Maid for the Billionaire

Chapter Five

Abby turned from hanging up the phone to see Lil, baby on one hip, shaking her head in amusement.

Lill said, ―I don‘t believe it! Abby Dartley is engaging in reckless behavior.‖

I deserve this, Abby thought. She‘d lectured her sister about the right and wrong type of man countless times over the years. Before tonight, it had been easy to dismiss Lil‘s protests that a person couldn‘t choose who to be attracted to.

But that was before Dominic.

Rude, bossy, blackmailing Dominic. Just the thought of him sent a shiver of sexual anticipation down her spine. Whatever illicit outing he had planned for her tomorrow, she had no intention of going – but that didn‘t mean that she couldn‘t indulge in a momentary fantasy.

Lill shifted Colby onto her other hip. ―Was that really Dominic Corisi?‖

Abby walked past her sister and started to remove some of the clutter from the room. Lil‘s fever had finally broken. Now perhaps the living room would stop looking like an infirmary.

―Yes, it was. I told you that I had met him.‖

Lill followed her to the kitchen. ―You did, but I think you forgot to mention a few other things.‖

Abby flushed.

Her sister leapt on the involuntary response. ―Well you obviously made a good impression on him if he wants to send a limo for you and you can‘t tell me you don‘t want to go -- you look positively smitten.‖

Abby rinsed several glasses in the sink before putting them in the dishwasher. She hoped her silence would discourage Lil, but her sister just waited patiently, not even attempting to hide her amusement. ―Go ahead. Laugh it up. I deserve it. The guy is a complete ass, but…‖

―But you like him,‖ her sister interjected.

―Stupid, huh?‖

Lil‘s smile turned sympathetic. ―No, surprisingly human of you.‖

―What is that supposed to mean?‖

―It means that ever since mom and dad died you‘ve been so perfect.‖ Lill moved closer and cradled Colby against her neck. ―Don‘t get me wrong, I‘m grateful for how you‘ve always taken care of me, but it‘s been hard living up to your expectations. It‘s just refreshing to see you like this.‖

―I‘m not going anywhere with him.‖ Abby turned, folding her arms across her chest while resting back against the counter.

―Because rich men come knocking on our door every day?‖

―I don‘t care about his money.‖

Lill nodded, ―Ok, but look me in the eye and tell me that you don‘t want to go.‖

Abby hopped up on the counter, something she‘d hadn‘t done since childhood, leaned her head back against the wooden cabinet and closed her eyes. She knew the stupid smile was back on her face. ―You should have seen him. He came in looking so rough on the outside, but there was a real sadness in his eyes. I just wanted to comfort him. Then he looked at me and – I was on fire. I‘ve never felt that way before. It doesn‘t matter that I don‘t even know him.‖ She bit her lip and opened her eyes. ―It doesn‘t make any sense.‖

―Who said relationships are supposed to? I mean, besides you. No matter how well you plan, you can‘t dictate who you are going to be attracted to. Why don‘t you give this guy a chance?‖ Lill wagged a finger as her sister was about to voice her first reason. ―Don‘t even pretend this is about my job.‖

Abby had the grace to look ashamed. ―Sorry about that, Lil. I‘ll help you find a new job.‖

Lill didn‘t look as upset about the prospect as she had earlier. ―Don‘t change the subject.

What do you have against this guy?‖

―Outside of the background check he did on me?‖

Lill shrugged. ―Rich people are weird. I was reading one of those financial magazines and they listed him as one of the top fifty most powerful men in the world. Cut the man some slack.

He‘s probably just being careful.‖ Lil‘s smile turned knowing as their roles reversed.

One of the most powerful men? Abby gulped nervously. ―I‘m scared, ok?‖ If you can‘t be honest with yourself, at least be honest with your sister.

―No, really?‖ Lill rolled her eyes.

―Shut up.‖ Abby teased, amazed that the tension that was often part of their discussions was not present. Abby remembered a time, years ago, when they had bantered like this about boys.

―So, one of the richest men on the planet is sending a limo for you tomorrow morning and you‘re not going to get in it?‖ Lill challenged.

Abby hopped off the counter and resumed filling the dishwasher. ―Exactly. I‘m going to…‖

―Hide,‖ Lill finished her sentence for her. She lifted Colby up in front of her and spoke to her daughter, ―Colby, Auntie Abby has been taking care of me for so long that she is afraid to do something for herself. We‘re going to have to stop relying on her so much or she‘s never going to get laid.‖

Abby gasped, ―You can‘t say that to Colby!‖

Lill laughed, ―She‘s five months old. She doesn‘t understand what I‘m saying, but I hope you do.‖ Lill moved to lean on the counter next to Abby. ―Seriously, I‘m not worried about the job. I know I can find another like it easily enough and before long I‘ll have my degree. You‘ve done more than anyone could have asked you to, but it is time for you to start living a little. This guy sounds like your way to jumpstart the next phase of your life.‖

Running shaky hands under the water, Abby asked, ―Which phase is that?‖

Lill put an arm around her shoulder. ―The one where you stop parenting me and simply become my sister again.‖

Abby‘s eyes filled with tears. ―Was I so awful?‖

Lill hugged her closer. ―No, but it‘s nice to have you back.‖

Twenty minutes later Abby was flipping blindly through an educational newsletter when Lill entered the room with the cordless phone in her hand. Lost in her thoughts, Abby hadn‘t heard it ring.

―It‘s for you, Abby.‖ Lill said with a wicked grin and held out the phone. ―It‘s Mr. Corisi‘s personal assistant. Hmmmm, wonder what she wants.‖

―Tell her I‘m busy,‖ Abby said even as excitement swirled through her. He hadn‘t given up.

Never one to do as she was told, Lill handed her sister the phone. ―Tell her yourself.‖

Abby glared at her sister in annoyance. ―You‘re enjoying this way too much.‖

―Payback is so sweet.‖ Lill chuckled as she sat down on the couch next to Abby, a rapt and unavoidable audience.

―Doesn‘t Colby need a bath or something?‖

―Already had one before you came home. She‘s asleep now.‖ Lill said shamelessly not taking the hint.

Whatever.

―Hello.‖ Abby said with less warmth than her usual greetings.

―Hello. Thank you for taking my call, Miss Dartley. I‘m Marie Duhamel, Mr. Corisi‘s personal assistant.‖

―Yes, I know.‖ Abby sighed. ―I don‘t mean to be rude, but if I wasn‘t going to say yes to him, why does he think that having his secretary call me is going to change my mind?‖

―Personal Assistant,‖ the woman correctly gently, but continued on in a sweet, woman next door tone. ―I apologize for interrupting your evening, but after everything Dominic has been through this week, I had to try to help him.‖

―Everything he has been through?‖ That caught Abby‘s attention. She leaned forward, not caring that Lill practically pressed her own ear to the other side of the phone. In resignation, Abby turned her hand so Lill could hear better.

―He didn‘t tell you? I should have known he wouldn‘t. He‘s not very good at asking for help.‖

―I have no idea what you‘re talking about,‖ Abby said with growing interest.

There was a short pause. ―Miss Dartley, Dominic‘s father passed away a few days ago. He came back to Boston for the reading of the will.‖

―Oh, my God,‖ Abby and Lill said in union. Abby shushed her sister with a wave of her hand. ―So, tomorrow he wanted me…?‖ It was almost too embarrassing to ask. She‘d assumed that he was sending a limo over to whisk her away for an afternoon of lovemaking in some secluded suite. However, it was looking more like her initial instincts about him were correct.

―He was hoping you would join him for the reading of his father‘s will,‖ Mrs. Duhamel said, confirming Abby‘s sinking feeling. Had she completely misread the entire evening? She‘d let her own attraction to him blind her to the reality that Dominic was a man who simply didn‘t want to be alone due to a recent loss.

That stung.

So much for being irresistible.

Her nurturing vibes must have drawn him in. People turned to her when in crisis. She should be used to it by now. ―Doesn‘t he – I mean shouldn‘t he bring someone he knows better than me to something like that?‖

―My dear,‖ the older woman‘s voice was full of the kind of emotion a mother would have for a son, ―Dominic is a busy man. He doesn‘t have time for friends. Business associates, yes.

People who want to say they are part of his social circle, yes. But no one he felt he could take to something like this.‖

Abby and Lill exchanged a look. To have everything and still have nothing was so sad. No matter how awful their parents‘ death had been, at least they‘d had each other. ―I feel for him, Mrs. Duhamel, but I just met him for the first time tonight. I don‘t know what he told you, but we barely know each other.‖

―He said he needed you there. That was enough for me.‖

―He said that?‖ Abby‘s heart clenched in her chest. Lill practically clapped her hands in excitement and then made a form of a heart on her chest with her hands. Abby swatted at her.

He needs me? Was all of his tough talk just that – talk? He‘d lost his father and didn‘t want to face a painful situation alone. She understood, too well, how the loss of a parent could shake ones very foundation.

Mrs. Duhamel said, ―Yes, and you should know that I have never, in all the years I‘ve worked for him, made a personal call for him.‖

So, he wanted her there enough to involve his assistant in this endeavor. What did that mean?

―Did he ask you to explain about his father?‖ Abby asked.

Mrs. Duhamel dismissed the idea with a short laugh. ―Oh, no. I think I was supposed to call and threaten you or wave some magical wand and convince you to go with him. All he said was that he knew if anyone could get you to come it would be me. I‘m flattered by his confidence, but I think your decision will have more to do with your level of compassion than my ability to persuade.‖

―Don‘t be too sure about that,‖ Lill muttered.

Abby shushed her.

Lill shrugged and stage whispered while pointing to the phone, ―Come on, she‘s good!‖

Too true. The older woman‘s soothing voice had made fulfilling Dominic‘s outrageous request sound like an act of kindness, rather than recklessness.

Mrs. Duhamel added, ―I realize that Dominic said the limo would come for you at 11, but if possible I‘d like to pick you up at 7 for a morning at a local spa and then some shopping.‖

Oh, first I’m fat, now I need a makeover? ―Tell your boss that if I‘m not good enough as I am…‖

Mrs. Duhamel hastily interrupted, ―Oh, no! Dominic didn‘t suggest this. I just thought that if I were going to attend a multi-million dollar will reading, I‘d want to primp first.‖

Wow. Put that way, Abby was in full agreement. ―Mrs. Duhamel, I think I love you.‖

The woman laughed sweetly. ―I‘m just doing my job. And call me Marie.‖

Abby suspected it was a bit more than that. This woman obviously cared about Dominic.

―Then please call me Abby. Don‘t take this the wrong way, but you don‘t seem like you‘d be Dominic‘s assistant. You‘re so…nice.‖

The maternal tone returned. ―Don‘t let your first impression of Dominic taint your opinion of him. He‘s much more than he lets people see. My husband worked for him when he first started his company, but left before it took off. Stan was a good husband, but not much of a businessman. He died about seven years ago and left me deeply in debt. There I was, in my late fifties, broke, with no skills to get a job. I called Dominic on some desperate whim that he might remember my husband. He did. He said Stan had been a good man and he hired me as his assistant that day. I‘ve worked for him ever since.‖

Abby shared a look with her sister. Dominic couldn‘t be all that bad if he‘d taken an old employee‘s wife under his wing. What was holding her back? She wanted to go just as much as he wanted her there. Could her sister be right? Was it time for her to shrug off the responsible role she‘d donned out of necessity and allow herself this one crazy adventure?

―Ok,‖ Abby said in a shaky voice. ―I‘ll do it.‖

―That‘s fantastic,‖ Mrs. Duhamel said. ―Now get some rest, dear. I‘ll pick you up at seven.‖

Before hanging up, Abby asked, ―Are you sure about all this? There must be someone else he…‖

The older woman rushed to reassure her. ―Don‘t second guess yourself. Take it one step at a time. For now, just focus on the fact that you‘re going to be pampered tomorrow like you‘ve never imagined.‖

―That does sound nice.‖

―You have no idea, Abby. I‘ll see you at 7.‖

Lill leaned back into the couch while a bemused Abby placed the handset back on its charger on the wall. ―If it helps, Abby, I think you made the right choice.‖

Abby softened her response with a smile. ―That‘s actually the part that scares me.‖

Lill threw a small cushion that Abby deftly avoided with a chuckle. No matter how tomorrow turned out, things were already much better than they had been in a very long time.