the building, along with the smell of damp, sour laundry from the first-floor laundry room.
When I reached their unit Ellie was standing in the doorway waiting for me. “Well, look who it is . . . the man, the legend, Mr. Ben Shaw.” She smiled sarcastically. “What brings you by?”
“I was hoping we could talk about a few things concerning Emmy.”
“Sure.” She waved me inside after her and closed the door. “You want anything to drink?”
“I’m fine, thank you.” We headed toward the one small sofa dominating their living room and sat down.
“So . . .” Ellie cocked her head, waiting for me to explain my presence here.
“I’d like Emmy to move in with me. I know she’s worried about finding a job and paying rent here. She could work for me and live with me to take care of both problems.”
“That’s a bit sudden, don’t you think?”
I shrugged. “Not when I know we belong together. I don’t take this lightly. I’ve never lived with a woman; I’ve never even considered it. Emmy has challenged everything I thought I knew about relationships. I want this. And it has nothing to do with her being late on her rent, either.”
Ellie’s expression softened. “Why are you telling this to me and not her?”
“Because I know her and how determined she is to make her own way. She might require some convincing, a gentle nudge in the right direction.”
“You want me to help you convince Emmy to move in with you and what, be your personal sex slave?” She raised her brows, taunting me. “Sounds like a demanding position.”
“No. I’d like her to be my assistant. And yes, when I talk to her about all this I assume she’ll ask your opinion. I was hoping you’d see things my way.”
Ellie looked skeptical.
“I’ve also taken the liberty of hiring a roommate-finding service for you. They advertise the room opening, interview applicants for you, and complete background checks on potential tenants. You would have your rent covered here.”
Her eyes lit up and locked on mine. I could tell I’d just hit on a key point. I’d known that Ellie was working overtime to cover both shares of their rent. And now that I was paying attention, I noticed her skin was pale and dark circles underscored her eyes. She looked worn out.
“If she brings it up to me, I’ll talk to her. But I’m not going to convince her to do something she doesn’t want to do.”
I nodded. “Okay. I understand.” I wasn’t going to force Emmy into this arrangement, either. But if she worked for me, she’d be free to join me in Fiji and any other place I was working. I needed her with me. Plain and simple. And Emmy had immensely enjoyed her travels in Paris and Milan. This would be a chance for her to see the world.
I rose to leave, wanting to be gone by the time Emmy arrived home. “Thanks, Ells.”
“Ells. I like that.” She patted the top of my head like a dog. “Maybe you’re not such a bad guy after all.”
I chuckled as I exited the apartment. Maybe one day I’d win her over.
Emmy
I was exhausted when I arrived home. I wanted out of the dress clothes and to slip into a warm bath. I’d fought the cold winter air blasting through New York and the subway system all for nothing. The seminar I’d attended was a complete waste of time. More than fifty of us sat in the audience, eager for practical advice and actual job leads while an ancient librarian talked about proper formatting of a résumé and how to use computers to apply for jobs online. I was a little more advanced than step-by-step instructions for attaching my résumé to an email.
Ellie was all smiles when I found her in the living room. “How’d it go?”
“Exhausting. I’m going to take a bath.”
“Did you hear from Ben today?”
“No. Why?”
She shook her head. “No reason.”
That was strange. I shrugged it off and headed into the bathroom to fill the tub. I considered pouring myself a glass of wine and bringing it into the
When I reached their unit Ellie was standing in the doorway waiting for me. “Well, look who it is . . . the man, the legend, Mr. Ben Shaw.” She smiled sarcastically. “What brings you by?”
“I was hoping we could talk about a few things concerning Emmy.”
“Sure.” She waved me inside after her and closed the door. “You want anything to drink?”
“I’m fine, thank you.” We headed toward the one small sofa dominating their living room and sat down.
“So . . .” Ellie cocked her head, waiting for me to explain my presence here.
“I’d like Emmy to move in with me. I know she’s worried about finding a job and paying rent here. She could work for me and live with me to take care of both problems.”
“That’s a bit sudden, don’t you think?”
I shrugged. “Not when I know we belong together. I don’t take this lightly. I’ve never lived with a woman; I’ve never even considered it. Emmy has challenged everything I thought I knew about relationships. I want this. And it has nothing to do with her being late on her rent, either.”
Ellie’s expression softened. “Why are you telling this to me and not her?”
“Because I know her and how determined she is to make her own way. She might require some convincing, a gentle nudge in the right direction.”
“You want me to help you convince Emmy to move in with you and what, be your personal sex slave?” She raised her brows, taunting me. “Sounds like a demanding position.”
“No. I’d like her to be my assistant. And yes, when I talk to her about all this I assume she’ll ask your opinion. I was hoping you’d see things my way.”
Ellie looked skeptical.
“I’ve also taken the liberty of hiring a roommate-finding service for you. They advertise the room opening, interview applicants for you, and complete background checks on potential tenants. You would have your rent covered here.”
Her eyes lit up and locked on mine. I could tell I’d just hit on a key point. I’d known that Ellie was working overtime to cover both shares of their rent. And now that I was paying attention, I noticed her skin was pale and dark circles underscored her eyes. She looked worn out.
“If she brings it up to me, I’ll talk to her. But I’m not going to convince her to do something she doesn’t want to do.”
I nodded. “Okay. I understand.” I wasn’t going to force Emmy into this arrangement, either. But if she worked for me, she’d be free to join me in Fiji and any other place I was working. I needed her with me. Plain and simple. And Emmy had immensely enjoyed her travels in Paris and Milan. This would be a chance for her to see the world.
I rose to leave, wanting to be gone by the time Emmy arrived home. “Thanks, Ells.”
“Ells. I like that.” She patted the top of my head like a dog. “Maybe you’re not such a bad guy after all.”
I chuckled as I exited the apartment. Maybe one day I’d win her over.
Emmy
I was exhausted when I arrived home. I wanted out of the dress clothes and to slip into a warm bath. I’d fought the cold winter air blasting through New York and the subway system all for nothing. The seminar I’d attended was a complete waste of time. More than fifty of us sat in the audience, eager for practical advice and actual job leads while an ancient librarian talked about proper formatting of a résumé and how to use computers to apply for jobs online. I was a little more advanced than step-by-step instructions for attaching my résumé to an email.
Ellie was all smiles when I found her in the living room. “How’d it go?”
“Exhausting. I’m going to take a bath.”
“Did you hear from Ben today?”
“No. Why?”
She shook her head. “No reason.”
That was strange. I shrugged it off and headed into the bathroom to fill the tub. I considered pouring myself a glass of wine and bringing it into the
Similar Books
