AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No. Go home. You have everything I gave you for Spencer. Please just stay on top of that tomorrow. I will call you if they discharge me.”
I gather my things and say, “If you Uber home with my goddaughter, I’ll never forgive you! I will come get you!” She laughs at me and answers with a smile.
“They don’t have Isofix for the baby seat. I will call you Luna. Go home and sleep.” She looks tired too. Maybe she needs the quiet as much as I do. “Please don’t forget Spencer has a board meeting tomorrow afternoon, in person…you will have to drag his ass there.” I have written it down and will make sure he is there.
“I won’t forget, Audrey. I can do this.” I pull my laptop bag over my shoulder. “I don’t want you to worry about work. That’s my job now.” By taking the stress of Spencer away for a while, I see it as a gift to her. “Get some rest while you still can.” I wink at her and leave the hospital.
At my apartment, I pack up ninety percent of my personal belongings and lock the rest away. I found someone to sublet from me, so I don’t have to give up my place. I run my eyes over Audrey’s digital to-do list that makes the phonebing-bongevery time something has to be done. I’m still in shock over what Spencer pays her to literally keep his life in order. The man has more money than common sense.
I set my alarm, take an icy cold shower to clear my head, and reset my body before I climb into bed. What a magical day. I’m a godmother, and Charlotte is finally here after all the waiting. Even if it was at the hospital, I am so glad they’re both healthy and happy.
* * *
I’m up before dawn, and after a quick yoga session on my small balcony, I load my life into my car and drive to Spencer’s home. There’s no traffic, and only the birds are awake. All the sane humans are still asleep at this hour. I, however, wanted to get a head start on my first day, so if Audrey needs me, I can help her out too.
I start with the daily list Audrey gave me and clear his desk of all thedoom-pilesas she calls them. I file away the important papers and remove the line of used coffee mugs. I print his appointments and set them down on his keyboard—digital calendars and planners are wasted on him. According to her, if he can’t see it, they aren’t there.
Next, I sit down in the kitchen, check his fridge for what he needs and order food and groceries for the next two days. I brought my own coffee with me. I have specific organic beans that I trust. I can’t think of what might be in regular store-bought ones.
I’m cleaning the filter and filling up the water tank of the expensive coffee machine when a loud voice yells, “Freeze.” Huh? I turn around with a bag of coffee beans in my hand to face three armed security guards from the private company he has hired to look after his home. “Who are you? How did you get in here?” They bark questions at me, and one has a gun. This isn’t great. “What do you want?”
“I have keys,” I point to Audrey’s fluffy keychain. “I work here. I let myself in.” They glance at the keys, and step closer to me now.
“Those are Audrey’s keys. Where is she? What have you done?” I laugh because it is funny. But they do not seem to think so. “Where did you take those keys from?”
“Audrey had a baby yesterday. I am Luna, her replacement. She gave them to me, along with the alarm access code that deactivates the front of the house I forgot to put in.” I only punched my code in the office, not when I came into the living areas.Shit. “Spencer knows I am coming to work today. You can ask him.” The one burly guy steps away and holds his phone to his ear. I can only catch the odd word, but then Spencer comes into the kitchen.
He’s in his boxer shorts, and damn, he should wear those instead of suits. He looks so hot. The stuck-up clothes he wears are not flattering him at all. Redo his wardrobe just got added to my list—for me, not him. “What the fuck are you doing here, Luna?” he asks annoyed.
“I work here and live here. I came in to start the ungodly to-do list your sister gave me. I told you yesterday I would start today.”
“I told you that you didn’t have to.” He sighs and waves at the armed response to leave. “It’s fine. She does work here, I think.” They leave, and we stand there, facing one another in his kitchen. He looks uncomfortable, and it’s awkward trying not to look at his ripped abs and muscled chest. He is quite hot under his suit. “You are early, Jesus.” He rubs his hand over his face.
“It’s my first day, I wanted to be on top of things,” I say, putting the coffee in the machine and turning it on. I pull two cups out of the cabinet above my head and set them down. My heart is still thumping at a hundred miles an hour after the security came in here like I was a house burglar.
“You do not have to work here, Luna. It’s fine.” I spin around and lean against the counter. The coffee machine gurgles and purrs to life behind me.
“I already sublet my apartment, and your sister said you can’t fire me. So, I am here to do the job whether you like it or not. I am an early bird, so if you could make sure security knows for the future that I’m not an intruder, then I will keep mornings quiet until you are up.” He can’t bulldoze over me like he does with Audrey. I plan to fix the fucker while I am here.
Spencer stares at me, his mouth open as if he is horrified I talked back. “Here’s your coffee.” I hand him the mug, and take a sip of mine, savoring that first taste of caffeine for the day.
Spencer chokes, spits, and sputters like an old two-stroke engine on its last legs. “What the fuck kind of coffee is that?” he asks, pulling his nose up in disgust.
“Organic, vegan, sustainably grown coffee,” I answer, enjoying mine.
“It’s shit,” he says. “Why am I drinking that?” He looks confused.
“Because I don’t drink that other stuff. It’s bad for the environment.” I care about what goes into my body and how it impacts the world around me.
“This is bad for my taste buds, no thanks.” He puts the cup down, and I get a full back-view of almost naked Spencer—it’s a good view. That ass, and the defined muscles on his shoulders…that shit will make a girl stupid if you look too long.
“I threw all the other coffee out, so this is what we have.” I cleared his pantry of the bad things and have ordered a grocery delivery to restock it.
“You better be joking.” He spins around. “I need proper coffee. I can’t function without caffeine. Luna, I am serious. Where is the coffee?” He starts rooting around in the cabinets.
“It is gone. Just try it. You’ll get used to it.” It’s not that bad.
“It’s the ass crack of dawn. I have been woken up by security telling me there’s an intruder in my house and now I find out you tossed all my coffee out. Luna, I have a routine in the morning. It’s important. I need it—you have completely wrecked my day.”
