6. I have to land this job
SIX
I HAVE TO LAND THIS JOB
Lake
It’s Thursday, and I haven’t eaten since Tuesday afternoon.
But I bathed. I also drank from an abandoned flask I found by the garbage can near the public showers. I washed it, then filled it with water. It stays cool all day.
The kind man who parks his ice cream truck across from Alessio’s house has been giving me coffee daily. This morning, he offered me ice cream, but I refused, even though I really shouldn’t have when my belly was folding in on itself.
Beggars shouldn’t be choosers, yet I chose not to eat ice cream for fear of throwing up. I’m meeting Valerina today, and I’m nervous as fuck.
The internet service on the island is excellent, and I befriended a nice bartender who let me use his tablet so I could research Alessio. I wanted to use it to contact my family, but the sadist forbade it, and I can’t disobey for fear he’ll hurt someone I love. During the days I spent outside, my face healed from the worst of the bruising, and I’ve had time to think about what I’ll say and how I’ll land the job. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.
Armed with nothing more than a nervous smile and hoping Valerina won’t be able to tell I’m a beach bum, I cross the street and pass through the open iron gates. The property itself is as busy as an office building at this time of day. Gardeners, coachmen, stablemen, maids in uniforms, and probably other staff I don’t know how to name bustle about the grounds.
Since I’ve been stalking his house for days, I already know Alessio departed this morning. I take a deep breath before grabbing the ring of one of those scary lion-head door knockers.
The door swings open, and a woman in her sixties wearing a pale pink apron over a black shirt smiles. Her hair is tucked up under a bonnet, and she’s holding a kitchen towel.
“Nanny. Yes?” she asks, and I get the impression she’s making an effort to speak English to me, which I appreciate.
“Yes,” I answer.
Technically, the position is for a governess, the main difference being that I’ll teach Alessio’s nephew in English. I’m a native speaker, and wealthy foreign families love that for their children so much that they send them to schools all over the United States. International students pay high tuition fees, and that’s how lots of high-tuition schools get by.
She waves me in and closes the door behind me, saying, “No English, but you…” She continues in Italian, and I hope I pick up some of it as I integrate myself into this household, knowing I’ll have to betray them all at some point.
But I’ve had days to think about my situation, and I’m ready. Yes, I am! Go, Lake, go. (I’m so not ready, but losing my lady balls now will do me no good. Besides, I must land this job. My life depends on it. Literally.)
The housekeeper leads me to the right and into a masculine space, where a large mahogany desk by the window dominates the room. The corner library is located on the left, directly across from the window, and there’s a tray service, similar to a mini bar, near the desk.
I recognize Alessio’s cologne. It’s such a distinct smell that one can’t miss it. I was attracted to it from the moment I sniffed him, and now it’s surrounding me. He must’ve worked in the office before leaving the house only half an hour ago.
Knowing I’m invading his office makes me want to spin on my heel and get the hell out.
If he finds me here, he’ll shoot me. He will. Or maybe torture me until I tell him what I’m doing here. No, thanks. I’m out. Maybe try again tomorrow!
Intent on escaping while I still can, I turn, but a pregnant woman with beautifully arranged chestnut hair and bright blue eyes, just like Alessio’s, blocks my way. Her smile is genuine, her warmth instantly making me feel like the worst person in the world.
“You must be Lake,” she says, extending her hand.
I shake it. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh, you can call me Val. I’m fond of the nickname.”
Footsteps tap over the marble floors in the foyer, and a boy joins us. He’s Alessio’s replica. If I didn’t know Alessio was his uncle, I would think that he was his son.
I offer the boy my hand. “Hi, I’m Lake.”
“Leone Angelini,” he says formally.
“Can I call you Leo?”
He nods.
Valerina guides Leo around me, and, in a practiced manner, he sits on the leather reading chair in front of the library. He puts a toy truck on a tray held up by a statue of a well-dressed rabbit that must’ve been inspired by the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland . What was it he used to say? “Oh dear! Oh dear!” Sounds about right, and appropriate for today.
Val offers me a seat across from the desk as she sits down in the executive chair I imagine her brother often occupies.
“This is my brother’s office. I hope you don’t mind meeting here. Normally, I don’t interview our staff, but this is a temporary position and for Leo. When I saw your résumé, I knew I had to be the one to interview you.”
That makes me uneasy.
Val continues, “It says you studied journalism?”
I swallow. That might be the reason she’s interviewing me. A family as tight as this one might not want someone with a background in journalism on staff. “I mainly write for travel magazines. I’m interested in people, food, and great places to eat.” Not uncovering plots.
“And you’re a native speaker who is already approved for work in most of Europe. I already confirmed it because we often travel. You said you have experience in caring for children this age.” Val puts down the résumé. “Can you tell me more about that?”
Don’t cry like some emotional whale. Swallowing, I say, “I have a little brother about Leo’s age who I used to care for full-time after our parents died.”
Val’s shoulders drop. “I’m sorry to hear about your parents.”
This is a genuine, nice woman, and I feel terrible asking her for this job. “Thank you.”
“It looks like you graduated from college and left a job in California but then didn’t work for a stretch of time. What did you do?”
“My little brother needed full-time care at the time, and I didn’t have assistance with him.”
Val pauses. “I’m grateful I can hire help when I need it.”
Is she getting defensive or just stating a fact? “I didn’t mean to imply?—”
She waves a hand. “I know. We lost Leo’s mother in a car accident.”
I have to exploit this so she will hire me, but I feel terrible about it . “Tragedy tends to bring families closer together. As awful as they are, they teach us about the importance of family.” If one’s family supported one another.
Val gives me a small smile. “It sure does. Are you clear about what the position requires?”
“From what I understood, it’s a short-term, live-in governess position where I teach Leo exclusively in English. I get to go home for the holidays, and then you may or may not call me back for another semester depending on how Leo’s language skills are improving.”
“Correct, except it’s not a live-in position.”
I knew that. Yet, I have to act, and those years living with my ex are finally paying off. I frown as if confused. “The man who told me about the job said it was a live-in.”
“Who is the man who told you about this position?”
“Antonio. We were passing by your house, and after he dropped me off, a woman jumped me. She mugged me, and when I recovered, of course I needed money. Since I missed my flight and the mugger took my passport, I figured it would take time to get a new one, and I need room and board while filing all the paperwork. The embassy is in Rome, and that’s a big city. I would rather stay here while submitting the papers there. Then I remembered Antonio said you were hiring, so I applied.”
“Well, I’m glad Antonio mentioned it before he went on vacation, or you wouldn’t have found us and we couldn’t have been of help. Sounds to me like we agree. Given your fluency in the language and your background in writing and communications, you’re an ideal candidate, and I’m happy to offer you the position.”
OH MY GOD!
I sit up straight and fist my hands, relieved that my little brother will live another day to show his crooked teeth when he smiles. I almost jump up on the chair and start bouncing.
“But,” Val says, her blue eyes drooping, “I doubt my brother will agree to a live-in governess.”
“Oh no.”
She cackles evilly and playfully. “Too bad he’s on a business trip for the next two weeks.”
“Yay,” I say, hoping it’s okay to joke with her. In my imagination, after I bounced on the chair, I picked it up and thrust it into the air like a trophy. Alessio isn’t due home for two long weeks. Maybe my luck turned.
Val claps her hands. “When Alessio gets back, perhaps you could help me talk him into keeping you at the house? It would be super helpful to have someone take over most of the care for Leo as I prepare for the arrival of the twins. Alessio and I will need all the help we can get, and I want Leo to have someone just for him while I tread some…dangerous waters.”
Dangerous waters? God knows what this woman’s into. She looks like a cute cupcake, but one never knows. I look like an average tourist, but I slept with her brother and landed a job in his house so I can spy on him and his family.
I doubt I can help her convince Alessio to let me stay. My stay is all on her. Well, maybe not. Maybe by the time Alessio returns, Val will find me indispensable, and he’ll forget about our one-night stand and not even remember me.
Three weeks since meeting someone is a long time, isn’t it? A person can forget a face. Both of us drank that night. We weren’t trashed, but we were nicely buzzed, so it’s possible.
“I’m not sure what I could say to your brother that would make him want to keep me here, but I’ll do my very best with Leo.”
Val chews her inner lip. “You know what? We won’t say anything. If you do your job well, Leo will say something to Alessio, and Alessio won’t refuse him.”
In two weeks, I could find the information the sadist wants and disappear before Alessio discovers I was even here. In the meantime, my life is in the hands of a child. Leo seems polite, but again, he’s just a child.