Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Which was okay. I wasn’t Dominic’s friend—I was here to work. But still… his snooty tone riled me a bit.
“Don’t mind him, he’s French,” Justin said when Rocco had gone back inside.
“He’s Italian,” Tye corrected. He was sitting on the edge of the pool with his legs still in the water. Justin handed him a drink, his long arms making it easy. No wonder he was such a good swimmer, he had the biggest wingspan I’d ever seen.
“But he acts French.” Justin downed half his drink while Dominic handed me one.
“His food is incredible, though,” Dominic said. “He can make any kind of cuisine you can think of.”
“He’s a full-time chef?” I asked before taking a sip of the drink. It was as good as it looked. Somehow tart, sweet, and refreshing at the same time.
“Yeah. He lives in the staff quarters, so you can call him anytime you’re hungry.”
I bit back a grin at the thought of what the disapproving chef might do if I woke him up some morning and asked for an omelet. Then a thought hit me. “Does Carlos live here, too?”
Dominic nodded. “Yep.”
“But… Evelyn doesn’t even live here full-time, does she?”
“No, she travels a lot, but she keeps the house fully staffed.”
“Fully staffed?” For some reason, that last word felt strange rolling off my tongue.
“Yep.” Dominic seemed to be mentally counting. “In addition to Carlos and Rocco, there are two housekeepers and a gardener.”
“Full-time?”
Tye gave me a strange look. “That’s not unusual for a house this size.”
There were five full-time staff members who lived here.
Or… six.
Because that’s what I was, at least for a week, wasn’t I? I was staff. No wonder Rocco had given me a dirty look—I was lounging around the pool as if I were an invited guest. I flushed, realizing my mistake. In my line of work, I was used to doing onsite massages for corporations or occasionally for private clients. But I’d never stayed even one night in a client’s home, let alone seven. But I was staying here as an employee, not a guest, so I’d better start acting like it.
I took another gulp of my drink and then stood up. “Can you tell me where I’ll be staying?”
Dominic looked a little surprised at my sudden movement, but then he got to his feet. “Sure. You must be tired from your flight.” He wrapped a towel around his hips, and I tried not to look at the snug fit around his waist and… other parts.
He led me past the stairs to the terrace and then paused by a rocky area with a fountain. “There’s your friend.”
For a weird moment, I thought he meant Rocco. But then he pointed down at the rocks.
I squinted at the area he indicated until I noticed a little brown lizard. It was no longer than the palm of my hand. “It’s actually kind of cute.” At least when it didn’t appear right in front of my face.
Dominic smiled. “I’m glad you think so, because they’re all over.”
“Don’t they get inside the house?”
“They do, but Willow takes care of them.”
I gaped at Dominic as he slid open a glass door. “Your aunt has a staff member that’s in charge of the lizards?”
Dominic’s mouth twitched. “She does. But it doesn’t cost her much. Willow works for canned tuna and belly rubs.”
Oh. I felt a little foolish, but it had actually seemed plausible. Evelyn’s wealth apparently knew no bounds. “I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
“She’s around here somewhere.” Dominic gestured for me to go inside first. In the absence of the bright sunlight, it took a few moments for my eyes to adjust. We appeared to be under the great room I’d seen before. This space didn’t have ceilings as high, but it was almost as big.
“Welcome to the game room,” Dominic said, but that term seemed too ordinary for the surroundings. In the far corner was what looked to be a fully functional gym, complete with a mirrored wall. Then closer, off to the right, was a huge television with very low chairs on the floor surrounding it. The shelves below the flat screen seemed to hold every game console ever made, so it was pretty clear what that area was for.
But over on the left… “Is that a bowling lane?”
“Two, actually.” Dominic pointed to a door off to the left. “And through there is a theater.”
“Wow,” was all I could say. “With all this here, I’m surprised Evelyn doesn’t already have a full-time massage therapist.”
Dominic tilted his head to the side and drops of water fell from his short brown hair. “You have a point. I guess she never felt the need for one before.” He led me to a hallway between the game area and the gym. “Are you okay with the stairs?”
I laughed. “As opposed to what, an elevator?” Then I stopped dead. “This place has an elevator?”