Rebecca Grenville A Romance Volume I

Chapter 1 Part 2

“Can you tell me her name?”

“I would rather not. She’s a very private person.”

I nod. Before I can go on Will speaks.

“Tell me,” he leans forward, “about yourself.”

I frown. I’m interviewing him, not him me. Why does he want to know about me? What does he want to know? What can I tell him?

“I’m twenty two, single, just graduated in English Literature and was lucky enough to get a job where I can write. I live in the city – San Fran – with my friend Jane whom I’ve known for about nine years. That’s about it really.”

“Mmm, we’re always looking for good young graduates. We’ve got a good scheme going here.”

What? Is he offering me a job?

“Are you offering me a job? I already have a job that I’ve just started.”

“Yes, I know but I could offer you a better job.”

“Better? How?”

“Financially for a start. Perhaps creatively too. We would have to work out the details.”

I frown. “No thanks. I can’t abandon a job I’ve just started. That would hardly be fair.”

“Most commendale, Rebecca. I don’t think you realise you have a stronger sense of morality than most of the people who could employ you.”

“Perhaps,” I say as casually as I can make it sound. Why does he want to employ me? Is he trying to … No, hardly. He’s just met me and besides he said he had a girlfriend. I wonder what she’s called? I wonder if it’s one of those daft Hollywood/California names you keep coming across such as Devine or Angel or whatever.

Will clears his throat and clears away my reverie. “Now, would you like to take a trip with me and go and see my house? It’s not an offer I’ve ever made to a journalist or am likely to again so you’ll get a scoop. That should impress your boss.”

I smile. I feel a little bit more relaxed with Will now although I’m still suspicious of his motives. Badgers and camels! Why should I be? And if he does have devious motives for getting me into his house wouldn’t that be a good thing? Well, maybe not. I still haven’t gotten over what happened before I arrived in California when I was thirteen.

“Yes, that would be nice.”

“Good, I’ll just tell Gloria where we are going and then we’ll go out the back way.”

“Oh, I almost forgot. You were going to talk about new technology and privacy.”

“We can do it over lunch.”

“But I’ll need to write down your thoughts.”

“After lunch then. Don’t worry, Rebecca.” Will picked up his phone and spoke briefly to Gloria.

A moment later the door opened and Gloria appeared with Will’s jacket. She gave me one last glare and hissed so that Will couldn’t hear, “Be careful!” Then she was gone.

What did she mean? She fancies him, I’m sure of it and was just warning me off.

“This way, Rebecca.” Will held open a door at the back of his office.

Outside was a corridor and a private elevator. I entered nervously and gasped as Will leant across me to press a button. The elevator was small and he was so close to me I bet he could hear my heart hammering away.

“All right?” Will asked solicitously.

“Yes, I’m just a bit nervous in elevators. Something that happened a few years ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear it.” He paused. “But you’re all right now?”

“Yes,” I muttered. What did he mean? All right now? I can’t undo what happened. I still think about it and wonder if it was all my fault? Did I do anything to encourage him? I didn’t think so but some men I’ve since learned are turned on by almost anything.

The elevator quickly came to a halt and Will ushered me out into an exclusive underground car park.

A young man dressed in a chauffeur’s uniform got up from a desk where he appeared to be writing on a laptop and walked swiftly towards us.

“Mr King. Where can I take you and the lady today?”

“That’s okay, John. I’ll drive myself. I’ll take the Lamborghini.”

Several expensive looking cars were parked side by side but the bright red Lamborghini stood out.

Will opened the passenger door for me and I slid in trying desperately to keep some decorum by not revealing my panties. I’m sure some of these toys for boys are deliberately designed to show off as much of their women as possible. And to be honest the women do tend to milk it.

Will got in beside me. “You see you could have a job like Johnny’s. He gets to spend all day writing his novel unless I need him to drive me to a meeting. Some days he gets a lot of free time.”

“No thanks, Will. I think I would be bored with a job like that. I need to feel I’ve earned my salary.”

Will grinned and started the car. It burst into life with a roar and we were soon up the ramp through the very secure armoured door and out into the open air.

“Why do you have your office car park so heavily fortified?” I asked in surprise as the huge door ground back into place.

“My toys are very expensive. I don’t want any of them stolen. This car for example is one of only a handful in the world. It’s a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster and it cost four and a half million dollars.”

“What! For a car. That’s obscene. You could feed half of … well you know a lot of starving people for that amount of money.”

“I know, but I do. I run a food program both here in the US and overseas.”
            “Why didn’t you tell me about that before?”

“You didn’t ask and anyway it can sound like bragging. Hang on, I’m going to wind up the car.”

We were out on the bayside. Will put his foot down. My hair stood up like … well, my hair!