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I don’t need that. I’m a grown woman with a job to do. I just wish there wasn’t this edge between us.
Conjuring up an image of the playhouse on Capistrano Beach helps a little.
Keep your eye on the prize, Elianna. Keep your eye on the prize.
It’s a good thing I’m here in Longdale, though, I remind myself. My friend’s guestroom is no longer available.
And I’ve loved the jobs I’ve had over the years, but I can’t afford a place by the beach if I’m working as a dramaturg and whatever other temp jobs I can get. Being Sebastian’s assistant and the lower cost of living in Longdale should give a nice big boost to my savings account, which I can use to pay my rent when I go back. And as soon as I’ve secured enough in grants, I’ll help renovate the Capistrano Players historic playhouse. Then I’ll finally feel like I’m home for real.
I get the signatures downstairs and arrive back at Sebastian’s door, punch in the code, hear the mechanisms inside of it unlock, and push my way in. He’s in the same position he was in when I left him, except his frown has gotten bigger.
“I got ‘er done, Sebastian.” I try to brighten the mood by smiling and waving the signed copies around in the air.
He grunts a “thanks,” and takes one long, cold look at me. “Let’s get you signed into your computer.”
He stands and joins me at the small desk. I open the drawers and see they contain a wide assortment of office supplies, all in bright colors.
“I had some new things brought in for you,” he says.
“You did well on the color choices.”
“I figured you’d like them bright, like a circus tent.”
“Are you saying I belong in a circus?”
I catch a whiff of his cologne and it’s spicy and woodsy, with a bright note of citrus. Delectable.
His mouth twitches in a rare smile. “Well—” he doesn’t answer but leans around me to set up my login. I feel his breath at my temple, soft and brief.
“So I do belong in a circus? And here I’ve been trying so hard to blend in.”
“You’ll never blend in.” But the way he says it, I can’t tell if it’s a compliment or not.
“I’ve just gotta be me.” I shrug.
He straightens and points to the screen. “There. Just follow all the prompts to set up your email, messaging, and to log-in to all the programs we use here.” He flicks a glance at me. “And whether you like bright colors or not isn’t relevant. We’re not going to have time to talk about colors.”
I arch an eyebrow, pursing my lips together hard before I open them to respond. “Okay,” I offer, ignoring the twist in my stomach. If he’s trying to intimidate me, it’s not working. I know, from all Ethan’s told me about him, that he’s like a big Rottweiler, ferocious-looking with a bark to match, yet soft in the middle. It might be deep down inside, but it’s there somewhere.
It takes me about an hour to get everything logged in and to do the programs’ tutorials while Sebastian’s doing who knows what at his own desk. “Well, it’s five-thirty now,” I announce as I stand to stretch my back. “I need to leave soon, if that’s okay. My dog has to be let out or I’ll have to clean up a very unfortunate mess.”
“Leave?”
“Well, yeah. I’ll stay until six, like you said, but—”
His knee starts bouncing a mile a minute. “I said eight until six in general, but longer hours for the first little while on the job. And I just ordered our food. We have a lot to cover.”
“Food?” I am hungry and my shelves at my apartment in town are pretty bare since I haven’t had time to go shopping yet.
“Drake. He brings us dinner so we can keep working.”
“Drake? That’s the perfect butler name!”
“He’s not a butler. He takes care of my diet. And by extension, yours.”
“You mean, you just have someone bring you all your meals? Does he deliver to your house, too?”
“It’s usually as simple as bringing me things from the kitchens here on site. Which reminds me, add to our schedule that I need to give you a tour of the place. But, anyway, he makes sure my diet is well balanced.” He stutters, so briefly, I wonder if I imagined it. “And I don’t have a house. I live here, in the penthouse suite.”
