Page 27 of Singing For His Kiss

“Now James. He’s a man who needs someone to take care of him. Not just the cooking and the cleaning. He needs more. You know what I mean?”

“Doesn’t James have a girlfriend?” she blurted. Mrs. D’llessio sent her a sharp sideways glance Elizabeth didn’t miss. Damn, she didn’t mean to sound so… interested. “I mean, surely a man like him would have lots of interest.” She should stop now before this line of questioning became a train wreck.

Still, there was a part of her that wanted to know and was prepared to be jealous. It was bad enough lusting after a single dad, but what if she’d been lusting over a man who was already taken?

“Since Hanna died, James hasn’t been the same.”

Not the answer she sought, but, “How?” She glanced at Madeline, hoping this wasn’t going to upset her, but the child was engrossed in her cereal and setting her teddy bear up to share.

Mrs. D’llessio sighed. “James loved his wife. It was a beautiful thing to see. Their biggest happiness was when Hanna become pregnant. Big smiles. Big hearts. But she got so sick. James tried everything he could to help her. Doctors. Specialists. But nothing helped. His heart, it was ripped out when she passed. He didn’t smile anymore. And now he work. Work, work, work.”

“Work, work, work,” Madeline repeated. “Daddy never comes to the kitchen to eat. He’s always up in his office. Working.”

Her chest constricted as heat engulfed her. “That’s…” Her voice cracked.

“Si. It is sad.”

“But surely, after all this time, he… he’s found someone?” Elizabeth asked.

She didn’t miss the little secret smile that appeared on Maria’s lips before she whispered. “Maybe he has.”

So there was someone. She should have known. Someone like James would definitely have a woman interested in him. He was tall, handsome, sexy as sin with that thick, wavy hair, dimple and soulful eyes. He was caring, thoughtful and obviously loved his daughter more than life itself. Who wouldn’t want a man like that?

She couldn’t help the little stab of jealousy that jabbed into her gut. Jealous? What did she have to be jealous about? As if a man like James would be interested in someone like her. He employed her for the sake of his daughter. That was all, and at not one time had he made her think he was interested in her in any other way.

Her imagination had gotten out of control.

There was a little side of her that was disappointed. Had put far too much emphasis on the flash of attraction she felt for him, but she’d just have to live with that. Besides, she wasn’t going to be here long enough for anything to happen between them in any case. As soon as that road was open, she was out of here. That was all there was to it. End of story.

Elizabeth pushed her half-eaten piece of toast away, wishing her heart and mind weren’t at such odds. She needed to focus on something else. “So, Mrs. D’llessio. Tell me what brought you to work for James?”

* * *

Madeline had shown her every teddy, doll and toy in her room, and Elizabeth had loved every minute of it. Due to the weather, which didn’t seem to be clearing at all, they were contained inside. They’d played doll houses, done doll’s hair, read books and sung songs. The child seemed to thrive on music, and Elizabeth was only too glad to share it with her. She had to wonder if music was also Madeline’s way of coping with the sadness of not having a mother.

She had a father though. And although almost a day had passed, and she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him. She guessed Mrs. D’llessio wasn’t joking when she said all he did was work, work, work. It wasn’t good. Not for him, or for Madeline. The child must be starved for attention.

They’d just finished lunch and were on the way to watch a movie in the living room when Madeline tugged Elizabeth’s hand towards a closed room. “Can I show you something, Liz’beth?”

In her experience, closed doors were meant to stay closed. “I don’t think we’re allowed in here, honey.”

“It’s okay. This is Mummy’s room.”

Elizabeth stopped Madeline from opening the door. “Then I really don’t think we should go in here.”

Madeline frowned, puckering her smooth skin. “But you’ll like it. Promise.”

Elizabeth hesitated, but Madeline’s downcast expression weakened her reserve. Besides, James had told her she was free to explore the entire house. Maybe she could just open the door a crack and peek inside. It seemed harmless enough. Besides, it would make Madeline happy.

“Well, just quickly, then.”

A quick smile replaced the little girl’s frown, and then Elizabeth was staring at the most beautiful room she’d ever seen. “Daddy built this for Mummy.”

A weak winter sun filtered in through floor to ceiling windows, so high and wide, there didn’t seem to be a wall at all. Beyond, the ocean stretched endlessly into the horizon. She saw every frothy white peak, every swell and dip of the sea. The stretch of pale sand contoured the road, then disappeared behind the craggy side of the mountain, where houses were partly hidden between a canopy of greens.

The view was magnificent, but the room was breathtaking. A glorious grand piano was situated on a small stage at one end of the room. Its ebony paint shone with glints of sunlight that drifted in from the windows. A huge chandelier of cascading crystals hung over the piano. Even without the globes lit, light glinted in rainbow hued colour, cascading about the room like fairy lights.

The rest of the room was furnished with luxury couches that framed an extra large coffee table. Exquisite lamps were placed on side tables, and accessories dotted the surfaces on wall tables and matching cabinets.

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