Page 29 of Hearts Aweigh
Was this woman one of those? Or was she an ill-advised distraction he’d do best to dismiss?
Mr. Masterson’s body in no way touched her own, yet Abby experienced the same tingle as her first slow dance with a boy in high school. When her new employer stood this close, she caught again the tiniest hint of his cologne. Not overpowering, it teased her senses and begged her to lean closer for a good sniff.
Ding!
Abby skittered to the side as the elevator arrived. She and Madeleine entered the car, followed by Spencer. The doors closed, and he pressed the button for the suite’s floor.
Abby lowered herself to the little girl’s level. “What didn’t you like about the food, sweetie?”
Madeleine whispered in her ear. Spencer eyed the communication jealously. Abby grinned as she stood.
“Well?” he asked. “What was it?”
“The steak was too rare.”
“What?”
She placed a soft hand on the girl’s head. “As Maddie put it, she doesn’t like food that’s bleeding.”
“Oh.” His bewildered expression shaved a degree of snootiness off his demeanor. He looked at his daughter. “I’m … I’m sorry the food was bleeding. We’ll order whatever you like when we get to the room.”
The elevator door opened, and they walked down the hallway to his apartment. Spencer waved his key card in front of the automatic lock and entered the Imperial Suite. Abby and Maddie followed him.
A large sitting area with pristine white couches and chairs flowed into a dining room with a full-length glass table. At the end sat a compact kitchen with marble countertops and an island. A staircase to the left led up to what Abby assumed was the bedrooms, with a balcony that overlooked the room below.
I wonder where the butler sleeps.
Spencer pointed to a phone on the end table. “Could you please find out what Madeleine prefers to eat and order room service? And feel free to choose something for yourself. Alfredo, perhaps?”
Abby stared. Was he making a joke? It would be totally out of character.
He removed his suit jacket and tossed it on a nearby chair, rolled his sleeves to the elbow, and picked up a pile of documents from the dining room table. “I’ll get some work done while you take care of supper.” He made his way to the office and shut the door behind him.
Abby looked at Madeleine. “Hungry?”
“Yes, ma’am.” She nodded at hyperspeed. “I’m super hungry.”
“So am I.” Abby grabbed the phone. “Your daddy wants you to eat healthy. We need to make sure you get enough fruit in your diet. How do you feel about pizza?”
“I love it!” Maddie’s forehead crinkled. “Is pizza a fruit?”
“Not exactly.” Abby waggled her eyebrows. “But there’s a certain fruit that tastes really good on it. Do you like pineapple?”
“I think so.”
“Yay! My last roommate hated the stuff on pizza, so I never ordered it when we shared. I’m so glad you like it too.”
Maddie positively glowed at the affirmation.
They spent the next two hours stuffing themselves with Hawaiian pizza, playing tag barefoot around the swanky living room, and watching cartoons on the giant flat-screen TV. When Mr. Masterson finally exited his office with a file folder in hand, Abby slipped her dress shoes back on and met him at the dining room table.
“We saved you some food.”
He looked at the dishes with a frown. “Pizza? Weren’t there any healthier options?”
“I thought it was better to offer Maddie something tempting to erase the memory of that rare steak.”
Spencer rubbed the back of his neck. “I should have realized she wouldn’t enjoy that type of food. Because of me she was unhappy.”
