The big deal was they’d stolen what was mine and now condemned me to rely on them for my tuition. A fact the Stepdad was well aware of by the smirk I wanted to slap off his face.
“How about you just give me the money back and I’ll decide on how I want to use it?” I retorted, already knowing it was pointless. Maybe if Mom hadn’t gotten pregnant they’d be content to let me go to school out of state. I doubted it though. This entire thing stunk of Stepdad’s expensive cologne and his chance to use me as free childcare for another four years.
“Not possible,” Stepdad replied smoothly, ignoring my frown. “Besides your family needs you. You couldn’t possibly leave your mother to deal with a difficult pregnancy on her own plus little A…” He stopped himself before he finished saying her name and we all looked up. When no screaming was immediately heard he continued, “She’ll need you.” He didn’t specify who would need me, he probably meant Mom, but in truth it was Ava. If I wasn’t there they’d just leave her in daycare more often than they already did. Which if I wasn’t around was still better than their lack of attention. The idea of two more added to the mix made me cringe. I’d felt bad enough leaving Ava with them.
Which brought me back to the present and the glimmer of hope I now felt.
I eyed the two of them and Mom shifted uncomfortably while Stepdad worked his ‘I’m doing you a favor’ expression. Favor, my ass, I wanted to tell him, but I was so desperate for a chance to escape I might have gotten down on my knees and begged.
You think I joke, but nope. There was a high possibility I would beg. The twins were fussy eaters and usually threw up everything they ate. Add in the fact they were boys and I’d been peed in the face more times than I could count, and I was ready to have my own tubes tied.
A summer away from the madness of a petulant four-year-old who’d been upstaged by her needy baby brothers and a mother who seemed helpless in the face of their crying sounded like heaven. Even if heaven involved scrubbing toilets.
“Did I hear you offering to have me play housekeeper for the summer to one of your clients?” I kept my tone even, disguising any hint of the eagerness I felt. Technically, the conversation had caught my attention when I’d heard my Mom say, “We can’t let her escape. I can’t do it alone.” That was enough to have me pause outside the door and eavesdrop.
The Stepdad was arguing back that this new client would get him promoted to partner, if he could make this one thing happen for them. This thing apparently involved me and required my cooperation. As desperate as I was for escape I also wasn’t going to lose the opportunity for a little negotiation of my own.
“We’ve noticed how hard you work and thought you deserved a vacation,” Stepdad boomed, his patented smile plastered on his face while Mom wilted next to him. Three babies in three years could do that to a woman. I felt a little haggard myself, but I perked up at his use of the word vacation because hard labor would be a treat compared to staying here all summer. “One of my clients has a beach house and he’s looking for someone to keep it tidy for the summer.”
Trust the Stepdad to spin ‘housekeeping job’ into ‘summer vacation’, but I wasn’t knocking it. I was, however, going to give him a hard time. An easy acceptance would be foolish indeed.
“You think scrubbing someone’s toilets for the summer is a vacation?” I asked dryly. “Is that how you and Mom spent my spring break?” He had the good grace to flush at my pointed question. They’d decided they needed a break from the ‘kids’ so when I got off for spring break they’d jetted off to Cancun for the week, leaving me with their progeny. A nightmare I wouldn’t soon forget. Or forgive.
“No, but in this instance, it really will be like a vacation. The house is practically empty at the moment so cleaning will be minimal. The main thing is privacy. My client is extremely private and doesn’t want gossip of any kind to wind up in the tabloids.” Stepdad was a lawyer, but I spent my days negotiating with a toddler. He was leaving something out and I was going to use it to my advantage.
“Who’s the client?” I raised my eyebrow when he refused to answer. What were the odds it was some criminal and I’d be his next victim? I disregarded the thought since Stepdad was an entertainment lawyer. Hence the perfect teeth and hair, and the attempt at presenting the perfect wife. Mom was looking a little rough these days since she hadn’t been able to leave the house for her weekly mani/pedi and blowout.
“Why bother with a housekeeper if the house is empty?” I questioned a little more firmly. “Or worry about gossip? What possible gossip could there be in an empty house?” Stepdad didn’t appreciate being the one on the hot seat this go around, but I wasn’t letting up. From what I’d overheard he’d already exchanged my services for his promotion and now he just needed my agreement which meant I had the upper hand.
“Well, my client’s son will be in and out of the house during the summer. So, some light housekeeping will be necessary.” Stepdad admitted, albeit reluctantly. I could tell he thought I’d jump at the chance to escape and not ask any questions. And trust me, the thought had occurred to me. And I had zero intentions of turning it down, but I was going to make him sweat and see if I couldn’t get a little more out of it.
“Mmhmm,” I hummed noncommittally. “So, you want me to go to some beach house with your client’s son…the same client you won’t name…and play house for the summer?” He grimaced at my wording but didn’t object so I knew I was on the right track. “And what do I get out of it?”
“What do you get out of it?” Stepdad blustered, quickly going on the offensive. “I’m trying to do you a favor. I thought you deserved a break from the kids and the house. Isn’t it enough I provide your education?”
Bingo.
He’d walked right into that one.
“You do provide my education since you stole my inheritance.” I replied sweetly, smile firmly fixed in place as Mom shook her head. She knew exactly where I was going with this. “Seems to me that it’s about time you provide the education I want instead of the one you deem acceptable.”
He blanched and I knew I had him. Whoever the hell this client was had to be a moneybag and I owed the dude a fruit basket. Possibly the chocolate covered one. The stepdad wasn’t an idiot, in spite of all evidence to the contrary. Since he wanted to minimize his losses because he’d already promised my slave labor for the summer he asked, “What do you want?”
“Tuition and living expenses to the college of my choice. No stipulations.” I responded instantly and I could see he wanted to fight me on it, but he’d lose a hell of a lot more if I refused to play housekeeper for the summer.
“Deal.” He gritted out and Mom started crying. Not because I was leaving and she’d miss me…well actually it was because I was leaving and she’d be left alone with the heathens she’d birthed.
I had a momentary flicker of sympathy for her but just then Thing One started to cry immediately followed by Thing Two and any sympathy I had disappeared.
Chapter Two
One Week Later
Once we’d come to terms, things had moved quickly which was why I was stepping off a plane at the Honolulu International Airport a few days later. When he’d said beach house I hadn’t expected Hawaii, but let’s be real, I wasn’t complaining. In spite of a nine-hour flight that had turned into eighteen after multiple weather and mechanical delays - nothing like taking off in a plane you just watched them repair an engine on – I couldn’t be happier.
This was freedom.
Being a thousand miles from home meant no one would be calling me to babysit - which knowing my mother - would have been entirely possible if I’d remained in the continental United States. Plus, I was in paradise.
For the entire summer.
I’d spent the majority of the flight daydreaming about surfers and summer romances because this was my chance! No one knew me here. My stay was temporary and for the first time in what felt like forever I had no responsibilities.
Sure, I had
to clean up after a spoiled son of one the stepdad’s clients, but how bad could it be? I imagined hours spent lounging on the beach, hiking Diamondhead, maybe taking a surfing lesson from one of those adorable surfers I kept dreaming about.
Who knew?
This was my summer escape and I wasn’t wasting the opportunity.
I finally found the luggage area and miraculously my luggage was there. I’d had the niggling concern that it might have taken a wrong turn during one of those flight delays, but there it was. My black suitcase covered in tiny multi-colored handprints. Ava the Terrible had decided my suitcase was too plain so she’d hunted down the paints some evil person had given her on her last birthday and decorated it. I guessed it could have been worse. I’d caught her with one of the Thing’s poopy diapers as she was making a beeline for my suitcase. After that, I kept the suitcase on the top shelf far from her sinister plans.
I jerked on the handle and let gravity do the rest. The resounding thud made a few heads turn, but it wasn’t like anyone had offered to help so I shrugged and managed to get it positioned to roll. The stepdad had assured me there would be a driver to take me to the beach house, but seeing as how my flight was supposed to come in the night before I doubted they were still waiting around. I had forced him to give me the address and some cash though, and figured there had to be a taxi around here somewhere. The airport was bigger than I expected but the pickup area was right next door to the luggage so I made my way over, suitcase listing to one side as the wheel wobbled and threatened to fly off. Ava the Terrible had shoved my suitcase down the stairs in a fit of fury right before I left and managed to damage the wheel. I took it as a sign of how much she would miss me.
I lifted on my tiptoes to see around the crowd gathered by the doors and tried to spot where the taxis were. I was so intent I almost missed the guy standing there holding a sign with my name on it.
“Hiya.” I pointed to his sign. “You looking for me?”
“Are you,” he tilted the sign to read the name. “Abbi Haynes?”
“One and the same.” I claimed with a wide grin. He gave me a disgruntled glance, but I was too excited about being in Hawaii and free from the Satan spawn to worry about whether or not the driver liked me. So long as he didn’t murder me and dump my body we were good.
“This way.” He reached for my luggage and we had a brief tug of war before he managed to yank it out of my grasp. “I carry the luggage.” His tone gave the impression I should know my place so I stuck out my tongue. It had become my default response when dealing with Ava the Terrible.
“I’m the housekeeper,” I replied in a classic game of one-upmanship where clearly neither of us were winning.
“And God help you,” was his less than comforting response.
He escorted me to a black car, something fancy, and no doubt the Stepdad would be drooling, but it just looked like something an old person would drive. He held the back door open for me so I took it as my cue to get in.
A couple of thumps later he’d stowed my luggage and was sliding into the driver’s seat.
“Home, James.”
A quick glance in the rearview mirror revealed him taking a deep breath before he shifted the car into gear. It did occur to me that I probably shouldn’t piss him off, but all my newfound freedom was going to my head.
“So, you’re the family chauffeur?” The view out the window was boring airport so I decided to find out more about my summer accommodations. “Anybody else work there? Where is the house? Is there anything fun to do around there? Do we have set hours we have to work?” I paused my litany of questions to take a breath. Maybe I should be more curious about the mysterious son who was staying at the house, but as long as he was old enough to wipe his own ass I really didn’t care.
“You ask entirely too many questions,” he responded dryly.
“And you take the whole stuffed shirt, ‘I’m the chauffeur’ thing entirely too seriously,” I retorted, leaning back in my seat. He lifted an eyebrow at me through the rearview mirror, but I only crossed my arms.
“This should be an interesting summer.” He focused on the road after that little statement, leaving me high and dry with all my questions. I grunted, but the view out the window quickly stole my attention. The road had opened to a winding highway with glimpses of blue water and then, Pearl Harbor. I gasped at the sight of the memorial, but then we turned and I lost sight of it. I vowed to come back and explore, even if I had to get fussy pants to bring me.
We continued to drive through lush landscape until we came upon fields of pineapple. The spiky plants were a surprise, but the Dole Plantation sign was unmistakable. I itched to stop and sample one, but James didn’t slow down or even ask if I wanted to stop. We kept going, and going, and going.
“Seriously, are we there yet? The island isn’t that damn big.” I finally asked, exasperated.
“Another fifteen minutes.” He chuckled at my fallen expression. Of course, he was just the type to take joy in another person’s suffering. I huffed in annoyance, and since my current view was trees I decided to try and pry more info out of him.
“You gonna answer any of my questions?” His gaze flickered to mine before returning to the road and I wasn’t sure he was going to respond.
“Persistent thing, aren’t you?” He sighed, but finally nodded. “I don’t remember any of the questions so you’ll need to ask again.”
“You’re the driver?”
“I would think that is fairly obvious.” My lips twisted at having the sarcasm tables turned but he relented and added, “I also handle the maintenance and lawn care for the estate.”
“Estate?” The word caught my attention as I wondered once again who the stepdad had sold me to for the summer. He nodded and I pondered the idea that I would be spending the summer on an estate. Beach house was one thing, but estate was something else entirely. Especially one on Oahu. “So, there must be an entire staff?”
He hesitated and shook his head. “Once upon a time there was, but at the moment it’s just me and now you.”
“And I’m here because the owner’s son is staying for the summer?”
“Correct.” I frowned at his answer, my curiosity peaked by the oddity of it all. Perhaps I should have asked for a bit more information before I jumped on the plane, but I had been eager to leave and it was too late now. “The estate is private, but there is plenty to do. A small beach protected by a cove, a racquetball court, a swimming pool, a game room, and a media room are available for your use.”
“That sounds cool. What if I want to leave the estate?” I stumbled slightly on estate and hoped I hadn’t traded one prison for another.
“I’m at your disposal if you wish to go somewhere.” From his pained expression, the thought didn’t sit well, but too bad. “The son has his own car since he doesn’t like being driven.” Interesting that he called him the son, I was starting to wonder if the guy had a name. “You will be on duty at all times.”
“What?” That little sentence caught my full attention since this was supposed to be my escape. Vacation did not equate with on duty at all times.
“Your presence is required should the son need you, but most days you’ll never see or hear from him. He keeps to himself since he arrived.” The fact seemed to bother James, but I was relieved to hear it. I did not want to be burdened with some needy kid who demanded my attention 24/7. “You should have plenty of time to explore.”
“Good and I have my own personal driver to boot.” My smirk increased as he glared, but I was distracted when we turned onto a private drive protected by massive gates. I didn’t see him do anything, but the gates slowly opened to reveal a long drive.
“Home sweet home,” I muttered as we started down the winding drive.
When I saw the house for the first time my jaw dropped and not in a good way.
“I thought it was a beach house?” The structure in front of me in no way resembled a beach house. Technically, I guess it co
uld be called a beach house because it was a house in close proximity to a beach, but that was where the logic ended. “That’s a freaking castle. What did they do…. fly in the stones from some old European castle and reassemble them here?”
“Shipped, actually.” James replied conversationally as he drove around the circular drive and parked. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the monstrosity in front of me. There were turrets, actual turrets, and the enormous double doors guarding the entrance had to be twenty feet tall.
“Why?” I breathed, any awe I might have felt superseded by horror. “Why me?”
“Why you, what?” James asked, yanking open my door and gesturing for me to get out.
“Why am I the one stuck cleaning this thing all summer?” I stamped my foot, pissed once again at the stepdad. It didn’t matter if he knew what this place looked like or not. He’d managed to screw me over again. “I can see why no one else wanted the job.”
“Oh, it’s not the size of the house that’s the reason. It’s the temper of the son.” James smiled caustically, dropping my bag next to me. He pointed to the massive six car garage and said, “I live in the apartment above the garage. Good luck.” He jogged around the car and was gone before I had time to blink. His ominous good luck rang in my ears as I steeled myself to go inside.
You could go home whispered through my mind, but the memory of Thing 1 and Thing 2’s cries stiffened my spine. No matter what was inside, it wasn’t as bad as Ava the Terrible and the twin terrors. I dragged my suitcase up the stairs, and on the last one the wheel finally flew off and hit a planter, shattering it. Dirt and flowers spilled over the stones, and I carefully stepped around the mess.
“Ha!” I laughed at the sight. “James will enjoy cleaning that up.” I hadn’t forgotten he was responsible for the outside of the castle and I wasn’t above pettiness after his disappearing act. I refused to call the place a house much less a beach house. I was about to spend my summer cleaning a castle and had no intention of letting anyone forget it.
Hidden Betrayals (The Hidden Series Book 4) Page 21