Chapter 10
Jodie still finds it strange to assume this new position as Katherine Taylor's personal assistant. She thought yesterday was a one-time thing until she found another assistant to replace Olivia, but today, mid-morning, Katherine ordered someone to call her, making another coworker replace her much to Marjorie's displeasure, and had her come up to her penthouse.
"I didn't ask you yesterday if you wanted to help me," Katherine says while collecting several papers from her work table in the living room, which Jodie hasn't dared to organize despite being horrified every time she looks at it.
Jodie clears her throat.
"I work for you, I'll do whatever you ask."
"That's not what I'm asking," Katherine lifts her gaze and fixes it on Jodie, making it hard for the cleaner to breathe. "Being my assistant isn't part of your duties, maybe you're not comfortable with that."
"Yesterday I enjoyed taking notes more than ever," Jodie blurts out with a playful tone that satisfies Katherine more than she expected.
"Good, because I need you to accompany me today too. Obviously, all this will be paid separately as extra if you agree."
"Yes, of course," Jodie responds, trying to control her excitement.
"Great. Go change while I finish preparing what I need, we'll meet at the car in ten minutes."
Jodie can't remember ever changing so quickly in her life. She comes out two minutes early, and yet, when Mike opens the door for her to get in the car, Katherine is already inside.
"Sorry for being late," she apologizes, flustered, and Katherine tilts her head toward her with a half-smile drawn on her face.
"You're not late."
The morning flies by for Jodie in Katherine's company. First, she accompanies her to a building where the Mallois owner has a meeting where she sat right behind the businesswoman and took notes of everything that seemed important for Katherine. Then they stopped by the dry cleaners before going to a law office where Jodie waited outside with Mike, and now they've just gotten back in the car.
"Where to?" Mike asks, looking at Katherine through the center mirror.
"To the bank, I need to take some papers to Annie."
Jodie's stomach twists when she hears this and shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
"To Annie?" Jodie asks, pointing her finger in the direction of the Mallois hotel, unable to contain herself.
Katherine frowns and nods.
"Yes, to Annie," she responds with a dryness that makes it clear to Jodie that she didn't like her indiscretion.
During the entire ride, there's a palpable tension inside the vehicle. Jodie can't help it, hearing that woman's name is the same for her as seeing her near Katherine, and she doesn't know if she can bear being in the same room with both women, even if it's a bank.
When Mike parks, Jodie unbuckles her seatbelt, ready to get out, but Katherine stops her by raising her hand.
"No need to come in, wait here with Mike," she says and gets out of the car without waiting for a response.
Jodie doesn't know what bothers her more, being in the presence of both women or not knowing what's happening now that Katherine has gone in alone, making the fifteen minutes it takes her to return to the car feel endless.
"To the Mallois?" Mike asks when his boss buckles her seatbelt.
"No, to lunch at the same place as yesterday."
Jodie, who's still tense and very uncomfortable, looks at her bewildered.
"I think it's better if you drop me off at the hotel," she says checking the time on her wristwatch, "I should eat there and change, then I have to take care of your house," she adds, barely looking at Katherine.
"What nonsense is that?" Katherine responds, staring at her intently. "You need to eat and so do I, we'll return together," she says and picks up her phone to end the conversation.
Jodie turns her head toward the window, accepting that her almost childish attempt to distance herself from Katherine just because she's angry hasn't worked out as she hoped. After some time that Jodie couldn't define, Mike parks so they can get out and agrees with Katherine that he'll pick them up when she calls.
They walk a few meters until turning the corner, and Jodie watches in perplexity as Katherine pushes open the door of a diner and enters.
"We're eating here?" she asks in amazement while Katherine walks between the counter and the tables with red and white padded benches on the left, next to huge windows overlooking a shopping center parking lot.
"Is that a problem?" Katherine asks, taken aback.
Jodie looks around and then fixes her gaze back on the woman in front of her. The restaurant is full of working-class people, people like Jodie, not like Katherine.
"No, of course not, but I didn't imagine you eating in a place like this," she responds while sitting down.
Katherine nods and also quickly surveys the place.
"I'm a normal person, Jodie, like you and like them. I won't deny that I like eating at expensive restaurants because that would make me a hypocrite, but I also like eating at these places, it helps me keep my feet on the ground and, damn, I love this food," she admits just before the waitress arrives.
They both order and neither can fill the silence while they wait because the tension that built up in the car still hangs in the air between them. Jodie handles it better, she's used to keeping her thoughts to herself because, after all, she's very clear that Katherine Taylor is someone unattainable for her and she just needs time to get her out of her head, but Katherine doesn't like uncomfortable silences, especially when she suspects the reasons and believes they can be discussed.
"Alright, enough," she says suddenly, pushing her water glass to the side. "Why don't you just ask me what you want to ask and we end this uncomfortable situation?"
Jodie looks at her, at first surprised by Katherine's outburst, but then serious because, since her boss has brought up the topic, she's not going to avoid it or bury her head in the sand.
"Fine, as you wish," she says and clears her throat.
Katherine raises a hand before she continues speaking, annoyed.
"Please start using my first name, Jodie, I think we've developed enough trust by now for you to stop being so formal. It feels awkward given where we are."
Jodie feels Katherine's blue gaze pierce through her body when she speaks.
"Okay, I'll use your first name."
"Good, now fire away with that question," Katherine demands.
Jodie feels her heart can't beat any harder, but she's not going to lose the opportunity that's just been offered despite being terrified of the answer.
"What's between you and Annie?"
Katherine experiences a strange feeling of satisfaction inside. Her intuition hasn't failed her and she has to admit she likes that Jodie is jealous.
"Put simply, sex," Katherine answers direct as a bullet that pierces through Jodie, who doesn't even blink. "Annie Cohen is the person I deal with for all financial matters of my hotels; honestly, I don't trust anyone else in that aspect. She's competent and very intelligent and for me she's essential in that regard. As for the personal side, we have fun together, no more expectations on either her part or mine. Does that answer your question?"
Jodie swallows, despite feeling somewhat calmer, she still wants to incinerate Annie Cohen by breathing fire.
"Yes," she finally responds.
"I'm glad. Do you have any others?"
Katherine leans back to let the waitress place the plates on the table and Jodie doesn't respond until she's gone, meanwhile, they maintain a challenging look that only increases the attraction Katherine is beginning to feel for Jodie.
"I have many questions," Jodie responds when they're alone again, "but I don't think it's appropriate to ask them."
Katherine frowns, she doesn't need to ask to know that what's holding Jodie back is the social difference between them, but that's not going to stop her.
"As you wish, I do have a question," she says surprising Jodie. "What's your relationship status right now? Are you seeing anyone?"
"Those are two questions," Jodie points out.
Katherine arches an eyebrow and tilts a smile that melts the cleaner.
"Are you going to make me rephrase the question?" Katherine asks, leaning slightly forward.
Jodie slowly shakes her head.
"I'm not seeing anyone, I don't have time or desire for that," she responds, expressing more than she should.
Katherine puts a couple of french fries in her mouth while processing the response.
"I can believe the part about not having time," Katherine responds, "but about not wanting to... I don't know..." she adds, shaking her head. "Do you really not want to be with anyone?"
Jodie coughs several times trying to buy time, but Katherine doesn't grant it.
"Come on, be honest, Jodie, I just was with you and I deserve the same from you."
The cleaner drinks some water and takes a few seconds while deciding.
"Fine, you want honesty?"
Katherine nods, expectant.
"Of course I want to be with someone. I've been alone for so long that sometimes I feel the silence crushing me in my own home. I come home exhausted from work and have no one to share anything with. I can't explain how my day went or have someone to unwind with while listening to what they tell me. I go to bed alone and wake up alone, sometimes the silence is so scary that I have to turn on the TV to not feel so alone. And as for sex," Jodie continues speaking, "I'm not like you in that aspect," she says, slightly blushing.
"Like me?" Katherine raises an eyebrow, though there's nothing in her expression indicating she's offended.
"I mean what you have with Annie or with any other woman you might spend time with. I don't work that way. I can't sleep with a woman if there aren't at least some feelings involved, casual sex isn't for me, so I've gone a very long time without feeling physical contact from another person."
Katherine doesn't know what to say, she just observes her while thinking about how much she'd like to hug her.
"What happened with your family, Jodie? What put you in this situation?" she asks, increasingly interested in her life.
Jodie feels a knot forming in her stomach. No matter how much time passes, it's very hard for her to talk about everything that happened even though she'd love to tell her story to Katherine Taylor. She tries to do it, but when she looks up to speak to her, her eyes well up.
"It's okay," Katherine says extending her hand across the table to take Jodie's. "Another day," she adds giving an affectionate squeeze that sends a current through the cleaner's body. "If we don't hear from the construction manager at the hotel tomorrow, I want you to call him. You have to stay on top of these people or they'll take advantage," Katherine says, completely changing the subject.
Jodie smiles and nods, grateful for the truce and understanding from the woman in front of her.