Enticed (7 page)

My hazel
eyes glittered just as hard as Drew’s icy blue ones. “You may question my methods, Mr. Fullerton, but my results are indisputable. Considering I did all this in two days, even playing keep-away with your ex-wife and your pain-in-the-ass brother, I’d say I’ve done a hell of a lot more than the previous instructors you have hired to do this job.”

Normally I wouldn’t have cursed at an employer. But his elitist attitude really pissed me off.
Did he really believe his son was too good to wash a dish or cook a meal, as if these mundane tasks held no value for such powerful, wealthy people? And if that was true, how did he regard anyone who had the misfortune of being born average? Did he think we were all beneath him, simply because we had no one to treat us like gods? The Texan was coming out, and he was either going to prove he could deal with that or he was going to send me home anyway. I had nothing to lose. In fact, the only one who had anything at all at stake was Jonathan.

“Now, if you don’t approve of my more unconventional methods, then you can gas up the jet and send me home
tonight. But I’m willing to bet that you won’t find anyone else who can reach Jonathan the way that I have. I have a connection with him. That was what you wanted. That is what you got.” I grabbed a glass of ice water and gulped it down. “Do with that what you will.”

Before he could reply, Jonathan raced back into the room,
wearing a new jade green kimono and holding the entire box set of his favorite Anime program. “Thanks, Dad!” he said as he rushed to hug his father. “Let’s watch it together,” he pleaded hopefully.

I used that opportunity to slide my chair back and rise from the table. “I think I’ll retire for the evening. Let you two catch up.”

Jonathan was crestfallen. “No, Rachel,” he said with a plaintive whine in his voice. “Please don’t go. You haven’t even had any pudding.”

“Pudding?”
Drew echoed.

Jonathan nodded. “She made homemade Southern banana pudding.”

I shook my head. “You enjoy it. I’m stuffed,” I lied easily. “The dinner was excellent, Jonathan. You did a great job.” I turned to Drew. “It was very nice meeting you, Mr. Fullerton. I trust you’ll think about what I said and let me know if there has been any change in plans.”

Jonathan was panicked as he looked between his father and me. “Chan
ge of plans? You’re not leaving, are you, Rachel?”

“No decisions have been made,”
Drew filled in before I could speak. “Why don’t you go get us some pudding, Jonathan? That sounds delicious.”

Jonathan nodded and disappeared into the kitchen.
Drew rose to his feet and walked around the table to face me. “Obviously I’m not used to being spoken to in such a way in my own home,” he said, his voice hard but quiet. “But obviously I offended you. I apologize.” He offered his hand.

It was a gesture of civility, but his eyes were still lethal as they stared down at me. My hand shook as I placed it in his. His fingers closed around mine powerfully as he pulled me closer. I gasped as I stopped short mere inches from that massive chest. I hadn’t been this close to a man in many years,
especially a man as intimidating as Drew Fullerton. I was certain that he could feel the tremble in my grasp when my eyes shot to his. His face broke apart in a victorious smile. “Start over?” he asked softly. “Rachel?”

I gulped hard. I should have told him to gas up the jet anyway and just leave Beverly Hills in my daydreams where it belonged. Had Jonathan not been a factor, I probably would have done just that. But he
was very much a factor, so I owed it to him to make inroads with Drew, who now had five days to prove to me that I could work for him. He had to trust me and my methods, and respect the job that I was hired to do. So I tipped my chin again and said in as steady a voice as I could muster, “You’re the boss,” I said, adding, “Mr. Fullerton,” defiantly.

I pulled my hand from his and carried myself on unsteady legs all the way to the guest room.

The next day I opted to follow
Drew’s curriculum by taking Jonathan to the California Science Center. It was hands-on learning in a more conventional environment, but best of all it got me the hell out of the house for the day, keeping any contact between Drew and me to a minimum.

Jonathan was an absorbent little sponge who soaked up every single exhibit, so he was a fun companion.
It was almost like learning all these fascinating things over again. After watching a space-themed IMAX movie in 3-D, we stopped for a bite to eat at familiar fast food kiosk on the premises.

Jonathan sucked down his soda. “Have you talked to my dad?” he wanted to know.

I shook my head. “Not since yesterday. Was he terribly upset?”

Jonathan shrugged. “At first, maybe. Mostly he was quiet.”

“Is that a bad thing?” I said as I grinned at him, before diving into a crispy taco.

“It means he’s thinking things through. Re-evaluating, calculating.”

I stopped chewing. This was a little boy who had stepped into an adult role at a very early age. He was willing to shield the world from his father, and that was no place any kid deserved to be. “I can handle whatever your dad throws at me, Jonathan. Don’t worry.”

His eyes were wide and sad. “I just don’t want you to go. You’re the first teacher in a long time who has given a damn.”

I scowled. “Jonathan.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just… if you go back home… I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s sent me away before,” Jonathan confided. “Away from everyone in some strange place. And it sucked. It felt like a punishment. If I screw up again he’ll send me to military school.”

“The easy way to avoid that is not to screw up,” I pointed out. “Why do you act out, Jonathan?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“I think you do,” I said softly.

He glanced up at me, uncertain if he could share his painful secret. His eyes welled with tears. “If they’re yelling at me, then they’re not yelling at each other.”

I could hear my heart crackle into a million little pieces. I reached across the table and took his hand in mine. “I know that this is difficult on you, but none of this is your fault or your responsibility, honey. These are adult problems. And for some reason, some adults act like complete boneheads when they’re hurt. Sometimes they hurt so much that they can’t even see what their behavior does to anyone else. But it has nothing to do with you, sweetie.”

He shook his head. “It has everything to do with me. The only fight left between them is what will happen to me. Both of them want me to live with them. How am I supposed to choose?”

“You shouldn’t have to,” I agreed.

“I just want things to go back to the way they used to be,” he mumbled.

“I know,” I said softly.

“You’re the only one who does,” he said. “Maybe you can do something.”

I shook my head. “I’m just your teacher, Jonathan. I’m not a marriage counselor or a lawyer.” Or a psychiatrist, which is what I felt both parents desperately needed. “If I stay, it’s to be there for you. I can’t fix what’s broken between them. And neither can you. Only they can do that.”

He nodded. He knew.

I collected the empty wrappers from our table. “Come on. Let’s go learn about the ecosystem.”

We spent the rest of the day at the science center, and then chatted about the things we learned on the way home tangled in rush-hour traffic. I didn’t expect to beat
Drew home, but as it turned out he had never left.

Whether or not my comment had anything to do with it, or if he wanted to oversee and micromanage my lesson plans,
Drew had taken the rest of the week off to spend Spring Break with his son. We learned this when we walked into the kitchen and found Drew with a red checkerboard apron around his hips. He had barbecue tongs in one hand and a platter of steaks in the other.

“Dad?” Jonathan asked as he processed this unexpected turn of events.

“You think you’re the only cook in the family?” he asked with a playful smirk. His eyes met mine. “How do you like your steak, Miss Dennehy?”

I didn’t know what to make of this any more than Jonathan did. “Medium rare,” I answered finally, and watched dumbstruck as
Drew headed back outside to the barbecue pit. Jonathan and I shared a glance before we followed him.

“How was the science center?” he asked Jonathan once we stepped outside.

“It was great,” Jonathan gushed, before he launched into a full monologue on all the things he saw and did.

Drew
smiled at his son. “I guess we’ll just have to go back so you can show me all you learned.”

Jonathan immediately brightened. It made me wonder how long it had been since they had done anything fun together. No wonder the kid was so miserable.

“Is there anything you would like us to do?” I asked.

Drew
shook his head. “Almost completely done. Plenty of time for you both to go freshen up for dinner. Nothing fancy, of course. I figured we’d eat outside.”

I nodded and guided Jonathan back into the house.

Jonathan clasped my hand in his as we ascended the stairs together. “See why you have to stay?” he asked when we reached the second floor. “Dad’s
cooking
.”

He laughed so I did, too. But I was definitely dumbfounded by
Drew’s about-face. Was this really my influence? Or was this another game?

I supposed the evening would tell the tale. Only the Lord knew why I was apprehensive as to what it might bring.

Jonathan shared no such concerns. He was as happy as I had seen him, even more than when he was frolicking in the yard with Alex. He shadowed his dad at the grill, and Drew taught him about finer barbecuing technique.

As it turned out, this business titan grilled a pretty mean steak. And I was from Texas. I knew steak. The outer crust was perfectly charred, while the inside was slightly pink and velvety on the tongue. It was seasoned simply with sea salt and peppercorn, and complemented by the grilled veggies on the side, a mixture of onion, sweet peppers and plump cherry tomatoes that popped when
I bit into them.

I didn’t say much through the meal, but I really didn’t get a chance to. Jonathan monopolized the conversation as he shared all the things he had learned and done at the science center with his father.
Drew listened with rapt attention to every word. He asked questions here and there, but mostly allowed his son to chatter away.

I got the sense that was an anomaly as well.

“Sounds like a very productive day,” he said with a satisfied smile. “Maybe tomorrow I can tag along on one of your field trips.”

It was as if he knew I was trying my level best to avoid him. Even worse, Jonathan was overjoyed at the idea.
It was clearly two against one as they both turned to me for my answer. I forced a smile. “That would be lovely.”

“How do you feel about a fine arts lesson at the Getty?”
Drew asked.

How did I feel about strolling around a
grand accomplishment of architecture, standing mere feet away from the priceless masterpieces by the greatest artists that ever lived? “Count me in,” I said.

Drew
looked mighty pleased with himself as he turned to Jonathan. “Why don’t you go get the rest of that pudding for dessert?”

Jonathan nodded happily and bounded back into the house.
Drew turned back to me. “How was your steak?”

“Not bad for a non-Texan,” I said.

He grinned. “Didn’t think I could cook, did you?”

“After our conversation yesterday, I didn’t expect it would be at the top of your list, no.”

He shrugged as he gathered the plates. “I can’t take too much credit. I mean, it’s barbecue. I think every man was born with the gene.” I said nothing as I watched him clear the table. “I do want to apologize for my behavior yesterday. Is it possible to chalk it up to jet lag and start over? Genuinely.”

I shrugged. “I agreed to that yesterday,” I pointed out. “But the steak was a very generous olive branch.”

He sent me a playful wink. “I’ll have to remember that for next time.”

I chuckled in spite of myself. “If there is a ‘next time,’ it’ll take a little bit more than a steak.”

He laughed. “You do say what is on your mind, don’t you?”

“Life’s too short to live any other way,” I replied.

He gave me a slight bow in agreement. “Well said.”

Jonathan reappeared with three bowls of banana pudding, topped high with whipped cream. He had made it fresh, which impressed
Drew. Gone were the underhanded insults about the menial task of cooking. Instead he praised his son’s efforts and encouraged his newfound interest.

Drew
had also snagged a screener copy of a new release from one of his business clients, so we spent the evening laughing over a family movie that was due to be released that summer. By nine o’clock, Jonathan was ready to head to bed and I rose to join him.

As lovely as the evening had been, I didn’t want to ruin it with further small talk with
Drew.

He made no objection, and in fact disappeared into his
study to catch up on the work he would be missing this week.

By the following morning, he once again put business aside to spend time with his son, and
, by extension, me. We headed to the Getty Center, a museum in Brentwood founded by J. Paul Getty. We parked in the garage before taking a tram up the hill toward the museum. The architectural wonder sat atop a hill, giving visitors dynamic panoramic views of the sprawling Los Angeles basin, as well as the Pacific Ocean. It was home to varying exhibits, permanently housing some classic works of art by Monet, Van Gogh and Gaugin, among others.

I was awestruck from the moment I stepped through the doors and entered the rotunda.

Though I was the teacher, Drew served as our host as we meandered through the museum. He offered a knowledgeable take on the different paintings and sculptures, even the building itself. Both Jonathan and I listened with fascination as he spoke about the lives of the different artists. He knew things I didn’t know and made a conscientious and well-informed guide for our visit.

After lunch we strolled through the 134,000-square-foot sculpted garden. No words were needed. It was a feast for the soul just to be amidst such natural beauty.
The Pacific sparkled off in the distance as the sun blazed high through another cloudless afternoon.

“This is beautiful,” I whispe
red as I walked along the path.

Drew
smiled down at me. “Do I get an A for the suggestion, Miss Dennehy?”

I returned the smile. “A+.”

By the time the museum closed at five o’clock that afternoon, they practically had to drag me away from the Masters collection. I could have stared at those paintings for days. I bought a few postcards from the gift shop, just to have a piece of them with me. Though I was still miffed at Nancy, I bought her a few trinkets as well. I knew I’d get over our spat by the time I got back to Texas. Her motives were genuine, though misguided.

Plus I needed a peace offering if I was going to pull up roots and move to Los Angel
es for the indeterminate future. As each day passed, I realized that was becoming more and more of a possibility.

We stopped at a vegan restaurant on the way home. Though I was a happy omnivore, I was willing to try new things
, especially when it came to food. I was surprised to find that I actually liked the food so much I didn’t even miss the meat or the dairy. We split a pizza and topped of the meal with a brownie bowl for dessert, dripping decadently with a dairy-free ice cream alternative.

This time I was the one practically licking the bowls clean. Both the Fullerton men at the table found this hilarious, and teased me mercilessly as we drove back to the house.

Drew had opted to take us personally in his luxury SUV, which was a sight better than being driven around by Harrison. As sweet as he was, it was slightly embarrassing for me to exit the back seat of a car driven by my own personal chauffeur.

I was still a teacher, for God’s sake. This was not my life.

But it could be
, I thought to myself. Sands were falling in the hourglass and I would soon have to make a decision on whether or not I wanted to take this job permanently.

After days like this one, it was a no-brainer.

Jonathan begged us to play a game of Scrabble, and of course neither Drew nor I would have denied him. We played for nearly an hour before Drew soundly whipped both our butts. By then, we were all exhausted and ready to call it a day.

Again I started to follow Jonathan from the room, but this time
Drew halted me.

“Miss Dennehy, may I speak to you privately before you retire for the evening?”
Drew asked.

I glanced down at Jonathan, who was equally baffled by the request. Finally I nodded that Jonathan should go on and I lagged behind, following
Drew out into his paneled study. He closed the door behind me before heading to his ornate mahogany bar with a marble top and brass accents. “May I pour you a drink?” he asked casually.