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“Right.” I don’t ask why she’s here. I don’t care, actually. I’m just happy I get to see her. “Hand your phone to the security guard.”
Wordlessly, she obeys. “This is Russell.”
“Russ, it’s Nathan. The woman in front of you is my personal assistant, Spencer. Put her on the approved list. Let her in anytime she wants moving forward.”
“There’s a kid with her, sir. Should I?—”
“Yes, both of them.”
“Roger that,” Russell says, then the call ends.
My head of security is not one to mince words. He ends conversations when he’s done retrieving information. The man wastes no time on pleasantries. He’d never survive in sales, but he’s one hell of a bodyguard.
I finish off my water, pondering why Spencer has chosen to grace me with her sassy presence this Saturday afternoon. Idon’t have to wonder for long. Before I know it, Spencer, dressed in blue jean shorts and an oversized T-shirt, is barreling through the patio doors, then charging toward me, a pink piece of paper crumpled in her fist. Waiting for her by the edge of the pool, I flex my midsection, hoping my bare abs have some effect on her.
Her stare is intimidating. She’s makeup-free today, which is a new angle. I’m used to seeing her all dolled up at the office, but this woman is naturally beautiful in every sense of the word.
“Where’s Charlie?” I ask once she’s in earshot.
“Waiting in the car. I take it you’re a strong swimmer?” Her scowl deepens if that’s possible.
“Yeah. Why?”
Without another word she shoves me hard, sending me flying backward, crashing right back into the pool. I hold my breath as the water engulfs me with a massive splash. I had no time to be graceful about anything. I swim to the ladder, climb out of the pool, then pinch the sides of my swim trunks, trying to wring them out while they’re still on my body.
“That was uncalled for,” I say with a smirk.
“No, it was very,verycalled for. You’re having me evicted?” Spencer’s practically shrieking, waving the pink paper in her hand. “How could you do this? Talk about petty. I told you I’d fix your office. You didn’t have to boot me and Charlie out of our home.”
I shake out my hand, sending water droplets flying, then pluck the piece of paper from her grip. A cursory read tells me Dad wasted no time in delivering the evacuation notices. “It wasn’t personal?—”
“How is this not personal? You’re retaliating because of Spike and your Barbie Dreamhouse office. Maybe you should hop down off your high horse and accept the fact thatyoustarted this. Ilikedyou. I really liked you. You strung me along, whispering all these sweet nothings, then threw me away like acandy wrapper. Now you’re kicking me out of my home. Fuck it. Maybe I should just quit.”
“Hey now.” After closing the space between us, I grab her wrists and hold them gently by her side, so she can’t throw me into the pool again. “The building is dangerous. It’s condemned. That’s why we’re closing it. Everybody is getting evicted, not just you. We pulled at a string and the entire tapestry came loose. It happens.”
She presses against her temples tightly, like she’s trying to keep her head intact. “What am I going to do now, Nathan? I could barely afford this place to begin with.”
“There are other apartments.”
“This one came furnished, and your company was subsidizing half our rent. Utilities were a flat fee. It’s only ten minutes away from Charlie’s school. I just started over. I don’t know how I’m going to do it again.” Her attitude lowers to a simmer, and I can see how overwhelmed she is.
“I’ll help.” I release her wrists once I’m certain she’s not going to surprise attack me again. “What do you need? I can cover your rent wherever you want to go.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “No handouts. I don’t like owing people when I’m not sure if I can ever repay them.”
“Gifts don’t have to be repaid, Spencer. Just tell me how much you need and it’s yours. I’ll take care of you guys.”
The sun is behind me, so she squints when she looks up at me. She planks her hand over her forehead to block the blaring rays, forgetting there’s sunglasses resting on the top of her head. “I’m not your puppy. You don’t take care of me.”
“Then why are you here?”
She lifts her shoulders and drops them. “Charlie and I were on our way to the community pool. I guess I needed to yell at somebody. Sorry. I should go. The AC is on, but it’s so damn hot today, I don’t want to leave her in the car too long.”
“Swim here.” I nod over my shoulder. “We can fire up the grill.”
“No, thanks. As much as Charlie would love this pool…” She spins around, taking in a three-sixty view of my property. “You really are a billionaire, aren’t you? This is a resort, not a pool.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” A diabolical plan suddenly forms in my mind. I point to my left. “This was meant to be a pool house, but wires got crossed during construction. They built it with two rooms and a full kitchen. It’s about fifteen hundred square feet. Bigger than your apartment, right?”