Page 37 of The Butler

I moved his hand from my chin. “No. You’re right,” I said. “I can’t accept that large of a tip though, sir.”

“So we’re back to sir again?”

“I’d like to finish out the next three days as your butler only, sir.”Smooth, Dek.Do what you always do when you’re afraid. Run, you fucking baby!

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible, Deklyn,” he stated. Any warmth that had been present on his face had evaporated. The man now standing in front of me was Lincoln Carrington, billionaire CEO, man about town, have-whatever-or-whoever-you-want steeliness. He turned and walked toward the sofa, a safe distance away. “I will no longer require your services. I will notify Starr to absorb you into the interior crew until we get back to Cabo.”

“Very well, sir.” I turned and walked to the door. Part of me knew if I walked out of the cabin that I would never see him again, but the winner in my internal battle was the fear manager in my brain. I had a fantastically talented fear manager. Myself. He was so very good at running away and here we went again.

* * *

“What happened, Dek?” Starr asked. We were in her cabin and I was a mess. “First he tells me you’re the best butler he’s ever employed and then suddenly he wants you working the interior?”

“I guess I did something wrong,” I said, staring at my hands that were folded in my lap.

“Bullshit!” she hissed. “Do not lie to me any longer, Dek.”

“I’m not,” I lied again.

“You basically go MIA for ten days in his cabin, and then suddenly you’re out as his butler?” I hated to lie to a friend that had been there for me. “I recognize bullshit when I hear it. And this story is reeking of it big time.”

“Let it alone, Starr,” I begged. “I need the remaining gig and then I’m out of your hair.”

“Fuck that! I don’t believe you, Dek,” she said. Starr stood and stared at me while I sat on her bed. She pointed at me and then crossed her arms again. “Wrong!” she added before pacing back and forth. “I asked him if you needed to be let go, but he advised me yet again that your work ethic is excellent. So, yeah, bullshit, Dek!”

“I think he’s depressed, Starr. The whole breakup thing perhaps,” I said, grasping at any cover I could find. “Let it go. He’s just sad and wants to be alone.”

“Why haven’t you exited his cabin at night for the last several days?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

“What?”Uh-oh.

“I watched the security footage, Dek. It’s my job to review the hallway camera footage as I check on my interior crew.”

“You spied on us?” I asked.

“Us?” she asked.

“I mean Mr. C.,” I blathered trying to cover the slip up.

She flung her arms to her side and stomped a foot on the floor. “You two were fucking. I knew it.”

I could have kept lying but Starr was a friend, and I needed her help with this. I tapped the edge of the bed and gestured for her to sit near me. “It’s over,” I whispered as a well of tears overflowed. Starr’s face went from anger to compassion as she realized I was hurting. “I made a mistake, Starr. A very big mistake.”

“Fuck, Dek,” she said, sighing as the realization of it all hit her. She sat beside me and held my hand. “How did this even happen? Who started it?”

“It just happened after we both agreed to an arrangement of sorts. It was mutual,” I stated. She handed me a Kleenex from her pocket, and I blew my nose. “I got angry because he tipped me twenty grand in my paycheck.”

“Let me guess. You felt like a hooker, didn’t you?” I nodded and felt another surge of tears threatening to fall. “Come here, boo.” Starr pulled me into her arms and let me cry. “Did you fall in love?”

“Yes,” I sputtered, tears and snot joining together on my upper lip.

“Wow, kid. You really went the extra mile this time, didn’t you?”

“It was the professor all over again, Starr. I keep making bad decisions, but I’m also so tired of fucking around with men that offer no future.”

“I have more bad news, Dek,” she said.

I rolled my eyes and lifted my shoulders as if to saygo ahead, pile it on.

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