Unsuitable

After changing into my work outfit, which surprisingly fits me, I get to work. I figure I’ll begin downstairs. So, I make a start on the kitchen.

By the time one o’clock rolls around, every surface in the kitchen is shining. The oven is sparkling, inside and out, and the floor is so clean that you could eat your dinner off it.

Speaking of eating, my stomach is rumbling.

I wash up my hands and grab my bag from where I left it hanging in the coat closet in the hallway. Then, I head outside to the back garden as the sun has made a rare appearance, and I’m determined to enjoy it while it’s here.

I do a little wandering around the huge back garden where it’s clear that it’s been lovingly cared for. A lot of hard work has gone into this garden.

I can’t see Kas-hole—see what I did there?—getting his hands dirty with gardening, so I’m guessing he has a gardener. Unless his parents do the gardening.

I wonder when they’ll be back. Hopefully, they’re nicer than their son.

But then, if they raised that miserable twat…I shouldn’t hold out much hope.

It’s such a shame he’s a wanker because he’s really good-looking. Shame his personality spoils what could have been a perfect person.

I spy a bench by a colorful shrubby, so I decide to sit there.

I take out my phone and check it.

There’s just one text from Cece, sent a few hours ago. Not surprising, as she’s the only person who has my number—well, aside from Kas-hole and my probation officer.

How’s your first day going?

I type back.

My new boss is a wanker. But, aside from that, good. The house is beautiful.

She replies back instantly.

Do I need to kick his arse?

I chuckle at that.

Nah, it’s nothing I can’t handle. You on your lunch break?

Yeah, just about to head back in though. Catch you tonight. Love ya.

Love ya, too.

I keep my phone in my hand, and I go to the only other contact I have in there. I press Call and put the phone to my ear. I wait, listening while it rings.

It goes to voice mail. “Hi, you’ve reached Anne Burgess, Department of Social Services. Leave your name and number, and I’ll call you back.”

Disappointed that I won’t get to talk to her, I wait for the beep. “Hi, Anne, it’s Daisy Smith. I’m just calling to let you know that I was released yesterday. I was hoping we could get together to talk…about Jesse. I’m hoping I can see him soon. If you could call me back on”—I rattle off my number—“I’d really appreciate it. Thanks.”

I hang up and put my phone back in my bag.

Hopefully, she’ll call me back soon.

Anne is Jesse’s social worker. Over the last eighteen months, I’ve kept in regular contact with her, regarding Jesse. She knows my keenness at getting Jesse back home with me. Anytime I ever tried to broach getting custody of Jesse, she’d always tell me that it was something we’d need to discuss after my release.

Well, I’m released now, and I want to talk about it. I also want to see my brother.

Determined not to let the frustration I feel overtake me, I reach inside my bag and get my lunch out.

I have this sudden feeling of being watched, but when I look around, I don’t see anyone.

Weird.

I open my Dairylea Snack Box and start eating.

I enjoy sitting in peace and just eating my lunch, but I’m done in fifteen minutes, leaving me with just over half an hour left to kill.

I put my empty wrappers back in my bag and dust off the crumbs from my dress. I decide to take a walk around the estate and check out the paddocks and stables.

I hang my bag on my shoulder and set off walking across the garden. I hit the garden path and follow it. It curves along the garden and then leads me out through an archway.

I stop on the other side of the archway and look around.

This place is massive.

Far off to my left and straight ahead is the wall that surrounds this place. It disappears off into a forest of trees.

I can’t even imagine how long it took to build that wall—or the cost alone. Although it’s not like they couldn’t afford it.

To my right are the stables. The paddocks are to my left and ahead. They cover a lot of the area. Horses are dotted around in each one.

I start to wander toward the paddocks. As I near, I see a guy who looks to be fixing one of the fences that keeps the horses in.

As if sensing my approach, he lifts his head.

I smile. “Hi.” I lift my hand in a wave.

He waves back. Smiling, he stands.

Nice smile. He’s good-looking. Sandy-blond hair that’s cut short. Tan skin. Looks to be around my age. Seems friendly.

Complete opposite of Kastor Matis.

But, as much as I hate to admit it, Kas is better-looking. This guy is a pretty boy. Kas is a man in all sense of the word. Even if he is a complete dickhead.

“You’re new,” he says when I reach him. He has the most delicious Australian accent I’ve ever heard. Well, the only Australian accents I’ve ever heard have been on the telly. “And you can’t be a horse owner, as I know all the owners, and we haven’t had a new horse in recently.”

“I’m the new maid, and you’re Australian.”

Duh.

Dumb, Daisy. So dumb.

“You got me.” He chuckles, lifting his hands in surrender. “Cooper Knight, native of Adelaide.” He drops his hands and puts one out to shake mine.

Reaching out, I slip my hand into his. “Daisy Smith, native of London.”

He squeezes my hand and grins. “I heard we had a new maid starting.”

I wonder what else he heard.

But he’s not looking at me like I’m a piece of trash, so maybe he doesn’t know where the last place was that I had to call home.

Weirdly, he’s actually looking at me with a spark of interest.

He releases my hand and rests his arms on the fence, linking his fingers. “So, how are you finding it so far?”

“It’s…okay.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” There’s an impish grin on his handsome face.

“Because I’ve met Kastor Matis.” The words are out before I can stop them.

I slap my hand over my mouth, and he laughs loudly.

“He been giving you a hard time?”

“Mmhmm,” I murmur, dropping my hand.

“Yeah, he can be a tough nut to crack. But Kas isn’t a bad guy, not really. He just likes people to think he is. Just stay out of his way, and you’ll be fine. Mr. and Mrs. Matis are awesome. You’ll love ’em.”

“Where are they?” I ask him, relieved that he didn’t think I was being a bitch about Kas.

Bitching about my boss to the other employees on the first day isn’t the best thing to do.

“They have a place in Greece. Mr. Matis has family there, so they spend half of the year there and the other half here. Kas runs the place for them.”

“How long have you worked here?” I ask.

“Six years. The Matises hired me soon after they bought the place.”

Six years. Maybe he’s older than I initially thought.

“Where did they live before here?” I realize how nosy I’m being. “Sorry, I sound really nosy.”

“Don’t ask, don’t find out, right?” He gives me a reassuring smile. “They moved up here from London. Mr. Matis was big in the banking industry—stocks and that sorta stuff. Made a lot of money. Think he and Mrs. Matis wanted out of the city, so they moved here for the peace and quiet. And it’s a good investment, a place like this.”

“How many others work here?” I ask, looking around.

“Well, there’s me, of course. I’m the stable manager. Ellie and Peter are trainers. Mack and Tash are my stable hands. They’re all off on lunch at the moment, but you’ll meet ’em soon. Then, we have Dom, who’s the gardener. It’s his day off today, but he’ll be back in tomorrow. And that’s it.”

“What happened to the maid who worked here before me?”

Cooper’s expression drops a little. “Tania. She left…well, I say left, but she upped and disappeared on us about two months ago.”

“She disappeared?” I frown.

He nods. “One minute, she was here. The next, gone. When I asked Kas about her, he just shut me down.”

“Weird,” I muse. “Had she been in prison?”

He gives me a surprised look, and I instantly blanch.

Shit.

“No, not that I know of. Why’d you ask?”

Because I’m an idiot.

“Um…I don’t know. Just with her running off…” I give an awkward shrug.

I guess I just assumed that, because of what Toby said, the Matises are employers who are willing to take on people who just recently got out of prison.

Knowing I’m the first leaves me feeling a bit weird.

“Nah, Tania was a good girl. No way she was mixed up in bad stuff.”

Yeah, because girls who go to prison are mixed up in bad stuff. And they’re definitely not good girls. Right?

The knowledge of how Cooper’s opinion of me would instantly change once he knew the truth about me leaves me feeling a little sick.

I don’t know why because I should be used to this by now.

I guess my recent encounters with Kastor Matis have left me feeling a little raw. More than I want to admit.

Cooper leans closer, lowering his voice. “I know Tash thought that Tania and Kas were…you know…” He gives a knowing look before leaning back. “I couldn’t see it myself, but if Tash was right and they were bumping uglies and it didn’t work out…maybe he gave her the push. Or maybe it has nothing to do with Kas, and Tania just went back home.”

“Home?”

“She was from Poland.”

“Oh, right.”

For some reason, I’m having visions of a tall blonde beauty and Kas liking her a lot.

But not little old jailbird Daisy.

Not that I give two shits about what Kas-hole thinks of me.

“Tash tried ringing Tania’s mobile after we found out she’d left, but it was out of service.”

“How long did Tania work here?” I ask.

“About six months.”

Feeling a bit strange about this conversation as a whole and knowing it must be time for me to get back to work, I reach into my bag for my phone and check the time.

Yep, five minutes before I have to be back to work. I don’t want to be late and give Kas-hole another reason to be shitty to me.

“Well…I should get back.” I gesture to my phone before dropping it back in my bag. “It was nice meeting you, Cooper.” I take a step away.

“You, too. Hey, before you go,” he calls me back. “Do you ride?” He tips his head back at the horse grazing behind him.

“No.” I shake my head.

“Well, if you want to learn, let me know. I’ll give you some lessons on the house. Perks of working here.” He smiles, and it’s a friendly smile.

I decide on the spot that I like Cooper. He might think jailbirds are bad news, and in most cases, he’s not wrong, so I can’t blame him for thinking that.

“That’d be great. Thanks. But maybe not in this dress.” I wrinkle up my nose, nodding down at my uniform.

“No.” He chuckles. “Unless you want to ride sidesaddle, that is.”

“How very old-fashioned of you.”

“I’m an old-fashioned kinda guy.” He winks.

Usually, I hate winks, but he can totally pull it off. And I’m a little rusty here…but is he flirting with me?

“I’m serious. If you want a lesson, let me know, and we’ll arrange something.”

I smile. “I will do that. See you later.”

“Sooner, I hope.”

Okay, I totally smile like a girl at that one.

He’s charming. And it’s nice to be charmed after Kas-hole’s mean ways this morning.

Not that I’d take Cooper up on any offer, aside from the free riding lesson.

Men are a no-go area for me. Jason burned me for life.

Smiling, I swivel on my toes and walk back to the house, feeling a little lighter than when I first left it.

Out of nowhere, a feeling creeps up my spine. That sense again of being watched.

I lift my head, seeing no one.

I glance back over my shoulder, but Cooper is back to work on the fence.

I look back ahead, staring up at Kas’s bedroom window, but no one’s there.

Weird.

I swear, I’m going mad.

Shaking off the feeling, I pick up my pace and head back through the archway before getting back to work.