5. Chapter Five
Chapter Five
M addie
I leave Chance’s office in a daze. Nat is still where I left her in the waiting room. She rushes over and clasps firm hands on my shoulders. “What happened? Are you okay?”
I gulp and nod.
She calms down. “Good.” Her eyes roam over me. “What did he say to you?”
I’m still with the folder, so I hand it over.
She takes it while eyeing me. “What’s this?” Without waiting for my reply, she flips it open. She gasps. “What the hell?”
I pull her to the edge of the room so we’re out of earshot of the secretary. Julia, I think.
“Is this for real?” She stares at me with wide eyes.
“Yep.”
“Damn!” She looks at the agreement again, her eyes locked on the salary, and then back up at me. “What did you say to him? I mean, it’s a lot of money for three weeks but you have your life to return to.”
I bite my lips and her face falls.
“You accepted?!” She gapes. “Maddie!”
“Nat, please hear me out.” I grab her arm and squeeze. “I love it here and this is a great opportunity for me. It’s out of my comfort zone and a little daunting, but nothing good in life isn’t.”
“Well…” She eyes me. “Where will you stay? You certainly can’t afford our vacation rooms.”
“He promised to provide accommodation.”
She blinks rapidly, probably thinking of another argument.
Before she can voice it though, I look at her with pleading eyes. “Can you support me on this, please?”
She heaves out a breath. “Mads… you know I’ll support you on this. But I’m a bit selfish too. I’ll miss my new roommate.”
I moved to Nat’s after the breakup with Todd. It was a fun two weeks indeed. I’ll miss her too.
I draw her into a hug. “It’s only three weeks.”
“Not a day more.” She squeezes the air from my lungs.
I yelp, laughing. “I promise.”
She pulls back and cups my face. “I trust you’ll do a great job, Mads. And while you’re working so closely with him, make sure you get that D.”
I glance back at the secretary. She pays us no attention. I smile, rolling my eyes. “Yes, ma’am.”
It’s only an hour left before the plane takes off. I insist on accompanying Nat to the airport. We’re leaving when Chance’s men come up to us.
“Mr. Easton asked us to take you.”
Nat and I exchange a look and shrug.
They zoom through the traffic and make it in time. I stay and watch Nat go through to the terminal, my heart jumps. Will I be able to enjoy Magic Island all by myself? Nat’s presence made it special.
I’m still musing on that when she spins around, dancing while pointing at her ticket and pointing up.
I’m confused. “What?” My voice hardly carries in the noisy airport.
She’s still doing it, grinning like it’s her birthday.
“What?!” Is she just excited to fly? I’m confused— what’s going on?
“Mr. Easton upgraded her ticket to first class,” a voice supplies over my shoulder.
“Oh.” Why would he do that? A queasy feeling starts in my stomach. I push it away and wave at Nat with a big smile.
She blows kisses back at me and then disappears through the door.
I drop my hand and blow out a breath.
I’m alone.
With only a few strokes of the pen, I’ve sealed my fate in Magic Island for the next three weeks. Only time will tell if I’ve made the right decision.
“Can we leave now?” Ralph says.
“Sure.” I follow them out of the airport.
Despite the foot we started on today, the men are okay. Mostly silent but still proactive and Chance trusts them, so I don’t care to ask where we’re going.
They bring me back to the Resort.
I sit up, ready to get out, but they drive straight past the hotel and deeper into the expansive grounds of the Resort.
Curious, I lean against the window and watch the villas we drive past. They are wooden structures with finely carved porch railings. In between them are paths for walking, then flowers and trees.
The car stops.
“We’re here,” Ralph announces.
I get out and look up at the villa in front of us. “Here?”
“Yes,” he answers. He comes round the car and takes my suitcase out of the trunk. Then he leads the way up the porch steps to the door.
He waits until I’m next to him to hand me a key. “This will be your home while you’re here.”
“This? Are you sure?”
His dark glasses cover his eyes but I can tell he’s looking at me like I’m being ridiculous.
I shut my gaping mouth and insert the key. If a look through the Resort’s website didn’t prepare me for the luxury of the villas, I’d have passed out seeing this for the first time. Even so, I’m so awed I don’t walk in. Just stand at the door and worry that this is too much.
Nat and I flipped through the images and guffawed at the thought that my job would give us a villa to stay in. Now, look at me. For a job I haven’t even started, my new boss is assigning me a luxury apartment.
What?
“Is it… to your liking?” Ralph asks.
My head whips sideways. “Yes, it is. Very much so,” I chuckle.
He doesn’t share my joke. “Good. If you need anything, there are numbers on the phone to call the Resort staff. Enjoy your stay, Miss Maddie.”
He turns and leaves.
I’m still standing there when the car drives off. Eventually, I pull myself out of my daze and wheel my suitcase in.
I shut the front door behind me and take a tour.
Everything is wooden. From the high, beamed ceilings to the floor underfoot. The lamp on the table is wooden and the art on the wall is carved from wood. All in different shades that blend so nicely.
The only things not in the warm brown are the plants. Green, bright, and fresh, I start to wonder if they’re fake. I touch a leaf and it darkens. Wow.
I move on to the kitchen and marvel at the still brown countertop but polished marble. I open a cabinet, shocked to find it stocked with cereal. I flip open all of them. There’s food for weeks here.
Excited, I check out the bedroom. There’s a queen-sized bed next to the window. I slide onto it, sighing at the bouncy, soft feel of it. Outside my window, there are trees and a garden of flowers. The air smells like it too. And though I can’t see the ocean, the salty tang is in the air.
I shut my eyes and roll around in bed.
I’m guessing I’d like working for Mr. Easton a lot.
I’m at work early the next day. Julia smiles as I walk in her direction.
“Maddie! It’s lovely to see you.”
I’m taken aback. She didn’t pay me much mind the previous day. But it’s hard not to return her smile. She seems to radiate joy.
“Julia, right?”
“Yes.” She stands and offers her hand.
I can’t help but compare our outfits. Back at home, I have a closet full of skirts and pantsuits. My work required it, and I always looked sharp in them.
Here, I’m unsure what the standard dress code is. And even if I do know, I’m not sure how to get it.
Julia is in a cream blouse and a skirt that cuts off just below her knees. Her golden blonde hair is done up in a bun and she’s light on the makeup.
I think I’m okay in my short-sleeved blouse and straight pants. These are the only outfits I have that look remotely professional. I won’t worry about that now though. Best to get through my day one first.
“You’re welcome.” She starts to rifle through the files on her desk. “So, this is for you.” She hands me a bulky file. “And this too.”
I collect the laptop and balance it on the file. “What are these?”
“They contain everything you need to know about Mr. Easton’s schedule.
His meetings, appointments, and travel plans.
They’re all in there.” She looks up at me.
“He’s usually in the office at eight-thirty.
Earlier on some days, but I’m guessing you have…
” she glances at her watch. “Fifteen minutes to know what he’s going to do today.
You can work on the rest when you’re not too busy. Any questions?”
I blink. “No.”
Julia’s face softens. “I know this a lot. But it’s not so bad working with Mr. Easton. At least you don’t have to deal with everyone else on the floor bugging you about everything.”
I smile at her eye roll. “Thank you, Julia.” I look around. “Where can I set up?”
“Two doors down the left hallway. There’s a conference room that’s rarely in use.”
“Thank you.”
“Hey,” her voice stops me as I start to walk away. “Call me if you need anything.”
I smile gratefully and leave for the conference room.
I set my phone’s timer for fifteen minutes and get to work. Chance’s data is well-organized. Thank goodness for the past PA. They did a good job of keeping his schedule clean.
I run through what he has to do today. Meeting, meeting, a few errands—which I’m sure I’d be running, and another meeting. He’ll be done by six p.m.
Wow.
When I’m done reading that, I flip through the file to understand the subject of the meetings and the people involved.
The timer beeps and I pack up, certain I’m ready.
“He’s in,” Julia says as I walk past.
I stop by the door and exhale before giving a quick knock and then turning the door handle.
Chance sits behind the desk, his eyes glued to his laptop screen. A line is between his brows, his lips tight.
I venture forward. “Good morning.”
He glances up and his expression clears in an instant.
I smile, hoping he’d return it, but he doesn’t. I let the smile drop.
“Need something?” he asks.
“No. I’m just here to inform you that your first meeting for the day is at nine a.m. And ask if there’s anything you’d like me to do?”
He sits back, brows furrowed. “You’ve gone through the schedule and everything?”
“Not everything.” I smile down at my heels but look up with a straight face. His surprise is thrilling. “Just today’s tasks.”
“Good.” He looks thoughtfully at his laptop, before meeting my eyes again. “There’s nothing for you to do right now, just go prepare for the meeting. You’ll be attending it too.”
I smile. “Great, I’ll go do that.” I turn to leave.
“Maddie?”
I do a one-eighty. “Yes?”
“It’s impressive you showed up early and got ready.”
“Thank you,” I say and leave.
That’s the last time he compliments my work. The rest of the day is all business. Meeting to meeting and running errands, which I don’t mind given that Ralph drives me around.
By the time I get home, I’m a zombie.
I manage a quick meal and drop into bed and I’m out.
I wake up to sunshine and a cool breeze on my face. I start to smile when my brain kicks into action.
I have to get to work!
After a quick shower, I pace before the closet. None of my clothes look made for the business environment at the office. What am I going to do?
I eye the clock. I set an early time for myself yesterday. I can’t fail.
I grab a short black skirt. It has frills but it’s better than the bright orange one and the white one that stops under my butt.
This one reaches a few inches above my knees.
I pick a crop top that sits just above the waistband of the skirt.
And that’s the best I can do. I refuse to look at myself and slip on my shoes, grab my purse and the laptop, and head out.
I’m walking through the quiet lanes in between the villas when my senses prickle. I pause and look around. There’s no one out here. Why does it feel like there’s someone, though? I shake off the thought and keep walking.
By the time I get a cab, I’m many minutes too late.
We turn a corner when a flash of black catches my peripheral view. A car trundles many paces behind us. When we take another road, it’s still there.
My stomach coils. This doesn’t feel right.
“Hey, can you take another route?” I ask the cab driver.
“It’ll cost you more money.”
“I’ll pay. Just go.”
He changes lanes and crosses into another street. Thankfully, the black car no longer trails us.
I hope I haven’t taken too long but when I get to the office, the nine a.m. meeting is underway. Slowly, I crack open the conference room door. Faces turn toward me. I ignore them and keep my gaze on him .
He’s not smiling. At all.
I’ve fucked up.