Page 25 of Play of Love
“Yes, you do. You can resist all you want, but you know you want to play football again. And without me that’s not going to happen. So yes, you will tell the skanks to take a hike. I’m getting a maid to sort out the house. They’ll be here the same hours as me and you won’t trash the place in the evenings. You are also to be up by eight every morning in preparation for breakfast and your morning walk.”
“What am I? A dog?”
“If that is what you want to be, then by all means you be that. Just be up and ready for me.”
“Well look who grew a pair.” He glared at me.
“Yes. About damn time too.”
He sighed with frustration and stormed out.
Good, it worked.
This was the way to deal with him. A bubble of hope lifted within me, accompanied by relief. I really might just be able to pull this off.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Hilda’s number straightaway, hoping she was still looking for a job.
* * *
“Is he usually this grumpy?” Hilda asked as she came into the office. She giggled and her ponytail bounced as she hopped on the edge of the desk.
“Grumpy for him is a good day,” I replied. It was time to take a little break. I’d been going through emails all morning and my eyes were starting to hurt. We’d have lunch soon and planned to walk along the beach to relax.
“I don’t know how you manage to keep such a straight face, the man is gorgeous. Like super gorgeous, and his eyes are like wow.”
“To be honest, he could look like a badger’s ass for all I care.”
Hilda started to laugh.
“What? It’s true.” I laughed too. I supposed it did sound funny. “When you get to know him you’ll see what I mean.” Gorgeous though he may be, Joshua Mancini was the vilest man I had ever met in my life.
“Thank you so much for getting me this job.” She nodded her appreciation.
“You’re welcome.” I smiled.
“Things were starting to get a little rough at home. As in I almost didn’t have one.”
That was sad to hear. I knew how that felt.
“I’m happy I was able to help.” I smiled. “I hope you asked for whatever salary you wanted.” I’d put her in touch with Zelda, who was ecstatic to hear that I wanted her to be Josh’s maid.
“I did, and then she gave me ten percent more than what I asked for. She said I’d have to put up with a lot and gave me this whole list of expectations.” Her eyes widened with a glint of wonder.
That was nice of Zelda. “It hasn’t been easy working here.” And I knew it was going to get harder still. How was I going to wake him up early and have him ready for this show? This week had just flown by. It was Friday tomorrow and I hadn’t exactly moved off square one.
“Is he really that bad?” Hilda lowered her voice.
“Yes.” I nodded.
“It’s sad about his family, though, huhchica?”
I looked at her and instantly felt bad. When I’d first gotten here, I thought of being sensitive and understanding because of what had happened to Josh’s family. After meeting him that all went out the window. I supposed the craziness was the effects of how it all affected him. The drinking and the attitude. I couldn’t comment on the women, but maybe that too. I wouldn’t kid myself into thinking that he was a nice guy, because he wasn’t. But, perhaps I needed to be more mindful.
Didn’t mean I was going to go soft. I had a mission to fulfill and I needed that tough-love approach.
“It’s sad, but you just have to be careful around him.”
“Okay. Should we do lunch? I did a quick scan of the place and it looks like I have my work cut out for me. Have you seen upstairs?”
