His lighthearted comment brought a laugh from Hailey as she made her way to the bathroom. She did a little cleanup while she waited for the water to fill and couldn’t wait to immerse herself in the ancient claw-foot tub. The scents of lavender, lemon, and gardenia wafted from the tub, filling her bathroom with relaxing floral notes.
Hailey’s eyes grew wide as the bubbles rose higher than she knew was possible. Giggling, she sat down in the middle and leaned back, disappearing into a frothy sea of white.
A moment later, Hal tapped on the door, then opened it, wine in hand. “Hailey, are you in there, or did the white sea monster swallow you up?”
Feeling immensely more relaxed, the silly side of her personality came out, and Hailey sprung up on her knees through the bubble wall, roaring like a monster. Water splashed as she filled the tub a little too high and white bubbles clung to her body.
Playing along, Hal jumped back, acting terrified.
“Raww! I’m decaying algae come to shore. Meet your maker.” Hailey leaned forward with clawed arms. But her knees slipped, and she ended up over the tub and on the floor with a thud. She opened one eye to see Hal gazing down with concern written all over his face. “I think the sea monster got me, Daddy.” She said with a forlorn expression.
Hal looked as if he was laughing on the inside but was trying to look concerned for her sake.
“Accountant Daddy will get you if you don’t get back in the tub.” He pulled her to her feet and helped her to step in and settle before handing her a glass of wine. Hailey leaned back in the tub, this time settling back with a contented sigh.
“That was fun. Accountant Daddy, where did that come from?”
“It’s a joke I thought of earlier. I’m glad you had fun; now where is the mop? I don’t want any leaks trickling down to your neighbor’s place.”
“Front closet.”
Hal left and Hailey sipped her wine while contemplating her day. She chalked it up to one of the oddest, and most unexpected days she’d ever had, and it wasn’t over yet. Her mind continued to mull over the question that had bothered her since Hal’s earlier offer in his office.
It would be work, with the added discipline and help Hailey felt she could benefit from, but she had to ask, would it be enough for her, and what was Hal getting out of the deal? Why would a successful, gorgeous man want to interrupt his life with a project like Hailey?
Hal had purchased several bottles of wine after he inquired about her preferences. Taking a tentative sip. Berries, with a hint of chocolate and blackcurrant burst on my palette. She noticed the wine was dark with good legs as it swirled in her glass.
Hal entered with the bucket and mop. “How is the wine?
“Delicious. I love it. Where’s it from?”
“Franschhoek, South Africa. Have you had wine from the region?”
“No,” Hailey frowned, extending her arm to give Hal back the glass. “But there is only one, Black African-owned winery there, which was historically dominated by Apartheid. I won’t support an old regime by drinking their wine.”
Hal had the nerve to smirk at her in her attempt to hand him her wine glass.
“It is a Cab/Merlot from Klein Goederust. Does that meet with your approval?”
Hailey pulled her arm back and glared up at Hal. “Are you a stalker? How do you know so much about me, when until this morning you were just the sexy guy from the diner?”
Hal’s gaze darkened. “You think I’m sexy?”
Hailey burst out laughing. “Like yah, of course. Now your turn. Are you a stalker?”
His look of amusement shifted to something darker, causing her womb to spasm and her entrance to throb.
“I guess it depends on perspective. For the past month, you have been my daily entertainment, and you, my dear, share everything with the cook who works the same shift as you.”
Hailey thought back on all the times she’d served Hal at the restaurant. He always sat near the kitchen and would have been within hearing distance of any personal conversations she had with the other staff members.
“I know when you’re tired, hungry, out of sorts. Your favorite food is a burger and fries, and you like to watch romance movies while eating pizza, your second favorite food. I know you like wine, your favorite mineral water. What I didn’t know is your father had died. I don’t know all your charities yet, but I know there are too many for you to support and live until weget you on track. But if you are asking me if I was deliberately stalking you, the answer is no, and I doubt I would have spoken to you outside of the diner if you hadn’t come into my company looking for work. Now, I will leave you to your bath, and your wine while I get dinner made.”
Hal closed the door, taking the mop and bucket with him when he left.
Hailey glared at the closed door, as she tossed back the remains of her glass. Sinking beneath the bubbles, she stayed there, her nose peaking above the water line, and her upper body encased in the comfort of the fluffy white cloud.
Chapter Five
