Page 13 of The Billionaire and His Driver
That was why he took a peep at her on that rare occasion she wasn’t peeping at him. Could she really be different than all the others? Or was this an act, too, but on a more sophisticated scale? Did she find out who he was and decided to take advantage of that knowledge by finding employment in his household? Other women had done worse than that to get next to him. Could she be in that category?
He didn’t know. But what he did know he didn’t like. Because what he knew was that every single time he laid eyes on her, even seven months ago and again this morning, his heart squeezed in a way he didn’t understand. He felt something for her seven months ago during their brief encounter, and it stumped him even then. What he knew now was that he still wasfeeling that exact same thing. And it still mystified him just as powerfully.
CHAPTER TEN
When the car stopped in the circular driveway at Bradshaw Manor, Ronny hopped out before Brina could get out and open the door for him, and he made his way inside. Brina, certain she was done for, got out and made her way to the side entrance that was one of the servants’ entrances. She went inside defeated. She was glad that nobody was in the staff room except Elvira.
Elvira was seated at the table going over the housekeeping budget for the week. “How did it go?” she asked without looking up.
“Terrible.” Brina plopped down at the table.
“Everything’s terrible to you. I told you about your tendency toward exaggeration.”
“I’m not exaggerating, Mrs. D. I think he’s going to fire me.”
Elvira looked up. That got her attention. “What happened?”
Brina had a stricken look in her big, brownish-green eyes. “He didn’t like that I was wearing a man’s uniform and wanted me to go to one those shops at his country club and buy some clothes.”
“Buy clothes?With what?Air?”
“He offered me several hundred dollars,” Brina said.
Elvira stared at the younger woman. She was unusual in how high her ethical standards were. That was what endeared her to Elvira. “You’re still wearing Jockey’s uniform so I’m to assume you didn’t accept the money?”
“That’s right.”
Elvira frowned. “But why, Brina?”
“You should have seen the way he shoved that money in my face like I was a dog or a beggar who wanted a handout from him. I’ve never begged anybody for anything in my life, Mrs. D, and I’m not about to start now. And with a man like him?”
“What do you mean a man like him?”
“A man who fires people like their livelihood is a game to him. I’ve heard horror stories about him.”
“Do you believe everything you hear?”
“No ma’am, but--”
“But nothing! You don’t even know him, so don’t tell me what you’ve heard. Tell me what you know. Base your experience of him on your experience and nobody else’s. You hear me?”
Brina was a little surprised that her supervisor would defend him so forcefully. But then again, she’d known him since she was a teenager and he was a baby. “Yes ma’am.”
“Besides,” Elvira added as she returned to reviewing her budget outline, “if he wanted to fire you, you’d be fired already. How did it go upstairs? Did he say anything about it to you?”
Brina was puzzled. “Upstairs?”
Elvira looked at her again. “Yes upstairs. You did prepare his bath, right?”
“Prepare his bath? I’m supposed to do that?”
“Yes, you’re supposed to do it! Every time he returns from a trip, Jockey runs his bath and takes care of whatever he needs. That’s part of being his driver. Don’t tell me you didn’t even run his bath, Brina?”
“You didn’t tell me to do that.”
“You know Jockey’s duties. Who else was going to do it? Get upstairs and do it now!”
Brina jumped up from the table and was about to hurry out of the room, but she stopped and looked at her boss. Onlythe most senior staff cleaned the areas Mr. Bradshaw frequented in the manor. “Where upstairs?” she asked her.
