Page 5 of At Her Service (Club Velvet #2)

CHAPTER 5

O h my god, you met Valerie Kane? Where? When? Tell me everything!

Abby sighed. She knew that telling Erin about her run-in with Valerie would mean she’d want to know every single detail.

Abby didn’t care about celebrities. Erin, on the other hand? She was obsessed. She scoured gossip sites daily, and she knew everything there was to know about every famous person in the city. If she found out that Valerie Kane had given Abby her number, she’d never hear the end of it.

It’s no big deal, Abby sent back. It was last week, at the park. She was there with her kid and we kind of ran into each other.

She’d spent the days since trying desperately not to think about their encounter, and about Valerie herself. But that wasn’t easy when she had a job that left her with plenty of time to daydream. Like right now.

She stretched out across the couch. It was Friday night, and Connor and Owen were asleep upstairs, their parents out at a party. They’d been due home hours ago, but Abby hadn’t heard from them, and they weren’t answering her calls. That was nothing new. They came home late more often than not. It wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t have to argue with them about getting paid for the extra hours every time it happened.

Her phone vibrated again. Erin had replied.

Last week? And you’re only telling me now?

I guess I forgot, Abby lied. Like I said, it was no big deal.

It’s a huge deal. This is Valerie Kane we’re talking about. What was she like?

She was… Abby paused in thought. A little intimidating. I got kinda tongue-tied. She’s just so successful and talented.

Uh-huh. I’m sure it’s her “talent” that had you all hot and bothered.

Abby’s cheeks flushed. Ok, so she’s gorgeous too.

There was no point denying that to Erin or herself. The moment she laid eyes on Valerie, she’d forgotten how to breathe.

You have to tell me more when you get home, Erin sent. Weren’t you supposed to finish an hour ago?

Two hours, actually. Abby erased the message without sending it. She didn’t need Erin on her back about quitting her job again.

But the idea was starting to seem appealing. Especially now that Valerie had offered her a job. The pay and benefits were far better than her current job. And the conditions? They definitely sounded better.

Come work for me, and I’ll make sure your every need is taken care of. Come work for me, and I’ll make sure you’re treated right, just like you deserve.

Heat trickled down Abby’s back. Why did her body react that way to Valerie’s words? Everything about her had that effect on Abby. Her dark, smoldering eyes. Her full red lips. Her luscious curves…

Abby shook her head. She’d made the right choice in turning Valerie down. She couldn’t risk quitting her job for one offered to her on a whim by a stranger, let alone a stranger who made her body weak and sent her mind racing with all kinds of naughty thoughts.

Besides, Connor and Owen needed her. Their parents saw them as a nuisance and had no interest in raising them. Abby of all people knew what that was like. She couldn’t abandon them.

It would be like abandoning her brothers all over again.

The sound of a key in a lock broke through Abby’s thoughts. As she slipped her phone into her purse and sat up, the front door opened and a middle-aged man, red-faced, stumbled inside, a thin, blonde woman far younger than him clinging to his arm as she swayed atop sky-high heels. She kicked her shoes off, one after the other, almost tripping over her own feet. But she managed to stop herself from falling by grabbing onto the hall table next to her, the keys and trinkets on top of it clattering to the floor.

Her husband hurled a curse, slumping heavily against the wall beside him.

The Hendersons were home. And they were drunk.

Abby got up from the couch and cleared her throat.

Mrs. Henderson, as she insisted on being called, blinked as if surprised to see her there. “Abby, darling,” she drawled. “I hope the boys weren’t any trouble tonight.”

“They were fine.” Abby slung her purse over her shoulder. There was no point now in bringing up the fact that they were late. It was past 11 p.m. She was tired. And the Hendersons were too drunk for her to have a serious conversation with them.

“You can go home now,” Mrs. Henderson said. “But remember to be here at six tomorrow morning. My sister is coming, so you’ll need to clean the house.”

Abby gritted her teeth. She was a nanny, not a maid. That was so far outside of her job description that it was in another zip code.

But before she could object, Mrs. Henderson spoke again. “We’ll need you to work tomorrow night too. The Fairchilds are holding a gala, so you’ll need to look after the boys.”

Anger simmered in Abby’s stomach. Tomorrow was Erin’s birthday. She had to be there. She’d promised.

Abby shook her head. “I can’t work tomorrow night,” she said calmly. “I told you that weeks ago. I have plans.”

“Well, you’ll have to cancel them,” Mrs. Henderson replied. “We simply can’t miss this gala.”

“I can’t cancel this.” And even if she could, she didn’t want to. “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find someone else.”

“Abby, darling.” Mrs. Henderson leaned in close, her botox-frozen face inches from Abby’s, her breath sharp with the smell of wine. “You seem to be under the impression this is up for negotiation.” She jabbed her finger into Abby’s chest. “ You work for me . You do what I say.”

“No, not this time.” Abby’s hands tightened into fists. “I’m not letting you walk all over me. I’m not letting you push me around. I’m not working overtime again just so you can stiff me on pay?—”

“How dare you talk to my wife that way,” Mr. Henderson shouted. “You’re lucky to even have this job.”

“No, you’re lucky to have someone who cares about your kids enough that they’re willing to put up with both of you.” Abby crossed her arms. “Not anymore. It’s been three years of this. I’m done.”

Mrs. Henderson scoffed. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I’m done. Consider this my resignation.”

The woman recoiled as if she’d been slapped. “You’re quitting? Over this?”

“Yes. And I should have quit a long time ago.”

“You ungrateful brat,” Mr. Henderson snarled. “Go on, then. Leave. But good luck finding another job. If you walk out that door, we’ll have you blacklisted. No one will hire you. You’ll never work as a nanny in this city again!”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that before.” His threats weren’t going to work on her this time.

She picked up her jacket from the arm of the couch and headed for the door.

“Get out!” Mrs. Henderson yelled behind her. “Get out of our house. And don’t think we’re paying you for tonight after this stunt!”

Abby didn’t break her stride as she left the house and marched down the driveway to where her car was parked on the street. It wasn’t until she was safely inside that she realized she was shaking.

Oh my god. I can’t believe I did that. What am I going to do now? Will the boys be okay without me? How am I going to make rent this month? What if the Hendersons weren’t bluffing? What if they really can have me blacklisted?

She took a deep breath, then another. Connor and Owen were old enough now to take care of themselves. Despite their parents, they’d be fine without her.

As for finding a new job? Abby already had another offer, one that had fallen right into her lap.

She rummaged around in her purse and pulled out the matte black business card. She’d kept it all this time, even though she’d had no intention of ever using it. But now that she was unemployed, she’d be a fool to pass on Valerie’s offer. That was if Valerie even remembered her.

Abby pulled out her phone and dialed the number on the card. As the phone rang, she realized it was almost midnight.

I shouldn’t be calling her so late. But before she could hang up, Valerie picked up the call.

“Hello? Who’s this?”

“Hi,” Abby stammered. Valerie’s voice was muffled, and there was a buzzing in the background. Was it music? “I’m sorry for calling this late. It’s Abby. The nanny. From the park.”

“Ah, yes. How could I forget? Give me a minute, Abby. I’ll go somewhere quieter.”

Abby waited silently. As seconds passed, the buzz in the background faded.

Finally, Valerie spoke again. “All right, Abby. Go ahead.”

“Well, I’ve been thinking,” she said. “About your job offer. Are you still looking for a nanny?”

She held her breath. Had she missed her chance? She’d already turned the job down. Surely Valerie had moved on and found another nanny by now.

“Yes,” Valerie said. “I’m still looking. Why don’t you come by on Tuesday evening for an interview?”

“I’d love to.” Abby cleared her throat. She’d sounded a little too eager. “I mean, Tuesday works for me.”

“Good. I’ll have my assistant send you the details. See you then.”

Abby said goodbye and hung up the phone. But her relief was quickly replaced by anxiety.

Because her livelihood now depended on a woman who rendered her breathless every time she said Abby’s name.