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“Guys, when I get to my new residence, I’ll have you over, and we’ll have a barbecue.”
“Really?” Polly said. “Your new boss is going to let you have a barbecue?”
“I mean, not when he is there, but what he doesn’t know…” I shrugged.
“But what about the butler guy?” Chelsea asked. “Didn’t you say he seemed kind of curmudgeonly?”
“I will just work my magic on him. Benedict will be eating out of my hands before you know it.” I smiled at them. “Trust me, I have this all under control,” I added, grinning. “This is going to be a piece of cake. Finn Joseph doesn’t know it yet, but the best thing he ever did for me was getting me fired.”
“What?” Polly said. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, let’s think about it. He got me fired from a crappy-ass job, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And I was making no money.”
“Yeah.”
“And now I’m going to be making loads of money.”
“Okay, and?” Chelsea said.
“And this job is going to be a piece of cake. I’m just going to hire a couple of people to do the work and just live it up.”
“But you’re counting on the fact that Finn Joseph is not going to be there,” Polly said. “Should you really be counting on that?”
“Yeah. The way he was talking on the phone when he was in the coffee shop that day, he’s a busy man. He doesn’t have time to be in Port Sunshine for long.”
ChapterNine
Checking Account Balance: $150
Savings Account Balance: $10
Boyfriend Count: 0
“Ms. Campbell, it is a pleasure to see you again.” Benedict opened the front door for me before I even rang the doorbell. I blinked at him in surprise.
“You, too.” I held my navy-blue duffel bag to my side and prayed that it didn’t split open. The seams had started to come apart when I’d forced the zipper shut. It had been a cheap buy but had lasted me all through college. If this job went well, I’d be able to treat myself to a new set of luggage. Maybe not Louis Vuitton or anything, but maybe something from Macy’s. “I know I’m a bit early, but I figured it would be good to see the house before it got dark so I could survey the space.”And check out the pool, I thought to myself.And maybe catch the sunset at the beach. And invite Polly and Chelsea over for cocktails.But I wasn’t going to tell Benedict that. He’d likely be in bed by then, and Finn Joseph had emailed to tell me he was going out of town and wouldn’t be there when I arrived. I’d been a little peeved that he wasn’t going to be there to greet me, but then I’d realized that my dream of having the house to myself for a long period of time was likely to be fulfilled. I almost regretted ordering the cookbooks on Amazon.
“I’ll show you to your room, Ms. Campbell,” Benedict said, “and if you have any questions, you can come and find me.”
“Sure. Is Gladys here? Is there anything I have to go over with her?”
Benedict shook his head quickly. “No, she’s actually already left.”
“Oh?” I asked him, surprised. “I thought she was going to tell me my duties and—”
“She quit.”
“I know she quit. That’s why I got the job,” I said, laughing.
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “She quit effective immediately as soon as Mr. Joseph hired you.”
“What?” I said, surprised. “Are you sure? Because—”
“Oh, I’m sure. I heard the conversation. She said that he didn’t respect her opinion, and she didn’t think you’d make a good housekeeper. He said he thought you’d be perfect for the job, and she said she didn’t think you had a lick of sense and you were far too young, and he said there was nothing wrong with you.” Benedict pressed his lips together. “Well, anyway, I’ve said far too much, but suffice it to say, Gladys is no longer here.”
