“Yeah, we worked out we could save some of the cabin and turn it into a groundskeeper storage house, it also means I can clean up in there if I get to muddy and don’t traipse dirt and stuff through the cabin”, Jacob says, but he doesn’t look at me, I try to look around, but I get lost in thought watching him.
“Ammy”, he whispers, then I realise most are watching me,
“Sorry was thinking about the job offer”, I feel my cheeks heat.
“You're to be the housekeeper. What greenhouses do you want?Just basic veg or more?” I glance at Miss Ember, but she’s also waiting for my answer. I duck my head and mentally calculate,
“Erm… oh… I guess if there are twenty-plus people daily, we will need a large one for veg. Would it be cheeky to have one for fruit and one for herbs? And maybe a flower one,” I look in Ember's direction, but at her feet, not her face.
“No, it isn’t. Would you just want to plant fruit or trees, too? We have a blood dragon and a vampire; both have fruit smoothies with blood in them multiple times a day. When they have kids, they will need some too,” Miss Ember informs me. We never talked about species, which surprised me; she only talked about the person.
“Go big, better to have free space now and be able to add more as more people and kids arrive,” she tells Jacob,
“The housekeeper’s rooms are being turned into storage so we can make a drying room for flowers and herbs for you.” Again, this young girl surprises me by wanting to offer so much and thinking of the future not just right now, I hear Jacob’s deep chuckle and I fight off the shudder, knowing my body is lighting up for him, Miss Ember makes a note of supplies on her phone but as she’s putting it away her stance changes to a more formal one.
“We have allocated cabin seven for you to stay in while the work gets done here, I’d like you on-site to be there when rooms need cleaning the landscape guys are staying in a cabin over the other side of the Lake so they won’t bother you, you won’t be cleaning their cabin until they leave, and a couple of our pack are moving into that cabin for security so you won’t be alone.” She states enough truth, and I realise Mother is making her way over with the master.
“What do you mean while work is done?” My mother snaps, and the change to Miss Ember makes me double-take.
“The main house has no electricity and the water only goes to the kitchen sink, this guest cabin just needs furniture and a few last-minute checks, I want Amelia on site so that as rooms are finished in the main house they can be cleaned and furniture moved in, she is also on-site to take in any deliveries,plus if the site team has questions about the kitchen, laundry or any other aspect of her duties she is the best to answer them, what would I know about cooking? My Alpha would like to start moving in when we turn eighteen, so we want this renovation to go quickly and smoothly.” I can feel her dominance leak out, and I notice Mother flinch; the guys with Jacob have also gone ramrod straight.
A dragon swoops in and lands on the other side of the lake and then shifts. It’s not until they get closer that I notice the dragon has a rider. Another guy appears with a pop-up table, then grabs a box and a tool belt and walks into my cabin. I twitch, wanting to follow him, but I turn, focusing on Miss Ember.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
EMBER
Ignatious and his assistant Jimmy walk over, they shake hands with Liam and Nate, plus Jake, as he’s the highest ranking there. Ignatious nods at Amelia and then pulls me into a hug. Jimmy looks shocked but shakes my hand.
He goes over the contract I asked him to work out, highlighting the benefits and role Amelia is to perform.
“Jacob, my boy, can you sign as a witness, please?” Jake quickly washes his hands in the water bucket, drying them on a cloth he pulls from his pocket, and signs on all the parts Jimmy points to,
“Ms Rose, would you countersign, please?” Esmeralda looks smug, but it turns to annoyance when Jimmy points and flips the pages too quickly for her to read. Jimmy slips the new contract into a locked case, and Ignatious pulls another from inside.
“Jacob, I need you to sign this to confirm that you are happy for Liam to loan you out until the work here is done.” Trent and Amelia countersigned Jake's contract to work for us; we had already gone over it with him.
“Are your younger brothers around? So, they can do the same. When Jake points to where they are, he says he will do them before he leaves. Jake sends them a text, so we don’t hold them up; it also needs to be done when LSV isn’t around, so Liam and Nate can blood their contracts.
“Finally Liam I need you and Nate to blood this contract to release Amelia Rose from your employ,” he pulls an old oil burner from his bag and places it on the table, both Nate and Liam slice their palms and hold over the old contract, the words written in blood and a thumbprint of Amelia’s at the bottom, the date shows she would have been five years old.
“It has been an honour to watch you grow into the amazing woman you are today, little Ammy,” Liam says, I watch as Esmeralda gives Jacob a smug pleased look as if she is getting her way, as Ignatious holds the contract over the blessed flame Bas walks over, the contract spits and hisses and a blue flame turns it to ash.
“How long until the drive is done?” I ask my brother.
“Two weeks until it can be used, three until it’s done, why?” I hear Esmeralda scoff. I turn to Amelia,
“Can you be packed in two weeks and then spend a week with Alma learning the guy's likes and dislikes, ready to move in when the road is safe?” She nods, ignoring her mother.
“I don’t have a car, though, so how will I get my stuff here?”
“My brother could,” pointing at Bas, I start to say, but am interrupted by the Quad arriving.
“Pa is coming over in a few weeks to drop off another mower; you can come with him.” Amelia nods at Gus as I hear Esmeralda grind out
“Can’t be her brother,” but we all continue to ignore her. I’m not sure if it’s the bear or his Cherokee heritage she has a problem with, but I don’t care; she won’t be a problem once she is off packlands.
“If Mrs Greenbriar can help that would be most appreciated as I don’t want to take Mother away from her important jobs, and being able to load my books into Mr Greenbriar’s truck would probably be for the best”, Ignatious moves away to get the quad to sign their contracts, Bas and Trent countersigning them – they all already hold my signature, like with the house being in my name Ren decided the staff would be safer that way too. Trent passes me a tote bag, and I thank him.
