Chapter 7 - ISABELLA STOPPED BEING THE HOUSEKEEPER
It happened because Dominic kissed me.
Bad timing.
Bad judgment.
Very good kiss.
I hated all three facts.
We were in the kitchen.
Of course.
Months after the blue box.
Leo was doing better.
Lily had somehow colonized half the toy room.
Dominic had become less terrifying.
Not un-terrifying.
Less.
I was putting groceries away when he said:
“You’re leaving early tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Dentist.”
“For Lily?”
“Me.”
He frowned.
“Problem?”
“Routine cleaning.”
He nodded as if approving a security report.
I laughed.
“What?”
“You ask questions like every appointment is a threat assessment.”
“Habit.”
“Bad one.”
He looked at me.
Then:
“You say that often.”
“Because you have many.”
Silence.
We were standing too close.
I noticed first.
He noticed second.
Then neither moved.
Dominic said:
“Isabella.”
Danger.
“What?”
“I’ve been trying not to do this.”
“Do what?”
He kissed me.
Once.
Brief.
Then stepped back immediately.
No grabbing.
No assumption.
My heart tried to leave.
I stared.
He said:
“That.”
“Excellent explanation.”
“I’m not good at this.”
“I noticed.”
Then reality returned.
“You’re my employer.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
He frowned.
“What?”
“No.”
I pointed between us.
“This doesn’t happen while you sign my checks.”
Something in his face changed.
Not anger.
Respect.
“Okay.”
That almost made it worse.
“No argument?”
“You’re right.”
Annoying.
I finished putting away the milk.
My hands shook.
Two days later, I gave notice.
Dominic hated it.
“I can transfer you.”
“Still your company.”
“Another household.”
“No.”
“Higher salary.”
“Dominic.”
He stopped.
“I need a job that isn’t attached to whether this works.”
He stared.
“If what works?”
“You know.”
He did.
I had previously worked as a medical-office administrator before Lily was born.
After my divorce, unpredictable hours made it impossible.
Now Lily was older.
I applied to a pediatric clinic.
Interview.
Background check.
Normal life.
I got it.
Dominic had nothing to do with it.
I made him promise.
He hated promises that prevented action.
Good exercise.
My last day at the estate, Mrs. Gable hugged me.
Yes.
She existed too.
Every intimidating mansion apparently requires one terrifying older woman to run it properly.
“You’ll be back.”
“Visiting.”
She smiled.
“Obviously.”
Then Leo cried.
That nearly changed my mind.
“I’m not disappearing.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
“Lily too?”
“Unfortunately.”
Lily shouted:
“I HEARD!”
Good.
Dominic stood behind Leo.
He said nothing.
I looked at him.
“Words.”
Therapy homework.
He sighed.
“I don’t want you to leave.”
My throat tightened.
“But I understand why you are.”
Better.
“And?”
He glared.
I waited.
“I hope you come back because you want to.”
There.
Excellent.
Leo smiled.
I left.
Two weeks later Dominic asked me to dinner.
A real date.
Public restaurant.
No private room.
No employees hovering.
He was uncomfortable.
I loved it.
Then he asked:
“Do people always sit this close?”
“We are six feet apart.”
“Exactly.”
Hopeless.
We dated slowly.
No moving in.
No gifts I could not reciprocate.
When he tried to buy Lily a miniature electric Mercedes for her fourth birthday, I threatened to end the relationship.
He returned it.
Bought crayons.
Growth.
Then Marco’s case moved forward.
Civil claims.
Financial charges.
Obstruction relating to Elena’s communications and false records.
The evidence did not support homicide.
It supported serious deception.
He eventually pleaded guilty to offenses involving fraud and falsifying records, with other matters resolved civilly.
Dominic did not attend sentencing.
May you like
Leo did not need his father’s revenge.
He needed his father home for dinner.
