The Employer

Chapter 20

Marc Nassar

In my circles gossip often floats around like unwelcome dust—you don't want to see it but it somehow lands on you.

There was a man who used to live in the neighborhood who got caught cheating on his wife with the maid. His actions tore his family to shreds and eventually he was ostracized from the community with none of his children with him.

While I don't often care much for community events and the particles that fly over them, I still force myself to attend to network for new clients, and connect with existing ones. By doing that, it didn't take long before I cemented myself in the community and saw my law practice blossom and grow into the booming law firm it is today.

But now, as I watch Celeste and the girls paint together in the art studio, I can't help but wonder...What would be in store for me, my family, and my business if I pursued Celeste fully?

On the one hand, I can already hear the crowds speaking in hushed tones, quiet enough to deign cordiality but loud enough to not actually care: "Marc's sleeping with his cook, in the same house as his daughters. What kind of values is he teaching his daughters?" or "Marc's taking advantage of a young woman who's barely into adulthood. Stay away from him." Would clients still knock on my door everyday, begging me to take on their cases? Would my daughters be caught up in the drama and hate me forever for ruining their lives? These are the types of outcomes that can't be ignored. 

But on the other hand...Celeste.

Everything about her glows so brightly I can't look away. She's like a beaming red gemstone in a dark, cavernous cave. Her beauty, wit, care, and playfulness are like the glittering facets on the sides of the diamond, and the way she loves my daughters is like the jewel's crown. As I take in the rare beauty, my heart squeezes so tightly, it borders on pain.

She's sitting on the stool next to Nina who's trying to explain how to watercolor but is having trouble with her words. Celeste is patiently listening to her, helping fill in the missing pieces where needed. She's in her white t-shirt and denim shorts, a leg pulled up to her chest. Her hair, now dried from the pool water, cascades over a shoulder in waves and her sun-kissed skin looks smooth to the touch.

She was supposed to be invisible—hidden among the rocks in this grotto. She was supposed to just be the cook.

But who was I kidding?

She's not just a rare gemstone. She's also the judge, jury, and prosecutor, deciding the fate of my family's trial.

"You okay?" Her raspy voice pulls my focus back up and I find a warm smile across her face.

I want this woman. In every possible way. And I have no fucking idea what to do about it.

I smile back as a response while I lay across the couch in the TV side of the room. The space we're in has an arts and crafts station on one side that we call the art studio, and a den on the other side with couches and a TV. The sun has started its descent and fills the room through the large windows along the wall. This is yet another space that's been coated with Celeste's presence. I need her in every room of the house.

Shifting her lips, Celeste sets her paintbrush down next to Nina. And after whispering something to my daughters, she gets up from her seat and walks over to join me on the couch.

I tried resting on the couch while the girls painted, but my mind kept turning over and over again. All I could do was watch and listen and think. I raise my torso against the arm of the couch, making room for Celeste who sits next to my feet and leans into the back of the cushion.