A Rocky Path (2 page)

“Emily, if you ever want to see some of the
old things that came with the house, please feel free to explore.
There’s a room in the basement just for storage, and all those
things are in there,” Rebecca said.

“Thanks. I may take a look. I think it would
be fun to see all those things that are from a different era.”

The time passed very pleasantly, and when
dinner was over, Emily was aware that she had eaten more than was
usual for her.

“I’m afraid I overdid it with the food
tonight. I’m not used to such wonderful food. Sally, you’re going
to make me fat!” said Emily.

“Thank you, miss. And I doubt that you’re
going to get fat with all that exercise equipment downstairs.”

“I’ll certainly need to exercise every day if
you keep feeding me like this. Thank you so much for the wonderful
meal.”

Rebecca said, “Yes, thank you, Sally. You
have really outdone yourself tonight. Everything was excellent. Now
if everyone will excuse us, I need to go over some things with
Emily.”

Rebecca led Emily up the stairs to the third
floor. They were followed by the two dogs. Emily reached down and
gave each of them a pat.

‘It’s a good thing I’m in shape,’ thought
Emily. ‘All these stairs!’

They walked into a large office. Rebecca
familiarized Emily with everything in the office and showed her
where her desk was. It already had a laptop computer as well as
everything one would need to be a writer’s assistant….or anything
else. She wasn’t going to have to go out and buy one thing, not
even a pen.

“I’ve found that I just don’t have the time
or energy to do everything anymore. I really need some help. That’s
why I hired you. I need someone to do a lot of paperwork, and I’m
glad you have an accounting background. Although I have accountants
to do my major accounting work, I need you to do a lot of the day
to day bookkeeping that I used to do myself. You will also be my
social secretary. I get asked to do a lot of book signings, and
other public appearances. I need you to take care of those things
for me. Also, and this is very important, I need you to proof my
writing.”

“What? You mean, I’ll be reading your books
before anyone else?”

“Yes, that’s what I mean. The editor will do
the final proof, but I want two sets of eyes on the manuscripts
before they’re sent in. That’s why it’s very important that I trust
you. I have good instincts, and I felt good about you as soon as we
talked on the phone and especially now that we’ve met. I feel like
you’ll always be honest and trustworthy. We’re going to be a team.
And good friends, too, I think.”

“Rebecca, I’m happier right now than I’ve
been in a very long time. Your generosity has overwhelmed me. I
promise that I’ll do the best job for you that I possibly can.
Anything that you need me to do, I’m ready to do it.”

“Good, that’s what I like to hear. Now, why
don’t you roam around the house and grounds before bed, and get
familiar with things without me hovering around you? You have free
rein around the house. It’s ok to go outside and explore. We have
lots of the lamp posts around the grounds, so it isn’t completely
dark in most places. We have no alarm system, so you don’t have to
worry about when you can come and go.”

“Thank you. I think I’ll take a walk outside.
When do you want me to start in the morning?”

Rebecca thought a moment. “How about eight
o’clock?”

“That sounds great. I can get up about six
every morning and get a good workout in. So, how do you want me to
dress for my job?”

“Just jeans and a t-shirt. Who else will see
us, anyway? And, Emily, about those suits I saw Jamie carrying
in…why don’t we take those to the Goodwill store? You and I need to
go do some major shopping soon. We don’t do “stuffy” around
here!”

Emily grinned. She was really going to like
working here!

* * *

After dinner, Emily decided she still wasn’t
that tired, so she figured it was a good a time as any to explore.
First, she checked out all the bedrooms that weren’t occupied.
There was such a variety of colors and styles in each one. Rebecca
had such eclectic taste. Some rooms were flowery, some were very
masculine and austere, and some were frilly and feminine. She shook
her head in amazement. This woman…she was different than anyone she
knew.

When she was done with the second floor, she
went up to the third floor. She knew this was mostly composed of
office space, but she hadn’t seen all of it the day before. She was
surprised to find a very comfortable sitting room with big fluffy
chairs and sofas. There were bookshelves on two of the walls.
Opening off the outside wall were a pair of French doors. She
opened them and stepped onto a small balcony which sported two
chairs and a small table. She was thinking what a great room this
was as she was stepping back in. She was surprised to find Rebecca
sitting on a chair. At her feet were Casper and Jake.

“I see you have found my private haven,” she
said with a smile.

“I’m sorry. I thought I was allowed to
explore everywhere. I didn’t mean to intrude upon your space.”

“Nonsense. You are welcome everywhere.
Although, I wouldn’t advise you to venture into the rooms of our
male occupants.”

Emily laughed. “Not a chance! Well, I’ll let
you have some privacy, and I’ll explore some more.”

“Enjoy yourself.”

Next, Emily went to the first floor and
looked into the rooms down there. She had seen them on her tour
with Rebecca, but she wanted to take a closer look at the library.
The walls were filled with books. Not only was Rebecca’s decorating
taste eclectic, but so was her literary taste. You could find just
about any genre of book you wanted on these shelves. None of the
books Rebecca had written were down here, but she noticed that the
upstairs sitting room contained all her books. Rebecca’s writing
was mostly fantasy, explaining her taste in dragons and such. There
were several leather armchairs upholstered in dark brown. She tried
one out and understood why one would want to read in here. She
could get comfortable and go to sleep in this chair. There was a
desk and chair in a corner. What really made this room cozy and
inviting, though, was a stone fireplace. What a great place to curl
up with a good book!

She continued her exploration outside. It was
dark, but the lamps gave off plenty of light. She had only seen the
front of the house before, but she stepped through the French doors
going out of the family room and into a beautiful garden. And right
in the middle of the garden was a pool with stone all around it.
Emily wondered how Rebecca had found so much stone to match the
original stone in the house. There was also a hot tub in the same
theme. Oh, to be rich!

There were steps leading down a manmade stone
path. She went down the steps and followed the path and was
suddenly on a small cliff. She had had no idea how close she was to
the ocean. It was hidden from the house, and she had been so
nervous on the way here that she had paid no attention to where she
was. She made her way down the cliff to the rocky shore. The waves
were lapping against the rocks. It was so beautiful and peaceful.
She knew this was a place she could come if she needed
solitude.

Suddenly, Emily got the feeling that she
wasn’t alone. It was really pretty silly because it was obvious
that no one else was around. However, she couldn’t seem to shake
the feeling that someone was there with her, watching her. She
finally decided that she was just reacting to being in a new place
in a different type of environment than she was used to.

When she returned to the house, she was tired
and decided that she would wait until the next day to go through
the old treasures of the house. She really wanted to get a good
night’s sleep so she could get up early and get her workout in
before she got started to work. She went up to her rooms, brushed
her teeth, washed her face and put on her sleep shirt. She was fast
asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Chapter Three

The next morning, Emily woke up refreshed and
ready to face the day. At six o’clock, she went down to the
basement for her workout. When she got there, Jamie was lifting
weights. He was benching 200 lbs. When he saw her, he put up the
weights and sat up. He was wearing a tank top and his muscles
looked rock hard.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you would be down
so early. I was trying to get a workout in before you came down.
Some people don’t like an audience when they’re working out.”

Emily said, “Don’t be silly. We should be
able to work out at the same time without getting in each other’s
way.”

“Good. I’ll try not to get in your way,” he
said with a grin. He seemed so different from the sullen guy she
had met the night before.

“If you get on a weight machine that I want,
I’ll just pick you up and throw you off of it,” she teased.

“Very funny. Well, I’m done for now, but I
look forward to working out with you. If you’re going to come down
at six, then I’ll try to get down here at the same time.”

“I would like that. By the way, do we fend
for ourselves for breakfast, or what?”

“No,” said Jamie, “my mother makes a buffet
breakfast every morning. It’s set up in warmers in the family
dining room. Whenever someone is ready, they just come in for a
bite to eat.”

“Thanks,” said Emily. “I’m sure I’ll be very
hungry when I’m done here.”

She did her aerobics first, then worked out
with the weights and machines. She was finished an hour later, went
upstairs and took a shower, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, then
went down to breakfast. And what a feast it was! Eggs, bacon,
sausage, crepes, biscuits, and more.

“I
am
going to get fat!” she exclaimed
to Sam, who was already seated at the table, eating.

He looked her up and down and grinned. “I
don’t think there’s any chance of that. You are in fine form!”

She laughed. She was surrounded by guys
younger than her, yet they were so attractive….she was going to
like this place for several reasons.

After a pleasant breakfast in Sam’s company,
she went up to the office to start to work.

“What’s first on the agenda, boss?” asked
Emily.

Rebecca cringed. “Please don’t call me
that.”

Emily grinned. “Sorry. So get me
started!’

Rebecca gave her a list of things that needed
to be done, as well as a manuscript to read after she had finished
everything else.

“Wow. I get the first peek at your newest
book!” she exclaimed.

“Yep! And no talking to anyone about it. I
mean anyone. Not even Sam. He’s my nephew and I love him, but this
is business. Ok?”

“Mum’s the word.”

She got through all her other tasks in the
first hour. After that, she started on the manuscript. She was so
into the story that she didn’t realize it was lunchtime until
Rebecca said her name.

“What? Oh, I’m sorry. Hey, this story is
really good!”

“Thank you. However, I don’t expect you to
work through lunch. And we’re going out for lunch, and then
shopping.”

“What are we shopping for?” asked Emily.

“Some clothes for you. I’m telling you, we
are giving away those awful suits. Do you have any other dressy
clothes?”

“No, I had to wear those atrocities to the
office, and I couldn’t afford anything else but t-shirts and jeans.
And I really can’t ask you to give me an advance on my salary to
buy new clothes.”

Rebecca laughed. “This is not an advance.
This is an investment. I expect you to look good and feel good, so
we need to find you some clothes that will do that. We can work in
casual clothes, but occasionally we’ll have to go out, and you need
some dressier clothes. How you look will reflect on me….oh, who am
I kidding? I just like to buy clothes and make people happy!”

Emily protested. “You shouldn’t have to buy
my clothes!”

“I want to do this. It will be fun.”

So that’s what they did. Rebecca took her to
a great Italian restaurant, then they shopped until they could
barely stand up.

“I can’t believe we bought all this stuff!”
cried Emily. “What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I haven’t had this much
fun in ages! I want you to enjoy everything we bought today.
Promise me you won’t feel bad about my buying you clothes.”

“Oh, ok. I guess you can afford it. And if it
makes you happy….”

“It does. And I hope it makes you happy,
too!”

When they got back, Jamie came out and
unloaded their packages from the car, and carried them up to her
room. He grinned as he was putting them all on the bed.

“I see that Rebecca has gone on one of her
shopping sprees again. She has bought me a bunch of stuff, too. I
used to be bothered by it, but I found out she really likes to do
it. Just enjoy her generosity. I finally have learned to.”

Emily said, “It will take some getting used
to. But I think I can manage.”

After he had left, she started pulling her
new things out of their packages. There were new jeans, cute little
shirts to go with them, and a lot of other casual things. Hiking
boots, sandals, high heels. But also, there were dressy things,
lacy things, girly things. She felt like a princess.

She decided she would dress up for dinner.
They had been gone so long that it was late afternoon when they got
back, so it was almost time to eat.

She took special care with her makeup and
hair that evening. Then she looked in her newly stocked closet,
trying to decide what to wear. She finally chose a clingy emerald
green dress that came above her knees, but not too short. It had
short sleeves and a square neckline, not demure, but not too low.
She knew she looked great. She was one of those rare women who
could wear clingy things and have no bulges showing. This was one
of those times that she was glad that she worked hard at staying
fit.