“What?” With all her breath suddenly gone, the word came out as a whisper.
He bent toward her, matching her whisper in return. “I said, when could you start? I was wondering if you’re available right away.”
“I’m available.” She felt hope blooming. Even after her blunder, she might still get the job. She couldn’t stop her enthusiasm. “I’m available any time, if you want me.”
His eyebrows arched and his lips jerked at the corners, as if he were stifling laughter. Only then did she realize the implications of her answer.
Mortified, she sputtered, “I didn’t mean available, like available. I meant I can start work any time. Today, if you want.”
When he threw his head back and laughed, unguarded mirth melted years from his face. She realized he was probably in his early thirties, rather than forty-plus, as she’d originally thought. An intense desire overwhelmed her. She wasn’t fantasizing about his arms around her, like she was before. This time she only wanted to keep him laughing, to smooth away the worry lines on his forehead. Though she barely knew him, she could spend the rest of her life making him happy.
“Earth to Stephanie…” Laurie’s voice jolted her back to the present.
“Sorry. What did you say?”
“The movers are outside, asking where to take our things.” Laurie rubbed her hands together briskly. “I can’t wait to see our rooms.”
“Fordham said we’ll be in the east wing, but I have no idea where that is. I’ve never been in this part of the mansion.”
A shrill, harsh voice interrupted. “You won’t be staying in the east wing. That’s for family and guests. You’ll be in the west wing with the other employees.”
Startled, Stephanie turned to face the intruder. “Carina? What are you doing here?”
She released a grating cackle. “What am I doing here? I’m soon to be Branson’s wife. I live here. The question is what are you doing here?”
“I’m here because Mr. Knight needs me.” She jutted out her chin, hoping it wasn’t shaking.
“He won’t need you for long, so I wouldn’t get too comfortable, if I were you.”
Even though the same thought had occurred to Stephanie when Bran announced his engagement, hearing the idea from Carina made the blood pound in Stephanie’s ears. This woman would never be able to take care of Bran the way he deserved.
Spying Laurie’s clenched fists from the corner of her eye, Stephanie put a hand on her rambunctious friend’s arm, lest she punch Carina’s lights out. “It’s okay, Laurie. I’ve got this.”
Stephanie squared her shoulders and faced Carina. “I have a signed contract promising room and board at the Knight estates for my daughter, our nanny, and me, along with my wages for a full year.”
Carina’s eyes widened, but she retorted, “Don’t be surprised if that changes. Contracts are made to be broken.”
“I’m afraid Branson Knight’s contracts are clad in iron, as you would know if you’d signed your prenuptial agreement. You might be surprised, instead of me.”
Carina bared her teeth in something no one would mistake for a smile. “We’ll see.”
“Ah, Stephanie. You’ve arrived.”
Stephanie turned a grateful, though weak, smile to her rescuer. “Hi, Fordham. Carina was just explaining that our housing assignment has changed from the east wing to the west.”
“Really? Branson didn’t mention the change to me.” Fordham’s hand slipped inside his coat pocket and retrieved his cell phone. “Let me check with him.”
Carina pushed his phone down. “That won’t be necessary, Fordham. You see, Branson gave me permission to choose my suite of rooms, and I’ve already moved into the east wing.”
“The entire east wing?” His chin dipped low, and he gazed at her through bushy gray eyebrows.
“Not the entire wing, of course, but I don’t want some noisy kid around.”
Fordham went rigid, but Stephanie didn’t want Carina’s ire aimed at him. “That’s okay, Fordham. We’ll be perfectly happy in the west wing. To be honest, I’m pretty protective of Ellie. I don’t want her around people who don’t like children.”
“Good choice.” Carina didn’t object to the intended slight. “You probably know Branson detests children as much as I do. He and I are alike in so many ways.”
I can’t think of one.
“That woman is a witch.”
It was probably the nicest thing Laurie had said about Carina in the past two hours since their encounter. She didn’t normally employ the colorful language she’d been using to describe Bran’s fiancée, and Steph was glad Ellie wasn’t around to hear it. She could always count on Laurie to come to her defense, kind of like a protective bull dog. That was one of the reasons she loved her so much. That, and the fact that she’d adopted the two of them as her pet project.
“Yes, I know,” she explained for the umpteenth time. “But my boss has chosen to marry her for whatever reason. My job is to support him, no matter what. I don’t get to judge him, and I sure don’t get to give him advice.”
“But what could he possibly see in her?” Laurie asked as she shoved a cardboard box into the closet. “I could understand if he wasn’t blind. She’s got flawless skin and blond hair.”
“And perfect boobs,” Stephanie added, wistfully.
“You’ve got decent boobs.” Laurie unloaded books onto the bookshelves in random fashion. “At least they’re perky.”
“Ha! Perky is another word for tiny. Hers are big, even though she’s skinny.” Stephanie pulled a pile of books back off the shelf to sort them by genre and size.
“Probably fake.”
“Come to think of it, they’re bigger than when I first met her, so she must’ve had some work done.” The thought brought a smile to Steph’s face. Carina wasn’t naturally perfect.
