Her Billionaire Toy Boy

“I brought a few of the basics with me—Harry Potter, a thriller that I know is going to be terrible but I’ll rip right through it, and a copy of the Divine Comedy.”

“The fact that you think those are the basics is almost insulting to the rest of us.”

“Oh, I’m barely going to touch the Comedy. But I love opening it every once in a while. I like bringing something highbrow, just for appearances. But it isn’t just for appearances, you know? I genuinely like having it, even if I’m going to be spending most of the weekend with the boy wizard.”

“I feel like fantastic works of literature like the Comedy are best absorbed in small bits, anyway.”

“Precisely. I’d rather take it in very slowly, piece by piece, over the course of a year than swallow it whole in two weeks. That’s how I got most of my literature in college. And guess what? I don’t remember any of those.”

“It’s a good way to go about it,” said Sam. “Persistence. Fascinating. Ah—we’re here.”

Damien surfaced as if at least one of his senses had been waiting upon hearing these words. He looked out the window. Mira followed suit. They were pulling into the driveway of a cabin, sitting alone on a hill. It would have been quite foreboding but for the lit windows and the smoke softly rising from the chimney.

Noticing Mira noticing this, Sam spoke softly. “I sent my housekeeper ahead to get things ready for us,” he said casually.

Mira bit her lip at this. Only a billionaire could state something like that casually.

“All right, then,” said Damien, breaking his way across the moment. “Lisa! Sam, Mira, come on, let’s get this weekend started!”

Mira was reminded so forcibly of a fraternity brother about to do a keg stand that she choked back a surprised laugh. One look from Sam was enough to convince her that he was thinking the same thing.

The four of them went inside, the men pulling the luggage after them, the women holding doors. Mira let her eyes trail over the architecture and she felt her chest tighten. This was one of the most beautiful homes she had ever seen.

Outside were rolling green hills and the sorts of trees which were just begging to be climbed. In here were large rooms with lofted ceilings, the kinds of ceilings which look like nothing so much as an upside-down boat. There were couches with homey plaid blankets upon them, there was a roaring fire with pillows toasting nicely and invitingly before it, there was a large slab of a table smack in the middle of the room which obviously wanted nothing more than to be sat around for hours as good conversations and overlong games unspooled.

A grandmotherly lady was bustling around the kitchen. She looked up as they came in. Her eyes twinkled. She wiped her hands hurriedly on the half-apron she wore and hurried towards them, arms open wide, smiling as hard as she could.

“Mrs. Mueller,” Sam said, grinning. He put down his and Mira’s suitcases and jogged toward his housekeeper before enfolding her in a huge hug. The embrace lasted for a few seconds before they broke apart. Sam kept one arm around her as he turned back to see Mira. He smiled, and then said, “Mira, I’d like you to meet our housekeeper—she’s a good friend of the family, practically family herself. She’s awesome, and she’s pretty much the reason our weekend is going to be so great. We owe her a lot, and I’m really happy that you two are able to meet.”

Glowing words, Mira thought. She smiled at the short, beaming lady. “Hi,” she said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much for everything—and if there’s anything I can do to help—“

“Oh, don’t worry about anything, dearie,” said Mrs. Mueller, scoffing. “I’ve got everything under control; years and years of living in this house, you know. I’ve got the care and keeping of the grounds down to a science.”

“And she’s taught me well,” said Sam. “I’ll be able to help her with anything she needs; I’m the host, after all, and it’s one of the jobs of the host to make sure that you, as a cherished guest, don’t lift a finger.”

Mira opened her mouth—

“At least, not unless you want to,” said Sam, teasingly. “I know how much you love dishes; but we can discuss this evening’s entertainment, later. How about I show you where you’re going to be staying?”

Mira smiled her good-bye to Mrs. Mueller, who turned back to the kitchen, from which a very good aroma was emanating. She looked up at Sam, shyly tucked her hair behind one ear, and assented. He grabbed her suitcase and nodded his head toward the stairs. “I decided to give you one of the more remote rooms,” he said in a quiet voice. “I know it can be a little overwhelming to stay in someone else’ home, with a lot of people you don’t know well, for the first time, right? Like, as opposed to a hotel or something; which is a little less personal, but usually a little less chaotic. So, you have a suite to yourself,” he said, padding down a hallway and opening a door to one side.

Mira tentatively stepped inside and then gasped. The beautiful room which had been put at her disposal was twice the size of her apartment. There was a king-sized bed in the center. The curtains were literally billowing inward. A small door open at the side revealed a quaint, teal-tiled bathroom. She turned to ask Sam a question – had she been given the master bedroom?—but he turned and quietly said, “Dinner in about an hour, yeah? I’ll give you time to unpack. That dresser’s for your use, over there—as is everything in this room. Relax.”

He smiled and left. Mira turned. She smiled. For the first time, she felt that this weekend might actually be a relaxing one.