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Ed, my driver for the last ten years is the only person who could get away with such an oversight. He’s more like family, but I still give him an eyebrow raise when he gets out, tilting his hat knowingly in my direction before opening the door to the backseat. I slide inside and pull out my phone.
Amelia has updated my schedule yet again and sent a confirmation email about the meeting we just had.
Ed gets in the car and adjusts the temperature to my liking. “Are we heading for the Hills, or the new place?”
I sigh and tuck my phone into my pocket. “The new place,” I say.
Ed grunts a reply and pulls off into traffic. The building isn’t far from my office and we pull up just in time for me to spot the maintenance man standing in the alley smoking a cigarette.
“Stop the car, Ed,” I say.
The car rolls to a stop and I get out without waiting on my driver to get the door for me. Grant, the useless maintenance man, glances up at me. He appears nervous as his eyes dart from one side to the other, probably searching for an escape.
“You’ve been dodging me for over a week,” I say, standing toe to toe with the man. “I asked you to change those filters and fix the leak in my place before I moved in and it’s still not done. I know you received my texts, calls and voicemails about the other shitload of things that need to be completed around here.”
Grant drops his cigarette butt on the ground and steps on it. “I haven’t been dodging you, Mr. Jordan. Just give me a chance to explain.”
This lazy man is costing me money and I need the improvements done to help bolster the asking price on this deal. I step back and fold my arms, not caring about the creases I’m making in my tailored suit.
“This had better be good.”
Chapter 5
JADE
I ride the elevator down to the lobby and briefly scrutinize my outfit in the mirrored glass. Unlike Magdalene, I don’t have a need for high fashion, especially for my bi-weekly trips to the grocery store. My tank top, shorts and favorite pair of sandals work out just fine. I grab my hair and wrap it into a knot on the top of my head. It’s humid outside and I hate being hot, especially with my hair sticking to my neck.
I reach into my pocket and pull out the folded piece of paper so I can double check my shopping list. Grocery shopping is one of the rare occasions Magdalene stays home with Jacob. It’s a welcomed break and I’m grateful she agreed to allow me to grocery shop alone. I love Jacob, but it’s hard trying to pick out fresh meat and vegetables and care for a fussy baby all at the same time. I have no idea how hands-on parents can do it without the help of a nanny or some other assistance. I guess my maternal instincts aren’t quite as evolved just yet, because now that Jacob is older, he’s constantly grabbing things, trying to rub everything along his teething gums.
The elevator dings loudly before the doors slide open. I step out and pat my pockets for my keys. I’m always misplacing stuff. When it’s time to shop, I tend to focus on my list, and sometimes forget the other important things I need, like my keys and cell phone. I check all my pockets and finally my purse.
After finding both my keys and phone, I quickly rush out the lobby and head to the parking garage. When I’m out and about with Jacob I’m required to ride in the chauffeured car kept on reserve, but during my “me time” and my shopping trips, I take my own car, a blue Honda Accord with a small dent on the side. Comfort is key when I’m running errands and nothing other than cooking brings me quite as much comfort as driving my own car.
Just as I pass through the side of the lobby with the revolving doors, Mrs. Montgomery and her overly friendly dog nearly tackle me to the ground. I catch myself and steady my balance to stop the disaster mid-collision.
Mrs. Montgomery is a short round woman with a subtle blue tint in her hair. She’s what I like to call “old money.” She’s the true definition of a professional widow and is full of amazing stories about each marriage. Her husbands died and left her everything… all six of them. I don’t like to speculate, but I do wonder if all their deaths were as natural as she claims. Maybe I just watch too many crime shows. Each one she married had a net worth higher than the last. With no children to speak of, she freely spends her money on her dog and whatever new boy toy she takes on for the evening.
