more than working at Starbucks, that was for sure. Plus she had a room in the mansion to live in, free of charge, along with free meals from the cook most nights. If she lost her job and was forced to go back to paying for rent, food, and working for less money? Well, she might as well just give up on her dream of finishing her degree right then, because it wasn't going to happen.
"What did you do? Lillian, look at me." Isaac's voice was filled with quiet authority, and her head jerked up without her conscious effort.
In the doorway in front of her, Isaac stood with his feet spread wide and his muscled arms crossing his chest in disapproval. He had a rugby player's legs and a wide chest that dwarfed her own slender frame. He looked like an action hero, except he was wearing one very expensive and well-fit Armani suit.
Trying to ignore how hot his body was, she drug her eyes up to his face. His chiseled square jaw was clenched, and his dark eyebrows were knitted together. Most of the time she couldn't help but swoon a little at his handsomeness. In the current situation, however, she just wanted to melt into the floor and never see him again.
"How expensive was that vase?" she managed to croak at last.
His glance shifted to the shattered remains of the vessel, and his look only grew darker. "Millions, but it’s insured. Unfortunately, however, you managed to break the one vase that belonged to my grandmother. That will make it irreplaceable," he added stiffly.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Walters. I really am!"
"How did you manage to drop it? It’s nowhere near the cabinet."
Lillian shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I was standing by the door when my foot got caught on the tile..."
Isaac looked her up and down slowly. "You were standing by my office door?"
"Well..."
"Were you listening in on my private conversations?"
Lillian twitched and looked up at him guiltily. "This isn't going very well at all."
"No, it's really not." He sighed and rubbed a hand across his face. "I have to say I'm disappointed, Lillian."
"I'm truly sorry. Especially about your grandmother's vase. I've lost family members too, and it's hard to not to have objects to remember them by. I feel just terrible! Eavesdropping was so stupid, and I don't know what I was thinking. But, please, Mr. Walters, give me another chance. I can work very hard, maybe pull some extra shifts to try, and make it up to you."
"Lillian," Isaac started to say, reproach in his voice, but she quickly cut him off again.
"You don't understand, Mr. Walters. This is the only way I can pay for school, and if I lose this job, I'll be at least forty years old before I'll be able to save up enough to finish out my last credits. My family needs me in town, and there is no way I can transfer to another, cheaper school. Not when I have to help out with my sick aunt on my days off. So, please, consider letting me stay. I promise you I will do absolutely anything to make it up to you. I take full responsibility for my mistake, and I'll work above and beyond from here on out."
Lillian took a gasp of air, her monologue having taken every ounce of breath she had. She looked down at her hands and was surprised to find them clasped in front of her in supplication. She was literally begging on her knees, but by that point, she was well beyond caring. She just knew she had to fix the horrible situation somehow, someway.
"You take care of a sick aunt? I didn't know that," Isaac said at last, after appraising her for several long moments.
"I go and help out every chance I get. She's living at my family's house in my old room. So I go and give Mom and Dad a break from her care, in between shifts here."
Issac’s face softened, and his eyes lost their disappointment. "You work here, help out with your family, and still pursue your education? You are a rare flower indeed, Lillian." Isaac seemed to make up his mind suddenly, uncrossing his arms with a flourish. He extended a hand towards Lillian,
"What did you do? Lillian, look at me." Isaac's voice was filled with quiet authority, and her head jerked up without her conscious effort.
In the doorway in front of her, Isaac stood with his feet spread wide and his muscled arms crossing his chest in disapproval. He had a rugby player's legs and a wide chest that dwarfed her own slender frame. He looked like an action hero, except he was wearing one very expensive and well-fit Armani suit.
Trying to ignore how hot his body was, she drug her eyes up to his face. His chiseled square jaw was clenched, and his dark eyebrows were knitted together. Most of the time she couldn't help but swoon a little at his handsomeness. In the current situation, however, she just wanted to melt into the floor and never see him again.
"How expensive was that vase?" she managed to croak at last.
His glance shifted to the shattered remains of the vessel, and his look only grew darker. "Millions, but it’s insured. Unfortunately, however, you managed to break the one vase that belonged to my grandmother. That will make it irreplaceable," he added stiffly.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Walters. I really am!"
"How did you manage to drop it? It’s nowhere near the cabinet."
Lillian shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I was standing by the door when my foot got caught on the tile..."
Isaac looked her up and down slowly. "You were standing by my office door?"
"Well..."
"Were you listening in on my private conversations?"
Lillian twitched and looked up at him guiltily. "This isn't going very well at all."
"No, it's really not." He sighed and rubbed a hand across his face. "I have to say I'm disappointed, Lillian."
"I'm truly sorry. Especially about your grandmother's vase. I've lost family members too, and it's hard to not to have objects to remember them by. I feel just terrible! Eavesdropping was so stupid, and I don't know what I was thinking. But, please, Mr. Walters, give me another chance. I can work very hard, maybe pull some extra shifts to try, and make it up to you."
"Lillian," Isaac started to say, reproach in his voice, but she quickly cut him off again.
"You don't understand, Mr. Walters. This is the only way I can pay for school, and if I lose this job, I'll be at least forty years old before I'll be able to save up enough to finish out my last credits. My family needs me in town, and there is no way I can transfer to another, cheaper school. Not when I have to help out with my sick aunt on my days off. So, please, consider letting me stay. I promise you I will do absolutely anything to make it up to you. I take full responsibility for my mistake, and I'll work above and beyond from here on out."
Lillian took a gasp of air, her monologue having taken every ounce of breath she had. She looked down at her hands and was surprised to find them clasped in front of her in supplication. She was literally begging on her knees, but by that point, she was well beyond caring. She just knew she had to fix the horrible situation somehow, someway.
"You take care of a sick aunt? I didn't know that," Isaac said at last, after appraising her for several long moments.
"I go and help out every chance I get. She's living at my family's house in my old room. So I go and give Mom and Dad a break from her care, in between shifts here."
Issac’s face softened, and his eyes lost their disappointment. "You work here, help out with your family, and still pursue your education? You are a rare flower indeed, Lillian." Isaac seemed to make up his mind suddenly, uncrossing his arms with a flourish. He extended a hand towards Lillian,
Similar Books
