Ms. Mary had the staff waiting when the limo pulled up in front of the house. I didn’t wait for the driver to open my door. I was free to not worry about impressions here. I could do what I damn well pleased. I stepped out of the limo and stretched, smiling up at the house that represented freedom to me.
There was no threat of girls gone crazy beating down my door. I didn’t have any places I needed to be. No interviews. Nothing. I could go lay out on that beach all damn day and no one would bother me. Life was good in south Alabama. My mom wasn’t here yet, so I had time to go in and see Ms. Mary. Get some sweet iced tea and a buttered biscuit before dealing with her.
Ms. Mary came bustling out the door before I made it up the steps. “Master Jax, you look like you’ve lost ten pounds since I seen you last. Come on in here and get yourself some good food. Growing boys don’t need to be so skinny.”
I’d actually put on ten pounds since she’d last seen me, thanks to my new trainer. But I wasn’t going to argue with her. You didn’t argue with Ms. Mary. Even my mom knew that. “Hello, Ms. Mary. You’re looking more beautiful than the last time I saw you.” It was something I’d been telling her every year for the past five years. Her wrinkled cheeks would turn a bright pink from the compliment.
“Hush now, boy. We both know that ain’t true. But my biscuits, them’s something you can gush over.” She was proud of her culinary abilities, and I was pretty damn addicted to them myself. It was why I paid her well to stay on all year even when I wasn’t in residence. I liked knowing I could come here whenever I wanted. Having it kept up during the year gave not only Ms. Mary a job, but some of the staff as well. Ms. Mary only had to hire on extra help for the summers.
Things went much smoother the next day. I didn’t have to be searched, and I was even given a card to show at the gate when I arrived from here on out. Fran even smiled at me once. After lunch Ms. Mary sent me to the third floor, which housed most of the bedrooms. It was easy to forget whose house I cleaned. I had no friends to tell about the job. And the fact that I stood in the rooms where the hottest teen star in the world would be sleeping all summer wasn’t really so big of a deal.
I stepped into Jax’s bedroom and spun around. This wasn’t a typical celebrity’s room. It seemed so old-fashioned, and it struck me as odd. I had to take a closer look.
One wall displayed bats and balls autographed by different players while some just looked well used. Jerseys he must have worn during childhood hung on the walls proudly. I could easily picture the little boy I’d seen in the portraits wearing these and playing Little League just like an ordinary kid. I went in for a closer inspection of the team pictures hanging under each of the jerseys. In the earliest ones, I struggled to figure out which little boy was the now famous rock star. After he appeared to be ten or eleven, I identified him easily. The jerseys and pictures were in year order from about kindergarten until age thirteen, and then they stopped. A year or so later was when I remembered first hearing his name on the radio. He seemed to have led a normal life up until the time a record label discovered him.
The wall space above his bed set the room apart from an ordinary teenage boy’s room. Guitars of every shape, size, and color hung on the walls. Many were autographed; some sparkled with newness. One appeared to have real gold on it, which wouldn’t be surprising at all. I got on my toes and examined it more closely. It said FENDER on it. I continued examining the signatures on the more expensive guitars. I ran my finger over the name Jon Bon Jovi and smiled. Apparently, even rock stars have idols. In the center of them all hung a small worn guitar. The fact that it hung in the center of this collection made it obvious this must have been the first and most loved.
I peeked back at the open door to make sure no one was outside, then went to stand under the small guitar I imagined had started it all. I wasn’t a crazy fan, but seeing something responsible for spurring a dream seemed almost holy in a way.
My cleaning cart sat untouched in the doorway, and I knew I needed to get busy. I didn’t want to learn new, personal things about him. I wanted him to stay shallow and untouchable in my eyes. Knowing he once was a cute little boy with dark brown curls and a smile that would one day cause a frenzy made him seem more real and not so godlike. I needed to keep my interest in him to a minimum. I quickly went about the room dusting and sweeping, and then I mopped the expensive hardwood floors. I decided I’d better get through with this room quickly before I came across anything else too personal. I focused my thoughts on my future and blocked out all thoughts of Jax Stone.
“Sadie, are you finished yet? The family has arrived, and we need to exit to the servants’ quarters,” Fran said from the doorway.
I walked out into the hallway, where a very nervous Fran stood, and placed my cleaning supplies back on the cart. “Sure, just finished up.”
Fran nodded and headed toward the back elevator, in which house staff traveled from floor to floor without being seen by the family. Fran hurried inside as it opened, and I started to follow when a bottle of glass cleaner fell off the cart and spilled a little. I reached for a small rag and picked the bottle up from the floor. I wiped up the spill the best I could.
“Hurry, please,” Fran called in an anxious tone from inside the elevator. The family must have been headed upstairs.
As I started pushing my cart toward the elevator, a tingling sensation raised the hairs on my neck. Startled, I turned and saw him standing there watching me. It wasn’t the cute little curly headed boy, but instead the famous rock star. I froze, unsure of what to do since my presence here becoming known this soon wasn’t something Ms. Mary wanted. A smile broke across his ridiculously sexy face, and heat burned through my cheeks as I glanced away and entered the elevator.
He didn’t appear to be angry that a teenage girl worked in his home. His smile seemed more amused. Fran frowned when I glanced at her, but she said nothing. I put my cart away and went to report to the kitchen. Ms. Mary stood with her hands on her hips, waiting on our arrival. A silent conversation seemed to take place between Fran and Ms. Mary. After Ms. Mary nodded, she reached for something on the table and handed me folded black clothing.
“Everyone wears uniforms while the family is in residence. Also, you won’t be cleaning the house anymore, but you will help me in the kitchen and help Mr. Greg in the gardens. And tonight I need you to serve supper. Mrs. Stone has requested that all servers seen by family and guests are attractive in appearance. William, the young man I hired to assist Marcus in serving the family, called in sick about ten minutes ago, and you are all I got. You’ve proved to be a hard worker, and you seem to be serious about this job. Your age concerns me since the master of the house is around your age and is an idol in most girls’ eyes. My gut tells me that is not an issue for you. I hope you continue to show such maturity.”
I didn’t really know what to say after that mouthful from her, so I only nodded.
“Good. Now, you’re to wear this every day when you work in the house. I’ll have two more made in your size, and they are to be left here each night to be washed and pressed. Make sure you continue to enter at the same location and immediately change in the laundry room. When you’re working outside you’ll need to change into the shorts that match this. They will also be kept in the laundry room. Now I need you to help me begin preparing for the evenin’ meal before you put these on. You gotta be tidy and clean when you serve.”
For the next two hours, I chopped, sliced, stirred, and stuffed all types of meats and vegetables. By the time Ms. Mary told me to get changed and tidy up my hair, exhaustion already filled my body. I changed into the black skirt, which hit right above my knees, and the white buttoned shirt with a round collar. I put a black apron on over my shirt and skirt. Pulling my hair loose, I piled the curls up high on my head. I washed my face and hands and sighed at the face mirrored back at me. My mother’s face had landed me a job as server tonight, but my reserved personality had gained me Ms. Mary’s trust. Where my mother’s eyes sparkled with mischief, mine stayed serious and guarded.
Jax Stone’s smile had dazzled me in person as much as it did in the millions of pictures I’d seen in magazines and on posters. However, it didn’t mean I would be silly enough to be attracted to him like the rest of the world. With a deep breath, I opened the door and went back to the kitchen where Ms. Mary stood waiting.
“Okay, now remember, you set this in front of Master Jax at the exact moment Marcus here”—she waved to a tall young guy with sandy blond hair I’d not met yet—“places Mrs. Stone’s in front of her. They will be the only two at the table tonight. Mr. Stone and their son Jason will be arriving in a few days. So tonight you two will be the only two serving.
“Make sure you stand back quietly behind Master Jax while he eats, and follow Marcus’s lead. He’ll help you with anythin’ you aren’t sure about.”
I turned my full gaze on Marcus, who seemed to be only a few years older than I was, probably college age. His smiling green eyes immediately relaxed me.
He held out his tanned hand and grinned. “Marcus Hardy.”
I slipped my hand into his, and he shook it. “Sadie White.”
He nodded, still grinning, and reached for his tray. “I saw your brave performance yesterday as you secured your job here. It amazed me how your eyes went from nervous to determined in less than a second.” He picked up the tray in front of him, and I smiled and lifted the tray set before me.
“You’ll follow me . . . since I’ll be serving Mrs. Stone’s food.” He gave me a wink before turning and heading down the hall toward the entrance to the dining room.
The large room wasn’t new to me. I’d scrubbed the floors in there that morning. Marcus took his place behind Mrs. Stone, who sat with her back to the entrance. I walked around to stand behind Jax, who sat at the head of the table. I looked to Marcus to guide me. He nodded, and we set the salads down at the exact same time. I stepped back. Marcus nodded for me to stand beside him, so I did.
“I still don’t see why Dad is making Jason go to the interview at Yale if he doesn’t want to go there.” Jax’s voice sounded so smooth it seemed almost unreal.
I felt as if I’d walked into a movie, and I stood watching the scene before me.
“Your brother doesn’t know what is best for him. He has the brains to be more than just Jax Stone’s younger brother. He can make a name for himself if he will just focus on it instead of spending so much time fiddling with the stock market. His head for numbers is being wasted. He needs to decide what he wants to do with his future and do it. Stop messing around with things. If he wants to be successful in the stock market, fine. But don’t play at it like it’s a game.”
Jax’s eyes gazed up at me and seemed to smile before he directed them back down at his mother. “You both are going to push him away. You’re right; he is smart. And he doesn’t need you to think for him.”
Mrs. Stone let out a short, hard laugh. “And you wouldn’t be where you are today if I hadn’t pushed you so hard. All you wanted to do was play baseball with your buddies and play in a silly garage band that had absolutely no talent other than you.”
Jax sighed, took a drink of his ice water, and turned to his mother. “Enough, Mom. Don’t start talking bad about the only real friends I’ve ever had.”
Mrs. Stone leaned back, and Marcus touched my hand to draw my attention back to him and the reason we were in here. We stepped forward and, at the same time, removed the salad plates from in front of the Stones.
“May we get you something other than water to drink with your meal?” Marcus asked with a charming southern drawl.
I felt eyes once again watching me. I fought the urge to allow my eyes to shift back in Jax’s direction and to those eyes.
Mrs. Stone sighed. “I suppose one glass of wine won’t hurt me.” She glanced over at her son and straightened her napkin in her lap as if trying to decide. “Bring me a glass of the best merlot we have in the cellar.”
Jax leaned back, and I could see he still watched me. So I took a calming breath and looked at him.
“If I could have some of Ms. Mary’s sweet iced tea, please.”
I nodded and kept myself from returning his smile.
“Yes, sir,” Marcus replied. He stepped back and waved his hand so I would lead the way back to the kitchen.
I exited the large dining room and immediately took a deep breath. I hadn’t realized how nerve-racking this would be. As soon as we entered the kitchen, Marcus smiled at me.
“What? Did I screw up?”
Marcus shook his head, and a blond lock of hair fell into his eyes. “No, you were great. Now let’s get the crab bisque out there before Ms. Mary has a fit.” He turned toward the housekeeper. “Ms. Mary, we need merlot from the cellar.”
Ms. Mary handed him the already opened bottle along with a glass. “I figured as much, and here’s Jax’s sweet tea.”
“I’ll deal with the drinks,” Marcus said.
I was too grateful to ask why. I just nodded and followed him back down the hall toward the dining room. Right before we reentered, Marcus glanced back at me. “Ignore his watching you. You’re a treat to the eyes. I can’t blame him, but if you want to keep this job, try to become invisible.” He winked, then opened the door.
My goal in life was to become invisible. I thought I’d been attempting to do just that. Apparently, I needed to try harder.
“I intend to get in a lot of time just relaxing on the beach. I like the private beach access we have here, and the thought of being able to chill on the beach with no one wanting to speak to me, meet me, or get me to sign an autograph is what I’ve been craving all year. I need a break. I know Marco hates the idea of me being unavailable for three months, but I need this for my sanity.” Jax glanced up at me as I set the bowl of bisque in front of him. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“I want you to have a break too. Gregory thinks a little time in front of your fans this summer would be great PR. Maybe you could do a beach concert, or just do a few movie premieres.”
Jax shook his head. “Mom, I refuse to make my presence here known. I chose Alabama because it’s not a highly populated area. Better yet, this little island here is private. I’ll consider a few movie premieres, but nothing else. No concerts.”
Mrs. Stone shrugged. “Well, I told Gregory I would try, and I did. He can deal with you. You’re an adult. I’m not going to pressure you anymore.”
Jax continued to eat, and I stood beside Marcus, staring out the window and back at Jax’s bowl, waiting for the moment when I would need to remove it. I glanced up at Marcus, and he met my eyes with a smile. He was all business, and I could tell he wanted me to do well here. I’d made a friend. Marcus lightly touched my arm and stepped forward. I immediately followed, and we removed their bowls.
“More sweet tea, sir?”
Jax glanced at me and flicked his gaze toward Marcus. “Yes, please.”
Mrs. Stone’s glass of wine was only missing a sip at most. Marcus once again stepped back and allowed me to lead the way out. We did the same routine as before, with Marcus carrying the tray of dirty dishes.
Once in the kitchen, Marcus picked up the tray already prepared with the most rich, exotic foods I had ever seen.
“Wow, they sure eat a bunch.”
“Mrs. Stone has only tasted her food so far, and my guess is she will barely touch this as well.”
“He eats all of his.”
“Yep, but then, he’s a growing boy.”
I laughed at Marcus’s imitation of Ms. Mary and followed him back down the now familiar hall. Once inside, I placed the food in front of Jax again, and Marcus handled the sweet tea for me.
Jax and his mother ate in silence this time. Occasionally I sensed him watching me and felt a brief touch from Marcus’s hand, no doubt reminding me I needed to become invisible. I never acknowledged the curious steel-blue eyes. Mother and son exchanged a few casual words, but for the most part, they continued to eat in silence. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I inspected Jax to see if he’d finished, and our eyes met.
I tried to tear my gaze away, but his eyes held a hint of laughter. I stared down at my feet, and Marcus squeezed my arm. It startled me. I looked up at him, and he nodded for us to take their plates. We cleared the places in front of them at the same time. Then I walked toward the door, already in the routine.
“I won’t be having dessert,” Mrs. Stone said to Marcus. “I hate to leave you to eat alone, Jax, but I’m exhausted. I’ll be in my room if you need me.”
Jax stood as his mother left the table. Once she had exited, he sat back down. “I would love dessert,” he assured us . . . or he assured me.
Marcus nodded. “Yes, sir,” he said in his businesslike tone, and we left.
Once back in the kitchen, Marcus set down his tray. “Okay, this is sticky. You’re supposed to take him his plate, and since his mother has left, I have no reason to return. I could go in your place, which would be the best idea, but I am afraid it could anger him. He may think I don’t trust him with you alone. He has obviously noticed you, which I knew would be pretty unavoidable. But I’d hoped since he is famous, he wouldn’t pay attention to another pretty face.” Marcus sighed, leaned his hip against the table, and crossed his long legs. “I’m leaving this up to you.”
“Me?”
“What do you want to do, Sadie? It isn’t about your job; it is about mine. If you don’t go back, I could lose mine for taking your spot. I think he has already picked up on my protecting you. If you go or not, your job is secure . . . for now.”
I sighed and reached for the tray holding the dessert. I wouldn’t jeopardize someone else’s job to help myself out. “I’ll do it.”
Without another word, I headed back down the hall all by myself.
Once I entered, his steel-blue eyes met mine, and he smiled. “Ah, so he did let you come alone. I wondered if I would be seeing him instead.”
I didn’t want to smile at his comment, but I did. I set his dessert down in front of him and took my place.
“Do you speak?” he asked.
“Yes.” Marcus had spoken for me all night.
“We don’t normally have young female employees. How did you get through Mary?”
“I’m mature for my age.”
He only nodded and took a bite of some sort of chocolate cake with more chocolate oozing out of the inside. After he chewed and swallowed, he looked back at me. I turned to stare out the window at the waves crashing against the shore.
“How old are you?”
“Seventeen.” I hoped my simple reply would end his interrogation.
“How did you know I lived here?”
His question caught me off guard, and I met his gaze. “It’s hard to miss the photos of you as I dust and mop.”
He frowned. “You applied for this job not knowing I lived here?”
I realized he assumed a fan had squeezed through the cracks of his security, and he wanted to know how I did it.
“My mother has been cleaning here for two months. However, her pregnancy has progressed and she sent me in her place. I proved my worth, and Ms. Mary kept me. My being here has nothing to do with you, sir, but has everything to do with the fact that I want to eat and pay the rent.” I knew I sounded annoyed, but I was annoyed, and I couldn’t help it.
He nodded and stood up. “I’m sorry. When I saw you, and you are young and, well . . . attractive, I thought the only reason someone like you would be working here would be to get close to me. I deal with girls quite a bit, and my assuming you were working here to get near me wasn’t fair. Forgive me.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I felt this job slipping out of my hands, but I would not cry. “I understand,” I managed to get out.
A boyish smile tugged at his lips, and he nodded toward the door. “I guess I should have figured you were taken, from the possessiveness of the other server tonight. I stared at you more than I should’ve, but I kept waiting for you to ask for my autograph or slip your number to me on a napkin.”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
He shrugged. “Those things are a way of life for me. I just expect it.”
I smiled back at him this time. He wasn’t as bad as I’d anticipated. He wasn’t about to fire me. “I’m here to do my job, sir, and nothing more.”
“Do me a favor and don’t call me ‘sir.’ I am just two years older than you.”
I took the plate, careful not to touch his hands, and stepped back.
“Okay,” I replied, hoping I could leave.
“So, is he your boyfriend?”
He caught me off guard with his question, and I halted in my tracks. “Who? Marcus?”
A crooked grin appeared on his face. He was hard not to stare at. “If Marcus is the guy who seemed quite determined to make sure you made no mistakes tonight, then yes.”
“No, he is . . . he is a friend.” It was strange saying those words. I’d never called anyone a friend in my life.
Jax smiled and leaned down to whisper close to my ear. “I hope someday soon you will consider me a friend as well. I don’t have very many of those.”
My face grew hot, and my skin tingled at his nearness. His warm breath on my skin made it hard to form words. I swallowed hard, trying to focus on his comment and not swoon at his feet like some crazy lunatic. “I only have one,” I blurted out like an idiot.
Jax frowned. “I find that hard to believe.”
I shrugged. “I don’t have time for friends.”
Jax stepped forward, opened the door for me, and smiled.
“Well, I hope we can find some time in your busy schedule, because I happen to be in need of a friend myself . . . . Someone who doesn’t care who I am . . . . Someone who doesn’t laugh at my jokes when they’re not funny. If I’m not mistaken, you couldn’t care less about the fact that I’m on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine this month and on the bedroom walls of every teenage girl in America.”
His comment seemed to ease my momentary lapse of common sense from his nearness, and I shook my head. “Not every teenage girl in America. You’ve never been on my walls. So I guess you’re right—I don’t care.” I walked away, leaving him standing behind me.