PHENOMENAL GIRL 5 Read Free Page B

collection. Apparently, the supermovers had arrived before I did. The other side of the room was taken up by a king-sized bed covered with a spread done in deep greens and yellows, like the rest of the room. An enormous walk-in closet already housed all my clothes. Directly across from the closet was a large bathroom, complete with a Jacuzzi tub.
    I had died and gone to heaven.
    “I trust everything is to your liking, Miss Livingston?”
    A bit embarrassed to see Mayhew still standing in the doorway to witness my gawking, I waved aside formality. “Lainey, please. Miss Livingston sounds like an old maid living with her hundred cats. And everything is fabulous, but you know that. Your decorator has a good eye.”
    The butler smiled. “Mister Elliot does what he can.”
    I stared. “The Reincarnist—I mean Elliot—did all of this?”
    The butler nodded. “Yes, Miss Lainey.”
    I looked around again, weighing my surroundings against the man I barely knew. “Interesting.” Was there anything the man couldn’t do? Well, except hold a conversation without sounding arrogant.
    “Do you have a dress for dinner, Miss Lainey?”
    Some of my newfound glow started to slip away. “Yes, I have a dress. I met the President in it, so I think it will do for dinner.” Maybe my nerves were making me extra irritable, but neither of them had to act like I didn’t know how to dress or handle myself in the company of the elite.
    “Should you require anything at all, do not hesitate to ring,” Mayhew said, unperturbed. “If you need help dressing, I can send up one of the maids. Also, the workout facilities and the pool are at your disposal in the downstairs left wing.”
    “Thank you.”
    “I shall leave you to get acclimated.” He left with a slight nod, shutting the doors behind him.
    The doors had barely closed before I launched myself onto the large bed. Working with the Reincarnist might not be a picnic, but the amenities were definitely making up for it.
    It wasn’t like it was going to be such a hardship working with him, either. Regardless of the vibe he gave off, it was an honor to work with the smartest man alive, and hey, he’d earned the right to his arrogance.
    There was also the little flutter he gave me in the pit of the stomach.
    Oh no
, I ordered myself.
Don’t go there. Crushes on the boss do not work out. Ask anyone
.
    Still, I couldn’t wait to wow him at dinner to night.
    Or at least show him I wasn’t a poorly dressed dolt.

CHAPTER THREE
    I descended the wide staircase, keeping a steady hand on the banister. It didn’t help; my four-inch heels still caught on something invisible to the human eye, and I almost fell down the stairs. Klutziness, thy name is Lainey. Swearing under my breath, I tightened my grip on the banister and continued gingerly down, probably looking like a kid wobbling in her mother’s shoes. I had never mastered the sashaying walk most women seemed to be born with. Maybe it was because I had never had a mother to guide me to womanhood, but there was something boyish about my manner, despite being amply blessed in the bosom area. I was meant to kick butt, not be eye candy.
    I made it to the hall without falling and stood outside for a moment, checking to make sure every inch of the black designer dress was in its place. Satisfied, I took a deep breath, opened the door to the dining room, and walked in. A large table took up most of the space. At one end sat the Reincarnist, reading a newspaper. He glanced up and folded the newspaper, setting it next to his plate.
    “Good, you are on time.” He rose and walked over to me. I felt his eyes travel my body, assessing me as he approached.
    See, I’m not a slob
, I thought. Aloud, I said, “Where is everybody?”
    “Pardon me?”
    I gestured to the room. “We’re in this huge room, all dressed up. I thought you were having company.”
    “Not to night, no.”
    “So why are we dressed up?”
    He looked at me as if I were beyond