Page 7 of At Her Service (Club Velvet #2)

CHAPTER 7

V alerie took another bite of her lunch as she scanned the script on the desk before her. It was Friday, but her week was far from winding down. She had less than an hour before she was due to meet with some investors to secure extra financing for a film project, and she needed to prepare.

So she’d holed herself up in her office, giving her assistant instructions that she wasn’t to be disturbed unless there was an emergency, and silenced her phone, with an exception for Abby’s number in case any problems arose with Hazel. It had been five days since Abby started working for her, and so far, she hadn’t needed to call Valerie once. She and Hazel got along flawlessly, and Abby was competent enough to handle her without any help.

She was proving to be the perfect nanny. But there was one problem. Despite her best efforts, Valerie couldn’t stop thinking about her. About her pink lips, plump and enticing. Her curves bursting from her flirty sundresses. Her silken red hair, which Valerie longed to caress, to twine through her fingers, to grasp by the handful while she did all kinds of wicked things to her…

Focus. Valerie returned her attention to the script, ignoring the paperwork stacked on her desk and the unanswered emails in her inbox. The script wasn’t for just any film. It was for a passion project of hers that was years in the making. Not only was she producing it, but she was directing it personally, for the first time in years.

Because the film had the potential to be bigger than any she’d helmed before. It was an international ensemble cast rom-com, the cast packed with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood along with up-and-coming actors who would soon be household names. But what made this film different from any other was that the entire cast was queer and diverse. It told the story of people like her finding the kind of fairy tale love that only existed on the screen.

That was a hard sell in Hollywood, but she’d sold it. She only needed a few more investors to truly bring her vision to life.

She scribbled a note in the margin of the script. Location: Greece? Italy? Spain? She’d titled the film The Resort because of the luxury vacation setting. The location needed to be somewhere glamorous, romantic, grand. For the film to succeed, she needed to go big.

There was a knock on her office door. She looked up from her desk to see Elle striding into the office.

Valerie’s assistant was at her heels, an apologetic look on his face. “I told her you were busy, but?—”

“It’s fine, Alex,” Valerie said. “You can leave us.”

The young man nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.

“That assistant of yours…” Elle took a seat in front of Valerie’s desk. “Is he new? I don’t think I’ve seen him before.”

Valerie flipped to the next page of her script. “Don’t get any ideas, Elle. He’s gayer than me.”

Elle feigned offense. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Valerie set the script aside. “So, what brings you by?”

“Nothing much. I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d drop in and see you.” Elle settled into her seat. “I’m sure you’ve heard the news by now?”

“The news?” Of course. That’s why she’s here. “Your ex. The engagement. So you’ve heard?”

“Everyone’s heard. Her face is all over the news, along with her new fiancée’s. It’s impossible to ignore it. Never date someone famous.”

“You’re telling me,” Valerie murmured. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“There’s nothing I’d rather talk about less.”

It was the answer Valerie expected. Elle didn’t need a shoulder to cry on, just someone to briefly commiserate with. “If you change your mind, I’m here.”

“Thanks, but that’s enough about me.” Elle leaned in. “Did you hear? Marissa Ashton is interested in investing in Club Velvet.”

“Yes, Simone mentioned it.” Marissa Ashton was the head of the most influential family in Los Angeles. And one of the wealthiest.

“I can’t deny how surprised I was to hear it. The Ashtons have always been a traditional bunch. But we all know the most conventional people are rarely so conventional behind closed doors.” Elle crossed one leg over the other. “Speculation aside, she could be a valuable investor. She’s from an old money family, and she has all the connections that come with that. She can pull strings the rest of us can’t, deal with all the petty local politics.”

Valerie murmured in agreement. The Ashton name would add a certain legitimacy to their club. Not everyone was thrilled about the existence of a ladies-only BDSM club, including several local councilors and politicians. It made getting permits and building approvals difficult. Ashton held enough political influence to overcome that.

“So?” Elle said. “What do you think?”

“I agree. Ashton could be a valuable business partner. But I haven’t given it any thought until now. I’ve been far too busy.”

“I can see that.” Elle peered at the piles of paperwork on Valerie’s desk. “You’re busier than Simone lately. The difference is, she likes it that way.”

“Things are a little hectic at the moment. We’re doing reshoots for that historical drama series, and everything that could go wrong has. I’m also in the process of getting my rom-com project off the ground, which is taking up most of my time. And there’s Francesca, who won’t stop calling me.” But Valerie’s ex was the last thing she wanted to talk about. “Did I mention that Hazel is going through a phase where she bolts at every opportunity? I have my hands full.”

“So you still haven’t found a new nanny?”

“I may have found someone. I’m trialing her for the week.”

The week was almost over. All Valerie had to do was say the word and the job would be Abby’s.

And Abby would be hers.

Valerie cleared her throat. “However, I’m having second thoughts about taking her on permanently.”

“Oh? Does Hazel not like this one either?”

“No, she likes her. Loves her, even. She’s the only nanny I’ve found who Hazel likes.”

“Then what’s the issue?” Elle asked.

“I simply have some reservations about her. She’s a bit younger than I’d like. I’d prefer someone more mature, more experienced.”

“If she’s good at her job, why does it matter how old she is? Sounds to me like you’re afraid to have a hot young nanny working for you.”

Valerie scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Oh? Don’t tell me I hit a nerve.” Elle raised an eyebrow. “Really, Val? The babysitter? How scandalous! You’re supposed to be the responsible one.”

Valerie held up her hands. “It isn’t like that.”

“I’m sure it isn’t.”

“I mean it, Elle. Nothing has happened between us, and nothing will. But I’ll admit, there’s some chemistry there. Just having her in the house for a week…” Valerie shook her head. “I underestimated just how challenging it would be. How tempting it would be.”

“All the more reason to hire her.”

“That’s exactly why I shouldn’t hire her. I can’t risk anything happening between us. I’d be her boss. It wouldn’t be right.”

A smile crossed Elle’s lips. “Only if she doesn’t want it to happen.”

Valerie said nothing. Since day one, she’d been steadfastly ignoring the matter of Abby’s attraction to her. Even that day in the park, there had been signs. And there had only been more since. Coy smiles, flirtatious looks, the way she’d blush and stammer whenever Valerie issued her a command.

The way Abby obeyed her without question.

“It doesn’t matter what she wants. I can’t be the person who has a torrid affair with their nanny. That would make me no better than them .” Valerie folded her arms across her chest. “You know who I mean. The men of Hollywood’s old guard who abuse their power to exploit young women.”

Valerie was all too familiar with those types. When she was a young, up-and-coming screenwriter, she’d had more than her share of encounters with those men. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t interested in them, or in men at all. They expected her to cave to their advances out of desperation and fear like so many women eager to break into the industry did.

But she’d rejected their advances every time. And she was lucky it hadn’t cost her her burgeoning career.

“That’s the kind of behavior I’ve spent my entire career battling,” Valerie said. “I’d be a hypocrite if I did the same.”

“I hear you,” Elle said. “And I understand. Abby is off-limits. But that doesn’t mean you can’t hire her. You obviously need the help. And you said yourself that Hazel loves her. If you won’t hire her for you, hire her for Hazel. Doesn’t she deserve the best?”

Valerie gritted her teeth. The two of them had been friends for long enough that Elle knew exactly which buttons to push. But this time, she had a good point.

“You’re right,” Valerie said.

“When have I ever been wrong?” Elle got up from her chair. “You can thank me later. You’re clearly busy, so I’ll get out of your hair. But keep an open mind about this nanny of yours. I know you’re Little Miss Plays-by-the-Rules, but some rules are meant to be broken. And life is much more fun that way.”

With a mischievous smile, Elle swept out of the room.

Barely a second later, Valerie’s assistant appeared in the doorway. “I know you don’t want to be disturbed, but, uh?—”

“Yes, Alex?”

“There’s some trouble on set. It’s Jackie.”

“Of course it is. What is it this time?” Jackie Jameson was the star of Valerie’s historical drama series. Her name alone was enough to get viewers to tune in. And since going public about her relationship with her popstar girlfriend, Jackie was more popular than ever, especially with the younger demographic.

But working with Jackie came at a heavy price. And not just in terms of money.

“She’s refusing to wear her dress for the ball scene. Says it makes her look like—” Alex glanced at his notes, “a freaking wedding cake . She’s trying to bully wardrobe into letting her wear something else.”

“The rest of the scene was shot months ago, with her in that dress. Does she expect us to reshoot the entire scene ?”

Alex shrugged.

Valerie let out a heavy sigh, making a mental note to speak to the head of wardrobe again and give them a generous bonus. This wasn’t the first time they’d been the target of one of Jackie’s costume-related tantrums.

“Give me five minutes,” she said. “I’ll go down and sort out this mess. And call the investors and tell them to meet me on set instead of in the office. I’ll frame it as a way to give them a behind-the-scenes look at one of my productions.”

Alex nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind him. Valerie checked the time. She wouldn’t have long to speak with Jackie before the meeting, but she didn’t need more than a couple of minutes. She had no patience for Jackie’s diva act. It would only take a few firm words to set her straight.

Valerie rubbed her temples. Dealing with Jackie was just another part of her job. But lately, it seemed like all she did was put out fires—at work, at home. There was only one part of her life where she was free of all her responsibilities, and she hardly had the time for it.

All the more reason to hire Abby permanently.

Valerie closed her eyes. She needed to do what had to be done. She could handle the biggest diva in Hollywood. She could handle running her production company and Club Velvet at the same time. She could handle raising a toddler all by herself.

She could handle having Abby work for her, living in her home day after day, intimately close.

She wouldn’t be tempted. She wouldn’t let herself be.

Valerie grabbed her leather tote bag that doubled as a briefcase, slipping the script inside and slinging it over her shoulder. As she left her office, she took out her phone and dialed Abby’s number.

“Hello, Abby,” she said. “About the job.”