Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Coming back to the present, I look outside and see the sun is out and know today should be one of the seventy degree fall days. Perfect sweater dress weather. I pick out a burnt orange ribbed sweater dress, which stops three inches above my knee. It is a short-sleeved dress so I grab the black denim jacket, brown suede ankle boots, and gold wristlet. I used to look at fashion magazines all the time, wishing I could look like the girls in them. Now, surrounded by all this, I realize that all of this is just the window dressing. The love Stefano shows me every day is what matters. Dressed, I pull my hair up in a messy bun, loving the way the strands fall framing my face. I throw on some autumn love lip gloss, a pair of rose gold leaf earrings and I am ready with ten minutes to spare. Deciding to take a few minutes, I walk into the nursery and my heart begins to go erratic. I love walking in here, sitting in the rocking chair, holding one of the many stuffed animals I have bought for it. Inhaling, I close my eyes. I know there is not a baby in here yet, but I can already smell the fresh baby powder and hear the little blubbering. We go back next Friday for an HCG test to see the levels and see if they indicate the procedure worked. I am more than hoping for a positive. Ding Dong. Shoot. I close the nursery door and run down the stairs. “Miss Baldwin. If you’re ready.” Nodding, I close the front door and follow him to the car.
“Thank you, Cooper.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am.” I still don’t know how this became my life. Big mansion, car service, a man who loves me. I can feel the excitement once again taking over. I wonder what kind of dirty fun we could get up to during lunch. “We are here, ma’am.” I look out the window and my mouth pops open as I look at the massive structure in front of me. From the car, it looks like King Kong's resting place. “Would you like me to help you out?”
“No, thank you, Cooper. And please, call me Kalera.” Ma’am makes me feel like my mom.
“I will have to confer with Mr. Baltierra about that, ma’am.” Oh boy. I simply incline my head and walk through the lobby doors. It doesn't escape me that the building has his name on it, confirming what I thought, he owns the whole building. My stomach begins to twist as the nerves set in while I walk up to the receptionists.
“Hi. I am here to…”
“Welcome, Miss Baldwin. Here is the tag that will give you access to all the floors in the building. Mr. Baltierra is expecting you. He said to come up to his office on the 30th floor. Have a nice day.” Oookay. He never ceases to amaze me. Getting on the elevator, I press the button to floor thirty, but the elevator doesn’t move. Pushing the close button, I am a bit concerned when it still goes nowhere when I hear the receptionists say, “Slide the tag through the security strip on the wall.” I look to the left and see what she is referring to. Giving an embarrassed wave I do as she says and the elevator moves.
“Great, Kalera. Could you make it any more obvious you are not a city girl?'' I groan. Seems this card makes the ride stop free, so I am thirty floors up in a second. Once again, being impressed doesn’t seem to cover it when I walk out on the floor. “Wow.” is all I can find it in me to say. It is immaculate. There are employees working, walking, and talking but you would never know it, by how clean and pristine everything is. Taking my time, I stroll through the floor, looking around, amazed by everything. I can really feel how out of place I am if the way people stop what they are doing to stare at me is any indication. I can’t help but blush, give a little wave and continue to look for his office. It isn’t until I come to the end of the hall, that I see a glass door that says, ‘Baltierra.’ Peeking inside, I see he is not in here. I’m not sure what I should do. Do I go in? Do I wait in the chairs right here? When I turn around to find more people staring at me, the decision has been made. I will go into his office and wait. Walking in, looking through the books he has on the shelf, paintings he has hung up.
“Why hello.” I turn like I have been caught doing something I shouldn't. “I’m Claude. You are?” this guy holds his hand out.