Chapter 3
On her way home from the mansion, Megan stopped by the grocer’s shop and collected boxes for her things. She wanted to try to get out of her apartment before the landlord noticed she was moving. She wasn’t sure how she was going to get all of her stuff in her car so she had boxed up most of what she absolutely needed that night in hopes of leaving before anyone was up in the morning. It was pushing two in the morning when she sat on her couch to take a break. She looked around to see what else she needed to do putting her head back and closing her eyes for a minute.
She jolted awake as the ring tone from her phone went off. She wiped the drool from her mouth and stretched her sore neck. She grabbed her phone and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Megan?”
“Who is this? Why are you calling me so late?”
“It’s Jensen.”
She sat up straight and cleared her throat.
“Should I have called you earlier?”
“What?”
“It’s almost nine.”
She looked at her phone and it showed 8:48AM. “Oh God. I fell asleep!”
“Calm down, calm down. I’m here to help you.”
“You’re….”
“I’m outside your apartment.”
Megan jumped up off her couch and covered her mouth. She looked around completely embarrassed at the dump she called home. Water continuously leaked through the ceiling in several places causing black mold to grow in the corners. Her cupboards were bare and some of the doors were falling off the hinges. Her furniture was covered with bed sheets to cover the holes and the floor was pretty beat up. There was a carpet, but it was so bad she pulled it out and dragged it to the dumpster when the landlord wasn’t around.
“Don’t come up! I’ll come down.”
“So…you don’t want me to help you carry your things out?”
“No! I mean. I’m not ready yet.” She wedged her phone between her shoulder and her ear and tried to stack the boxes up to get them out into the hallway. She tried dragging a stack of them to the door when her phone fell to the floor and smashed into a few different pieces. “Shit!” She scooped them up and tried to put the battery back inside the back of it. Just as she was popping the screen back into place she heard a knock at her door. Her stomach flipped and she froze.
“Megan?”
She gasped and looked around again.
“Megan, I know you are in there. Open the door.”
“Oh, God.” She rubbed her forehead and shuffled to the door. She opened the door completely ashamed at her apartment. Jensen stood in the doorway looking just as brilliant as she remembered. Perfect suit, flawless hair, dark and mysterious eyes. She gave a shy smile and invited him inside. He looked around the room as he walked through it then turned toward her.
“Did you eat?”
“I…um…some.”
He looked over toward the kitchen and saw his basket, still full sitting on the counter. He walked to it, picked it up and brought it back to the front door where Megan still stood. He looked at her with the basket in front of him. Without saying a word, he opened her front door and took her hand, pulling her along.
“What are you doing?”
He led her down the hallway and out the front door toward a long white van parked in front. He opened the passenger door and moved out of the way.
“Get in.” He ordered.
She slowly climbed in and just looked at him as he put the basket on her lap.
“Now eat.”
He whistled and the back of the van opened. Two men got out and followed him into her apartment building. A few minutes later each of them reappeared, carrying several boxes and loading them into the back of the van.
When Megan finished some of what was in her basket, Jensen popped his head in. “How we doin’?”
“Geez, you scared me.”
“Do you want to check the place to be sure we got everything?”
“No, I didn’t have much. I had most of it packed when I fell…when you called.”
He grinned at her, hesitating before disappearing. She heard the back door close moments before he jumped into the driver’s seat and pulled away from the curb.
When they pulled into the driveway Megan looked around as if it was her first time. The gardens, the tennis court, pool, everything was so perfect and beautiful. Jensen pulled around the mansion to a wing of the house separate from the main part.
“I get my own wing?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t ask you to stay in one room. There are stairs that enter into the main house. You’ll have full access but you can call this home.” He unlocked the outside door and handed her the key. “The guys will bring your things in and you’ll have the day to get settled. Dinner will be ready by five.
“Wait. What about my car? I need my car.” She started back out the door, upset that they left it in the city.
“Megan. Don’t worry. Please. Get settled, draw a bath, have some wine and relax. I will have your car picked up by tomorrow morning.”
She just looked at him.
“Is there anything wrong?”
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“I’m paying you to look after my home, my things, me. I don’t want to piss you off.” Jensen laughed causing Megan to crack a smile. “Oh look. You do smile. It’s lovely.”
He winked at her and walked out.
The movers finished bringing her things in and she spent the afternoon checking out her new living arrangements and unpacking. She had a living room, a small kitchen and bedroom. Access to the rest of the house and a large window overlooking the gardens. “Beautiful.” As she pulled the last box open, she heard a knock on the door.
“Delivery.” A man’s voice muffled through the door.
“Delivery?” She walked to the door and peeked through the small window. Jensen stood there with a smile on his face looking even more gorgeous than he did earlier. She opened the door and he held a large pizza box and a six pack of beer in each hand.
“Dinner is served.”
“Oh.” She pushed away a stack of empty boxes from the walkway and let him in.
“It’s coming along,” he said looking around. “Definitely a sight better that your old place.”
Megan looked away and went to the coffee table that sat in front of a large overstuffed couch. She cleared it off and sat down.
“Do you want plates?” She got back up and pointed toward the kitchen.
“For pizza?”
“Guess not.” No matter how she tried to read him, it was impossible. He was nothing like she had expected him to be. “Do you always dress in a suit?”
He looked down. “No. Not always.” He smiled and opened the pizza box.
They sat on the couch and she watched him pick up a slice of everything pizza and devour half of it before dropping it back down onto the cardboard box. He cracked open a beer and washed it all down. Just before he took another bite, he stopped and looked at her. He reached down and pulled another slice, handing it to her and watching her until she decided to take a bite. She pulled off most of the toppings and slid a small corner into her mouth.
“I never knew how horribly uncomfortable this couch was,” he said.
“I think it’s fine.”
He got up and moved over a few inches, trying it out again. “No. This is terrible. I can’t have this.” Megan looked at him a little annoyed. “This one has to go.”
“Really, it’s okay. I like this one.”
He pulled another beer and cracked it open. “I will have a new one to you by tomorrow.”
She rolled her eyes and excused herself to the bathroom. The longer she thought about a new couch, the more annoyed she got. She finished her business and washed her hands.
“Mr. Dean, I don’t think a new couch is really necess….” She stopped when she saw him asleep, laying halfway on the arm of the couch, his feet still on the floor. She sat next to him and watched him. He looked so peaceful, so happy. She took another small bite of her pizza slice, putting her head back and closing her eyes.
She felt a blanket covering her and she opened her eyes. Looking around she noticed the pizza and beer were gone. Jensen sat on an ottoman, on the other side of the coffee table. His eyes were fixed on her as if he had been there for quite some time.
Megan sat up quickly, embarrassed that he was still there. “What time is it?”
“It is seven in the morning.”
“Why are you watching me like that?” She grabbed the blanket and pulled it into her chest.
“I enjoy it.” She kept her head down until he stood up and walked toward the door. “I’ll leave you for now. Shower up and I will meet you inside to start you on your work week.”
“Thank you,” she said, still looking away.
When he finally walked out and closed the door she let her guard down and pulled the blanket off her. She took a deep breath wondering why he intimidated her so much. She was used to handling men who were too direct. Jensen was different.
She went down the stairs that led to the main house and heard someone cursing and swearing. She followed the voice until she reached the kitchen.
“Mr. Dean? Are you…okay?”
“I cut my damned finger.” His face held a disgusted expression as he held it underneath running water.
“Let me do this.” She picked up the knife that cut him and set it in the sink. Looking around the kitchen she reached for a new one in a wooden cutlery set on the counter.
“I can’t even make a simple mushroom omelet. This is why I order take out.”
She started slicing the mushrooms he had in a pile and rinsed them off when he began bandaging his finger.
“So, how is it that you have become so successful in life and can’t make a simple omelet?” She asked, taking a drink of her tea.
“Oh, I see how it is. You subject yourself to teasing me now.” He stopped eating and looked at her for a long time.
She began to feel awkward and turned away. “You should really learn to cook. You can’t rely on someone all the time. Well, maybe you can.”
“Tell me more about you.”
Megan looked back at him. “What is there left to tell? I haven’t had the most brilliant life. No extravagance, nothing easy.” she said pointing out her new surroundings. “I have had to work my ass off for a long time just to get by.”
He was still watching her. “What is your favorite color?”
“My…color? Um…I never thought about it really.”
“Eat some more and I’ll take you for a tour around the place.”
“I’m actually not very hungry.”
He didn’t like her answer but he let it go. “Come on then.”
She followed him around the mansion as he introduced her to each room, explaining what he expected of her. It was getting overwhelming but she did her best to keep it all straight in her head. Almost every room was perfect, clean, nothing out of place and in show room condition. A few of the rooms looked lived in, but she didn’t expect it to take her long.
“The upstairs is much like it is down here. A few bedrooms, bathrooms, a sitting room, dressing room. It shouldn’t be too bad.”
They walked outside and he led her along a path toward the side yard.
Megan didn’t want to bring it up because Jensen has been more than hospitable and generous but she was curious. “We never discussed my pay.”
“Your what?” He turned quickly toward her and looked annoyed at her for asking.
“Um…you are explaining to me what you expect of me, so I’m asking what I can expect to get paid each week.”
“Oh, yes of course. I guess I just got caught up in…things.” He stared at her for a few moments.
She looked around, feeling that awkwardness again. There were several gardens and flower beds that surrounded the premises. The floral aroma put Megan at ease as she walked around taking in the beauty of the landscape.
“Megan, I’d like you to meet Benjamin. He comes around a couple times a week to tend to the gardens here and at the penthouse.”
“You have a penthouse?”
“Yes. I visit there every so often. You’ll normally travel there once a month to keep that up as well.” Megan got a little worried, thinking this was becoming bigger than what she thought she could handle. “Don’t worry,” he said smiling. “It’s nothing.”
She smiled trying to lose the worry. “It is good to meet you,” she said looking around. “You have done some beautiful work here.”
“Thank you, miss. I take much pride in my work.”
“Well, I will leave you to it Benjamin,” Jensen said before directing his attention to Megan. “So, weekly cleaning of the mansion, monthly checks at the penthouse, laundry, some cooking and if anything else is asked of you I will give plenty of time to let you know. Larger tasks will be compensated for upon your approval, of course, and smaller tasks will be expected of you as part of your weekly routine. I will pay you £600 at the end of each week. Your room and meals are included.”
“Wait. £600?”
“In time, with some experience I can give you more. You’ll have your weekends to do as you please.”
“Honestly, I didn’t expect that much.”
“Were you not making more than that at your last job?”
“Well, yes but I had bills. Rent, food, utilities.”
“I will let you get to it. I am going to pick up your car and stop at the shop. If you need me, you know my number.”
She watched him leave, apprehensive on whether she would be able to do what was expected of her. “Of course you can, Megan,” she said out loud. “It’s just like taking care of a…child.” She watched him as he walked along the path. She wondered if he was anything like a child. He seemed to like control, to be the one in charge. She wondered if she was going to be taking care of him, or if it was going to be the other way around.