was. He was tall, dark, and very handsome. He had strong features, warm eyes, a jawline to die for and a very muscular body. I already felt intimidated enough when I met his kids, but this man… wow, he actually formed a lump in my throat. He was a few years older than me, but somehow that made him even more attractive. He just oozed sexiness like nothing I’d ever seen before.

  “Oh, hello there, Ali,” he sounded a little bored and pissed off, certainly not as impressed to meet me as I was him. “Thanks for coming. Shall we go?”

  “Yes,” I shook my head, trying to rid my brain of some very inappropriate thoughts as I flicked my professional switch on. I could not start feeling any kind of attraction to this man, however good looking he was. He was about to become my boss for the next month, that was the end of it. “I’m ready.”

  Ready for the vacation (and job) that would hopefully turn my life around again. It was better than being jobless and at home at any rate.

  As we stepped onto the plane, my breath was totally sucked out of my body. This was incredible, more luxurious than anywhere I’d even been before. I might not have set foot on a plane before, but this had to be one of the best. However, as I flicked my eyes around to the family that I was now infiltrating, they didn’t look impressed at all. To me, this was nicer than my home, but to them it was nothing new. Of course, this was probably normal to them. I needed to get my act together if I was going to even attempt to fit in.

  “Sit anywhere,” Evan waved his hand a little dismissively at the large, reclining chairs, “the kids usually sit at the back so there won’t be any noise if that bothers you.”

  As everyone took their seats, miles away from one another, I couldn’t help but think that something was a little off with the scene. I didn’t live anywhere near my family now, but we were very close as I grew up. Okay, so we didn’t have the money that the Hawlin family did, far from it in fact, but we did have a lot of love. This didn’t really feel like that at all, it was more about what they owned than what they had with each other. Actually, it made me feel a little sad inside. Love always trumped money, it was just a shame that the Hawlin family couldn’t seem to see that.

  The noise wouldn’t bother me, but the awkwardness might. I needed to sit away from everyone too if I was going to get through this.

  Of course, I couldn’t say anything about the weirdness, that definitely wasn’t in my job description, but still I could think it inside.

  The excitement inside of me built as the plane lifted from the ground, taking me far away from my problems. It wouldn’t be long before I couldn’t even remember what Taylor and Max looked like. I’d been looking at pictures of Hawaii online, and it was stunning. I couldn’t wait to get there. It was much nicer surroundings to wallow in.

  I glanced backwards as discretely as I could, watching the children as they lost themselves in their individual worlds. That part of the job might have been a little bit more difficult, connecting with Lorna and James was going to be one hell of a challenge, but it was only for a few weeks. I didn’t need to worry too much because it wasn’t my job forever. This was just temporary, just a bit of fun.

  ***

  Okay, it was official, I wanted to live in Hawaii forever more. It had to be the only place on the whole planet that managed to be better than the pictures. On the drive to the villa we were all staying in for the month, we passed long sandy beaches, actual palm trees, and beach shacks that looked like a dream come to life.

  I hadn’t even set foot on the ground yet, and I didn’t want to go home. I already felt like this was exactly where I belonged.

  “Oh wow, this is lovely,” I said pleasantly, just trying to break the thick silence that clung to the air. “It’s really nice here, isn’t it?”

  James and Evan continued to ignore
me, but thankfully Lorna gave me a really bright smile. In that moment I felt a tiny glimmer of hope, maybe it would be okay after all. Maybe I would be able to make a connection with at least one of these kids, even if I didn’t have to. It would be much easier if someone liked me.

  “Right, here we are,” Evan announced with a commanding tone as soon as the car pulled to a halt. “Let’s get going, come on.”

  Wow, it was hard to keep my emotions inside, this was incredible. I was trying to act cool, but I could feel a thrilling shudder racing through my body. It was crazy to see how the other half lived! This was like a page from a travel magazine, a villa basked in sunshine, complete with a tropical island feel and a pool. I had to be in Heaven, it was the only option.

  “James, Lorna, you already know where you are sleeping, go and unpack quickly, then maybe you could show Ali where the beach is.”

  Ooh, I liked the idea of getting out for the day, now that I was here my feet were itching to get outside.

  “Ali, would you like me to show you to your room?” The way he spoke to me so formally made me feel a little strange. It was almost quite sexy, which was not where I needed my brain to be going.

  “Oh yeah, thanks.” He took me to the biggest bedroom I’d ever seen, it was larger than my entire apartment. “Thank you, this is…” I started, but as I turned around Evan was already gone, lost in a cell phone conversation with what sounded like a business contact.

  Oh well, it didn’t matter, I could just push that sting to one side, it really didn’t matter. I had to get ready for the beach! There was a bikini in my suitcase that was begging to be worn. If Evan wanted to hang around being grumpy in a business suit, that was up to him. I was the one who right now had the best job ever!

  ***

  “You know, you’re very pretty,” Lorna babbled to me, really opening up now that she wasn’t connected to the Internet. The outside brought a very different side of her out. “It’s nice to have you here.”

  “Oh, thank you, I’m glad to be here.” As I stretched my body out across the hot sand, I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else in the world. Max who? “Do you think your brother is all right?”

  James hadn’t yet said one word to me, but it was okay. He seemed to be enjoying himself, splashing in the ocean. Maybe he was just a quiet person. The last thing I wanted to do was push him. I just had to hope that he would let me in a little more when he felt ready.

  “Yeah, he’s fine. He just doesn’t like to talk to people much because they always leave him.”

  She said that with the brutal, calm honesty that children possessed, which sent her words spiking deeper into my heart. “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, well, our mom isn’t here anymore, and he thinks Meghan is going to go soon too.”

  “Wh…who’s Meghan?” For some reason I felt anxious that she was going to say her dad’s girlfriend. Why that would bother me, I wasn’t sure. Evan was a handsome rich man, why wouldn’t he have a girlfriend? What did it matter anyway, it wasn’t like I was going anywhere near him.

  It hadn’t escaped my notice that she’d mentioned her mom too, but that seemed like far too tricky a topic for me to be delving into. She wasn’t here, Evan was a single father, that was all I needed to know. If he ever wanted to tell me more then I would listen, but I wasn’t holding my breath for it. Evan seemed as closed off as his son.

  “Our nanny at home. She was supposed to come away with us, but she couldn’t. Now James thinks she’s going to leave us too. The nanny before her went as well.”

  “Oh right…” My words trailed off as I stared out towards the water. This was a complicated family situation, I could tell that there was a whole lot going on under the surface. Maybe I could use this month to actually make a difference, maybe I could help this family out. It wasn’t what I came to Hawaii for, but it would be good to use my skills and time in a positive way.

  If I came away from this experience having achieved something positive, then everything would be even better. That sense of achievement would totally override everything else that was going on inside of me. Positivity was exactly what I needed to continue driving forward in the right direction.

  “Well, shall we go and have a splash in the water?” I smiled, trying to change the subject. “Maybe James will join in, but if not, we can have some fun, right?”

  “Yes, fun!” She jumped up and down and screamed excitedly, which made me chuckle loudly. Lorna was a good kid, she was going to make it awesome.

  As we splashed and played about in the water, mostly without James but occasionally with, I felt like I was on top of the world. This was so much better than being at home, I would definitely be alright now that I was here.

  ***

  “Come on then, let’s go in. It’s time for bed now,” I chuckled as I slid the door to the villa open. “You guys must be exhausted.”

  “I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again!” Lorna squealed. “That was the best day ever.”

  “I know, but we can do it again tomorrow…” The sentence died in my throat as I spotted Evan sitting at the dining table, surrounded by paperwork and a laptop. He was still in his suit, but his tie had long been discarded and the top few buttons were undone. “Oh, I’m sorry, are we making too much noise?”

  “No, no, I’m almost done for the day.” He slumped back in his seat a bit and, for a split second, I could’ve sworn that I felt his eyes travelling up and down my body in an appreciative way. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and goose bumps ran up and down my arm, but he turned towards the kids before I could know for sure. “Have the kids eaten?”

  “Yeah, I used the daily budget to take them out for dinner, is that okay?” Was I supposed to get something for him too? Had I committed a serious faux pas? I hadn’t worked for a family before, only in nurseries, I wasn’t totally sure what the unspoken rules and regulations were.

  “Yeah, yeah, that’s fine,” he grinned happily, spiking relief inside of me. “Just wanted to check.” He glanced at his watch and turned to Lorna and James. “You two really do need to be in bed, you know?”

  The excitement totally deflated from the kids as their father talked to them. Their entire demeanor changed, which just proved to me what I already suspected, this family needed my help. At least I was here, and I had a few weeks to make a difference. I just needed to ensure that I used that time wisely.

  “Come on, I’ll take you up.”

  As I tucked the kids in, and bid them goodnight, my mind was all over the place. I wasn’t sure if I imagined Evan checking me out or not, and I really needed to know. It was risky, and I feared that it might unleash a whole load of issues that I wasn’t equipped to deal with, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself from wanting to know.

  I guess what with all I had been through recently, it was nice to feel attractive. I was pretty down on myself, I felt frumpy and boring – just as Taylor had suggested – and I really needed a boost.

  Surely if I just innocently walked back into the kitchen with my bikini on to grab something to drink, that would be okay, wouldn’t it? The fact that I even needed to ask that just proved that it really wasn’t a good plan, but it was too late. I wanted to be convinced, so I was. I shrugged off the shawl I had draped over my shoulders, and I slowly walked back in to where I knew Evan was still sitting, lit up by the glow of his computer screen.

  It really was a shame that he had to work so much while he was in such a beautiful place, but if he wasn’t then I wouldn’t have my job, so I couldn’t complain too much.

  “Can I get you anything?” I asked breezily as I brushed past him. “Would you like a drink or anything?”

  “Actually, do you think that you could hand me a beer from the fridge?”

  As I handed it to him, our hands brushed and a powerful bolt of electricity raced through my entire body, bringing a flush to my cheeks. This made me feel like a school girl with a secret crush, one that gave me a secret thrill.

 
“Did the kids go to sleep alright?” He smiled at me, revealing a very sexy set of dimples in his cheeks. I got the distinct impression that he didn’t smile too much, so it was kinda nice that he was doing it for me.

  “Yeah fine, I wore them out all day.”

  His eyes fell down to my breasts, and I felt a powerful surge of sexiness overcome me. He was looking at me like he wanted to devour me, and for someone who had never been looked at in that way before it was really nice. Max had never gone out of his way to make me feel attractive, I just assumed that he didn’t have it in him, so to have this man who was a million leagues above Max looking at me like that was delicious and intoxicating.

  “Well, that’s just great. Thank you for doing this. And thank you for coming on this trip with us all such last minute.”

  “Yeah, that’s fine.” He gave me a look, but there was no way that I was about to delve into the sad, sorry story of my life. Evan really didn’t need to hear about my childish break up with the boy I assumed I loved. It was too embarrassing for words. “I’m glad I came,” I finished a little lamely instead.

  "Me too, actually.” Oh God, there was that smile again. It was causing my heart to dance and dart all over my body. This wasn’t anything I could ever act on, I was still really aware of that, but I could keep it as a secret little thing just for myself. “And the kids seem to really like you, so that’s always good.”

  I nodded slowly, wondering if this was the moment to ask all the questions that were floating around inside my head, but before I got the chance he started talking again.

  “Maybe one of these days I should come to the beach with you,” he smirked playfully. “It looks like you all had a good time.”

  Oh God, I was falling in too deep. Everything was flapping excitedly now, if I wasn’t careful I would be kissing him in a heartbeat. The thought of him on the beach with us made me far too thrilled for words. Nervous too, of course, but mostly just super happy.