Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 48632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Apparently, Ophelia didn't want her employees to work all day and have to go home to figure out dinner as well. Doubts plagued me. Did she see my struggles? Did she feel sorry for me? Did she realize my fake identification was exactly that, fake? It was a cost that set me back quite a lot of money that I'd managed to withdraw from my bank account before dumping my phone and staying under the radar while driving through states I'd never been to before. The only times I stopped were for gas, bathroom breaks, and food. I slept at monitored rest stops and always kept moving, heading south until I crossed over Florida's state line, too tired to continue.
I happened upon Oak County, and with town names like Whispering Oaks, Oak View, Oak Haven, and Oak Meadow, I figured it surely would be a good area. It has been, minus the few bumps in the road I've tried to dodge. So far, it's been good. There's been no sign of trouble, and with any luck, by next year, I'll be able to manage to pay cash for a few classes. Unless I'm able to figure out what I need to, I can use all of the proper channels to help.
Finally, I pull myself off the ground, but not before noticing that where the tile and baseboard meet could use a good scrubbing. A chore for next week's cleaning schedule, which sadly means I'll need to be on my hands and knees. Especially because if the kitchen is showing signs of dirt and grime, then no doubt the rest of the penthouse will, too. I'll be toast after a day of that kind of work, which means I'll have to do it on a day when the client the following day will be a lighter load.
My eyes lock on the groceries I ordered for the week to be delivered, including ingredients for tonight. The growling of my stomach has me washing my hands and getting started. Matthew is a prominent attorney who doesn't seem to be home, ever, or purchase any semblance of groceries, and the only dishes I ever see are in the dishwasher. They mainly consist of leftover containers from the food I've cooked and drinkware, along with silverware. In all the time I've been cleaning his home, I've yet to see one dirty pot or pan.
Food, the man doesn't bother with it, minus protein powder, milk, eggs, and condiments. Which makes one wonder what he does for all his other meals. "Not your problem, Letty. Sure, he's hot as hell and looks damn good in a three-piece suit, but he's not for you, Letty girl." The pep talk has me clearing my mind as I go about my task of putting the food away while keeping what I need out.
My other job as a waitress at an upscale restaurant a few days a week provides recipes for me to make for Matthew. Tonight, it's Steak au Poivre, thick juicy New York steak strip seared to a crisp, crushed peppercorns, and sauteed with smashed garlic, sprigs of thyme, and butter. The sides will consist of creamy garlic mashed potatoes and green beans with slivered almonds. I’m tripling the recipe in order for there to be leftovers, since it seems this man never turns on the stove.
The quietness gets to me after a few minutes, the only noise coming from the paper bags and the quiet hum when the air conditioner kicks on. While sometimes, it's nice and will allow me to think things through, I've done enough of that to last a lifetime in this week alone. Earlier today, while cleaning, I put on my headphones and listened to music, shuffling through multiple genres of music through the decades. I refuse to pay for a streaming service, which means also hearing ad after ad about anything and everything from erectile dysfunction to we have the best carpet in the state. It’s all crap, annoying as all get out, but sadly, it’s the price you pay for being frugal.
Instead of putting on my headphones, I decided to pull up my library app and hit the play button on the borrowed audiobook. It picks up where I left off. A Scottish brogue carries through the speaker of my phone. A marriage of convenience where the heroine flees America to start over after she caught her then fiancé cheating on her with her best friend. Talk about a tough streak of luck. I guess there’s one good thing I’ve never had to worry about.
I get in the zone, peeling potatoes, crushing the peppercorns, and snapping the ends of the fresh green beans off. The hardest part about preparing a meal is timing it to have everything done together. Today, that doesn’t really matter, considering I’ll be plating this for whenever Matthew Carlisle comes home. Still, it’s something I’m used to doing, and multitasking is a skill set I’ve acquired along the way. The one thing I could learn to do better is time management, especially when I double-book my schedule. Like I did this week, twice, which is why I almost slept through my alarm this morning.