CHAPTER 7
Emma
We entered the hallway from the private elevator, and I was impressed with the natural light that illuminated what had to be the highest ceiling in the world. I stretched my neck up like a little kid excited to be in the candy store for a treat. Elizabeth nudged me and frowned, as if to say I should grow up. "Stop it,” she mouthed at me. Gee, it was so not my fault she was used to seeing this splendor every day. I, for one, was not used to it, so I was not going to pretend differently. I could see views of the Hudson River from the enormous window. How cool was that? I couldn’t imagine having a view like that from the comfort of my home.
We walked with Ms. Johnson, who met us at the elevator. I discreetly stole glances at her as we continued down the hallway. I was surprised by the fact that even though she was extremely wealthy, she still seemed normal. Normal that was until, she opened her mouth. Ms. Johnson was in her early thirties. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a French twist and she looked as if she had stepped out of a fashion magazine. She quickly led the way past the living room. How I wanted to sit in one of those lovely leather chairs, facing the open terrace and fireplace.
Ms. Johnson led us into what felt like a waiting room. Several puffed-up, white antique chairs were clustered around, and a grand piano presided over one of the corners. Actually, it might have been the music room. She held out a hand as if to instruct me to sit in one of the chairs. Elizabeth excused herself, even though my inner self was crying out for her to stay. Before leaving, she reassured me with a small smile. My sister knew I was scared. I couldn’t believe she thought I would be perfect for this job.
As I sat, I felt Ms. Johnson’s gaze drill into me. I wanted to ask her if there was something wrong. She felt like a hard woman, a woman who wasn’t easily pleased. She’d scanned me from head to toe before even introducing herself. Part of me had felt it was rude, but I was here for her evaluate me, wasn’t I? She was elegantly dressed in a peach suit that matched the color of her skin tone, and she was very formal and polite. Still, those small brown eyes of hers felt like they possessed X-ray vision.
I had struggled to choose an outfit today, but I’d ultimately put on the simple black shift dress I’d worn to Will’s funeral. I thought it was appropriate, as his death had signaled the end of one era and a new beginning for Mia and me. My nerves had kicked in when we arrived at the building and were shown up to the penthouse by the doorman. That was when I started to feel cheap, like I was out of my league.
I felt a wave of sadness roll off Ms. Johnson as she sat down and started to tell me about her brother’s late wife. She had died after giving birth. It seemed that there were complications that the doctors didn’t realize until it was too late to save her. It broke my heart to think that Mr. Johnson’s son Liam had to grow up without his mom.
Ms. Johnson spoke about my duties, which strangely enough entailed everything from organizing the cleaning staff to tutoring Liam in his studies. It all seemed fairly straightforward, as their previous tutor had a schedule and lesson plans already in place before she had left. The tricky part would be juggling between their penthouse in downtown Chicago and their main house in Clarendon Hills, a suburb of Chicago. I would be required to visit the penthouse at least twice a week, to ensure that the cleaning staff was in line, schedules were kept up to date, and the gardening was completed. I would be more of a person checking that everything had been completed by the other staff, and the main caregiver and tutor for Liam.
To ensure that I paid attention, she paused several times and asked me to repeat what she’d said, treating me like I was a child. I bit my tongue in frustration so as to not speak out of line; however, I could easily tell that she believed she was superior to me. Whether that was because of her wealth or family status, I couldn’t tell. Awkward silence permeated the air between us until suddenly, her demeanor changed. I didn’t hear any footsteps, but I could tell when someone entered the room behind me, because her eyes shot to my side, and a large smile spread across her lips. I assumed it was her nephew since there hadn’t been any sound, but when I swiveled around to look, I saw someone very different.
My eyes trailed up his large frame. I watched as he walked slowly toward us, losing myself in his emerald green eyes. He smelled like the forest, which fit him perfectly. Ms. Johnson stood and watched him with what appeared to be admiration, and I suddenly felt uncomfortable in their presence. I wished Elizabeth would return, but I knew she wouldn’t. She’d told me that she wanted to give us a chance to become acquainted. The man turned to me, and I suddenly felt as though we were the only ones in the room.
“Mason Johnson, and you are?” he asked politely as he approached me, stretching out his hand for a formal shake.
“Emma Jackson,” I replied shyly, standing up. It was strange using my maiden name again, but I had figured that with this new job, I should start with a fresh slate. His sister was watching me now with curiosity. I didn’t blame her. The man in front of me was indescribably good looking. I had never before met a man with this much grace and stature. I couldn’t believe that Elizabeth had worked for him for years without ever telling me that he was this fine. No, that was not even the right word to describe him; he was so much more than that.
His towering height, his voice—stern, yet gentle—and his strong hands, and broad shoulders… it was all too much. I knew if I continued to stare at him, I would have to stop myself from drooling. I quickly looked away from his eyes and out at the room around me.
I felt like a sixteen-year-old kid, all dreamy-eyed as I watched him walk away from me so he could kiss his sister on her cheek. My gaze moved to his lips, memorized by their softness. I felt a blush creep into my cheeks as I wished those lips were on my body. Mason was somehow able to command the presence in the room. Even the noises of the busy Chicago street below seemed to quiet down for him. I started to fantasize about what it would feel like to have a man who turned heads everywhere he went. He had mine spinning, and I wasn’t one to notice every man who passed by since my marriage to Will. With Mason, I couldn’t help but notice…
I had a rude awakening when Ms. Johnson remembered my presence and dismissed me like a child. “You can sit down!” she all but growled.
I shook my head, embarrassed by my actions, while Mason laughed.
“Yes, my brother seems to have that effect on women,” she blurted out as she looked at me. I could tell she was no longer sure if hiring me was a good idea. Shit. I needed this job. I needed to prove to Ms. Johnson that I was the right choice.
“I think it would be good for Mia and your son to meet. Sorry, what is his name?”
“Liam,” Mason said gently. His love for his son was very apparent, even when he spoke his name. I smiled brightly at him, unable to contain myself. Ms. Johnson cleared her throat loudly next to him, and I quickly dropped my smile and looked back to her. I could tell that working here was going to be more difficult than I’d thought. If I could convince the Johnsons to hire me, I would have to bury my attraction to Mason in the back of my mind. The problem was that he never once took his eyes off me, even as he spoke to his sister, and I started to wonder if the attraction went both ways. If so, then this would get tricky. A tutor and a billionaire—it sounded like something out of a romance novel.