CHAPTER 2

          The night security guard of the ‘Echols Enterprises’ got up from his chair the moment he saw Blake.

“As always, you’re the last one to go home, Mr. Echols…” he respectfully scolded Blake. 

“Busted... again!” Blake replied gently in a tired voice. “I’m afraid this is the cruel faith of a CEO, Paul: the first one to arrive in the office, the last one to go home.”

          Blake started walking towards the door but stopped.

“Oh, I almost forgot, Paul… How’s your wife? She already had that heart surgery, am I right?”

“You are, sir. She’s much better now,” the man replied sighing with relief. “The doctor said the surgery was a success and that he will allow Linda to continue her treatment at home.”

“That’s wonderful!” Blake exclaimed and nodded with satisfaction. “There’s no place like home… The perfect place to heal every wound.”

“Sir, I wanted to thank you again for everything you’ve done for my Linda. If it wasn’t for your help...”

“Paul, there’s no need to thank me. You’ve been working for me since I started this company and you never missed a day… It was the least I could do. I hope she’ll have a speedy recovery. Let me know if you need a few days off…”

“You’re very kind, but I’ve already taken care of everything… Thank you again,” Paul added. “Mr. Echols, I saw your car parked in front of the building but I didn’t see your driver… Ehm… Maybe he forgot… Would you like me to call him?”

“No need. I’ve already called Andrew and gave him the night off. I’ll be doing my own driving tonight… I need to clear my head a little bit. Have a good night, Paul!”

“You, too, Mr. Echols.”

          The black Mercedes was waiting for him like an obedient stallion, willing to take Blake home, to his little princess. Forty minutes later, he pulled up in front of the three-car garage and shut off the car. Blake grabbed his briefcase from the passenger seat and got out. Strolling up the walkway, he reached the front door just as it opened.

“Hello, Bruce,” he said to the elderly man in the dark suit.  

“Welcome home, sir,” the butler replied in a formal but kind way.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, sir. Miss Iris is waiting for you in her room.”

“Then I better not keep my little princess waiting,” Blake said smiling. “That’s all, Bruce. You may retire for the night.”

“Very well, sir. Good night.”

          Blake crossed the large foyer, with the polished wood floors, sparkling chandelier overhead, and cream-colored walls, and climbed the stairs, shrugging out of his suit coat as he went.

          He made his way down the hallway and entered the third bedroom on the right. The bedroom was every little girl’s dream. The walls were cotton-candy pink, the carpet white and… plushy. Pink and white striped curtains covered the large window above the window seat.

          Toys filled a bookcase and spilled out of a chest. A tea set was arranged on a little table that had two chairs around it. The furniture was white and small. A small canopy bed covered with the same fabric as the window sat in one corner. It was on this bed that Iris sat, playing with her dolls.

“Hi, Daddy,” she said. “You’re finally home. I’ve missed you.”

“Hi, my little ray of sunshine,” Blake said and put his briefcase on the floor, just inside the door. “I’ve missed you, too,” he added and went to join his little girl on the bed.

          Blake perched on the side of the bed and Iris climbed onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Iris curled her chubby hand around Blake's silk tie and looked up at him with eyes the shade of moss green.

“Today, I fell... and I got a boo-boo…”

“You did?” Blake asked softly. “I’m sorry, baby girl. Show me your boo-boo.”

          Iris moved her nightgown to reveal a scrape on her right knee.

“See?”

“I do. And how did you fall?”

“The bike…”

          Blake brushed a curl of Iris's brown hair back from her face.

“You fell off your tricycle?”

          The little girl nodded.

“Were you going fast or slow?” he asked.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m okay now… See? Could you read me a bedtime story?”

          Blake held back a smile. She was little, but she was already so sly…

“All right! But one story and then you need to close your eyes and go to sleep.”

          He set Iris on her feet.

“Go on! Go pick a book.”

          Iris ran to the bookcase and selected a book. She brought it back to Blake and settled on his lap once more.

“Beautiful swan,” she said, pointing at the cover of the book.

          Blake smiled.

“That's right… A swan…”

          He opened to the first page and started to read. Along the way, Iris would point at a picture and say what it was. When Blake was finished, he placed the book on the bedside table, stood with Iris in his arms, turned, and laid her down on the bed. He pulled the covers up and tucked her in.

“I love you, baby girl.”

“I love you, too, Daddy,” Iris repeated.

          Blake lowered his head and brushed his lips across her forehead.

“Close your eyes now. Goodnight.”

          He straightened up and moved to the other end of the room. After switching on a nightlight, he headed toward the door and bent down to retrieve his briefcase before leaving the room.

          In the hallway, he came upon Alma putting sheets in the linen closet.

“Is the little one finally down for the night, Mr. Blake?” she asked.

“Yes,” Blake said quietly. “How did Iris fall off her tricycle?”

          Alma closed the closet and turned to face Blake.

“She ran into a small hole in the back yard and the tricycle tipped over. I took her inside and cleaned her up. The gardener filled in the hole and checked the grounds. There aren't any more holes.”

“Good,” Blake said and checked his watch. “I will be in my office.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You can take the rest of the night off,” he informed the housekeeper.

“Thank you, Mr. Blake,” Alma replied.

          Blake's office was located off the master bedroom. He spent most evenings behind his desk with his mind on the work in front of him and one ear on the open door in case Iris should call out to him.

          After pouring himself a drink, he sat down at his desk and opened his briefcase.

                                                           ****

          Nicola sipped her glass of wine while her brown eyes scanned the crowded bar. Above the noise of the crowd, she could hear the jukebox. It was playing another one of those sad songs about love lost and hearts broken.

          Wishing Daphne had chosen somewhere else to meet, Nicola reached for a handful of peanuts from the bowl on the table and popped them into her mouth.

“Sorry I'm late, babe,” Daphne exclaimed, appearing suddenly with a brightly colored drink in her hand.

          She slid into the seat across from Nicola.

“That's all right,” Nicola said. “I haven't been waiting long. So, did you finally get that raise?”

          Daphne gave Nicola a perplexed look.

“Raise?”

“Your e-mail… ‘Today’s the day…’?”

“Oh, no… It’s something even better! My great big news has to do with you, sweetie,” Daphne replied, then took a sip of her drink and set the glass down. “Listen here… My boss is looking for a live-in nanny for his four-year-old daughter. I told him about you and he wants to meet with you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really!”

“What is he like as a boss?” Nicola asked.

          Daphne leaned forward.

“He is strict but fair. He likes things done his way and doesn't know the meaning of the word ‘no’.”

          Nicola arched an eyebrow.

“He sounds impossible to work for.”

“No, Nik, he's not,” Daphne stated. “I've been working for him for four great years. I enjoy my job.”

          She grinned.

“I enjoy looking at him, too.”

          Nicola grinned back.

“Tell me more about him.”

          Daphne raised her glass to her lips and took a drink before she spoke.

“Blake Echols is gorgeous and extremely wealthy. He owns several companies. As I said, he has a four-year-old daughter named Iris. She is his weakness. He answers to the little princess, not the other way around. She has him wrapped around her little finger.”

“What about her mother?” Nicola inquired.

          Daphne sat back against the seat with a sigh.

“Mr. Echols divorced Iris's mother two years ago. It was a bitter divorce. Claire, who is Mr. Echols's ex, tried to drag Iris into the middle of it all. Mr. Echols wasn't having it. I don't know exactly what happened, but Iris ended up living with him. He's a very private man, but something tells me that he has a lot of skeletons in his closet.”

“We all have something to hide,” Nicola said. “When does he want to meet with me?”

“Tomorrow, at nine-thirty.”

“Ok,” Nicola muttered.

“You know where ‘Echols Enterprises’ is located, don't you?”

“Of course,” Nicola said. “I’ve met you there the other day, remember?”

“Yeah, right! Oh, Nik, thank you for agreeing to this on such short notice. Blake Echols is anxious to find someone,” Daphne explained. “His housekeeper is looking after Iris right now, but the poor lady is getting up there in age and can't keep up with the little one very well.”

“What happened with the last nanny?” Nicola wanted to know.

          Daphne shrugged.

“I don't know. You'll have to ask him.”

          Nicola fiddled with her napkin as she thought about Blake Echols and the meeting she would have with him tomorrow.

“Oh, I will.”