With a sigh, I climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth before I slipped into the scorching shower and scrubbed David from my skin.
With a towel wrapped around me and my hair still wet, dripping down my back, I stood and looked into my closet, not sure what I should wear. Did I go for the professional look? Or the professional hot chick look? I decided to go for in between and took my navy blue suit from the hanger, then placed it on the bed while I hunted around for the white blouse I liked to wear with it. I spotted it hiding in the back of the closet, so I pulled it out and placed it on the bed with my other clothes. I quickly dressed in my white lace underwear – wearing sexy underwear under my suits always made me feel more confident.
I fastened the blouse and pulled up the skirt, which was fitted to my shape and came to rest a couple of inches above my knees. Not too short for indecent in the office and not too long to make me look older than my years.
Another root around in my closet and I found the blue matching heels, which made my legs look longer than they were. I stood back to look at myself in the mirror – I looked hot, especially with my hair pinned up in disarray on my head. David used to think it made me look sexy. Not so much these days.
With my head cleared of unpleasant thoughts, I walked out of the apartment and headed for my new job.
Chapter 2
MICHAEL
My temper was gradually on the rise. If Sebastian didn’t answer his damn phone soon, he’d find himself without any financial resources. He would then have to contact me, which he would, because he’d have no money.
I’d been trying to get hold of my brother for the past two days, since I returned home. Oh, I knew he was safe. I also knew he was having a ball, with a woman he’d picked up in the hotel bar during the conference in San Diego.
The woman had been giving me the eye, until she’d spotted Sebastian. Was I bothered? No. My brothers loved nothing better than to have a dig at me for keeping my private life, just what it was…. private.
No, I wasn’t a monk, although for the past couple of years I had been. I didn’t advertise what I got up to and the minute I was seen with anyone the press would have a field day. The last time the press took a photograph of me with a woman was six years ago, and the woman in the photograph had been my wife, Viv, just before she died.
I tossed my phone onto the breakfast bar while I walked through the kitchen to hunt for a bagel. My brothers had tried in the past to fix me up with a chef – like that would ever happen. I really loved my private space and no one was allowed inside, unless invited.
With a bagel found in the bread box, I sliced and popped it into the toaster. I poured a coffee and stood with my back against the cabinets. I crossed my ankles while I thought about the meeting I had at eleven. Dale Roberts had assured me that my new assistant, who I’d yet to meet, would be perfect and not let me down. Lily Redmond. She had no idea her new position was as my assistant. Dale had interviewed her for me, intentionally giving her the impression the position was with him. At least that way, I’d get someone who knew how to use a computer instead of how to apply polish to her nails.
Every time I interviewed anyone, the interview had a habit of going downhill fast, as the young woman in question seemed more interested in me and my brothers than the actual job, which was damn frustrating.
Dale had done a background check on Lily and checked the reference she’d received from her previous employer, where she’d been let go due to the company downsizing. What I found difficult to understand was why she’d been one of the ones to be let go. She had an outstanding record with the company, a lot better than some of the people who’d kept their jobs, especially her boyfriend. I’d asked a friend of a friend who worked at the company and did favors for money, to dig deep, and see what he could find out as to why she was really let go. Something smelled off, and I would bet my last dollar it had something to do with the boyfriend.
My bagel popped up from the toaster, and I decided to have some cream cheese on it for a change. I usually just had butter. With the cheese spread on the top, I took a seat in the breakfast nook just off the kitchen, which I favored due to the amazing view of the garden and the mountains beyond.
On the odd occasion I’d sit here and wish I had a woman to share this with – not often – but occasionally. Ever since Viv died, I’d been alone. She died on her way to the meeting with our divorce lawyers. We’d been married three years, and in those three years I’d lost count of how many men she’d been with. I probably only knew about half of them. She’d completely soured my perception on relationships, making me a skeptic. Being alone you couldn’t get hurt, but sometimes it sucked.