I woke to a gray dawn leaking in through the gauzy curtain. Outside, I could see the Hudson River flowing past a cold world. Gray buildings reached up towards a gray sky, the city skyline stretching as far as I could see. The city was so much bigger than anything I had ever seen and I felt tiny in comparison. I was very far from home.
I slipped on some clothes and headed to the kitchen. Rachel would be arriving any minute, but I was starving so I poured a glass of milk and sat at the comfortable wooden kitchen table, looking out at the city skyline and wondering what crazy thing was going to happen today.
My thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door, followed by Rachel calling my name. She found me in the kitchen and handed me a foil wrapped burrito.
“I had Maria make yours mild, but if you like spicier, she makes a mean salsa,” Rachel said as she sat down across from me and unwrapped a matching burrito. She set a container of salsa in the center of the table. I carefully pulled the foil off my own burrito and took a bite.
“This is fantastic,” I moaned as I stuffed my face full of eggs, potatoes, cheese and tortilla. Rachel grinned and nodded as she took a bite out of her own.
“Maria, the head maid, makes these from scratch. I have yet to find a restaurant that makes them this good. Try it with the salsa.”
I poured a little on the top and took a bite. My mouth flooded with spicy deliciousness. It was the perfect level of heat so I poured more on. Before I knew it, I was licking the last bits off my fingers. “So what are we doing today?” I asked, wishing I had more burrito. I was full, but it had been so tasty.
“We are going to dress you like a billionaire’s wife. I hope you are ready for a busy day,” Rachel answered, folding up the foil to her own burrito. I tried not to sigh too loudly. I hated shopping. Nothing ever seemed to fit properly and I always ended up spending too much for things I only sort of liked.
We stood up from the table and headed to the door. Rachel frowned at my ripped coat as I threw it on over my long-sleeved t-shirt. “What?” I asked.
“We have our work cut out for us today,” she said with a forced smile.
I shrugged and opened the door, nearly running into a tall, dark-haired man. I sputtered an apology and stepped back into the apartment, hoping he was supposed to be there and wasn’t a very clever tabloid reporter.
“Hello, Dean. Is the car ready?” Rachel asked him smoothly as she buttoned her coat and stepped around him into the hallway. He nodded. “Excellent. Dean, I would like to introduce you to Ms. Emma LaRue. Emma, this is Dean Sherman. He will be your personal security consultant while you are here in New York.”
“Personal security consultant? You mean I get a bodyguard?”
Dean grinned at me. He was tall and thin, but I could tell he was far stronger than he looked. His dark hair held traces of gray, but his blue eyes were bright and piercing. He held out his hand and when I shook it, there was genuine warmth in his grasp.
“Ms. LaRue, it is a pleasure to meet you. Your safety is my priority, so I will be following you at all times. I do my best to be discreet, but if there is a situation, I will need you to follow my directions.” I nodded and he let go of my hand.
“Are you sure I need a bodyguard? I mean, no offense, but I’m not that important.”
Dean gave me a look that could match my father’s. “You are important, and Mr. Saunders agrees with me. So no trying to lose me because you don’t think you need a bodyguard.” If he was anything like my father, he was about to start explaining to me something he felt was important.
“I would never—” I started.
“We’ll go over your rules in the car, Dean,” Emma cut in, hustling me down the hallway. “We’re on a tight schedule today.”
“Of course Ms. Weber,” Dean said smoothly, tipping his head. “As you wish.”
Rachel gave him a brief smile before shooing me into the elevator. A shiny black SUV was waiting in the garage. Dean slid gracefully into the front seat as Rachel and I took the back seat. Once inside, Rachel and Dean went through a list of rules to keep me safe. It was mostly common sense and making sure that Dean could always see me. He made sure I had his phone number and gave me several ways to get his attention if I felt I needed him to be closer. I liked Dean. The way he spoke reminded me of my father and it was comforting to know he was looking out for me.
The car pulled up in front of a chic looking tall building with red awnings. Rachel grinned at me as we exited the vehicle and stepped into the luxurious store. Shoes that made my mouth water and feet ache just by looking at the heels, purses with names that I only associated with movie stars, and gleaming racks of beautiful clothes stood in front of me. I picked up a small bag, thinking it was kind of pretty and glanced at the price tag. $5,950. I set it down slowly, afraid it might break if I touched it too roughly.