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As soon as Raymond left, I gathered all of the papers on my desk and placed them in one corner. Then I powered off my laptop and reached for the jacket draped over the back of my chair. On my way out the door, I patted my pockets for my wallet, keys, and phone. After finding them, I flicked off the lights andheaded to the elevator. The doors pinged open, leading out into an empty, carpeted lobby with rows of chairs on either side.
The night guard stood to attention when I walked past and touched two fingers to his temples in greeting. I gave him a polite smile in return before pushing the door open. Outside, my car was already waiting by the curb, my uniformed driver leaning against it with a cigarette dangling between his lips.
He stubbed it out when he saw me and stood up straighter.
“Thank you, Jonathan.” He waited until I was in the car before pushing the door behind me. Then he hurried around to his side and peeled away from the curb. I pressed my face to the glass and studied the crescent-shaped moon hanging low in the sky. While he drove me through the streets of LA, I held my phone in my hands, answering one email after the next.
When he pulled to a stop outside my building, another doorman held the door open for me, a polite smile already in place. “Good evening, Mr. Shaw.”
“Good evening, Charles.” I tucked my phone into my pocket and glanced over my shoulders at Johnathan, who leaned against the car door to watch me. “I’ll see you at the usual time tomorrow, Jonathan.”
“Yes, sir. Have a good night, Mr. Shaw.”
“You too, Jonathan.” I took the stairs two at a time, my stomach grumbling in protest the entire time. Charles pressed the elevator button for me before moving back to his earlier position behind the front desk. The lobby was empty and dimly lit, giving it a strange and eerie glow.
In the elevator, I answered a few more emails while I waited.
My shoes were quiet as I moved down the carpeted hallway to my apartment on the other side of the floor. Mary had the door propped open and was leaning against it when I swept in. Already, the entire house was gleaming, and the smell of steamed vegetables and roasted chicken hung in the air. I peeled off my jacket and hung it on the rack next to the door.
“Thank you for staying, Mary.”
Mary swung the door shut and stood up straighter. “Of course, sir. I think you’ll be very happy with her.”
I stepped into the house and glanced around, relieved to find the entire place in order. “I’m already impressed. Where is she?”
“Rachel,” Mary called out with a smile. “Mr. Shaw would like to meet you.”
A moment later, a tall blonde in jeans and a sweater stepped out of the kitchen, an apron tied around her waist. I did a double take when I saw her, and my breath hitched in my throat. Although it had been five years since I last laid eyes on her, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was her.
Rachel Booth was my new housekeeper.
“It’s you.” I covered the distance between us and held my hand out. “I can’t believe I’m seeing you again after all these years.”
Rachel took my hand and gave it a firm shake. “I’m sorry, Mr. Shaw, but I think you have mistaken me for someone else.”
I couldn’t look away from her.
“No, I remember you, but maybe you don’t remember me. I’m Bernard Shaw. I work for a company.”
Rachel glanced over at Mary before giving me a blank look. “Is this part of the interview?”
“Mary, I’ve taken up enough of your time. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.” I paused to give her a meaningful look over my shoulders. Mary hesitated before snatching her purse off the counter. She adjusted the strap before giving me a polite smile. On her way out, she cast a glance in Rachel’s direction but said nothing.
Once she got on the elevator, I bridged the distance between us again and smiled. “You don’t have to pretend anymore, Rachel. Now that Mary’s gone, you can drop the act.”
“Mr. Shaw, I really don’t know what this is about,” Rachel began, her back stiffening. “I’m a little confused.”
My brows furrowed together as I regarded her intently.
Was I mistaken?
Was I so desperate to reconnect with the mysterious woman from all those years that any blonde-haired and blue-eyed blonde would do?
For a while, I stood there, studying her, everything from the way her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders to the hands clasped behind her back. Her blue eyes were wide and weary as she stared at a spot over my shoulders. When she shifted from one foot to the other, I remembered how she looked with her hair splayed around her, face flush with pleasure.
Her lips lifted into a half smile, and she cleared her throat. “I’m sure we can clear this up, Mr. Shaw. Who do you think I am?”
“We met five years ago,” I replied. “At a restaurant, I think it was Spanish. You were dealing with a difficult customer. I invited you out after your shift, and we spent the night together.”
