“It’s an hour,” Rob points out. “An hour, right?” he asks the other guy who I assume must be the personal trainer.
“An hour, but I’m happy to do more, just say the word.”
“Let’s stick with the hour for now,” says Rob, expertly ignoring Ward. “Trevor, meet Mari, the new housekeeper.”
Before Trevor can move forward to shake my hand, Ward explodes.
“She’s the new housekeeper?” He doesn’t so much as look at me, as give me the evil eye. His curt reply startles me. First of all because I assumed that all people who were famous were nice, and secondly, because I’ve done nothing wrong. The guy barely knows me.
“We agreed to this,” Rob says calmly. “You need structure.”
“This messes up my timetable.” Ward gesticulates with his hand, waving it in the direction of me and Trevor. Trevor gives me an apologetic smile.
“Excuse us,” Rob walks out, with the writer in tow, leaving just me and the gym guy.
“Welcome aboard,” Trevor says warmly, then shakes my hand. I take an instant liking to him.
“Is he always like this?” I ask.
“This is my second day. So far, yes. He was like this yesterday.”
He’s going to be worse than the most difficult customers I’ve dealt with at the hotel. Still, I’ve always been good at my job, and I see Ward Maddox as a challenge. “Are you staying here?” I ask Trevor. I would feel so much safer with someone else under this roof, instead of it being just me and the psycho. Having met him, and knowing that Ward is a horror writer, fills me with dread.
“God, no. I’m only meant to give him a daily workout, on weekdays. I’m supposed to encourage him to get into shape. Encourage him to go for a run or do a workout.” He snorts. “It would be a miracle if I could get the guy to get up off the couch.” He goes on to tell me about yesterday’s botched lesson. “At least he got dressed today,” Trevor adds. “Yesterday he was floating around in his robe.”
“Why does Rob even bother?” I ask, finding the whole thing ridiculous.
Trevor shrugs. “As long as I’m getting paid, I won’t complain. I’ve been paid and the dude hasn’t even done one class. What are your duties?”
“To cook and clean.” I’m not even sure I want the job now.
“And you’re staying here?” Trevor asks, looking worried.
I feel his worry. A knot forms in my belly and I consider my original plan to start looking for an apartment. But then I remember that Rob doubled my salary on the spot, without even batting an eyelid.
I can do this. If the money is this good, I have to do this, and it’s only a temporary contract. For a few months.
Even I can put up with that caveman for a few months.
Chapter 4
WARD
“Let me remind you, I’m doing this as a favor because you don’t want to deal with these people.” Rob’s lips clench tightly as he closes the door to my writing room. “Can’t you at least open the blinds?” he asks. “How the hell do you write in here when it’s so dark?”
“You forced me to move here, at least have the decency to let me choose my writing environment.”
This house is too fancy, too bright, too beige and too modern. It’s not me. I like darkness. I’m used to it now. My home in New Orleans is stuck back in time. Four poster beds, beautiful windows, rich, detailed architecture. My writing cave there is dark wood, rich red curtains, a thick blood red carpet. These things create the perfect setting in which I can write.
I have struggled with the brightness of this room, but at least it has a fire and a couch. I despise the light gray carpet, but if I keep the blinds drawn, and light a few lamps, I can partially create the right mood for me to write in.
Not that it’s helped. I’ve only been here a few days and my skin is crawling with the thought of having to talk to these surplus people I don’t need. “Is this really necessary?” I struggle not to explode, and try to keep my voice as neutral as I can.
“It hasn’t worked. You’ve written six pages in how many months?” Rob paces around the room. “Your mother died. I understand this might have raked up all sorts of emotions.”
I inhale deeply. I’m dealing with it, in my own way. Shutting down, closing off more than usual. Rob doesn’t understand, and what he’s done has only made things worse. “Just get rid of them. Please. I can work better it it’s just me. I’ll get the book finished on time. I’m good with deadlines.”
Rob lifts his nose and pins me with a deathly stare. “You can’t. You couldn’t even get up off the couch, and I have that personal trainer on your back trying to get you to move.”
“I hate exercise.” I run my hands through my hair which is knotty and long. I’ve hit rock bottom, even I am aware of this, but I can and I will work through it in my own time.
“It’s eleven in the morning and you’re still in …. in … that thing.” He glares at me as if I’m wearing a thong.
“It’s a robe and it’s comfortable,” I reply defensively.
Rob clenches his fist. “You should know Ward, that this is not what I’m supposed to do. I’m not supposed to babysit you.”
“You don’t have to babysit me. I’ll get my shit together. I’ll get the book done.”
“If you had wanted to, you would have by now.”
I have a better idea. “I’ll stay here. You’re right, maybe being back in Chicago might help.”
“That’s better. Go back to your roots and face your past.”
That I won’t do. “Get rid of those two.”
Rob looks at his watch. “Can’t do, and I’m not arguing about that. I need to be back in New York. Four days here has been too long.” He points a finger at me. “I only did this to help you. You need a manager more than you need me.”
“I don’t want a manager.” Rob has been a godsend, and I don’t want to piss him off.
“You have a personal trainer, and you have a housekeeper. When I next see you, I’d better see a new and improved version of you, and I want the first draft finished.”
“I can do that. It’ll be done. Don’t worry.”
He moves towards the door and says something that really pisses me off. “By the way, the new housekeeper, she’ll be living here.”
“What?”
“She needs a place to stay. She said she needed a week to find a place to stay. I told her she could stay here.”
He knows I hate people. He knows I hate having anyone around. He knows. “Why the hell would you do that?”
“You want the truth? Because I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine.” As if having that woman living here is going to help me.
“You were a mess last time, Ward.”
“Last time was different.” Last time I was in love with a woman who was crazy.
“This is not negotiable.”
I follow him out into the entrance hall. “This isn’t going to work,” I tell him.