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  “That’s fair but seriously? Wearing my clothes? My clothes circa ninth grade,” he replied with frustration. “How long has it been since you or I saw one another? And did you really expect to recognize my clothing right off the bat? I thought better of you, Jane.”

  “Could have fooled me,” she snarked. “Mr. No Show.”

  “I apologize,” he said gallantly. “And I thank you again. You helped me to put that chapter behind me.”

  The more Janie thought about it, the more they looked at the video, the more she knew the shadowy figure could not have been Harry, but whoever it was seemed to do their best to resemble him.

  “There is one person I think who could pull this off,” he said, arching his eyebrow. “Allegra Morrissey is five feet ten. She is between my height and yours.”

  Harry crossed the kitchen to the counter. Janie scuttled after him in long strides. She had never known Colin’s daughter’s name before. She was never named because she was a minor. Janie found herself jealous Colin’s daughter had a better name than she did. No matter what feats of magic Janie pulled getting Harry’s situation squared away, Allegra Morrissey was in a higher station of life than she was.

  “Allegra?” she asked insecurely. “That’s Colin’s daughter’s name?”

  Harry shook his head.

  “You two chatted, I understand. Her name didn’t come up? But then I would be surprised Colin even remembers her name,” he remarked.

  “You’re saying the girl you had shacking up with you in the dorm –?” she asked.

  “I didn’t have her shack up with me,” he corrected. “I tried like hell to send her back home where she belonged but guess what? Neither of her parents picked up the phone. She said she was locked out or some nonsense. The bottom line was she would not go home. And when I really put my foot down about things going any further, she ratted me out to punish me. She reported us because she was angry with me. She said I rejected her.”

  “She revenge-told on you?” asked Janie suddenly sympathetic to Harry.

  Janie was aware Harry could be telling her a story but he told it very credibly.

  He continued, “My parents have pushed me off on one school or camp for years and fine, I now have a road of opportunity in front of me. But just once I wish someone knew me well enough to believe me. To be in my corner in a real way.”

  Harry reached. Janie thought he was grabbing for her so she jerked out of the way. She was afraid of him. He eyeballed her as he took a knife in hand and chopped the salad like a master chef. She watched him as he mixed vinegar, the Dijon that Mrs. Wyler had imported, and olive oil from Napa in a water glass and stirred it. He dumped the glass into the bowl and tossed the salad.

  There was something remarkably sexy about a virile man who could cook. She needed a sip of something; he made her throat go dry. Her breath raked her teeth as she drew in, trying to clear her head. Colin and Mark Miller were definitely hunky but they had nothing on Harry Wyler.

  “Get two plates,” he directed softly.

  She detected the stress in his voice. She felt awful that she might have contributed to that in any way.

  “I apologize,” she confessed quietly. “I should not have jumped to the wrong conclusion. You’re right, that person looks nothing like you.”

  “Thank you,” he said as he dished out their meal. “I’m joining you for lunch, by the way.”

  He winked and then cut his eyes to her. Janie thought she would crumple on the spot. Harry had almost black hair and clear blue eyes. His mother probably had dark hair naturally but she spent the big bucks to have it lightened to Scandinavian tones. He had a dimple on his right cheek that when he moved his mouth at all, flexed. He was gorgeous. All the time she thought he was a pompous rich guy felt suddenly sadly wasted. She was thinking she had been dead wrong.

  “I don’t even think your mother knows how to toss a salad,” Janie joked.

  “Oh, I think she does,” he replied darkly. “Just not in the way you’re referring to.”

  Janie blinked. Harry just made a reference to the floating rumor that hovered since she worked for the Wylers, that Lola Wyler landed a rich husband by any means necessary, including sexual prowess. His remark made her cough but it also made her sad. It was a frank snapshot of how Harry viewed his mother.

  “I didn’t hear that,” said Janie, a mild blush creeping through her cheeks.

  Harry swooped down so that his mouth was near her ear. Now Janie’s cheeks were in full flame.

  “Oh, I am sure you have,” he whispered.

  Janie’s eyes opened wide. That was the whisper that made such a fool of her that she actually pined for a burglar when she probably should have been scared for her life. Before she could think, he changed the subject.

  “This salad calls for some bread,” he announced. “Where’s the pita bread?”

  “It’s frozen,” she replied.

  “Are you a no carbs girl?” he asked as his eyes swept her body.

  “Yeah,” she replied, her throat tightening as he wantonly checked her out.

  Harry unpackaged two small, frozen rounds that he took from the freezer and popped them in the toaster. She herself would have heated them in the oven so she considered him to be genius defrosting them this way. The pieces of bread came out piping hot and puffed. He slit their sides just enough and wedged the dress salad inside. He held one out to her.

  “Bite,” he said.

  She was dissolved inside. Janie was inappropriately attracted to her employer, sort of. First the burglar, Colin, kind of the cop who took the report and now Harry. She opened her mouth mindlessly while he fed her his concoction.

  “The only thing missing is a little hummus, agreed? I’d make some for us but I want to eat now. Oh, and we must have something from the wine cooler,” he said.

  He pulled out a bottle from the reserve that Janie never dared drink from.

  “This is a lovely little Albariño that I think will go nicely with our meal,” he said and he uncorked the wine.

  He poured a glass for each of them.

  “I got this in Spain for a steal,” he said.

  The word “steal” was a buzz word for her and it send a little electric tingle down her spine.

  “We live in wine country and you import?” she teased.

  He cut his eyes to her again and knocked the breath from her. He was glorious looking.

  “Of course,” he said.

  He raised his glass to hers. Janie obliged.

  “Cheers,” he said, his intense eyes never leaving hers.

  Janie couldn’t speak. She sipped the wine like it was medicine. She just experienced Harry Wyler in a whole new way, and probably for the realest way for the very first time.

  Chapter Six

  Mrs. Wyler did not check in with Janie before leaving for her cocktail meeting with Colin. Janie herself took a nap after drinking a glass and half of Harry’s Spanish wine. That and rising early that morning for a run, the stress and excitement of a visit from the police - she deserved to rest. She woke from a lusciously deep sleep just as the sun was just about to set. The display of blush colors in the clear California sky never got old no matter what.

  She lingered to admire the brilliance of the sunset, while thoughts tried to plague her. She basically kept the opulent estate in which she lived and worked, warm until her employers had use for it. It was time she was admiring sunsets from her own window.

  it saddened her that Harry and Mrs. Wyler were at least at the same address and never spent a second in the same room. They might as well be on different continents. It was strange, if not a little unnerving that Harry had been on the estate and Janie didn’t know until their paths crossed in the kitchen. It was one thing to not check in because he so conditioned to operate alone; but he was vague in answering about how long he had been there and what he had been doing. Either way, Harry Wyler the kid that Janie resented, was now the object of her sympathy.

  Janie thought about texting him to ask where he was because she wanted to be sure she was alone before she packed a few things to enjoy the rest of the evening by the swimming pool. She threw on a bathing suit – her go-to once bright orange string bikini - slipped on some cut offs and headed to the main house kitchen.

  As she packed her tote with chilled fruit and sparkling water for outside, there was a knock on the front door. Ordinarily, she could check a monitor to see who it was but because of the whole thing with the person caught on video, cameras were down for the moment. She had no idea where Harry was. For all intents and purposes, Janie was alone and she suddenly felt pretty vulnerable. She had a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  Behind the locked door, she peeked through the side windows. She relaxed when she recognized Officer Miller. It took her a moment because he was dressed like he was about to hit the bar scene. While he was unquestionably a good-looking man, she didn’t find him as attractive as she had when he was in uniform.

  After having such a sensual lunch with Harry, Janie might find be hard pressed to find anyone who measured up. Beyond that, there was something that turned her off about the cop. She couldn’t put her finger on it.

  But whatever that something was, the nearly-new Mustang parked behind him created a pleasant distraction. It was a sexy car and it made him look like a TV action star. Janie smiled but Mark Miller thought she was smiling at him. His eyes twinkled as they swept her. It was only then that Janie realized she was in just her bathing suit and shorts. She reflexively covered her chest with her arms.

  As she looked down to avoid eye contact, her eyes caught something that was completely out of place. Mark Miller wore a Harvard class ring. She hadn’t noticed that earlier. It made sense that he might not wear one on the job, but still
. It was a coincidence that Mr. Wyler had one exactly like it. Janie made a mental note to check when she did the inventory to make sure Mr. Wyler’s ring was still where it should be. She wanted to ask Officer Miller about his ring and how a Harvard grad became a cop, but she didn’t have the nerve.

  “I just stopped by to check in on you all. Is Lola home?” he said in a syrupy tone.

  Janie raised her brows.

  “Lola?” she asked. “I’ve worked for her for five years now almost and I still call her Mrs. Wyler.”

  In fact, Harry was the only Wyler she called by first name.

  “Mrs. Wyler?” he rolled his eyes, correcting himself.

  Working for the rich in an uber wealthy community, Janie noted how people glommed onto the affluent like they were rock stars, even when Janie traveled with them. The Wylers were recognized everywhere they went and even she was buttered up if people thought it would get them somewhere.

  People were like groupies to the rich. Janie’s sense was that Mark Miller was such a person. With his good looks he could very well find success, capturing the heart and wallet of a lonely trophy wife. Whatever, he didn’t like Janie questioning him because his charm act evaporated and he was visibly impatient.

  “No, she’s not,” said Janie firmly. “Was she expecting you?”

  “No, as I said, I was just dropping in. Sorry for the surprise,” he said, leaning on the door frame like he wanted to be invited in. “This neighborhood is high end and we like to keep our eyes on the residents. There’s been a string of burglaries throughout the county.”

  “Did you need to discuss the case?” she asked, pretty sure that it wasn’t police business he was there about.

  Janie kicked herself for fueling the conversation because she wanted him to go. He was slow and lingering, just hanging around. He laughed way too hard at her question and when he did, his gorgeous dimples showed. He had to know he was cute and he definitely used it to his advantage.

  Again, even though she liked him less by the second, something in the way he moved brought to mind her sexy masked prowler. Even though there wasn’t that sweet magnetism she had experienced with her phantom man, Janie had to take a second look.

  “Discuss the case?” he repeated.

  “You know, the prowler? The reason why we called you early? Do you think our case is related to the string of burglaries?” she asked.

  “Ah yes, your case. That’s very cute. Don’t worry about it. We’ll handle it. I know the Wylers are in Europe for the most part so that leaves the place empty.”

  “Except for me,” she corrected.

  “All the more reason for me to check in,” he flirted.

  “Thank you,” she said politely. “I appreciate that but I am fine.”

  “Won’t argue with that,” he said in a tone that crossed the line from flirtatious to smarmy.

  Janie wanted to close the door. She had had her fill of Officer Miller’s impromptu visit and she was liking him less and less by the second. It was officially dark outside. The sun was but a few streaks in the sky on the horizon. Janie might not go swimming after all.

  “Say listen, while I am here,” he winked. “Since you are alone in the house, would you like to go have a drink?”

  She looked up and straight into his eyes. He was so close to her. He sent a shiver down her spine, but not in a good way. Just as she was about to decline his invitation, Colin’s car pulled into the driveway and changed the subject. Mrs. Wyler and Colin had only been out for a couple of hours but they virtually spilled out of the car and stumbled towards the front door. Janie and Officer Miller parted to make way for them, because the drunken pair didn’t seem to notice them at all.

  “I guess they reached an agreement,” she remarked under her breath.

  Officer Miller shook his head. He spoke without care that either Colin or Mrs. Wyler would hear him.

  “Dang that woman. Smashed,” he grinned.

  “Pretty much,” said Janie without thinking.

  Officer Miller resumed his flirtation posture.

  “So ‘no’ to the drink?” he asked, flexing his dimples.

  “No, I don’t think so,” she replied icily.

  “Fine,” he answered, returning her chill. “I’ll go tend to Lola.”

  “I’ll handle it,” said Harry, appearing out of nowhere.

  He marched towards them from the direction of his loft. He emerged on the scene like a super hero. His voice was firm and decisive, not at all like the sniveling kid who needed bailed out.

  “You drive Mr. Morrissey home, if you would,” said Harry, directing Officer Miller.

  “And you are?” asked the cop.

  “I am Harry Wyler, Lola’s son,” said Harry sticking his hand out to shake while supporting his mother.

  Janie turned her head to hide her grin. Harry had heard the whole thing. Colin staggered dangerously and Officer Miller had no choice but to steady him.

  “Janie, can you give me a hand?” asked Harry.

  His eyes danced up and down her taking note of her bathing suit-shorts ensemble.

  “Not exactly dressed for drinks,” he remarked with mild sarcasm.

  His eyes smoldered, gathered just enough to let her know he was ribbing her.

  “Wasn’t planning on it,” she replied.

  Despite Harry’s sense of humor, there was a touch of sadness in his tone. Janie stole a glance at his model-handsome face. Mrs. Wyler was a heavy drinker and basically abandoned him to chase her socialite lifestyle.

  Jane braced Colin but she stopped just long enough to check in with Officer Miller.

  “Should I call him a cab or do you have him?” she asked the cop.

  “I am not on duty,” said Officer Miller sharply. “Call him a cab.”

  “Okay thanks, I’ll handle it,” said Harry sharply. “I’ll let Lola you said hey once she sobers up. Don’t worry about it, Janie. I have this.”

  Janie shamed the cop with a scowl. He went from smiles to a jaw tight with anger, obviously miffed she chose Harry over him.

  “You guys looked like you were getting to know each other,” remarked Harry as the cop closed his car door. “Is that your idea of dressing for a date?”

  “What?” she asked. “I wasn’t going out with him. He surprised me at the door.”

  “Oh, because I heard him ask you out – “ said Harry who was making it clear he didn’t approve.

  Janie was adamant.

  She said, “He’s not someone I want to know better.”

  “Okay,” said Harry as he tried to maneuver his drunk mother.

  Lola Wyler was so out of it that when Harry stooped and plopped her over his massive shoulder, she didn’t complain. He hoisted his mother’s slight frame in through the house. He turned in minutes. Janie interrupted Colin who fumbled with the bar trying to make more drinks.

  “That’s enough,” said Janie. “You’re going home.”

  “Oh, baby I am home,” he smiled and slipped his hand on the small of her back.

  Janie shrieked and Harry coolly eased Colin’s hand from her.

  “I’ll call the cab private cab,” said Janie.

  Colin snapped out of it.

  “I can drive,” he protested.

  “We know. You’re not as think as you drunk you am. Nope,” said Harry firmly.

  “You are so beautiful,” slurred Colin as stumbled towards Janie.

  She recoiled.

  “Yeah she is,” agreed Harry. “Hands off.”

  He cut his smoldering eyes to her and winked, zinging her with a jolt of arousal. Janie gasped. She and Harry were practically the same age. Though she was the Wylers’ executive assistant, some of those duties had at one-time included acting as Harry’s chauffeur before he got his license and the driver wasn’t available. That sort of made her a quasi-nanny not that a twenty-two-year-old man needed one. Janie wondered if she should find her “charge” attractive.

  “You okay?” Harry chuckled. “Do we need to assist you next?”

  “I’m fine,” Janie rasped.

  The private cab rounded up the Wyler’s circular drive in minutes. The driver held the door while Janie and Harry corralled Colin into the back. Whatever alcohol he and Mrs. Wyler drank was hitting him by the second and he was even more drunk than when he brought Mrs. Wyler home.