Page 13 of Shape Of My Heart
“Hi, I’m Amy. I was just…” What should she say she wasdoing?
“Mom, she works for Joshua Mancini!” Riley filled in with vibrantexcitement.
“Really?” the ladies both said with equalenthusiasm.
“I’m temporary. Very temporary, as in I’m…” She wanted to maintain that neutral balance, but saying anything else would throw her off the path. And Riley wasthere.
“Riley babe, why don’t you go play some ball with Santos.” It was like she could sense Amy’sdistress.
Riley happilyrushedaway.
Once he’d moved a safe distance, his mother returned her gaze to Amy and smiled. “Let me guess, did he hitonyou?”
Amy smiled, glad that she didn’t have to continue with the façade. “Not entirely. You wouldn’t believe if I told you what I’ve been through in the last one-and-a-halfdays.”
They both started laughing. “Sit.” She pointed to the empty seat opposite her. “I’m Gabriella and this isHilda.”
Hilda did a neat bow of her dark head as she was introduced. Amy sat and smiled atthemboth.
“So, what are you? You don’t look like a maid,” Gabriellaasked.
“I’m supposed to behisPA.”
“Well welcome to Cyranose. This is where the help and the non-stuffy PAs hang out and bitch about their employers.” They bothgiggled.
Amy liked the sound of that, because she was definitely needing to bitchrightnow.
“You look like you’re about to blow up,” Hilda offered. “This is a safe place where you can say anything and it stays here. Like Vegas. What happens here really does stay here. So, don’t worry about anyonefindingout.”
“That’s good to know. For what little time I hope tobehere.”
“Was itthatbad?”
“This morning, just as the Mancini Machine was throwing me out of his house, a supersized rat ran over my foot and Ifainted.”
They both burst outlaughing.
“A rat?” Gabriellaasked.
Amy nodded. “Ihaterats.”
“We don’t have rats, but there’s secrets and all sorts that I have to balance. I’m the head maid at the Hamptons, and I’m grateful for every day I survive in thatplace.”
“I’m trying to secure a modeling contract. Until then I’m a maid, too, who’s looking for work,” Hilda added with a sigh. “My employer’shusbanddied.”
“Didn’t she stillneedyou?”
“Nope, she became aheand ran off with the next door neighbor’sdaughter.”
Amy widened hereyes. “What?”
Hilda smiled. “Oh yes,chica, there’s a lot of that that goesonhere.”
“That’s the mild stuff, too,” Gabriellacutin.
“Mild?” Amy raised herbrows.
They both nodded and exchanged conspiratorysmiles.
