Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Beulah
The easiest thing I’d done today was quit my job at the club. I barely had any time there, and I felt guilty about that. However, they didn’t seem to care that I wasn’t coming back. Said their ‘turnover’ had always been ridiculous. After that, I proceeded to the next thing. The most difficult part of my day. Moving my personal items upstairs. Jasper had given me the yellow guest bedroom straight across from his. He said I wouldn’t be sleeping in there, but he wanted me to have my own space. Though the transition was already difficult, he was trying to make it easy on me.
Every time I thought about Heidi’s tuition being paid for a decade in advance, the relief was overwhelming and brought me to tears, no more worrying if she would be transferred or worse. Evicted from a place she’d come to love. I would’ve wanted to be with Jasper even if I was still sleeping downstairs and working three jobs to pay for Heidi. Although his desire to take care of her made my feelings for him stronger. I’d told him I loved him. It was different than anything I’d felt before. This had to be what love felt like.
I’d make sure to be the best secretary in the world. I knew I couldn’t make it up to him, not receiving benefits and a salary, but I would try, and I would try every day. If something happened between us, I would find a way to pay him back. I wasn’t going to tell him that now, but I would if the time came.
Believing in fairytales wasn’t smart. I’d never lived inside or on the edges of one. Trusting something like that was foolish. But Jasper made me want to do it. Now, standing in the yellow bedroom with my limited, pathetic wardrobe, which didn’t even fill a tenth of the closet, was a little funny. I could put a bed in that closet and still have room for my clothes. Heidi would think this was the coolest thing. She’d spin in circles in the massive closet and giggle as she did.
I could now visit her on both Saturday and Sunday. Yet another thing to love Jasper for. He’d gone to the office and told me to stay. To settle in, move some things around. Tomorrow I would start my new job. I tried to argue, but Jasper begged. I then agreed and remained at the house. Now that I was finished, I had nothing left to do. This, I’d never experienced. Searching about, I saw we needed groceries. I would do that, dust and make dinner. Then I heard voices, and I paused. Had Portia unexpectedly returned? I listened carefully as I walked down the stairs. It was a guy and a girl. No, two guys. Definitely, two male voices.
“I’ll call Jasper and get the code to the pool house,” one of the guys called out. I relaxed a little, now realizing it was only Jasper’s friends. I followed the voices to the sunroom. I recognized Sterling and Tate. The girl, I’d never seen. She was tall, slender, and gorgeous. Long, dark, almost black hair hung loosely down her back. Her high cheekbones and the way she carried her head instantly made me feel insecure. She was from their world.
“There she is,” Sterling said, smiling at me. “I was about to call Jasper. The pool house is locked, and we’re starving. Could you tell me the code and fix us lunch?” Sterling’s grin was friendly.
“Yes, of course. The code is 49287,” I replied.
“I want to layout. Please bring the food outside. And I’d also like a martini,” the girl said, staring at me much the same way Stone did. Except she seemed more annoyed with my presence than even Stone could muster. Like I was taking up oxygen unnecessarily.
“Okay,” I responded. “Would either of you like a drink?”
“Bourbon,” Tate replied, then winked.
“Whatever good beer Jasper has,” Sterling told me.
“I’ll have those out shortly,” I told them and went to make their drinks. I wouldn’t be going to the grocery store today after all. From the looks of the woman, I’d be busy. She reminded me of Portia. She was going to be hard to please and, in return, keep me hopping.
I left to make the drinks, then delivered them. Just before I walked inside, I heard Tate call her name. “Maisie,” he said, then asked his question, my stomach quickly knotting as I paused. That was the girl Jasper broke up with before he came back. Why was she here now? Had he known she was coming? If he did, why hadn’t he told me?
This was the thing that frightened me. His world and mine didn’t fit. I wasn’t anything like her, and I never would be. I tried not to think about it as I slowly made a strawberry and avocado salad to serve them while the pasta cooked. No matter how much I pushed my worries aside, they continued to plague and defeat me.
With each trip I made outside, Maisie had another demand. She needed a towel that was softer and ‘plusher’ than the ones Jasper had in the pool house. Maisie wanted her martini ‘dirtier’ and required a different tanning oil. The kind with less SPF . . . and while I was at it, could I ‘fetch’ a sparkling water after I made her a spinach salad because she hated avocados? Maisie also wanted pine nuts and strawberries on that.
The more she asked for, or rather, demanded, the less time I had to think about why Maisie was here at Jasper’s home—the day passed in a blur. When I headed outside with her third martini, I saw Jasper before I heard him. Taking a deep breath and remembering to smile, I left the kitchen for the pool.
“The playing hard-to-get thing isn’t attractive anymore, Jasper. You wanted space. You got your space. Don’t be ridiculous,” Maisie said, sounding amused with him.
“Hey, Beulah!” Sterling yelled with a grin. “Bring Jasper a drink. He needs one.”
Jasper turned to see me carrying a tray with Maisie’s martini on it. He looked at the drink and then at me, “Have you been doing that all day?”
I glanced around to see all their eyes on me. “Yes,” I replied. I wanted my basement back. This was something I hadn’t thought about. Facing his friends.
“Fuck,” he said, walking over to take the tray from me then looking back at Maisie. “She’s not your goddamn servant!” He tossed the tray and the drink went flying, the glass shattering twenty feet away.
“Jesus! Jasper, what’s the deal?” Tate asked, his eyes wide, emerging from the pool.
Jasper responded, “My fucking deal is, you come into my house and bring her,” stopping to point at Maisie, “and don’t think to motherfucking ask. You also boss my girlfriend around like she’s your goddamn chambermaid. And because Beulah is the sweetest person I know or will ever fucking meet, she gladly takes it and smiles.” Jasper then looked back at me. “Beulah, did you feed them?” I nodded, too nervous to say yes. Jasper winced. “God, I’m so sorry, Beulah. . .”
“Did you just call the help your girlfriend,” Maisie asked, her tone switching from amused to angry. She was sitting ramrod straight with fire in her eyes, Maisie’s lounging position now abandoned.
“Holy shit,” Tate said, in a whisper, loud enough for us all to hear.
“Should have seen that coming,” Sterling added in a weird, flat tone.
“You need to leave. Pack your shit and get the hell out of here. Maisie, we’re finished. Can you not remember that? Because I thought it was very clear. Entering my home uninvited and acting like you own the place is typical, offensive, and arrogant…and one of the many reasons I ended shit. Go. Get the fuck out.” Jasper then walked toward me and draped his arm around my shoulder. “I’m so fucking sorry,” he repeated as we made our way into the house.
“You threw that drink,” I replied. It was all I could think of to say.
Jasper sighed. “Yeah, I lost my shit for a minute.”
“I didn’t mind serving them.”
He shook his head. “You might not, but I did. She shouldn’t be here. This is your home. Not your employment. I wish you’d called me.”
“I thought you knew.”
“If anyone ever comes in this house and I haven’t warned you beforehand, they shouldn’t and won’t be here long. I’ve not had time to talk to anyone. No one knows about us yet. But they will now, which is good. They all need to know.”
“She’s beautiful, but she isn’t nice.”
“She was in the beginning—a fantastic actress. I’d been searching and hoping she was different. Her core is fucking rotten. Maisie’s a terrible person.”
I could see that. Well, I did see it. I had been exposed to her all day.
“I’ll deal with them. If you want, just go upstairs. Take a long bath and relax.”
Other than Maisie, these were his friends. If I had any hope of fitting into his world, I would need them to like me. Running from them wasn’t going to help that, so I replied, “I’d like to stay. They’re your friends. I need to get to know them.”
Jasper studied me, looking unsure and concerned. I couldn’t have him incessantly protecting, constantly in hover mode. He’d get tired of that. Finally, he said, “Okay. Let me make sure Maisie is gone. Then you can come out and join us. I won’t run the other two off.”
“Thank you,” I replied.
Jasper’s frown increased. “Why are you thanking me?”
“For giving me a chance to find a place in your life.”
Jasper laughed. It was soft, and the look in his eyes said everything he needed to say. “Beulah, you are my life. That happened without me even realizing it.”
I didn’t have a response that seemed remotely adequate to the words he’d just said. Instead, I managed to nod and smile.
“Let me go deal with Maisie. Then, I’ll come get you. Sterling and Tate can get to know you as my girlfriend and not the fucking help. My God, that’s demeaning.”
“Okay,” I agreed. I started to clean the kitchen, and Jasper said, “Don’t do that.” He then enveloped me from behind.
“Why?” I asked, settling into him.
“Because you aren’t the help. Damn, I said it twice.”
I leaned back and replied, “If we were normal…if you were a regular guy and this was your apartment would you argue with me about cleaning up after entertaining your friends?”
Jasper was quiet as he held me. I gave him time to think it through. He’d never been a regular guy. It was something he couldn’t comprehend. Did he know how normal people lived? Had he ever been around it? Struggled at all? Had to pay something from nothing?
“I think I understand what you’re saying. If this makes you feel good, then do it. I won’t dictate what you do. I just don’t want you to do things because you think you’re supposed to.”
I nodded because I understood. Even if deep down he didn’t.