Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Do you want a shot before you start?”
“Nah, I’m good,” I say turning around. I watch as she takes a swig from her little silver flask.
“Fine. More for me then,” she says with a naughty grin.
I grin back. She’s not an alcoholic. She just likes a shot every now and again while she’s working.
“What do you want me to do?” I ask, as she screws shut the cap of her flask and slips it back into the pocket of her apron.
“You can come upstairs and help me with the bedrooms.”
It strikes me as a little odd she wants me to finish up upstairs rather than helping Leanne downstairs. I don’t comment though. She’s the boss and what she says goes.
I nod and follow her up the grand sweeping staircase over the large landing and into one of the main suites of bedrooms. I’ve never been here before. This, I suspect, is Viktor Leshchenko’s bedroom. In shock, I look around me. Wow, what a masculine room. Shades of gray with black accents.
Justine points to the sheets on the cart. Wordlessly, I start to change the sheets on the massive black leather bed, but to be honest I’m kind of in shock.
Does this mean Viktor is coming back?
Is this why we’re changing the sheets on his bed?
While she polishes the furniture, she tells me about her youngest son and his excitement over his role in his school play. She tells me he’s going to be a tree which basically means he’s part of the scenery with no lines and unable to move around. I smile and make approving noises, but my heart is galloping like a freaking horse.
My God! Viktor is coming back.
“He doesn’t see it as a bit part in any way.” Justine smiles proudly. “He’s so excited about it, insisting he’s going to be the best tree the school has ever seen.”
“He sounds so sweet,” I say with a smile, but my mind is going crazy imagining Viktor’s tanned, strong limbs slipping between these cool sheets that I have touched. I feel warmth course through my body.
“He is,” Justine agrees heartily. “He throws himself completely into whatever he does. Mind you, that’s not always a good thing. Some of that stuff is things he shouldn’t be doing, like clambering up my kitchen cabinets to get to the cookie jar.”
We both laugh, but mine is a little off. I’m sure my face must be horribly flushed.
Justine finishes the polishing and moves onto the vacuuming and for a moment, our conversation is paused. By the time she’s finished, I’m done making the bed. I’m dying to ask her when Viktor is coming back, but I can’t. My throat is closed.
“Right. Let’s go down to the kitchen. There’s a lot of cleaning to be done still,” Justine says, wrinkling her nose.
I help her gather up the cleaning equipment, and we move to the end of the hallway and put everything away into a large closet.
She gives me a weird smile as we head down the stairs.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing. Aren’t I allowed to just be happy?” she asks.
“Well sure,” I reply. “But that’s one weird smile you have going on.”
She doesn’t reply. She just looks away mysteriously. We reach the bottom of the stairs and go down a hallway towards the kitchen. At that point she does something strange. She holds back and nods at me to go in first.
I push open the door. The blinds are down, and the room is a little dark. Strange. This is always the busiest place in the house. I flick the light on and almost jump out of my skin when all the staff leap up from behind the kitchen island.
“Happy birthday,” they all yell together.
I cover my mouth with shock. Leanne walks out from behind a wall holding a cake with candles on it. I laugh and shake my head.
“Wow! Thank you,” I say, amazed. “How did you know it was my birthday?”
“It’s in your file. You had to fill out your paperwork before you started working here, remember?” Mrs. Brent says.
“Oh. Oh yeah of course.” I grin.
“Come and blow out the candles and make a wish,” Leanne instructs bossily, as she places the cake on the island.
10
AMELIA
Everybody starts to belt out a slightly tuneless but very enthusiastic rendition of the happy birthday song.
I look at their faces. I’ve only known these people for a month and yet they are almost family to me. This day last year, Mom had to work two shifts so I could hardly blame her for being too distracted to celebrate birthdays. I certainly didn’t hold it against her when she squeezed my hand, wished me happy birthday, and gave me a Starbucks gift card.
I don’t really know whether I felt sorrier for her or me, but I cried after she rushed off to work. When I heard my stepfather awaken, I slipped out and went to the bakery down the road, where I bought myself a red velvet cupcake and a candle in the shape of seventeen. Then I went to the woods, lit the candle, made a wish, and ate the cake. On my own with no one. It was a good cupcake, and that was the extent of my birthday.