Terms of Service (7 page)

Her face relaxed as she tried grinned.  “You were worried?  Is that what this is all about?”  She sat down on the stairs and sighed.  “I never meant for you to worry, Gavin.”  She lowered her head for a moment, preparing to make an admission of her own.  “I’ve never had anyone to report to, anyone to worry over me.  I didn’t think you would care.”  Then in a lower voice still, “Brett never did.”

Slowly, Gavin made his way over to where she sat and lowered himself to join her.  “You never told Brett where you were going?”  He found the idea incredulous.  It was not at all like his marriage had been; which was why it had been such a coup he had been able to keep all the massage classes a secret.

Sighing, she said, “He was never home.  I never had to tell him where I was and I never knew where he was.  He did his thing and I did everything else.”  Hannah turned to face him then, and the depth of sorrow in her eyes nearly broke his heart.  She was about to share more, revealing more truths about her life when the doorbell rang.

Instantly, Hannah hopped up and bit her lower lip as she answered the door.  Gavin was beginning to see a pattern here.  This was her “I-may-be-in-trouble look.”  Smirking he folded his arms over his chest. “Care to introduce me to your friend?”

“The name’s Joe, sir.  Yer lady friend hired me.  Said there was some work to be done and if the quote was fair and the work good, she’d give me plenty of it.”  He shook Gavin’s hand firmly.

Looking at Hannah with both brows arched, he said, “Hannah?”

“Well, Joe,” Hannah said with a nervous giggle, “you are certainly eager.”  She turned to Gavin briefly and offered a weak smile before giving her full attention once more to the handy man.  “What if I show you to the first room, briefly explain my vision, give you an opportunity to make an estimate, and I’ll let Mr. Meyers know what’s going on.”

Gavin stood there with a smile on his face, completely dumbfounded.  She seemed to have everything under control, which he had mixed feelings about.  Once rooted to the spot, he now decided to blend into the scenery and hide in his sanctuary.

Hannah caught him.  “I’ll be in to talk to you in the study in a few minutes, okay?”  Then she looped her arm through Joe’s and led him up the stairs, all the while explaining her ideas for the bedroom and the particular problems she saw with the room.

She was prattling on all the way up the stairs, and she had her arm through his.  For some reason, Gavin found it particularly disturbing.  He soon caught himself pacing
again
and sighed before dropping into his chair and trying to concentrate on some of the files he brought home for the weekend.  It was no use.  Instead, he would just massage his temples until Hannah came to speak with him.  This had better be good.

***

As she walked back up the stairs, Hannah had seen Gavin’s scowl.  He was moody.  It really surprised her because when they first met he had given her the impression of being so even- keeled, so reserved.  Ever since she had been here she had experienced more than a few instances where the many facets of his personality were displayed, and not always to his advantage.  Clearly, Gavin had issues.  Luckily, she had patience.  She could help him work through it.

“Well,” she began as she watched Joe make notes and pull out a calculator.  “Is it that bad?  And you should know I intend to do some of the work myself and work along side you as much as possible on the rest.  You have some very useful skills I would love to develop.”  She sighed.  “I mean, Mr. Meyers won’t always be there to foot the bill for me, you know?”

Joe nodded sympathetically.  “I’ll let you work with me, Miss Hannah.  I’ll teach you what I know.”  He turned his attention back to his notes and scribbled some more.  Then he plucked away at his calculator with a furrowed brow until he was somehow satisfied.  “How’s this look?”

Hannah swallowed, afraid of what she might have to ask Gavin for.  Slowly, she reached for the estimate.  Her eyes tracked down the page until she found the total.  She tried not to blink.

Having noticed, Joe cleared his throat.  “That’s my estimate for the whole house,” he said quietly.  He tucked his head a little, shyly.  “Just so’s you know.”

Suddenly, it didn’t look so bad.  Hannah tugged at her chin, careful not to give too much away.  “I think we can work with that.”  She did a mental tally of how much she would be spending on linens and nodded confidently.  “So, when can you start?”

“Well, ma’am,” he said smiling.  “I see you have everything we need to patch these walls.  And I happen to have the rest of the afternoon free.  We’ll have this room in shape in no time.”

A smile spread across Hannah’s face.  She was going to like working with Joe.  He was a simple southern guy, very genuine.  “Just let me go talk to Ga…Mr. Meyers and I’ll be back and ready to work.”

With a very light heart, she sauntered down the stairs, estimate in hand, ready to argue her case with the almighty Gavin if need be.  True, she had little experience in these matters, but if this were one of her renovating shows on television, her estimate would have been considered a steal.

Pausing outside the door, Hannah watched as Gavin rubbed at his temples.  She bit her lip.  What was troubling him so?  Was she really having that adverse an effect on him?  Walking in slowly, she stopped when she reached his desk.  His eyes were still closed, so she murmured his name ever so quietly, “Gavin?”

Instantly his eyes shot open and the sour look she was quickly becoming accustomed to darkened his face.  Now she only had to decipher the reason for it as she had last time.

“So, you seem to have some explaining to do.  First you disappear, then when you finally return you bring a strange man into my home and lead him up the stairs to your bedroom.”  He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at her severely.

Quite unaccustomed to being chastised, Hannah had no idea how to respond.  Brett had never cared enough to comment on anything she did, not that she ever did anything to cause him worry.  “Now you know full well he’s here to give me an estimate for work on the house.”  She matched him frown for frown.  He was clearly startled.  “And further more…”  His eyebrows arched in surprise as she spoke those words.  “…you told me I would have to have the room repaired, correct?”

He knew he was forced to agree and it was like swallowing a bitter pill.  “Yes,” he conceded.

“I am doing my best to accomplish as much as possible in a short period of time.”  She sighed, feeling the need to explain.  She glanced around and moved to sink into the nearby leather chair.

Gavin sat up straighter when she sat. He leaned over the desk and stared at her.  At least he was ready to listen.

Hannah couldn’t meet his eyes.  “I don’t know how to explain this to you other than to just come right out and say it.”  She pursed her lips and frowned, mulling for a moment how to share her feelings.  “We’ve gone through a lot of upheaval in our lives lately.  It wasn’t so long ago that I had nothing, literally.  Brett took it all, tangible and intangible.  There was no furniture, food, money, dignity, or confidence.”  Her eyes welled up at the memories.

“I can’t survive without order.  You must have sensed that on some level?”  She stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to acknowledge the truth of that statement.

He nodded slowly.  “I have noticed that about you.”  

Sighing, she continued.  “That room has to be repaired.  It has to be painted.  The curtains and flooring have to be installed before I will feel an ounce of security, before I will feel comfortable,” she swallowed, “before I can rest.”  She offered him one final plea.  “I don’t require luxurious or pricey, but I would very much like some peace of mind.”  By the time she finished speaking, she was shaking slightly.  

“Then what are you waiting for?”  He stood, walked around the desk and stopped directly in front of her.  Slowly, he offered her his hand, as though he feared rejection.

She looked at it a moment before grasping it tightly in hers.  The touch spread warmth throughout her being and she stifled a blissful sigh.  Without another word, he helped her from the chair and dragged her up the stairs to get to work.  It was just as well he couldn’t see her, since Hannah was biting back tears of joy.

Chapter Six

The afternoon had passed in a blur.  As Hannah occupied herself with sanding, Gavin pulled Joe aside.  He had stood frozen outside the bedroom door, watching them work until he gained Joe’s attention.  Immediately he gestured for the handy man to meet him in the hall.

“What’s it going to take to get some carpet installed while she’s at work tomorrow?” he asked conspiratorially.

Joe scratched at the stubble on his chin.  “What kind you have in mind?”

Gavin studied Hannah.  She needed a room built for comfort, but she deserved to be pampered as well.  “Some kind of neutral new shag I think.  Something she can sink her cute little toes into at the end of the day.”  He realized he seemed all too familiar with his employee and grew serious.  “So, is it possible?”

Joe valiantly fought a grin and nodded.  “I know just the thing.  I’ll have it done by lunch.”

“Really?”  That made the wheels begin to spin in his mind as he imagined what else might be accomplished.  “So, what are the chances that it could be painted for her as well?”

Joe shook his head and beamed.  “Well, I don’t want you to think I’m trying to jack up the price, but I’ll need help and it’ll cost you.”  Gavin nodded in understanding.  “So, is she worth it?”  Joe asked, already sensing the answer.

Hannah had worked her way around the room by this time and was working on the wall closest to the doorway.  Given that they had completed the secretive portion of the discussion, Gavin didn’t mind having her close in on them.  And he was relatively certain that she hadn’t heard what Joe had just said.

Still he colored slightly at the tips of his ears before answering.  Gavin said with a smile, “I’ll have Madge write you a check.”

“Madge?”  Joe and Hannah asked in unison.

Gavin stiffened.  Maybe she had been paying more attention than he imagined.  Glancing at Hannah, he responded.  “Madge is the housekeeper.  Generally, she only works during the week, but she was here for a few hours yesterday morning so she could get a few things in order,” he commented vaguely.  Feeling he had answered quite enough questions for one day, not to mention suffering from his proximity to his former bedroom, he turned abruptly and stalked away.

***

Dinner was a quiet, strained affair that occurred around six o’clock in the evening.  Hannah had cooked a meal of marinated grilled chicken breasts, baked potatoes, and sautéed green beans.  Gavin was seated opposite her at the dining room table, leaving her so unhinged she was barely able to do more than push her food around the plate.  Much of the meal was spent coaching the girls on their table manners, not because they were behaving so atrociously, but because she knew Gavin was certainly not used to sharing a meal with children to begin with and any infraction would be a terrible affront.

At last, the girls were excused to change for their baths, which their mother would be giving them once she loaded the dishwasher.  Silently, she cleared their plates, rinsed and loaded the dishes, wiped the counters and table, then made her way to the stairs.  

***

The entire time she puttered around, Gavin had watched her, noting how every once in a while, a section of hair would fall forward, threatening to cover her expressive eyes.  Inwardly, he would fight the urge to reach out and push it back.  He was desperate to see how she was feeling, know what she was thinking, and since she wasn’t revealing anything in her speech, he was reliant upon what he considered to be one of her best features.

The longer he studied her, the more he wondered why she was so uncomfortable.  She had seemed fine all afternoon, working until just before she began the meal prep.  She had been very friendly and more than a little tired when she found him playing at work in the study to share her day’s accomplishments.  Then he had peeked in on her as she prepared the meal.  She was singing and dancing to the radio as she worked, looking entirely too fetching and adorable.  He couldn’t take his eyes off her; she was so vibrant, positively radiant in her spackle spattered jeans and ripped t-shirt.

Finally, he had broken away when she turned quickly his direction.  He had whipped around the corner, flattened himself against the wall, and chided himself for behaving like some lovesick schoolboy.  He was a grown man.  He had goals.  She was one of them.  If she kept treating him as she had at dinner, his plan wouldn’t be so difficult to enact after all.  Yet instead of being thrilled at how she had withdrawn, Gavin found himself more than a little curious.

Slowly he mounted the stairs and headed down the hall.  He knew it was time to tuck in the kids.  He knew precisely where to find her.  As he neared the room, he could hear her reading to the girls.  The pilot had just met the little prince and was being ordered to draw a sheep.  Unable to remove himself from the doorway, he leaned against the frame, listening to the story and drawing parallels to his own life.

Hannah was rather regal and imperious.  She shared what she wanted, often answering questions with questions.  There was no doubt as to whom she so closely resembled.  What about him?  He felt like the pilot, lost in unfamiliar territory.  Sure, he had been there before, but it still seemed strange.  Like the pilot, he had given up his dream.  He didn’t want to take over the family business, it was expected.  He had other bigger dreams, dreams he only wished he had the courage to achieve.  He sighed.  She was done reading for tonight.  She looked so peaceful as she drew each girl close for a tender hug and kiss.  He couldn’t confront her now.  Later he would demand to know how he had earned her dismissive attitude.  Cautiously, so as not to disturb them, he returned to his study, his sanctuary.

***

Everywhere she turned, he was there.  Once again, Gavin had listened to her read to the girls, she was certain. He didn’t linger to chat, reinforcing her belief he didn’t want to be seen, so she had ignored him.  It was easy enough to do, despite his imposing exterior.  He seemed to take up the whole of a normal doorway; thankfully her bedroom doors were double.  Once the girls were settled and she was reasonably confident they would drift off easily to sleep, she grabbed the cordless phone from the kitchen and wandered out to the patio.

Just before the second ring, Amy picked up.  “Amy Pendergast here,” she said seriously.

“My, how professional,” Hannah teased.

“Oh, it’s you!”  Her friend exclaimed happily.  “It came up as a private number, so I wasn’t sure who to expect.”

“And I’m the last person you would think to call during the week now, right?”  Hannah asked with a sigh.  It had been such a long weekend.  In her life, she always considered Sunday evening a school night.

“Well, yes, actually,” Amy admitted.  “So, how are things?”

Hannah could tell she was waiting as patiently as she could manage for some good dirt.  Amy was still concerned over her mystery man.  “Well, he’s here,” she began quietly.

“Of course he’s there, he lives there!”  Amy gave an exasperated sigh.  “Why does this surprise you?”

“I don’t know.  He’s really important, runs the family business, and makes a lot of money.  I would expect him to be at the office… a lot.”

There was a pause.  “Is that what you found so engaging about this man?”  Amy asked.  “Did you expect things to be as they were with Brett, because as I recall, things didn’t go so well there,” she reminded her gently.  “Change is good, Hannah.  Embrace it.”

Sighing some more, she began quietly, “I just don’t know how to be.  I don’t know what to do with him around.  Even though I may joke about the contract being our terms of service, I don’t know what’s expected of me.  I mean, I know it’s not a relationship, so I don’t have to entertain him or anything.  Ugh.”  She felt incapable of explaining.

“He’ll let you know what he wants.  He’ll share with you his expectations.  It’s not as though this guy is setting you up for failure, right?”  Her voice gained a measure of confidence as she continued.  “I mean, he sought you out, hired an investigator, drew up a contract that seems mutually beneficial, which says something given the expert review I gave it.”  She laughed some.  “So relax.  It will all work out in the end.”

Biting her lip, Hannah knew Amy was right.  She just had to relax.  Inhaling deeply, she walked back into the kitchen and searched the cupboards for the perfect mug and her favorite evening tea.  Once the steamy sweet mug was prepared, she headed back out onto the patio.  She could see the moon shimmering off the waves on the lake.  Something about the clear warm evening was tugging at her to walk down to the shore.  That was precisely what she was contemplating when Gavin found her.

***

He had read the last paragraph no fewer than three times and he still had no idea what it said.  With a threatening growl, he rose from his chair and stalked from the room.  Where was she?  Why had she not come to see him?  The house was quiet.  He was used to the quiet, but somehow, he expected more noise, to feel more life in the house.  It was utterly unsettling.

When he reached the French doors from the kitchen to the patio, he found her sitting there, her legs curled up under her as she sipped from a steaming mug.

“What are you doing?”  He snapped disturbed to be so aware of her.

Lazily turning toward his voice, Hannah found him staring at her coldly.  She took another sip of tea, her eyes never leaving his as she prepared to respond.  “It’s called relaxing,” she said seriously.  “You should try it some time.”  Her gaze returned to the lake and the brief expanse of yard between the fenced stone pool area and the water.

For the first time in a long time, Gavin had no idea how to react.  Everyone else in his employ would have snapped to attention in his presence, yet here she was sharing his home, his table.  He could feel his body growing warmer at the realization of her nearness.

Feeling the pressure of his constant gaze, she stood and stretched lazily to hide her nervousness, and noted the rapid beat of her heart.  “I’m going to walk down to the water,” she announced.

His jaw tightened.  “You can’t go wandering around at night.”

She arched an eyebrow at him defiantly.

“It’s just not safe,” he continued.

“We’re a good distance from our nearest neighbors and even farther from everything else.  What could be safer?”  Her free hand was on her hip.

He decided to try a new approach.  “The girls…”

“…sleep through the night,” she countered, completing his next complaint.  “I’m not going to be gone for long.”  She sighed.

He opened his mouth to further protest, but discovered he had used up all his arguments.  He just stood there and scowled.

“For the love of God,” she moaned, “just come with me then.”

He stiffened as though the thought had never crossed his mind, as though he hadn’t been trying to find a way to throw them together, as if he hadn’t been wondering what it would take to get to spend some more time in her presence.  The nights, he had discovered after only one night, were going to be the hardest.  All night he had lain in bed, concentrating on the ceiling, wishing for one moment he had x-ray vision and could watch her in the room above him.  It hadn’t happened, of course.  In fact, all that had happened was he fell asleep early in the morning, slept late, and missed seeing her until she returned from Lowe’s.  He sighed.  She was consuming far too much of his time, and even more of his thoughts.  So, despite his better judgment, he fell in step beside her and meandered down the cobbled path to the lake.

Inhaling deeply, Hannah soaked in the fresh cool spring air.  “Do you smell that?”

Preparing for the worst, he scrunched up his face and inhaled hesitantly.  “I don’t smell anything.”  He sniffed a few more times, trying to figure out what she was referring to.

Hannah giggled.  “Stop,” she said with a smile.  “I wanted you to smell spring.”  He looked completely puzzled, judging from the way his head cocked to the side.  “Close your eyes,” she urged.  He took a step back.  She shook her head and laughed some more.

He found the sound of her laughter to be therapeutic and intoxicating.  She was so free with her emotions in a way he never was.  She could transition from them so quickly and embrace them.  She was so unlike him.  She never seemed afraid of being silly or making a complete and utter fool of herself.  It was endearing, really.  Naturally, the same couldn’t be said for himself.  The moment she asked him to close his eyes, he worried about what she was asking of him, worried she’d ridicule him, even though they were alone.  Still he hesitated.

“Nope,” Hannah took a step closer, slowly, as though he were a wild beast to be tamed.  “It won’t hurt.  I promise.”

If Gavin had felt slightly concerned and foolish before, being handled with kid gloves completely irked him.  He bristled.  “I’m not…afraid.”

She smirked.  “I never would suggest it.”  Yet her tone was completely mocking.  She took another step closer.  She was so close he could feel the heat of her body radiating towards him.  It left him feeling…hell, what did naming the feeling matter?  How long had it been since he had felt at all?  “Just trust me, Gavin,” she murmured.

He swallowed.  He wanted to trust her.  It went against everything he intended, but something in him wanted to bend to her, just a little.