Page 13 of His Housekeeper's Twin Baby Confession
‘You talk back—they’re just human beings.’
Carrie made a noise. ‘To you, maybe... It’s different for someone like me.’
‘What do you mean?’
Carrie pushed her plate away. There was no way she could eat now. ‘To those people someone like me is invisible. I’m just there to top up a drink or serve food or clean up after them.’
‘You mean people like me?’
Carrie flushed. ‘Well...yes, but you’re different...’
Massimo acknowledged all his employees in a way that she knew most others didn’t.
‘You don’t sound bitter about it,’ he responded.
Carrie looked at him. ‘I’m not. I’ve never expected anything else. I wouldn’t want your life if you paid me.’
She realised what she’d said and put a hand to her mouth, a nervous giggle escaping. She took her hand down.
‘That’s literally what you’re proposing to do. To pay me to be in your world.’
‘What’s so bad about my life, then?’
Massimo sat back and Carrie wanted to kick herself. How on earth had they gothere?
‘I guess in many ways it’s not bad—you have everything you could ever want... But I think, if I’m not speaking too much out of turn, it’s isolating. I don’t see you having much...fun.’
‘Doyouhave fun?’ There was no sharpness to the question, as if she’d offended him, just curiosity.
Carrie felt self-conscious. ‘I don’t suppose I can claim to have much fun...no.’
‘So maybe we’re not that different after all.’
She’d never thought about it like that.
He continued, ‘And maybe it might be considered fun to dress up and come with me to something you’ve never experienced before?’
Before she could even acknowledge how adroitly he was manoeuvring her Carrie thought of something far scarier. She thought of the women at the party the previous night, in cocktail dresses of every hue, with gems glittering from ears, necks and hands. She thought of how she’d envied them.
‘In any case, I don’t have anything remotely suitable to wear.’
Massimo waved a hand. ‘That’s easily taken care of.’
Carrie was rendered momentarily speechless. ‘But... I’m your housekeeper.’
‘Like I said, you’d be doing me a favour.’
He was saying all this in such a reasonable way that Carrie felt she would be overreacting if she kept protesting. Her boss wanted her to go to an event as his date—in a work capacity—in order to keep him from the hordes of women.
For a moment Carrie wondered if she might actually be dreaming. Or hallucinating. She wanted to pinch herself, and did so under the table.Ouch.Not a dream, then.
But previous experience had hardwired her to be wary of any kind of ‘persuasion’.
She said, ‘If I refuse what happens?’
Massimo took a drink of water and shook his head. ‘Absolutely nothing. Things proceed as normal. You are under no obligation to agree to this. I realise that it’s asking you to blur the boundaries of our work relationship. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. You don’t have to answer now, Carrie. Think about it and let me know later.’
Something in her eased. She was an expert in reading passive aggression and aggressive aggression, and she perceived nothing here. Massimo was telling the truth. He really was just looking for an easy option in something he considered irksome.
