CHAPTER FOUR
On Monday, Morgan entered the office with new energy.
She was excited to work on interesting cases, a welcome change from the monotony of business deals.
And she wouldn’t admit to anyone, not even Ashley, how Brad’s presence made a difference in her outlook.
He was pleasant, thorough, and made a point to let her know he appreciated her help.
Further, he was eager to answer her many questions.
They were already becoming a working team in the office.
When she walked to her desk, she saw that Brad was already in his office.
She went to the open doorway. “Morning. I hope it’s going to be an easier week for you.”
He returned her smile. “It’s going to be a busy one, and I have a favor to ask of you.
I promise things won’t always be this way, but I need a personal favor from you.
I’ve been called away to the City and need you to meet with my decorator this morning.
I’ve typed up a list of my suggestions for you to share with her.
” He gave her a pleading look. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” Morgan said. “Do you trust me to do this? You barely know me.”
“I see how you’ve arranged your area around your desk and how you dress, and I’m sure you can handle this.”
Morgan could feel the blush creeping up her cheeks. She prided herself on looking presentable with a flair that Ashley had always admired. A scarf, a pin, and unusual colors all added to what would otherwise be an ordinary outfit for work in a law firm.
“Okay,” she said. “What time do I meet her? And, if you don’t mind, could you please give me any information I might need when I get to your house?”
He grinned. “I’m already ahead of you. Here.” He handed her a sheaf of papers with directions, instructions for the decorator, and notes on the dogs being present. Then he handed her a set of house keys.
Morgan glanced through the papers. “I think I have what I need. I’ll make careful notes for you. Isabel French has an excellent reputation. She even gave me a few ideas for my rental apartment.”
“I trust your word,” said Brad. “That’s why I’m using her.” His smile sent heat through her. “Thanks. I feel very lucky to have you as my assistant. I think it’s going to work out well.”
“Me, too,” said Morgan. “Before you leave for your trip, please give me any contact information you want me to have. I’ll add it to the list I’m building for you.”
“I’ll be leaving shortly. I had an unexpected call from my associate at the Office of Children and Family Services, and I’ll meet her there.” Brad smiled his thanks and turned back to his deskwork.
At her desk, Morgan made certain she had the necessary information for the OCFS and its contact, and then settled into her tasks, including updating Brad’s calendar.
During his first week in the Ellenton office, Brad’s schedule had been fairly light.
But this week, the calendar was getting very full.
She noticed a familiar name on his calendar for a meeting later in the week and reminded herself of the importance of confidentiality in her job.
Brad left for his meeting.
Morgan worked for a while, adding notes to case files, then got up to leave for Brad’s house.
As she headed out of the office, she stopped at the reception area to tell Rosalie she would be gone for a couple of hours on company business.
Rosalie waved her closer. “I understand you’ll be doing an errand for Brad. That’s an excellent sign, hon. My money is on the two of you forming a special relationship, if you get my idea.”
Morgan froze in place. “That’s not how it is, Rosalie. Bradley Hamlin is not interested in me or anyone else. He’s still grieving for his wife. Please don’t say anything to anyone else. I’d hate for word to get around the office about something that isn’t true.”
Rosalie studied her. “Okay, hon. I won’t. But I still think there’s something there that neither of you is ready to think about. You know how good I am at these things. Our pretty little Josie and Sean are now happily married.”
Despite her dismay over such a rumor starting about her, Morgan couldn’t help smiling. Rosalie sometimes had too much time on her hands and was a romantic at heart.
###
Morgan left the office and sat in her car, reviewing directions to Brad’s house and how to handle the dogs upon arrival. Hopefully, she’d be there in plenty of time to make sure both dogs were calm by the time Isabel appeared.
She drove out of the downtown area and headed to the western outskirts, where farmland still remained in use.
It was something she liked about Ellenton—this country feel to the upscale community.
Many New York City commuters were happy to make the trip to the city and back, knowing what awaited them here.
She drove past some developments and finally to open land where homes were situated on acreage.
Some had barns where horses were kept and pastures where they grazed.
She pulled into the driveway to Brad’s house and stopped the car to study his home.
She recalled seeing photos of it in a local magazine when it went on the market.
Seeing the restored farmhouse in person, she was even more impressed.
The house featured a high-peaked roof on the second floor, whose white-paneled front showcased two stained-glass, narrow, rectangular windows.
Below the windows, the roof of the front porch formed a straight line across the width of the house, with wings on either side set back from the front entrance.
That spacing created space on the covered front porch for tables and chairs, as well as a hanging bench swing.
By the time Morgan pulled up next to the house, she was already in love with the place.
Large maple trees and a beautiful birch tree softened and shaded the well-maintained lawn.
Hydrangeas and other flowering bushes lined the front porch.
From the clean lines of the building and the many windows on the first floor, Morgan knew she’d love the interior as well.
She eagerly got out of the car and prepared to meet the dogs inside. Morgan hadn’t been allowed pets as a child and had hoped to get a dog with Dale, but it had never seemed the right time to introduce a dog to the sometimes tense atmosphere inside the house.
The sound of barking brought a smile to her face. Brad had mentioned that the dogs took their jobs of guarding the house seriously.
When she opened the door and spoke softly to them, the two dogs wagged their tails and approached her.
The golden Lab, she remembered, was Sid.
The long-haired cream Dachshund looked remarkably like his larger brother, but with a Dachshund’s short legs and snout.
Watching them together, she couldn’t help being amused.
When she patted them, the two vied for more attention. “Okay, boys,” she said. “Give me a chance to come inside.”
As instructed, she led the dogs through the living room, past the dining room, into the kitchen, where they could go out to the fenced backyard.
There, she stood for a moment, gazing at the leaves on the trees showing the first signs of changing color.
In a few weeks, the area would be full of many autumn colors.
Morgan left the dogs outside and went back inside to prepare to greet Isabel.
She’d just taken out her notebook to write down her first impressions when Isabel’s Mercedes pulled up.
Morgan opened the front door and waited for Isabel to reach her.
Isabel approached and gave Morgan a big hug. “Thank you, thank you for recommending me for this job. I’ve been dying to see the inside of the house, and to work on it will be pure pleasure.”
“I’ve put the dogs in the backyard and blocked the doggy door, as Mr. Hamlin wanted. I haven’t had much of a chance to look around, but what I’ve seen is lovely,” said Morgan.
She followed Isabel as they walked through the downstairs rooms of the kitchen, dining room, living room, den, and powder room. They discovered the master suite in one wing of the house and the laundry room, butler’s pantry, and workshop in the other.
The upstairs space contained two bedrooms, a Jack-and-Jill bath, and, in the front space of each bedroom, a large lounge area lit by the colors in the stained-glass windows as sunshine streamed through them.
Isabel turned to Morgan with a wide smile. “There’s so much to work with. It’s all in excellent condition. I’ll suggest changing the paint colors on several walls, and we can go from there. What do you think?”
“He definitely needs some furniture, and new wall paint would be nice. But, Isabel, I should warn you that I told him you were very clever but not overly expensive.”
“I appreciate it,” said Isabel. “Brad has given me an idea of his budget, and I’m confident I can make it work.”
“Fantastic,” Morgan said.
“I’m going to take measurements of the rooms,” said Isabel. “I have a handy little gadget to help me. I shouldn’t be too long.”
“Okay. I’ll check on the dogs,” said Morgan. “It’s a lovely day for them to be outside.”
###
As Morgan walked onto the back deck, the two dogs trotted over to her, wagging their tails.
She patted their heads and rubbed their ears, then took a seat in one of the comfortable chairs.
Caesar immediately jumped into her lap, surprising her.
Sid sat beside them and then, with a sigh, he flopped down on the wooden surface next to her.
Morgan leaned back and lifted her face to the sun. It was such a peaceful spot. In the distance, the sound of a bubbling brook caught her attention.
Isabel came to check on her.
“This is as close to heaven as I can imagine,” said Morgan.
“It’s beautiful,” Isabel said, smiling as the dogs raced to greet her.
“You work for Brad. What is he like as a person?” asked Isabel, sitting on one of the other chairs. “I need to determine what color schemes might best suit him.”
“He’s organized and easy to get along with. I’ve noticed that he wears a lot of blue shirts, which brings out the color in his eyes. I think dark gray and other somber colors wouldn’t be right for him,” Morgan said, remembering how his eyes had turned a gray color at his sadness.
“What ideas have you come up with?”
“Come inside. I’ll show you, and you can make notes,” said Isabel. “I saw your notebook.”
“I promised Brad I’d do that for him,” said Morgan.
They walked inside, and as Isabel moved from room to room talking about some of her ideas, Morgan wrote them down.
With Isabel’s encouragement, Morgan stated what she might do differently. By the time the tour ended, they were both in agreement about the larger projects.
As Isabel turned to leave, she gave Morgan a quick hug. “You’ve helped me tremendously. I really appreciate it. Tell Brad I’ll have an itemized report for him in a day or two. Then, he can decide what he wants to do.”
“Thanks. I will,” Morgan said. She showed Isabel out of the house, went out back to retrieve the dogs, and then left them inside before locking up the house.
As she drove back to the office, her thoughts turned to the man who owned the restored farmhouse. She felt as if she knew him better after seeing the house and meeting his dogs.
###
Late that afternoon, Brad returned to the office.
Once he was settled behind his desk, Morgan handed him her notebook. “The morning with Isabel went well. Here are my notes. She told me she’d have an itemized list of suggestions for you within a day or two.”
“Thank you,” said Brad. “What do you think? What did you like most?”
“The house is gorgeous,” she said. “But the best part was the setting. The trees, the landscaping, the brook all made me feel as if I was enjoying a slice of heaven.”
Brad studied her and grinned. “That’s what convinced me to buy the property. I’m glad you like it. Did you have ideas about the interior, too?”
“Yes. Isabel and I shared thoughts. I’m convinced she’ll do a superb job for you.”
“I can’t thank you enough for your input. On the drive back from the city, I dictated some notes onto my phone. I’ll print them off and ask you to type them up in an acceptable way for my files.”
“No problem,” said Morgan, excited to be part of the project.
###
The days flew by as Morgan enjoyed the new aspects of her job. She was learning that family law encompassed many aspects of living, from foster care and adoption to marriage and divorce, as well as economic and family matters, including estate planning, tax implications, and criminal charges.
The more she worked with Brad, the more she grew to admire him. There was an innate kindness about him that she’d personally never experienced with any man, including her father.