To Love Again

Caught Off Guard

I think this chapter might have brought on more questions rather than answers. Yikes! Anyway, read on and enjoy!

Strong and suggestive language used herein.

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Could you be that cruel Ate? That selfish? Could you have turned your back on your own child? Oh my god, please tell me I'm wrong. Give me a sign that I'm wrong. But what if I'm right?

As soon as Maine and her father got home after navigating through the endless traffic, Maine requested to talk to her parents regarding the pending job. Her parents both agreed that it was the job of a lifetime and that she would be crazy if she turned it down. But of course, like any other parents would say, it is ultimately her decision.

If Maine was being totally honest with herself, she already made the unconscious decision to accept the job the first time she laid her eyes on Richard Faulkerson Jr. Not for the fact that he is hot as hell (what a perfect description because he could be the devil incarnate) but because of the carefully laid out plans in her head. And then BOOM! There could be the possibility, although minute, that his daughter could very well be her own niece. That possibility had cemented the decision for her to accept the job. She needed to be sure if the child is her niece and she can't do that without close and intimate contact. And if that is the case, then she definitely needed to be there for the child.

As soon as she had a talk with her parents, she dialed Richard's number to let him know of her decision but after three tries, he had yet to answer his phone. She opted to send him a text message instead.

4:20 pm: Mr. Faulkerson, this is Maine Mendoza. I have decided to accept the job. Please give me a call as soon as you are able. Or I will try calling you again later. Thank you.

She went to her room after with the intention of just laying down for a rest but 2 hours later, she was jolted awake by the sound of her phone ringing. She was so disoriented initially that it took her a few seconds to realize what the sound was. She reached for her phone and answered just in time before voicemail clicked.

"Hello" she croaked.

"MISS MENDOZA! I have been trying to call you for the past hour! It's about time you answered" came the reply from the devil on the other line. Well that woke Maine up instantly. All her senses zoned in on the man on the other end. The nerve. And because she didn't have the presence of mind to put her filter on, she responded with the first thing that came to mind.

"Listen asshole! I am not your employee yet! You have no right to my time" she blurted angrily but soon realized her mistake when all she heard from the other end was his deep breathing as if trying to calm himself. Shit, shit shit and more shit! Me and my big mouth!

"Look, I'm sorry Mr. Faulkerson. You caught me off guard. I apologize" she backpedaled.

"No Miss Mendoza, I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry for coming off like well, as you put it, an asshole. Anyway, I panicked when you didn't answer my call right away. For some fucked up reason, I panicked with the possibility that you accepted a different job when I didn't respond right away. So yeah, I apologize" he quickly explained himself.

"Apology accepted. I'm sorry too for calling you an asshole. That was uncalled for" Maine said sounding contrite but she was actually rolling her eyes.

"Apology accepted as well. God knows I am an asshole sometimes" Richard said with a self deprecating laugh. "Anyway, now that the apologies are out of the way, let's get down to business. So you've decided to accept the job. When are you able to start?"

"Anytime. Tomorrow if you want. You said so yourself, your daughter needs to be taken out of the hospital as soon as possible. Unless you changed your mind about your offer with regards to your spare room? Because if that's the case, then I need to find a place first. I've been away for 7 years so commuting is out of the question, for now. I might just end up in Mindanao if I attempt it at this time" she sarcastically remarked.

And then she heard it! A very strange sound. It almost sounded like a laugh. A deep belly laugh coming from the other end, from the man that seemed to have been etched from stone. For the second time that day, she was caught off guard. What the fuck?!?

"Wait, are you laughing?" Maine blurted incredulously to which Richard laughed even harder. She pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it, as if she can see the person on the other end. By the time she placed the phone back on her ear, she was unaware that she too had a smile playing around her lips.

"Yes. Yes, I guess I am" Richard answered sounding a little bewildered himself. "Anyway, yes the offer still stands. You can move into one of the spare rooms while you're looking for a place."

"Oh thank you. You can take the rent money out of my pay check" Maine negotiated.

"Miss Mendoza, I offered the spare room to you in the hopes of facilitating the speedy discharge of my daughter. I didn't expect any payment" Richard stated with his no nonsense voice, somewhat a little offended.

"Ooookaaayyy. Look I didn't mean to offend you by offering to pay...." Maine began but was quickly interrupted by Richard with his asshole persona at the forefront once again.

"Enough! Are you able to start tomorrow or the day after. I realize you will need some time to pack and gather your things."

Deep breath Maine, deep breath. You chose to do this so suck it up! Fake your way though this.

"I haven't really unpacked since I arrived so I'm good to go" Maine answered back with a little too much enthusiasm bordering on being fake.

"Well then why don't you start tomorrow. Be at my place by 8:30 in the morning. I will text you the address. That will give us plenty of time to see my lawyer regarding your work permit. I've already asked him to start the process so it shouldn't take too long for the permit to come through. After that, we can both go to the hospital to pick up my daughter and take her home. Does that sound good" he asked, all business like.

"Yes, of course. Whatever you say boss" she answered.

"That's settled then. Oh before I let you go, I think it's safer for me to send a car to pick you up tomorrow. I don't want you ending up in Mindanao" he stated with a chuckle.

Dear god! I'm getting a whiplash from this guy's change of emotions. He is worse than a woman on PMS! Maine reluctantly agreed and blurted out her childhood home address without thinking while Richard wrote it down.

"Okay got it. I'll send a car around 7:00 am. And Miss Mendoza?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for accepting the job. I'm glad you did" Richard stated, his voice an octave lower, sending shivers down Maine's spine.

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Faulkerson" was Maine's response and abruptly ended the call.

She was about to stand up and head downstairs to tell her parents the news when she suddenly remembered something. She just gave her home address to Richard Faulkerson Jr.! The same address that he sent flowers and sympathy card to less than a month ago!

Shit, shit and more shit!