Hired by the Brooding Billionaire Read Free Page A

nothing. I loved working there.’
    ‘What brought you back?’ He didn’t sound as though he was actually interested in her replies. Just going through the motions expected of a prospective employer.
Maybe she already had the job.
    ‘Family,’ she said. It was only half a lie. No need to elaborate on the humiliation dished out to her by Steve that had sent her fleeing to Sydney to live with her sister.
    ‘Do you have references?’
    ‘Glowing references,’ she was unable to resist boasting.
    ‘I’ll expect to see them.’
    ‘Of course.’
    ‘What’s your quote for the work on the garden?’
    ‘A lot depends on what I find in there.’
    She’d been peering over the fence for weeks and knew exactly what she’d do in the front of the garden. The back was unknown, but she guessed it was in the same overgrown state. ‘I can give you a rough estimate now, but I have to include a twenty per cent variation to cover surprises. As well as include an allowance for services like plumbing and stonemasonry.’
    ‘So?’
    She quoted him a figure that erred on the low side—but she desperately wanted to work on this garden.
    ‘Sounds reasonable. When can you start?’
    ‘I have a full-time job. But I can work all weekend and—’
    The scowl returned, darkening his features and those intense indigo eyes. ‘That’s not good enough. I want this done quickly so I can get these people off my back.’
    ‘Well, I—’
    ‘Quit your job,’ he said. ‘I’ll double the amount you quoted.’
    Shelley was too stunned to speak. That kind of money would make an immense difference to her plans for her future. And the job could be over in around two months.
    He must have taken her silence as hesitation. ‘I’ll triple it,’ he said.
    She swallowed hard in disbelief. ‘I...I didn’t mean...’ she stuttered.
    ‘That’s my final offer. It should more than make up for you leaving your employer.’
    ‘It should. It does. Okay. I accept.’ She couldn’t stop the excitement from bubbling into her voice.
    She wasn’t happy with the job at the garden design company. And she was bored. The company seemed to put in variants of the same, ultra-fashionable garden no matter the site. Which was what the clients seemed to want but she found deathly dull. ‘I’m on contract but I have to give a week’s notice.’
    Aren’t you being rash?
She could hear her sister’s voice in her head.
You know nothing about this guy.
    ‘If you can start earlier, that would be good,’ he said. ‘Once I’ve made my mind up to do something I want it done immediately.’
    Tell him you’ll consider it.
    Shelley took a deep, steadying breath. ‘I would love to get started on your garden as soon as I can. I’ll work seven days a week if needed to get it ready for spring.’
    ‘Good.’ He held up his hand. ‘Just one thing. I don’t want anyone but you working on the garden.’
    ‘I’m not sure what you mean?’
    ‘I value my privacy. I don’t want teams of workmen tramping around my place. Just you.’
    She nodded. ‘I understand.’ Though she didn’t really. ‘I’m strong—’
    ‘I can see that,’ he said with narrowed eyes.
    Some men made ‘strong’ into an insult, felt threatened by her physical strength. Was she imagining a note of admiration in Declan’s voice? A compliment even?
    ‘But I might need help with some of the bigger jobs,’ she said. ‘If I have to take out one of those trees, it’s not a one-person task. I have to consider my safety. That...that will be an extra cost, too. But I know reliable contractors who won’t rip us off.’
    Us.
She’d said
us
. How stupid. She normally worked in close consultation with a client. Back in Victoria, where she’d worked up until she’d arrived back in New South Wales three months ago, she actually numbered satisfied clients among her friends. But she had a feeling that might not be the case with this particular client.
    There would be no
us
in this working