He smiles again. “I’ll just get dressed and head to another meeting.”
I nod, staring dumbly.
He raises a brow and goes to his closet. “You have no idea how lucky you are not to deal with the kind of assholes that go to these meetings.”
“Yeah?”
I hear him moving around, and I’m tempted to take a few steps closer and peek into his massive walk-in closet, to see if he’s stripping off that damp towel of his.
“Yeah, these guys are jerks. All they care about is the bottom line and stepping up in the company.”
I use my elbow to rub at the drool that I think might be at the corner of my mouth. “Sorry.”
He steps back out of the closet, wearing a pair of slacks. He’s buttoning a red shirt, a pair of socks in his hand. “Yeah, sometimes I envy people like you. Life just seems so simple. You do your nine-to-five, then your worries are gone.”
I nod again, not knowing what to say.
When he’s done buttoning his shirt, he grabs a pair of shoes and sits on the end of the bed, putting his socks and shoes on. “And tonight I have to go visit Mother. I’m sure she’s planned another dinner party with a table full of eligible ladies.”
Lucky women. “You don’t…like any of them?”
He shrugs. “I’m just tired of it all. The women just look so…fake. They’re always just pretending to be something they’re not. You know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
He smiles at me as he stands. “You’re lucky, Jade. At least when people like you, you know they like you for you.”
I watch as he moves to the door.
When he turns and looks back at me, I’m dumb-struck by his deep brown eyes. “I left the damp towels in the closet.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I say, barely processing his words.
He smiles, and then he’s gone.
The air seems to whoosh out of the room with him. I touch my face, smiling, then wince when I realize I’m still wearing my gloves. My gaze catches on a movement. I turn and stare at my reflection. My apron is stained, I’m wearing disgusting yellow gloves, I have a bucket with a toilet brush in it slung over my arm, and I have little hairs sprouting from my hair in every direction.
My smile fades away. I’m completely in love with Mr. Blake, but there’s no way he could feel anything for me. Look at me.
I wouldn’t want me.
Feeling my shoulders sag, I turn to collect his wet towels before I start cleaning the bathroom.
It’s amazing how different my life is from the life I imagined.
Chapter Four
Jade
Sitting on the bus, I eat my granola bar that tastes like crap. My boss called and offered me a chance to work tonight. I’m exhausted, but I like night jobs. They’re usually at commercial companies where all the employees are gone. I can listen to music. I can dance while I clean. I can just have some time to myself.
The bus tires squeal as we stop. I climb off, my feet crying out as I walk down the aisle and out the door. As the bus pulls away, I don’t hesitate. I walk the short distance to where Dolly told me to go, then glance up at a huge gate. Reaching into my apron, I wince in the weak light from a lamp post, double-checking the address. Yup, this is the place.
Going to the speaker, I hit the button.
A tired voice comes on a second later. “Yes?”
“Uh, I’m here from Dolly’s Cleaning Champs.”
He doesn’t respond, but a second later the gates slide open. Trying not to groan at the long driveway, I start forward. I’m at the bottom of a slight incline, which makes the long walk all the more fun. Especially given the poor lighting on the driveway and the creepy overgrown garden on both sides. When I reach the place, it looks like a massive manor. If it weren’t for the plaque by the door saying, “Brothers’ Family Antiques,” I wouldn’t know this was an antique dealer.
When I knock lightly on the door, it swings open, revealing a tired-looking security guard with pepper-grey hair, a rounded shape, and deep wrinkles in his face. He lifts a flashlight, even though it’s lit well enough inside. I flinch back from the bright light in my eyes.
“I haven’t seen you before.”
“Your bosses just hired our company,” I say, lifting a hand to shield my eyes.
“Name.”
“Uh, Dolly’s Cleaning Champs.”
“I meant your name.”
“Oh, uh, Jade Cahr.”
“Jade Cahr,” he repeats. “Well, Jade Cahr, this is how it works here. You go in and do your job. When you’re done, you ring the bell. I’ll check to make sure you aren’t leaving with anything, and we go on our merry ways. If I find you took so much as a pencil, you go to jail. Any questions?”
I swallow down an insult that has to do with his tiny cock and having too much power. “No, sir.”
He steps out of the way. Then half a second later, he angrily gestures for me to go in.
Lowering my eyes, I try to keep the hatred out of my expression and step in.
“Oh, and when you’re cleaning, be very careful of everything in here. Most of the stuff, no matter how insignificant-looking, is worth more than your life.”
It’s official. I hate this guy. “Yes, sir.”
He locks the door behind me, gives me one last scowl, then heads to a little room beside the door. I hear the sound of a television blaring. I watch as he puts his legs up on the desk with all the security cameras and digs into a bag of chips.
Frowning, I put my earbuds in, turn my music on and start walking. A few seconds later, my song starts playing. It’s one of my favorites, beautiful and slow. So powerful that it gives me chills every time I play it.
I don’t start cleaning, not yet. I walk through the grand entryway, staring in amazement. On each side of me is a staircase that leads up to a large landing. I continue forward, then push open two huge doors. Inside is a room that’s obviously used to auction items. Comfortable chairs are facing a small stage with a podium.
Continuing through doorway after doorway, I find that the bottom floor is set up in an interesting way. The rooms that I think are meant to be seen by most of the public are simple and well-setup. But other rooms are filled with items, stuffed full of them. I think some of the rooms are for items that are being inventoried, others have items that are more neatly organized with tags on them, and still others are in a back room with mostly wrapped things that look ready for transportation.
Leaving the bottom floor, I start up the stairs, feeling overwhelmed by the beauty of this place, as well as the sheer number of things to clean. When I get to the top of the landing, I see halls on each side of me. I choose one at random and start opening doors. This place looks…more like a home. With bedrooms and bathrooms that look lived in, for the most part.
When I reach the back bedroom, I walk around, touching the pretty things on every surface. This looks like a collectors’ room. A place where someone with a good eye lives.
My calm songs are suddenly interrupted by a loud one, a fun dance song that always gets me motivated when I’m feeling low. Sighing, deciding I might as well start cleaning here, I grab my gloves from my bucket and attack the bathroom.
After scrubbing the toilet, I stuff the brush in the bucket and swing my hips. Singing the words to the song, I belt them out, talking into my sponge, spinning around on the floor.
Suddenly, a man’s behind me.
Crying out, I punch him.
I stare, shocked, as he grabs his face and steps back. Pulling my earbuds out, my music fades away.
“Shit!” the guy groans. “You have a hell of a right hook!”
I look him over, realizing he doesn’t look like an attacker. Fists still bunched, I say, “Who are you?”
He winces and looks up at me, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Evan. I work here.”
My jaw drops open. “Oh, hell! Oh, no! I’m so sorry!”
His blue eyes flash open, and while still pi
nching the bridge of his nose, he levels me with an amused look. “Probably my fault for surprising you.”
It feels like I’m going to barf. “It was seriously an accident. Are you going to call my boss? I understand if you do…but my boss is going to let me go. I know. I can’t believe I hit a client! Jade, what the hell is wrong with you?”
He releases his nose and smiles at me. “No, listen, it’s okay. I’m not going to call anyone.”
I’m shaking. “I really didn’t mean to. Are you okay?”
He’s grinning. “I’ll be fine.”
A little blood leaks from his nose.
My stomach does another flip. “You’re bleeding!”
Stripping off my gloves, I wash my hands then grab some toilet paper. Leading him to the bed, I press the toilet paper over his nose until he grabs it, and frown down at him. My hands are shaking. My whole life feels like it’s falling apart.
I feel tears well in my eyes.
He looks up at me, and the amusement fades from his expression. “Hey, it’s okay. You said…you said your name was Jade, right?”
I nod, hating that a tear runs down my cheek.
“Everything’s going to be fine, Jade. I know it was an accident.”
“I can’t lose this job,” I say, choking out the words.
He reaches up and takes my arm, lowering me to sit on the bed beside him. “It’s okay. Take a deep breath.”
I take a deep breath, then close my eyes, replaying the moment I hit him. If my boss, Dolly, ever finds out what I did, I’m toast. And then I’ll lose my apartment. I’ll lose everything.
“Jade?”
I open my eyes. Suddenly, I’m looking at this man for the first time. Really looking at him. For a second my breath catches. He’s handsome, definitely not much older than me. He’s wearing a black t-shirt and pajama pants with little smiling cartoons on them. He also has a kind face, with nice lines, and a little bit of stubble. His eyes are blue, but not the blue you usually see. They’re a deep, dark blue that almost seems impossible, and his hair is dark and a little messy.
“Feel better?” he asks, and his voice is low and soft.
I shiver. “Yeah.”
He releases my arms, but continues to stare at me.
“I’m your new maid.”
He laughs. “I kind of figured that one out.”
I feel my cheeks heat. “Sorry, I was, uh, listening to music.”
“I saw that,” he says, grinning.
My cheeks feel hotter. “There usually aren’t people around on my night jobs.”
His smile never falters. “It’s okay. I imagine not everyone is as much of a workaholic as we are. We have rooms up here to sleep when we don’t have time to go home and back.”
“That makes sense,” I say, then look away from him. “Well, uh, I should probably get back to work.”
He shakes his head. “What, you’re going to maim me and then just go?”
“I…uh…”
“At least accompany me to the kitchen for a snack. Have you eaten yet?”
I think of the only thing I’d eaten that day: my horrible granola bar. My stomach actual growls then. Loudly.
He laughs. “I guess not! Come on then!”
He rises, and I leap to my feet too. “But, I’m not allowed—“
“It’ll be our little secret.”
He goes to the door, then stands, waiting for me. Not sure what else to do, I grab my bucket and follow him.
Boy, this night didn’t go the way I expected. Not at all.
Chapter Five
Evan
I’ve had the fucking longest day imaginable. When my brothers and I used our parents’ life insurance to start this auction house, Owen had been so sure this was our path in life. That this was the way that we would turn our money into a career that would last for generations. My oldest brother had thought with my eye for antiques, his business sense, and our middle brother’s way with people, that we would be golden.
None of us had a clue what we were in for.
I loved my time here at night checking over valuables and separating the shit from the special stuff, but I hated dealing with rich assholes who thought everything they bought was worth its weight of gold. Far too much of my day was spent biting down insults and trying to pretend that none of this life got to me.
And then I saw Jade.
Glancing back at her, I almost miss one of the steps down our long flight of stairs, but manage to catch myself before going tumbling down and making an idiot out of myself in front of the beauty behind me. Taking a deep breath, I keep my smile fixed in place, sensing her trepidation, and lead her right to our pristine, white kitchen.
When she stands in the doorway looking awkward, I can’t help but tease her. “You going to come in, or just stand there all day?”
She nibbles her lip, and my gaze is drawn to her teeth as they wear at her perfectly shaped mouth. Damn, this woman is stunning. Not just her big brown eyes and soft-looking olive skin, but her perfectly rounded figure. There were far too many women in this town who ate nothing and had a sickly, malnourished air to them. There was something satisfying about seeing a woman with a real body.
Oh, and then there’s the fact that she kind of kicked my ass.
I like that.
“Take a seat on the stool,” I tell her, indicating the seats along the bar.
Hesitantly, she sets her bucket with the gloves thrown over the side by the door and makes her way cautiously to the seat, before settling onto it.
Satisfied she isn’t going to make a break for it, I whirl around and start digging through the fridge. “How do you feel about grilled cheese?”
She makes a sound that’s some combination between a sign and a moan. “I wish I could fall asleep every night with a grilled cheese sandwich hanging out my mouth.”
I turn, holding bread and cheese in my hands and grin. “You’re my kind of woman.”
Her cheeks turn red, and I set everything down, then grab some butter.
She glances to the door. “Are you sure I shouldn’t—?”
“Just relax,” I say. “I’m the boss tonight, and I’m requiring your presence in the kitchen.”
I’m delighted when the smallest smile twists her lips. “My feet are killing me. And food does sound amazing.”
Yes! Score! Grabbing a frying pan, I set it on the stove, turn it on, and throw some butter on, then wait for the pan to heat. “So, you live around here?”
She gives a little laugh. “No, I live downtown. You know, where the buildings look like crap, and there’s more pawn shops than grocery stores.”
I wince. “That bad?”
She glances nervously around the kitchen. “Let’s just say my whole apartment could fit in this kitchen.” Then those deep brown eyes of hers lock onto me. “Do you live here?”
“Nah, I just stay here if I have work to do. I have an apartment not far from here.”
She nods. “It’s kind of crazy, right?”
“What?” I ask, pushing the button around with a spatula.
“That people actually live like this. Someone throws down the money for some giant mansion, then makes people like us do all the work while they’re where…sitting on a beach somewhere?”
“Actually…”
“They could never understand what it’s like to work until your feet ache. Or have to bust their asses to keep a roof over their heads or food on the table.” She pushes a stray hair back behind her ear. “I kind of hate people like that. It’s like we live in different worlds.”
I should really clear this up now. I should tell her that my brothers and I own this place. But somehow, I can’t seem to bring myself to do it. It’s not just that I think that it’ll kill my chances with her. She also looks so worn, maybe even sad. I’d feel like an ass to make her realize she was just complaining about people like me.
“Yeah,” I say. “It sucks, but we work hard so we can have a life like that one day.”
She gives a cute little snort. “Maybe.”
I put the bread and cheese on the pan. “Well, if you don’t want that, what do you want?”
A strange look comes over her face. “I want…magic.”
“Magic?” I find myself smiling again.
“Yeah, my parents always had that magic. A spark in their lives that made them…special. That brought them joy each and every day.”
“Magic…” I say again. She means love. She means something special.
I get that. I want that too. It’s been missing from my life since the day my parents died.
“So, how do you plan to find this magic?”
She shrugs, but avoids my gaze. “If I knew that, I wouldn’t be this miserable.”
“You don’t seem miserable.”
She turns tired eyes onto me. “Aren’t you?”
I think for a minute. My life is exhausting. It’s lonely, but it’s not miserable. “No, but I’m still figuring things out.”
She smiles. “Me too.”
I hum while I finish making our sandwiches, then set a plate in front of her with her food and push a plate over to the spot beside her. When I sit down to start eating, I hear her moan and glance over at her. She wasn’t kidding about loving grilled cheese. She’s eating it like it’s the best thing she’s ever had. And somehow, I must be lonelier than I thought, because it’s sexy as hell.
“Let me take you to dinner,” I say.
She starts to choke on her sandwich.
I hurry to the fridge, crack open a soda, and hand it to her. She manages to stop her coughing, after several gulps of the drink, but is still taking deep breaths when I sit back down beside her.
“Was my offer that bad?”
She shakes her head, but is already standing. “No, it wasn’t. It’s not. I just. I have to get back to work.”
Sensing that she’s about to bolt for it, I reach into my pocket and hand her my card. She stuffs it into her apron without looking at it.
“Just think about it. I think we’d have fun.”
“Yeah, maybe…” she says, inching away from me.
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