Secrets Of The Alpha: (BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (His Secrets Series Book 1) (5 page)

“I would love to, sir,” he said excitedly.

“Please, Vincent. I am not used to people calling me ‘sir,’” Vincent said as I cleared the table. “How long will it be, Winnie?” he asked as he looked at me.

“Twenty minutes,” I said.

“Maybe we could take a few minutes by the pool and have a breath of the cool evening air,” Vincent said standing up.

“Of course. I would love that, sir…Vincent,” Nathan said.

I almost laughed. He was having the same struggle I had the first time Vincent told me not to call him Mr. Muse.

“Sir Vincent? Did you just knight me, Mr. Hughes?” Vincent asked as they walked out.

I was humming a happy tune as I took the utensils out. This was the first time I had listened in on one of my employer’s intimate meetings. Every day I lived in the Muse mansion was one that I learnt something new about my boss. For starters, he was very down to earth, especially for a millionaire.

Secondly, he had a respect for people that most people in his class didn’t. In my experience, rich people had this mind set like they were above everyone else. They tended to look down at people of lower classes than them, particularly people who worked for them.

And thirdly, and most importantly, he was flawed like every other human being, but he accepted his flaw. The flaw he kept secret.

I set the table and then made my way back to the kitchen. I had just finished up everything when Vincent and Nathan made their way in. I could not help but notice the look Vincent’s eyes as the two walked to the dining room. I looked at him for a second, but not too long because I knew the effect he had on me. Every time he looked at me, my cheeks felt hot and my fingers seemed to be working against me. I was a klutz around him and I hated it. It was like every time he looked at me, his look triggered a part of me that I hated. A silly part of me. A part I wished to do away with.

I put on oven mittens and got the pot out of the oven. The food looked perfect.
But then again, everything I make usually does,
I thought proudly as I walked the wide dish to the dining room.

“Winnie, that smells divine,” Vincent said.

“Thank you, Vincent. I hope the look fits the taste,” I said as I stepped back. Vincent looked up at me.

“Look at you, being modest,” he said. I blushed. “She has been serving savory dishes ever since she got here. Were it not for the fact that working out is an important part of my daily regimen, I would be at risk of looking like King Kong in the next year.” I smiled.

“The biscuits and samosas you served today were great,” Nathan said. “Honestly, I haven’t had samosas that tasty ever since that Indian restaurant downtown went out of business,” he added.

“I like trying out new stuff. I’m just happy they work out,” I said.

“Speaking of new stuff, what am I looking at?” Vincent asked as he looked into the wide dish.

“Cartofi cu curnati. It’s a Romanian dish. Basically potatoes and sausage,” I said.

Vincent looked up at Nathan.  “See what I mean? Pretty soon, I might have to turn down the next magazine knocking on my door for a ‘Sexiest 40 under 40’ photo shoot,” Vincent said laughing.

“It’s a little high in carbs, but you need the energy. And the chicken is healthy and there are a whole lot of vegetables to balance out the carbs,” I said in my food’s defense. Vincent looked at me and shrugged.

“Guess you are right. But it will be a cold day in hell before I turn down one of your recipes, Winnie,” he said as he began serving.

I walked out of the dining room all smiles. I walked to my room and freshened up before I made my way back to the kitchen. I snacked on an apple and then walked to the dining room just as they were finishing up.

“Winnie, that was out of this world,” Nathan said when he saw me.

“Yes, Winnie. Your culinary trips around the world are the highlights of my day,” Vincent said as I cleared the table. I looked at him and smiled.

“It’s a pleasure, Vincent,” I said as I gathered the plates.

“Mr. Hughes, why don’t you join me in the den for drinks? I have a bottle of fifty-year old scotch I have been dying to open,” Vincent said pulling his chair back from the table. He looked up at me. “Winnie, would you like to join us?” His words caught me completely by surprise. I looked at him and shrugged.

“I’m not much of a scotch drinker, Vincent,” I said in a low voice.

“Well, you can have wine then. A friend in Napa Valley sent me one of his new Sauvignon Blanc. Maybe you can tell me what it’s like,” he said looking at me.

“But Vincent, I…” he didn’t want to hear anything I had to say. He shook his head.

“I will not take no for an answer, Winnie,” he said to me. The tone in his voice told me he meant business. I gave up and shrugged.

“I’ll be right there.” I looked at the table. “I just have to clear this out,” I added as I looked up.

“See you in the den,” Vincent said before he walked out with Nathan following closely.

I cleaned up as fast as I could and put a small serving of the food on a side plate. I knew more than anyone that drinking on an empty stomach was most definitely not a good idea. I then walked to the bathroom and rinsed out my mouth before I walked to the den just as Vincent was walking in holding a bottle of wine in one hand.

“Right on time. I had to go down to the cellar for this,” he said as he walked towards me.

He got a glass from a tray by the window and handed it to me before he opened the bottle. I looked up at him as he poured the rich wine into the glass. I was not much of a wine drinker, but the few times I’d had wine, I could not compare to the rich scent of the contents of my glass. I waited for Vincent to pour some scotch into two glasses and then hand one to Nathan. He then raised his glass at us and smiled before we all took a sip. I closed my eyes as I felt the wine going down my throat.

I most definitely have a favorite drink for when I finally get a raise,
I thought as I took another sip. Nathan and Vincent were deeply engaged in discussions on how they were going to make the next big thing. I took a seat near the window so I could enjoy the lavish lawn illuminated by the garden lights. I was still looking out when I heard Nathan call out my name. I turned to look at him.

“I’m sorry?” I said as I looked at him.

“I asked what you thought of this man here, Vincent,” Nathan said. I looked at Vincent and was suddenly dumbfounded. I had almost a million answers to that. “I mean as a producer?” Nathan said, narrowing down my answer.

“I have seen some of his work. He just might be the best producer there is,” I said as I looked at Vincent.

“That is what I thought when Nick told me I would be on team Muse. I must admit this is the best thing that has happened to me this year,” Nathan said excitedly. “I mean, how many times are you lucky enough to get a chance to work with his mentor?” Vincent raised an eyebrow over the other.

“Mentor? Is that what I am to you?” he asked. Nathan nodded.

“Oh yeah. I mean, some want to work with the Kardashians of this world but I have always taken a keen interest in animation.” He said. “I know this is a crazy question to a man of your status but I must ask, do you have any mentors?” Vincent rubbed one side of his temple as he smiled.

“Actually, yes. And, like you, I spent some time with him,” he said.

“Let me guess, Robert Zameckis, Ivan Reitman, Jerry Bruckheimer.” Nathan was throwing out more names than a baby name book.

“Close. Steven Spielberg,” Vincent said. I saw Nathan’s eyes grow wide. “And Aaron Spelling,” Vincent said again.

“I never thought there would come a time when I would have thought being in the presence of Vincent Muse wouldn’t be enough,” he said. Vincent shrugged.

“I guess everyone has the one thing that gets him all riled up,” he said as he looked at me. “Right, Winnie?” I looked at him and nodded.

Mine’s you, Vincent Muse. Just you”
I thought as I took another long sip of my wine.

“So, Vincent, I must ask and I apologize for getting so personal, but is there a special woman in your life?” Nathan suddenly asked.

I looked at him and then at Vincent.
Finally, something interesting.

Vincent smiled.

“Don’t the tabloids write enough about me on that topic?” he asked.

“Actually, if I should quote one of the tabloids, ‘Vincent Muse has managed to keep his private life extremely private’. I think a lot of people would love to know what you are keeping secret or who for that matter,” Nathan took a sip of his scotch and looked at Vincent.

“Well, they are right about one thing. I like keeping my private life private,” he said as he took a sip of his own drink. “But if you must know, there is nothing to keep secret. I am still a bachelor,” he added.

Nathan looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “I find that hard to believe.” Vincent laughed.

“You and the rest of Hollywood, I’m afraid,” he said.

I looked at him as I circled a finger on the rim of my glass. I couldn’t blame people thinking that he had someone hidden away somewhere. I mean, the man was a god.

“Too bad for the women in Hollywood, but great news for me,” Nathan pointed out excitedly.

“And why is that?” Vincent asked as he raised an eyebrow.

“The Hollywood business is a who-knows-who business and you are one of the most sought after acts in almost everything. Talk shows, radio segments, endorsements…maybe dangling a carrot for one of the ladies would go a long way,” Nathan explained. Vincent looked at me and then at him and smiled.

“I guess whatever it takes to get ahead in this business, huh?” he asked. Nathan shrugged and raised his glass.

“Mr. Muse, I know this is a little much, since we only met today, but I have noticed that you have a limp or…do you mind if I ask what happened?” His question got even me on edge. My mind flashed back to the first night at the Muse mansion. Flashes of Vincent writhing in pain covered in blood were flooding my mind. The blood on the floor….the broken glass…

“I had a minor accident a few weeks ago. I came rolling down the stairs and almost cracked my rib cage,” Vincent lied. The way he said it, so easily and so confidently made me almost believe him. I looked at him and then at Nathan. “I guess that is what you get when you don’t look where you are going,” Vincent added.

“You were coming down a flight of stairs without looking where you were going?” Nathan asked. I could tell from the tone in his voice that he didn’t believe a word Vincent said.

“This is what those funny videos on Twitter…what do you call them? The short ones…” Vincent started.

“Vines,” Nathan said.

“Yes, vines. They were the reason I came tumbling down. Someone thought it would be funny to get one of my characters in one of those vines. I guess I was too taken to notice that I was so close to the steps,” Vincent said before he poured more scotch in his glass.

“So, when will you regain full mobility?” Nathan asked.

“I would give it a month before I can fully go back to normal,” Vincent said with a smile.

“Really? That soon?” Nathan asked, his eyes wide. Vincent nodded.

“I guess the fact that I work from home cuts my recovery time in half,” he said quickly. “At least my doctor agrees with that.” He looked at Nathan’s almost empty glass. “More scotch?” he asked. Nathan shook his head.

“Oh, no. Anymore and I will have to spend the night. That scotch is too rich for me,” he said with a smile. “Besides, I should be on my way.”