Chapter 6

What the hell?! Is Natalie seriously staking her claim like Derek is some prize to be won? Who does she think she’s talking to?

I have half a mind to laugh loudly at her ridiculous accusations. Truly, does she think I have nothing better to do than to stalk my own boss and pressure him into a relationship?

I’m stunned, but I still say nothing.

Natalie takes a few loud steps toward me. Her heels click on the hardwood floor as she makes her way closer to me.

“You should know you don’t have much of a chance against me, right?” She says it with a sneer on her face. Maybe it might look innocent, but I know how to read between the lines on a woman’s face.

Still, I’m speechless at her accusations! She’s just sitting here hurling insults toward me. She may not know who I am, but to stake a claim in a man like Derek?

It feels childish and incredibly rude.

I already know not to have thoughts about my boss, but now I won’t even bother to pretend anything could ever happen. If Natalie wants to start off on the wrong foot, then so be it.

“Sorry, ma’am, you are being just a bit offensive. The ‘man or this house’? I can assure you that we don’t have that kind of relationship.”

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After a while, when I returned home again, Anderson—no, it’s Derek—appeared. He seemed completely unaware of the conversation Natalia and I had at the door earlier.

He walks around me and into my new home.

There, sitting on the ground, are his daughters, petting my cat.When did they sneak into my house?

Sammy, my beautiful grey cat, is around five years old. He’s been with me since before I was married to Ryan, and I’ve doted on this young man since the moment I took him home.

Sammy is sat in-between the two girls, and he turns to look at us as if to say, “I’ve found new servants.”

I can’t help but laugh at the scene.

Derek, however, scolds the girls. “Girls, you know it’s wrong to enter someone else’s home without their permission! You must apologize to Miss Esme.”

The two girls look over, and the younger one whines, “But there’s a kitty here, Daddy!”

“His name is Sammy,” I introduce. “Can you guys tell me your names?”

The oldest points to herself. “I’m Bea, and I’m seven. She’s Tris, she’s four,” she introduces. To my surprise, she holds out her hand and asks, “What was your name?”

Bea and Tris. Beatrice. That’s remarkably clever, and I wonder where Derek came up with that idea.

I bend over and hold out my hand to let Bea shake it, giving her my smile. “It’s Esme. It’s nice to meet you both, Bea.”

“Girls,” Derek says, clearing his throat. “We must let Miss Esme get back to moving in. I have an important phone call that I’m expecting.”

“No, Daddy!” The two girls whine in unison. “We wanna play with the kitty!”

I stand back up, letting Bea go so she can race over to her sister. I give Derek my best smile. “If you want, I can walk them back over?”

“I can’t expect you to just…” he trails off, and looks back at his girls. I see the reluctance in their eyes and they stick out their bottom lips as if to pout at their father.

“I don’t mind,” I insist. “I’ll bring them back over as soon as they’re done. Is that okay?”

Derek looks between me and the girls before sighing. Reluctant, he nods. “Just have one of them knock on the door when you’re there. The girls know the secret knock.”

I watch Derek wink at his kids, and they blow kisses back to him. “I’ll see you later then.”

Once their father has disappeared back to his place, the girls begin the complain to me.

“Daddy won’t let us get a kitty!” Tris cries out.

“We’ve been asking him forever now!” Bea agrees. “We promised we’d take good care of it, but he still says no!”

I cross my arms in mock sincerity. “Well, that does stink you can’t have a kitty. But remember, your Daddy’s got a lot going on raising you two kids!”

“He can be a big tyrant,” Bea insists.

The sisters reveal to me that they’ve wanted a cat for years, even admitting to putting it on their Christmas lists a few times. They were certain their father would finally bring them a cat, but sadly, he didn’t.

“He says he’s too busy for a kitty,” Tris says sadly. She rubs at her eye, and I wonder if she’s considering crying once again.

I take this into account. Derek’s busy work schedule must keep him running around all day and night. Not to mention these two little girls must make every day a handful.

If he can’t do everything that the cat needs, then it makes sense Bea and Tris have never been given the cat they want.

“Well,” I say, sitting on the floor to call Sammy back out of his hiding place. “Your Daddy probably thinks you three can’t care for a kitty. He’s always busy, right?”

Bea nods her head emphatically. Her little braids smack against the side of her face. “Daddy says we’re not old enough for a kitty.”

“Maybe that’s a good thing,” I assert. “Sammy is the first kitty I’ve ever had.”

Tris’ eyes widen. “You never had a kitty?”

Shaking my head, the girls come closer to me. “I wanted to make sure I could do everything for my kitty. Sammy is very special to me, and I want him to be happy.”

“We’d make a kitty happy!” Bea swears.

“Well, if you two take good care of Sammy when you come over, I’ll see if I can get your dad to think about a kitty for you, okay?” I bluff. I can ask Derek all I want, but the truth is, it’s not up to me.

A pet is a huge responsibility. While I think Bea could learn the basics of taking care of a small cat or dog, Derek doesn’t have time for it when the girls grow bored and forget to feed or clean up after the animal.

“Having a cat requires patience and money. And if your dad doesn’t want you to have a cat, you can always get a cat when you grow up!”

As soon as I’ve said it, the girls instantly begin to bombard me with a myriad of questions.

“What are you doing here?”

“Why do you work for our Daddy?”

“Are you dating Daddy?”