kitchen and found dishware. She piled the dishes on top of each other in her rush to get the table ready, but in her haste, she tripped and the silverware and the plates fell to the floor. The plates shattered into many pieces.
“Oh my god!” What was Ryan going to think about his new housekeeper already destroying things on the first day?
“Marisol,” said Ryan. “Is everything okay?”
“Um, some dishes fell.”
“Don’t worry about it. Come sit with me. We’ll eat out of the containers. Just bring some silverware.”
Marisol felt awful as she fetched clean silverware from the drawer. She stepped over the shattered plates and walked into the dining area.
Ryan had already moved the containers to the table.
“You don’t eat much,” he said pointing the lidded container of fruit salad and the croissant.
“I’m used to a simple breakfast. My mornings are…used to be very busy.”
“Oh, I’m not keeping you busy enough.”
“I didn’t mean that,” said Marisol, stuttering.
“Oh, and speaking of which, can you bring me a steak knife for the steak?”
“Sorry,” said Marisol, feeling chastened again. If she couldn’t handle the simplest details, how did she expect to hold on to this or any job? He must think her a real idiot.
She found the knife and returned to the table. Ryan wasn’t wearing his suit jacket and had already started on the eggs.
“You’re a great cook,” he said with a grin.
“I’m not any sort of cook,” said Marisol. “Ryan, I think you made a mistake bringing me here. I’m obviously not suited for this kind of work.”
“You don’t like being here?”
“No. I didn’t say that.”
“Well, in case you don’t know, I don’t make mistakes. So you’re mistaken thinking I made one. Relax, Marisol. Any new job has a period of adjustment.”
“I’m not sure I should be eating at the table with you. I’ll just take my food and go into the kitchen.” Marisol moved to gather up her food.
“No. Please sit. It’s a pleasure to have someone around I can talk to.”
Feeling uncomfortable, she sat anyway and watched Ryan as he enthusiastically attacked his breakfast.
“Good thing you ordered orange juice,” he said with a grin. “I forgot to ask.”
“I can’t take credit. I called Danny, and he arranged everything.”
“Good move,” he said between mouthfuls of toast. “Always better to delegate when you can.”
“But I should have—”
“What I always tell me people is that the most important thing is for the work to get done. Did the work get done?”
“Well, yes,” she said with uncertainty. She remembered her father holding people accountable for their jobs. Ryan’s concept was a new one for her.
“Okay, then.”
At that moment Ryan’s phone buzzed, and he took from his inside jacket.
“Excuse me,” he said. “I have to take this.”
Ryan stood and disappeared into his office, leaving Marisol alone again. It struck Marisol that she wasn’t used to being alone. There was always someone with her, a security officer, a maid, or her social secretary.
Ryan said that every job had a period of adjustment. Marisol hoped that this was true, because so far, she felt that she was adjusting very poorly.
Marisol heard a buzzing noise that was quite insistent. Worried that she did something wrong again to set off some alarm she followed the sound to the service door to see a blinking light along with the noise.
“Yes,” she said after pressing the button.
“This is Danny. Please tell Mr. Ryan his car is here. He’s not answering his phone.”
“He’s on another call right now, Danny, but I’ll tell him.”
“Thanks, Miss Marisol. Don’t forget to come see me.”
“Of course, Danny, first thing.”
Marisol walked toward the office and found the door open. Ryan was speaking animatedly on the phone.
“Yes, I caught the reports on social media, and no I don’t care,” he said. “Something is definitely wrong.” He
“Oh my god!” What was Ryan going to think about his new housekeeper already destroying things on the first day?
“Marisol,” said Ryan. “Is everything okay?”
“Um, some dishes fell.”
“Don’t worry about it. Come sit with me. We’ll eat out of the containers. Just bring some silverware.”
Marisol felt awful as she fetched clean silverware from the drawer. She stepped over the shattered plates and walked into the dining area.
Ryan had already moved the containers to the table.
“You don’t eat much,” he said pointing the lidded container of fruit salad and the croissant.
“I’m used to a simple breakfast. My mornings are…used to be very busy.”
“Oh, I’m not keeping you busy enough.”
“I didn’t mean that,” said Marisol, stuttering.
“Oh, and speaking of which, can you bring me a steak knife for the steak?”
“Sorry,” said Marisol, feeling chastened again. If she couldn’t handle the simplest details, how did she expect to hold on to this or any job? He must think her a real idiot.
She found the knife and returned to the table. Ryan wasn’t wearing his suit jacket and had already started on the eggs.
“You’re a great cook,” he said with a grin.
“I’m not any sort of cook,” said Marisol. “Ryan, I think you made a mistake bringing me here. I’m obviously not suited for this kind of work.”
“You don’t like being here?”
“No. I didn’t say that.”
“Well, in case you don’t know, I don’t make mistakes. So you’re mistaken thinking I made one. Relax, Marisol. Any new job has a period of adjustment.”
“I’m not sure I should be eating at the table with you. I’ll just take my food and go into the kitchen.” Marisol moved to gather up her food.
“No. Please sit. It’s a pleasure to have someone around I can talk to.”
Feeling uncomfortable, she sat anyway and watched Ryan as he enthusiastically attacked his breakfast.
“Good thing you ordered orange juice,” he said with a grin. “I forgot to ask.”
“I can’t take credit. I called Danny, and he arranged everything.”
“Good move,” he said between mouthfuls of toast. “Always better to delegate when you can.”
“But I should have—”
“What I always tell me people is that the most important thing is for the work to get done. Did the work get done?”
“Well, yes,” she said with uncertainty. She remembered her father holding people accountable for their jobs. Ryan’s concept was a new one for her.
“Okay, then.”
At that moment Ryan’s phone buzzed, and he took from his inside jacket.
“Excuse me,” he said. “I have to take this.”
Ryan stood and disappeared into his office, leaving Marisol alone again. It struck Marisol that she wasn’t used to being alone. There was always someone with her, a security officer, a maid, or her social secretary.
Ryan said that every job had a period of adjustment. Marisol hoped that this was true, because so far, she felt that she was adjusting very poorly.
Marisol heard a buzzing noise that was quite insistent. Worried that she did something wrong again to set off some alarm she followed the sound to the service door to see a blinking light along with the noise.
“Yes,” she said after pressing the button.
“This is Danny. Please tell Mr. Ryan his car is here. He’s not answering his phone.”
“He’s on another call right now, Danny, but I’ll tell him.”
“Thanks, Miss Marisol. Don’t forget to come see me.”
“Of course, Danny, first thing.”
Marisol walked toward the office and found the door open. Ryan was speaking animatedly on the phone.
“Yes, I caught the reports on social media, and no I don’t care,” he said. “Something is definitely wrong.” He
Similar Books
