Chapter 10
Sascha woke and was totally disoriented.
She reclined in a large king-size bed, dressed in black and gold.
What happened to her purple comforter? This room stretched forever.
It was nearly as big as her whole apartment.
A fireplace took up one whole wall, and French patio doors opened onto a veranda.
A raised sitting area in one corner provided another spot for nighttime reading.
She rubbed her head and quickly realized her pajamas were lying on the floor. Oh, no. She reclined in Gregory’s bed without a stitch of clothes on! Oh… oh… oh, if she lost her powers again, she would be furious with herself.
Where was Gregory even?
The room remained deathly quiet, and she couldn’t focus on his thoughts at all.
She’d lost her powers. Why couldn’t she remember his having made love to her?
Was it that unremarkable? Like it had been with Damon?
Just flat? No thrill, no fireworks? As much as she had adored everything else about him.
Damon had been completely pleased, but she knew something was missing right away. And then the worst part had happened. Her abilities just vanished like a drop of dew on hot cement on a Texas summer day.
She jumped out of bed and hurried into Gregory’s bathroom.
The master bath boasted two walk-in closets, a Roman bath, a double set of sinks, his-and-her commodes, and a sunken shower.
All were covered in white marble streaked with touches of black and trimmed in gold.
Sheesh, fit for an emperor and his empress.
Hmmm, she wouldn’t mind being the empress.
Her attention returned to the Roman bath, with visions of sitting in bubble-topped bathwater while her redheaded god leaned over the tub, offering wine, grapes, and much more. A back massage? Slipping and sliding in silky soapy water together, naked.
She moaned. Back to reality. She required a shower first, and then she would return home at once. Somehow, she had to prepare her Aunt Meg and Uncle Jimmy for the news that she’d lost her powers again. What kind of curse was poor Gregory in for next?
As she ran his unscented shampoo through her hair, she heard a tapping on the door. “Yes?”
“Ma’am, it’s me, Maria. I’ve left your skirt and blouse on the bed. Mr. Landry had to run out for a bit, but you’re to have lunch with his family later. He wished for me to let you know this.”
Why didn’t he tell her? Was he worried she would be upset with him for making love with her while she slept? She had to have been asleep when he did it with her. She certainly didn’t remember a thing.
“Ma’am?”
“Yes, Maria, thank you.”
“Is there something special you would like to have for breakfast?”
“No, thank you. I’ve got to return home. I’ve got to… well, just to make sure everything’s all right.”
Silence ensued as she shut off the water. “Maria?”
“Mr. Landry wouldn’t wish you to leave the house. Not with this fanatic on the loose, ma’am.”
“I’ll be all right.” She would be too. All she needed was for the attempted murderer to show his ugly face… and a touch… just a simple touch to his person or some article of his clothing, and she would cast a curse on him good.
She rubbed her temple. Damn. She realized all at once she’d lost her powers again. How could she lose them now when she needed them so badly?
Then her attention turned to her relatives. Oh, man, would her aunt and uncle have a fit with her. Hadn’t their warnings to her done any good? All their scolding for five long years?
They were just as happy as she was that her powers had returned. To lose them so quickly in one fun-filled night that she hadn’t even remembered the fun of it. She was totally incorrigible.
She should have told Gregory how he couldn’t make love to her, even if she wanted him to. The fault was hers. Even though she was certain he wouldn’t have believed her.
She barely dried her skin, then rushed out of the bathroom. In a panic, she pulled on her panties, bra, her blouse, then her skirt. She slipped her feet into her sandals, then buttoned her blouse as she sped out of the room.
As soon as she reached the first-floor landing, Maria walked into the living area and motioned for her to come into the kitchen.
The petite woman poked a loose strand of thick, dark, curly hair back into a bun wound tightly atop her head.
She had a perky spring to her step and a pleasing smile as she crossed the floor to greet her.
“No breakfast, Maria.”
“Ma’am, Mr. Landry said you have to stay here. Raymond had to get a loaner limo to replace the one in the river.”
“Oh.”
“Come, have some breakfast.”
“Orange juice then.”
“And some eggs. How would you like them?”
Sascha had to learn how to say “no” better to people. “Over easy. But just one, thank you, Maria.”
The woman smiled, then walked over to the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of orange juice.
Sascha stared through the window that overlooked the gardens out back. “This sure is a pretty place. But kind of big for one man to live in.”
“He needs a family. Though Rose often stays here with him.” Maria set the glass of orange juice on the table for Sascha.
“Where is Rose?”
“At their parents' home.”
“Where did Gregory go?”
“He had an errand to run, ma’am. He didn’t say where he was going or what he was doing.”
“How long has he been gone?”
“About an hour and a half.”
Sascha sighed deeply. “He should have awakened me.”
“You were sleeping soundly, he said.”
“Oh.”
Coward. He didn’t want to face her after what they’d done.
A few minutes later, Maria served her an egg garnished with parsley, chives, and orange slices, along with two pieces of toast and an assortment of jellies and honey. “Are you sure you don’t need anything else, ma’am? Coffee?”
“Earl Grey tea, thank you. How long have you worked for him, Maria?”
“Five years, ma’am.”
“Here?” She scooped up a forkful of egg.
“No, he had a much smaller place. Then he decided he wanted a bigger home for when he could raise a family.”
“Hmm, this is good, Maria. You must have added some special seasoning.”
“Lemon and pepper.”
“Really good. So was there any woman in particular that Gregory was interested in?”
“Three years ago, he thought so. But it didn’t work out.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear it.”
“But now, you, you’ll do nicely.”
Sascha smiled at her. “Why? Because I saved you from making cocoa for us last night?”
Maria’s dark brown eyes smiled back at her as her lips inched up slightly. “You’ll do just fine.”
“You were with the family before this, weren’t you?”
“Yes. Since I was the age Mr. Landry is now. His parents made him leave home at eighteen to make his fortune on his own. He struggled for a while and lived in a rental duplex near where yours is back then.”
“Oh?” Now that shocked her. She figured he had grown up with a silver spoon, and once he was old enough, the family had given him a business of his own, and he made a success of it. Then was able to buy this fancy mansion.
But her parents had done the same thing with her and her cousins. Sent them out on their own at eighteen, and they had to sink or swim, despite how wealthy Aunt Meg and Uncle Jimmy were. Unless the cousins were in desperate need of something, they never asked them for anything.
Not even Katrina, who had wanted to go to college to become a schoolteacher. But Prescott had made her dream come true. Sascha was happy to live frugally and use her talents in the business.
“Mr. Landry found an abandoned mansion that the bank had foreclosed on for nonpayment of the mortgage and taxes. He took out a loan to buy it and renovated it with the help of friends and professionals, even laying the brickwork himself until it was finished. Then he flipped the house and made two million over costs.”
Sascha’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. He paid back everyone who had helped, paid off the house, the cost of materials, and cleared two million dollars. He was nineteen. He invested some of the money in mutual funds and then bought another house to flip, but this time he was able to pay everyone for their work and cover the construction costs. Rose was integral in decorating the homes with furniture from their parents’ furniture shops, and she loved to shop at thrift stores for unique items.”
“Wow, that is so cool.” Sascha saw both of them in a whole new light.
“I was really proud of him for starting out with essentially nothing and making a fortune for himself. To think I had diapered his bottom even when he was an infant,” Maria said.
Sascha smiled. She imagined Gregory wouldn’t have wanted Maria to tell her that much. “Does he have any baby pictures?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Sascha finished her egg and leaned back into her chair. “Do you think we could have a look at them?”
“I’m sure Mr. Landry wouldn’t mind.”
Sascha hopped up from her chair. “Okay, where do we look?”
Maria led her to what Sacha would call a junk room. Boxes of files, papers, and other stuff filled the room.
Placing her hands on her hips, Sascha stared at the mess. “Why would he have his precious baby photos in a heap of junk like this?”
“He didn’t feel they were important.”
“Nonsense. Family mementos are always important.” She walked into the room. “So where do we look?”
“No telling, ma’am.” Maria pulled out a plastic box and opened the lid.
“Do you mind if I do the same?”
“No, go ahead. With two of us looking, we should find them in half the time.”
“Are you sure that Gregory won’t mind?”
“I’m certain, ma’am. In fact, I’m sure he’ll be amused you were interested in seeing them.”
Sascha sat on the floor next to a box and pulled out a newspaper clipping as the phone rang.
“Be back in a moment, ma’am.” Maria rushed out of the room.
Grasping a newspaper clipping from the box, Sascha saw the headline claiming “Baby Mix-Up at Memorial Hospital.
Gregory paced at Sascha’s apartment as he waited for Maria to answer the phone.
“Hello, Mr. Landry.”
“Is she awake?”
“Yes, sir. She’s looking through some of your stuff in storage to see your baby pictures.”