Chapter Two #3
“She’s a lovely dog, but she’s very attached.
Mum can look after her, but she doesn’t give her much attention, and besides, it’s me she wants to be around.
We’re best friends. We travelled across Africa and Europe together in a van.
She’s not used to being away from me, poor thing.
I’m trying to train her, but it’ll take some time, so I need a job nearby. ”
Maddie shifted her weight onto the other foot and stealthily let her gaze wander from the phone to James’ face.
His eyes were wide with childlike hope. He was clearly desperate for her to say yes and not used to people saying no — that much was obvious.
Maddie wasn’t surprised. James was objectively good-looking and everything he did was laden with charm because of it.
She suspected he’d learned to use his attractiveness to get what he wanted.
She couldn’t judge him for that. Bluebell had done the same.
And Autumn. And Marley. She gave herself a moment to really question why she didn’t want him around.
There was the farmworker thing, sure. But there was also something else lurking in the pit of her stomach.
Fear? Was she afraid of James? She realised she was.
It wasn’t that she was afraid of him hurting her physically or mentally, more that she was scared of everything that came with spending time with someone new.
Maddie was a solitary creature. She had no friends except for Autumn, no significant relationship with anyone who was not a member of her family.
Aside from her working relationships with her colleagues and the people she cared for, she never met anyone new.
She’d always been this way, but had retreated further into herself when Bowie died.
She cared only for her family — there was no room for anything or anyone else.
She already knew that the Whittles would adore James.
If she let him work here and they grew to love him, he’d be an honorary Whittle for ever, someone new to love and care about.
She wasn’t sure she could handle that — she was worried enough about the brood she had already.
It would be better for her if he just went away.
James wiggled his phone to recapture her attention. Stevie Licks stared back at her with eyes full of hope and desperation.
Maddie felt herself relent. “You can have a trial period.” She expected James to jump in the air, but he fell to his knees melodramatically, instead. He held his hands together in a prayer-like gesture and gazed up at her.
“Thank you so much.” Somehow she could tell that his relief and gratitude were sincere. She sighed.
“Get up off the floor, James. I need to tell you the rules.”
“There are rules?” He stood, brushing down his trousers.
Maddie nodded. “Rule number one. You will not consume or wear anything non-vegan in this house.”
James nodded earnestly.
“Rule number two. I am the boss. If I tell you something is wrong or it needs doing another way, you will hold your tongue.”
He nodded again.
“Instances of mansplaining are punishable by death. Got it?” Another nod from James.
“Rule number three. Since she needs to get used to new people, your dog absolutely must attend work with you every single day.”
Maddie could tell he was surprised by this one. It was an act of kindness he hadn’t been expecting. Maddie wanted to tell him not to get used to it — she had the animal’s best interests at heart, not his — but she didn’t have the energy, so instead turned on her heel and headed for the house.
“When do I start?” he called after her.
“Tomorrow at 9 a.m.”
“How long is my trial period?”
“It’s a rolling trial period. If you get on my nerves at any point, I’ll sack you.”
As Maddie reached the front door, she heard her mother and father scattering in different directions, giggling as they went. She braced herself to admonish them for being so immature, but before she could step inside, James called out to her again.
“Maddie?” There was a gentleness in his voice she hadn’t heard yet.
A sincerity. She realised everything he’d said up to now had probably been guarded.
She desperately wanted to go inside. She was cold and tired and hungry — but she couldn’t help herself.
She had to see what he had to say. Maddie turned, her hand on the handle.
His palm was spread across his heart. “Honestly, I can’t tell you how much Stevie means to me. She’s all I have...”
He looked like he was about to get emotional but paused his thanks to prevent it.
His discomfort with his own emotions frustrated Maddie.
Her family didn’t hide how they felt. Her dad and Marley cried all the time.
Still, she understood. She was from a different world.
An extraordinary one. Emma and Ben had raised their children to feel everything completely and express everything shamelessly.
Men like James Byron thought any hint of emotion from a man that was not anger or indifference was unacceptable.
She shocked herself by smiling gently at him. “See you tomorrow, James.”