The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
[Book 2] Chapter 7

Lorelai POV

I stand outside the massive mansion feeling intimidated, shivering slightly in my dress while my jacket covers part of me. It's cold but the house is huge and I think I might be slightly over my head. Maybe Constance shouldn't have been so quick to offer me the job, I think a little hysterically. What did I know about cleaning rich people's houses? I was sure I was going to stuff up and be sent home packing my first day.

Buck up, princess. You need the money. So straighten up those shoulders of yours, get a stiff upper lip, and go and knock on the damn door before you're late. Don't forget you're supposed to be punctual remember? Not to mention cheerful, sweet and hard- working. You got this. They are just like regular people, only with bucket loads of cash. Treat them nice and they'll be sure to respond the same way.

I suspected the voice inside my head was wrong but I pulled back my shoulders anyway and headed towards the front door. I could see security cameras everywhere which made me more anxious. I gently rapped on the front door. Silence. I fidgeted with my jacket. Finally, the door was opened by another maid. "Yes?" she said frowning.

"I'm Lorelai, it's my first day today" I uttered.

Realization dawns "oh, you're that maid" she exclaims and opens the door wider "servants go through the back entrance, but I'll show you that later" she amends, "Come in and I'll introduce you to the family. I'll take your jacket and things and put them in the kitchen cupboard."

Okay then. She grabs my stuff and shows me the kitchen before heading into the nearby dining room. There are two men situated there, eating. She quietly bows her head and I follow suit. The older man smiles while the younger man continues to eat, nonplussed by our disruption. "Charlie," he says "is something the matter?"

"No Mr Grant but this is the new maid, the one for um..." she trails off and Mr Grant's eyes widen and he nods.

"Of course, what is your name dear?" he asks cheerfully.

Well, this wasn't so bad. So far they seemed like nice people. "Lorelai Sir," I say politely, looking at him.

"I'm Mr Grant and this is my son lan" he introduces them both "but my other son is who you are going to be the personal maid for and that is Knox. I will take you upstairs to him. He is no doubt at his computer or asleep" he added.

Whoa. If I was asleep I would be grumpy as hell to be woken up just to be introduced to a maid. "With all due respect sir," I said as politely as I could muster while Mr Grant stood up and moved towards me "should we disturb your son if he is sleeping? He might need his rest?"

Mr Grant looks impressed. "What would you suggest instead?" he eyes me calmly.

I hesitate. Either Knox was awake and at the computer or still asleep. Still either way I was certain he hadn't eaten yet. "Has Mr Knox had breakfast yet?"

Mr Grant looks at Charlie. "No Mr Grant he hasn't. He was very specific about us not interrupting to bring him food" she reminded him.

He sighed. "What does he like to eat?" I asked.

lan looked over at me, his eyes narrowed. "He likes sweet things, cinnamon rolls, croissants, muffins" he divulged stiffly.

I smiled. So the big bad client had a sweet tooth. "Then how about I get some breakfast ready for him and introduce myself?" I asked "I make a mean cinnamon scroll"

Mr Grant chuckled "Well if you're sure that's the best way to go about it, then who am I to argue? Who knows maybe your approach will work better than the other maids," he said gruffly and went to sit back down.

Charlie grinned and joined me in the kitchen.

I grabbed the ingredients I needed, while the cook kept a wary eye on me. The kitchen was huge and there were so many fridges and even two ovens. I was in heaven. I began to hastily make up the cinammon scrolls. There were already muffins prepared and I began to make up a plate while I waited for the scroll to cook, putting some fresh fruit and pouring juice into a glass. "Does he like coffee?"

"Lives off it and soda," Charlie said disapprovingly, shaking her head.

Well that wasn't good for him, but then neither were sweets for breakfast, I concluded with a sigh. I made up a coffee and put cream and sugar on the tray Charlie thoughtfully grabbed. I wasn't sure how I was going to get it all the way upstairs, but I would figure it

out.

I pulled the cinnamon scrolls out of the oven. "They smell divine," Charlie said sniffing "he'll like them for sure."

"I hope so," I said with a grin "otherwise he's going to hate me for disturbing him."

I eyed the tray. Charlie noticed. "We have a dumbwaiter" she pointed and I quickly placed the tray in it. "Just press the button and it will go to the second floor. You can grab the tray from there."

Nice. "Does he have a desk or anything to put it on?"

She gaped "No. He has a bed," she said mulling it over.

I sighed. Shook my head. "He needs one of those portable tables."

Charlie lit up and rifled through the kitchen, coming back with one. I grinned "Perfect."

We went upstairs. She showed me where the dumbwaiter was and then pointed out Knox's room. "Good luck" she breathed "he's really cranky in the mornings" she added wide-eyed. "Any other advice?"

She sighs "It was nice knowing you."

"You sound as though I'm leaving."

"I've seen maids come and go because of him. I'm sure that you'll do the same" she said nonchalantly "I like you but it's jus the way it is."

She turns around and begins to forlornly walk down the stairs.

I managed to balance the tray and knock on the door at the same time. Nothing. Silence. I frown and knock harder. Still silence. Cursing I manage to balance the tray and turn the knob, using my foot to kick the door open. I grit my teeth and walk slowly inside the room, shocked at the condition of it. No wonder this man needed a maid, I thought, eyeing the piles of clothes scattered across the room, the haphazard piles of rubbish and sniffing the staleness of the room. It was like a teenager's bedroom.

He was at the computer. I could only see the back of him. He was oblivious to my presence. He hadn't even heard me knocking, but that could have something to do with the rather large headphones he had on his ears. I quietly crossed the room and moved crap off his bedside table, putting the tray down and feeling the weightlessness of my hands with relief. Brilliant. Now all I had to do was get this guy's attention. It couldn't be too hard, right? I mean if I called out, he could hear me? "Excuse me sir?" I clear my throat and speak politely from the doorway.

Nothing. I frown. Maybe I was too quiet? I try again. "Excuse me Sir?"

Silence. Is he really that oblivious to somebody else in his room? How could he not notice me crossing it or that the door had opened? Was he deliberately ignoring me? I hesitate. "Excuse me Sir"

I reminded myself that I had to be polite. What was it that Constance had said. Maintain respect, be polite, punctual and all that jazz? He was making it hard though. I gritted my teeth wishing I could yell at him.

f**k it. I crossed the room and lightly touched him on the shoulder. He recoiled so fast that I jumped backwards.

"f**k" Knox yelled at the top of his lungs, scaring the living daylights out of me as he yanked his headphones off and swivelled his chair around, "jesus christ" he shouted "give some warning next time."

Warning? What did he think I had done? I had yelled out three bloody times, hadn't I? Was it my fault he seemed to be deaf? I rubbed my ears, wincing. He'd just about caused me to go deaf myself. He was still staring at me. "What do you want?" he barked.

Be polite Lorelai. Be polite. You were warned he was difficult. Nobody can say that they didn't warn you. You need this job. Badly. Do not f**k up. Be polite.

I grit my teeth. "Good morning sir" I say frostily with a forced smile on my face "My name is Lorelia and I am to be your personal maid. I brought you up some breakfast" I add gesturing towards the tray I left on his bedside table "as I was informed that you had yet to eat. I apologize if I scared you" there, I was apologizing "but I did call out to you and you did not answer me."

Silence.

Gods he was handsome. So f*****g handsome. My mouth was practically watering staring at him. Even with his hair disheveled like that and his clothes crumpled. He looked a little lost as he stared at me and then at the tray. Confusion appeared on his face. "Food?" He sniffs. I try not to smile at the look on his face as he smells the cinnamon scroll and begins to get off his chair. "Is that cinnamon?" he moans.

"Freshly made" I chirp "Now if you sit down, I can put this table on your lap and you can eat."

He glances back towards his computer, looking torn. "I have too much work to do, I can just grab a scroll and eat it while I'm working."

The words come out of my mouth before I can take them back "I worked hard on that scroll. The least you can do is sit down and eat it properly. A few minutes isn't going to kill you is it?"

s**t. So much for being polite. The words hang heavy in the air. I s**k in a breath. I am so fired. Constance is going to have my head and I didn't even want to think about what Jackson's reaction is going to be.

But the man surprises me. He sits.