Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
S ierra
I was sitting in the church, beautifully decorated with lights, red bows, and a beautifully lit tree. The choir sang Christmas music—beautiful music that mesmerized me.
“You stay right here, sweetie. I’ll be right back,” my mother said as she grabbed her purse.
“Okay, Mommy.”
She stared at me for a moment with a look I’d never forget. I sat there for what seemed like an eternity during the midnight mass service, waiting for her to return. I looked around at all the people gathered to celebrate Christmas mass. The service was over, and everyone left the church. The priest walked over and sat beside me.
“Merry Christmas.” He smiled. “Where are your parents?”
“My mom said she’d be right back.”
“But everyone’s left. Come on. Let’s go find her.” He held out his hand.
“Mommy, where are you?!” I screamed.
“Sierra, wake up. Sierra!” I heard Jack’s voice.
I quickly sat up, shaking and unable to breathe, gripping my throat. Jack turned on the light and wrapped his arm around me.
“Breathe, Sierra. Look at me and breathe.”
As hard as I tried, I couldn’t.
“Name five things in this room,” he said.
“Curtains, bed, nightstand, lamp, windows.” I began to calm down.
“There you go.” He held me. “You were having a nightmare.”
“It was nothing. I’m sorry I woke you. Let’s go back to sleep.”
“We’ll talk about it in the morning,” he said.
I lay there, my heart erratically racing from the nightmare that had plagued my life for the past twenty-two years. I raised my hand and softly stroked Jack’s arm wrapped around me. A sense of comfort and safety filled me. The type of safety I hadn’t felt in forever. I heard the bedroom door open, and a little body climbed on the bed and snuggled against me. I welcomed her and wanted her to feel the safety I felt.
Jack’s alarm went off. Reaching over, he shut it off. With a slight turn of my head, I looked at him.
“Morning,” he said. “I didn’t hear her come in here last night.”
“I think it’s going to take a while for her to get used to living here,” I whispered as not to wake Ellie.
“We need to get ready for work,” Jack said, climbing out of bed.
After showering, I walked back into Jack’s bedroom to wake up Ellie, only to find her sitting on the bathroom counter watching Jack shave.
“Good morning.” I smiled at her. “Let’s get you dressed.”
“She can stay here with me,” Jack said. “You can finish getting ready.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. She’s fine here.”
“Okay.” I smiled. “I’ll get her clothes out and lay them on the bed.”
After getting dressed, I went downstairs and pulled out the box of cereal we bought at the grocery store. I poured some in a bowl, added the milk, and took it over to the table. Jack walked down in his suit with Ellie.
“Your breakfast is at the table, Ellie.”
I grabbed my cup of coffee from the island and stared at Jack as he made a cup. The feelings I felt stirring inside me were strong and intensifying every day. One minute, I was a twenty-seven-year-old woman with no job, struggling to make ends meet, and the next, I was employed by a handsome billionaire, living in his home and helping him take care of his four-year-old child—a child I was quickly growing fonder of every day.
“What was up with that nightmare last night?” he asked, bringing the cup to his lips.
“I don’t even remember,” I lied, not wanting to discuss it.
“You were screaming for your mother.”
“Was I?” My brows furrowed.
“You never told me what happened to your parents,” he said. “In fact, I really don’t know much about you at all.”
“I guess you don’t. I really don’t know much about you either.” I sipped my coffee.
He walked over and placed his hand on my cheek, staring into my eyes.
“We’ll have to fix that.” The corners of his mouth curved upward.
“I’m done,” Ellie said, jumping up from her seat.
We left for the office. When we arrived at the building, I noticed Ellie staring at the Christmas decorations that plagued the lobby. She let go of Jack’s hand and ran to the twelve-foot tree in the middle, with an old-fashioned train on a track that went around it.
“I want to play with the train!”
“Come on, Ellie. We have to get upstairs. Maybe later,” Jack said, taking hold of her hand.
I sat her at my computer and pulled up some children’s games for her to play. Walking into Jack’s office, I shut the door.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Ellie needs things, Jack.”
“Like what?”
“Clothes and toys. I was thinking you should buy her an iPad so she can play some educational games on it. And also, I think you need to enroll her in preschool.”
“Preschool? She’s only four, Sierra.”
“She needs to be around other children and not be stuck in this office every day.”
“She won’t be once I hire a nanny.”
“I also think you need to redo her bedroom. It’s not a child’s room. She needs to feel like she has a place where she belongs.”
“Since when did you become a child expert?” His brow arched.
“Just trust me.”
He leaned back in his chair and sighed.
“Look up preschools then and let me know. Did you contact another nanny agency?”
“Yeah. I’m waiting for them to call me back,” I lied.
“Okay. Let me know when they do.”
I returned to my desk, got out the coloring books and crayons, and asked Ellie to color me a pretty picture while I scoured the internet for a good preschool. My phone rang. Glancing at it, I saw it was Becca.
“Hello.”
“How is everything going in the Atlas household?” she asked.
“Not too bad. Hey, do you know of any preschools around for four-year-olds? Preferably, private ones?”
“Rose Hill Montessori at 2 nd Avenue & 28 th . Some of my clients send their children there and say it’s the best. Their kids love it.”
“I’ll try calling them. Thanks.”
“You’re coming for Thanksgiving, right?” she asked.
“Becca, I can’t. Especially now with Ellie.”
“She’s not your kid, Sierra. Let Jack figure out Thanksgiving with his daughter.”
“Becca, come on.”
“Fine. At least you won’t be home alone watching Netflix this year.”
I pulled up Rose Hill Montessori and called the school.
“Rose Hill Montessori. How can I help you?”
“Hi, I was wondering if I could set up a meeting to come tour your facility for a four-year-old little girl.”
“I’m sorry, but we’re full for this year and next.”
Shit.
“The child is Ellie Atlas, who belongs to Mr. Jack Atlas of Atlas Enterprises. He heard that your school is one of the best and would like to come check it out. He told me he’s ready to make a huge donation to your school.”
“Mr. Atlas, you said?”
“Yes.”
“And with whom am I speaking to?”
“I’m his assistant, Sierra Knight.”
“Let me check our schedule. Our director, Mrs. Hadley, is available tomorrow morning at ten a.m.”
“Perfect. I’ll put it on Mr. Atlas’s schedule, and we’ll see you tomorrow.”
Getting up from my desk, I walked into Jack’s office.
“You have an appointment tomorrow morning at ten o’clock with Mrs. Hadley, the director of Rose Hill Montessori.”
“Is that so?” He cocked his head.
“Yes. And you better bring your checkbook. I may have told the woman on the phone that you were ready to make a huge donation because she informed me they were already full for this year and next.”
“Seriously, Sierra?”
“You know this city, Jack. You have to pay big to compete with the rest of the elite.”
“You’re coming with us.” He pointed at me.
“I already planned on it.” I smiled. “By the way. What are you going to do with Ellie while you’re on your trip to Hawaii?”
“Shit. I forgot about that. Cancel the trip.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“No, actually, you don’t. I’ll cancel it now.” I began to walk to the door.
“Sierra, wait.” He reached into his wallet and pulled out his credit card.
“Take a half day today and take Ellie shopping for clothes.”
“You want me to take her shopping out there in holiday hell? Are you crazy?”
“You’re the one who insists she needs new things. So, you will be the one to take her and buy her said things.”
“I hate you.” I cocked my head, and he chuckled.