"Does it not look good?" I asked, leaning on the arms of the chair I
’
d slept in, trying to stretch my back without making it obvious.
"It looks great," she said and picked up the spoon. "Are you going to stare at me while I eat?" She asked defensively, and I couldn’t stop the smile that formed on my face.
Kitten definitely had claws, and I had to admit that I liked it. It was refreshing.
"Maybe," I answered, pushing away from the chair and standing with my arms across my chest. "Are you going to tell me who did that?" My chin was pointing in her direction.
Her face tilted up, and big brown eyes looked at me in surprise, then her expression turned into a frown, and she swallowed hard. In the light of a new day, I noticed that her eyes were not dark. They had hints of green and gold in them, making them almost hazel. I watched her as she processed my question. Her mind was probably going a million miles an hour, and it made me want to know who the fuck had done that to her, now more than ever.
"Is that a requirement?"
"Requirement?"
"To let Zoey and I stay here?" She asked bravely, but her haunted eyes gave her away.
"No...Not yet, anyhow. But eventually, I will want to know who did that to you and why you were running." I didn’t look away from her.
I was helpless when it came to the beautiful woman in front of me. I knew I would probably regret my decision, but I wasn
’
t going to change my mind. "Anyhow, a cleaning service is already setting up the guest house for you and Zoey. We will talk more once you're feeling better."
Trying to put needed distance between us, I walked to the door.
"I need to get ready for my interviews."
"Okay."
"I'm umm
…
across the hall if you need me."
"Okay...John...I know I said this already, but thank you." Her voice was full of emotion. I just nodded and got the hell out of there.
That woman was doing weird things to me.
John
A curvy girl in a prim outfit with hideously wide-rimmed black glasses stared back at me.
“
Miss Morgan
…”
“
Please, call me Birdie,
”
she interrupted, and I couldn’t help but frown.
“
I have the experience, and the recommendations. I would work my...my behind off for you...”
“
Yes, but
…”
I said to the over the top bubbly girl. If I had an assistant they would be able to take care of shit like this!
“
I know. I can see how being related to Vikki would make you hesitant, but I would like it noted that I willingly put that information on the application. That honesty should count for me, not against me
…”
“
Miss Morgan
…”
I was starting to get annoyed, but she took me by surprise.
“
Mr. Davenport, I know this is a temporary position. I know that you were severely let down by your previous receptionist. I can guarantee you that I will not leave you stranded. I will work hard. I'll be the first in and last to leave. I will prove to you that I can handle this job and I
’
ll prove that my sister and I have nothing in common.
”
Her cheeks turned pink as she adjusted those horrible glasses on her face. I sat back and stared at her as I took a deep cleansing breath, but she beat me to it once again.
“
I know a man of your stature would run a background check. A very thorough one, I don
’
t blame you. I would, too, being in your position. I needed to be honest about who I am related to." Her eyes softened behind her glasses and just like that she left a lasting blow, "You don
’
t pick your family, Mr. Davenport,
”
she finished off and I placed my hand on my chin.
“
Miss Morgan
…”
“
Birdie,
”
she corrected me with a nervous smile as she held her hands together on her lap, and I bit away a smile. The kid was smart, way overqualified to work as my receptionist.
“
Bernadette. What I was trying to say is that you are overqualified. You'd be answering phones, running errands
…”
“
And I will be amazing at it,
”
she interrupted, her eyes going wide behind her ugly glasses that had once again slipped down her nose. "Permission to speak bluntly, Mr. Davenport?" I nodded, now amused by her more than annoyed, and that alone was no small feat.
“
The economy stinks out there. I need this job. I promise I will not let you down. I'll be the best receptionist in the history of clerical work. I won't
…”
I put my hand up and she quickly stopped talking.
“
No. You won't.
”
Her face fell and her bottom lip trembled slightly as her shoulders slumped. Something about this girl ate at me.
You're getting soft, Johnny Boy,
a voice inside me said, and I leaned forward. Rubbing my forehead, I watched her.
First a single mom with a flat tire, and now this girl?
“
I understand. Good luck on your search, Mr. Davenport,
”
she said as she stood up, lifting her hand to mine.
“
You won't make a good receptionist, but you'll make a great personal assistant,
”
I mumbled out, trying hard not to smile at her reaction. Eyes wide as saucers, pushing the ugly glasses back up, her face brightened as my words sunk in.
“
Really? Oh my God! Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Davenport!
”
“
Relax, kid. It's not going to be easy.
”
I sighed,
“
I'm not an easy man to work with. I can be an asshole and very difficult,
”
I told her, keeping my expression serious.
“
So think long and hard about this. It'll be a little light receptionist work, at least until we have an established office and we can hire someone to solely file and answer phones. Until then, you're in charge of that as well as being my PA. If that sounds like something you want to do, I need to know if you can start tomorrow.
”
"I promise. I won't let you down!" She ecstatically shook my hand.
"Good. I should hope not. See you first thing tomorrow morning," I told her, and she smiled brightly. I watched her exit just as Mike entered the study.
“
Don
’
t you have a job?
”
I asked him, then picked up the kid
’
s resume and pretended to look at it. I heard Mike laugh and watched as he sat down.
“
I see you have a receptionist now.
”
“
I do.
”
I handed her resume to Mike, and he looked down at it and whistled.
“
She
’
s severely overqualified to be answering your phones.
”
“
That
’
s why she is going to be my personal assistant,
”
I told him and he laughed, his eyes going wide, and I knew he was reading the note attached to her resume.
‘
Shit. She actually
…”
“
Yeah,
”
I shook my head.
“
Well, she has balls to say the least. She
’
s going to need them, working for your ass.
”
Mike chuckled, and I rolled my eyes,
“
At least she
’
s upfront about who her sister is
…”
“
I never hooked up with Vikki.
”
“
Is that the one that was at my bachelor party? The one on your lap half the night or the other one?
”
He asked, surprising me that he remembered. The night of his bachelor party at Shine had been a clusterfuck of events.
“
The other one,
”
I mumbled, trying not to think about everything Mike didn
’
t know that had happened behind his back.
“
Hmmm
…
you know I know what happened that night, right?
”
I looked up at Mike
’
s face and tried to keep my own unamused. I stayed quiet and saw irritation filter in his eyes.
“
Is that how you are going to play this?
”
“
The less you know, the better.
”
I told him, looking as serious as I could so that he could believe it and wouldn
’
t push like he always fucking did when he thought it would somehow help me.
“
I know what you
’
re doing, you know?
”
He frowned.
“
Yeah. We
’
ve known one another too damn long to pretend otherwise,
”
I told him, smirking, so it would make him feel like it wasn
’
t a big deal. He shook his head.
“
You know what I find interesting about my bachelor party?
”
“
That there wasn
’
t a harem of strippers?
”
He laughed and shook his head again.
“
The fact that Jerry helped a hurt security guard wouldn
’
t have been too big of a deal. I mean, shit happens, especially at places like Shine. But the little baker who owns the bakery my wife is obsessed with was all over your lap, shit
…
coincidences happen. Who am I to judge, right? But you know what I thought topped the cake about that night?
”
“
I
’
m sure you're going to enlighten me,
”
I told him dryly.
“
Judge Duke Keates was arrested that same night.
”
Mike looked at me, no more amusement on his face. The mighty dirty Judge had been out to get me for a while. Why, I had no idea. What I did know was that he was determined to use every single pawn he could, especially since he knew the Feds were on his back about his dirty dealings.
“
Mike
…”
“
I haven
’
t brought this up for a while, John. I let it lie, thinking you
’
d tell me. Maybe not right now, since you have your hands full, but you are going to tell me what that fucking mess was about.
”
I didn’t respond and he knew I wasn’t going to. That whole thing was a horrible mess, one where a young, beautiful woman got hurt.
“
Anyhow, I came in to tell you Sabrina and I are heading home. Jerry said he
’
d be by tomorrow morning to check on the patient.
”
“
Wait.
”
I frowned,
“
You can't leave.
”
“
Why not?
”
“
Who
’
s going to watch Zoey?
”
I asked, sounding panicked.
“
Zoey? Oh is that her name?
”
He asked with a smile on his face.
“
Yes.
”
“
Well
…
you are. You have a personal assistant now, and it should help you free up some time.
”
“
Mike, you cannot be serious
…”
I started to say when the asshole started to laugh.
“
We have to go. The kids can only stay at Emmi and Dan
’
s place for so long. I
’
ll see you this weekend, okay?
”
I felt my blood pressure rise as I nodded.
“
Yeah. I
’
ll see you out.
”
***
Zoey and I stood at the door as we watched Mike and Sabrina drive off. I looked at Zoey almost at the same time she turned her little head to look at me, her face tilting as if to ask me
What are we going to do now?
“
I have no idea, princess,
”
I answered her unspoken question. My heart constricted when she chose that moment to smile at me. She gave me a big smile so sweet that her huge eyes almost disappeared, and I chuckled as we walked back into the house.
Walking into the living room, I saw that Sabrina had indeed made sure I had everything I needed. She’d sent Nick on a trip and had ordered a bunch of shit online, asked for my credit card, and had sent her little errand boy on his way. I wasn
’
t a complete idiot with kids. I
’
d watched Sabrina and Mike
’
s kids over the last year, so I wasn
’
t terribly worried.
“
All right, doll. Do you like TV? I
’
m sure we can find something to watch.
”
She giggled, and I squished my nose at her.
“
Are you saying I have bad taste in television? I have to tell you I
’
ve had my share of women in this house, who have never complained.
”
At this, her face went serious, her chubby little hand going to my cheek and then grabbing my nose.
“
Jealous little thing, aren
’
t you.
”
I smiled at her and she gave me a raspberry.
***
Waking up to a small weight on my chest, I realized I must have fallen asleep on the couch. I opened my eyes and saw the top of Zoey
’
s dark hair.
Blinking a couple of times, I looked towards the TV. An old episode of MASH was playing in the background. I placed my hand on her tiny little back and stood, then walked carefully to the playpen, where I settled her in and covered her with a soft pale lavender blanket that, from the looks of it, was new. One of my new purchases thanks to Sabrina.