Sealed With a Kiss (8 page)

“What do the kids do at the library if
they’re not in drama club?”

Rachel glanced back at the children she’d
been teaching. Everyone was moving in the same direction, spinning
in time to a Christmas carol they’d started singing. “There are
digital classes in the technology room most afternoons and art
classes in another area. The children can only do each class once
per week. They don’t cost anything, so no one needs to miss out.
For the other two days a week, they read books or volunteer as
library helpers.”

“Do you get paid to be here?”

Rachel shook her head. “No one does. We beg
and borrow costumes for our plays and look for sponsorship for any
props we need. Everything we do is on a no frills, shoestring
budget.”

She walked across to a bulletin board and
showed him the program timetable. “If Bella is interested in other
things, they’re all listed here. Most of the time we have a good
spread of ages, so there will be someone she can get to know.”

“What classes do you take?”

Rachel’s cheeks turned red. “I do one of
each. It keeps me pretty busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other
way. Once I’m working full-time, I might not be able to do three
classes a week, but I’ll do what I can.”

“How long is each class?”

“Two hours, but you could pick Bella up
earlier if that works better. We give the kids something to eat at
three-thirty, then go back to our activities until five o’clock.”
Rachel looked at him closely. “Why didn’t you bring Bella with
you?”

John shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “I
didn’t want her to get her hopes up.”

Rachel nodded.

He glanced back at Fleur, the overactive owl.
Bella would enjoy mixing with this crazy group of kids. She loved
music and loved dancing. She’d fit in well alongside them, maybe
even make a friend or two.

But that wasn’t the main reason he’d come to
the library. It was time to do something about the real reason he’d
come here. He glanced down at his watch. “It’s nearly five o’clock.
Do you want to get a cup of coffee with me after you’ve finished
here?”

Rachel’s eyes widened.

A blush work its way over his face. “It’s not
what you’re thinking. I have something to ask you. A job I’d like
you to consider.”

“Is it the teaching position for Bella?”

John’s gaze shot to her face. “How did you
know?”

“Most of the town know that you’re looking
for a tutor. My answer’s no. I’ll be back to full-time teaching in
January. In the meantime, I’m enjoying my work here.”

John didn’t think his list of ideas would
work. So instead of blinding her with logic, he named a salary that
would make most people’s eyes water.

Rachel blinked, then blinked again. “For six
weeks work? Are you mad?”

“It’s eight weeks and I’m perfectly sane.
There are a few things you need to be aware of, but we can sort
those out later.”

“Such as?”

John wasn’t going to discuss state-of-the-art
surveillance systems or bodyguards in the middle of Rachel’s drama
club. “I’ll tell you more over a cup of coffee. Are you
interested?”

He held his breath while she thought about
her answer.

Rachel looked down at her sneakers, then
across at the barnyard animals. “If I tell you I’m interested, it
doesn’t mean I’m going to say yes.”

John nodded.

“And it doesn’t mean that the money you’re
offering has changed my mind.”

“Okay.”

Rachel crossed her arms in front of her chest
and glared at him. “I guess we’re going out for coffee, then. I’ll
be ten minutes.”

It wasn’t the most positive response he’d
ever heard, but he’d take it. Whether she knew it or not, Rachel
McReedy would become Bella’s tutor.

***

As Rachel paid for her coffee, she watched
John hang his jacket over the back of a chair. He glanced at her as
he sat down. She didn’t know what he was thinking, but it didn’t
look good. His frown was out in force, and even the delicious smell
of roasting coffee beans didn’t seem to make a difference.

She was glad they were having coffee close to
the library. With the snow falling outside, the Lindley Perk Coffee
Shop wasn’t a busy hive of activity. There was less chance of
someone seeing them here than in town.

If Tess heard about this meeting, she’d
assume Rachel had decided to teach Bella. She’d think she was happy
to accept the crazy amount of money that John was willing to pay to
educate his daughter.

Rachel wasn’t here because she wanted his
money. She was here because she was curious. She sat opposite him
and leaned forward, keeping her voice low. “Why do you want to pay
Bella’s tutor so much money?”

John’s gaze moved from the front counter to
Rachel’s face. He kept his expression neutral, hiding what was
going through his head. “You don’t believe in small talk, do
you?”

“I thought it was small talk,” Rachel said
quickly and without a smile. “If I was being blunt, I would have
asked you what Bella’s tutor has to do for that much money.”

John’s lips twitched. “I take it you’re not
impressed?”

“Do you know the hourly rate I’m paid at the
school?”

John shrugged his shoulders. Rachel guessed
that a man who had more money than anyone she knew wouldn’t be too
interested in what she earned. “It must be enough to get by, or you
wouldn’t do it.”

Rachel snorted. Working part-time barely gave
her enough money to pay her bills. She was using her savings, and
that wasn’t something she wanted to keep doing.

“So apart from being allergic to my money,
what is it about the job that you don’t like?”

Rachel narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t say I was
allergic to your money. It’s the person that’s prepared to spend
that much money that worries me.”

John didn’t say anything.

The waitress brought their drinks across to
the table. “One grande latte and one half-strength hot chocolate.
Can I get you anything else?”

Rachel shook her head. “Not for me,
thanks.”

John said the same thing, then went back to
staring silently at her.

Rachel sipped her hot chocolate, savoring the
heat of the mug between her hands. “You said there were other
things potential teachers would need to be aware of. Do you want to
tell me what they are?”

John looked down at his coffee. She could
almost see the cogs of his brain churning through a ton of
information, sifting what he needed to tell her against what he
could. “Having a lot of money isn’t always a good thing. People can
take advantage of you, deceive you in ways that you never thought
they would. Or they can do worse. My company looks after extremely
wealthy clients and their property. We know things about people
that would be dangerous in the wrong hands.”

John looked at the empty tables around them.
“I get emails from people who make me extremely cautious about
Bella’s safety.”

“They send you threats?” Rachel put her hot
chocolate on the table. “Why would they do that?”

“They want something to bargain with. I’ve
kept a low profile in the media. No one knows much about me except
that I have a daughter. And no one, not even the most persuasive
person, gets close to Bella.”

“Is that why Tank goes with her to the
mall?”

“If I’m not with Bella, Tank or Tanner go
with her. Mrs. Daniels wouldn’t be able to keep her safe if someone
tried to kidnap her.”

Rachel’s eyes widened. “You can’t be
serious?”

“I wish I wasn’t.”

“But she’s only a child. Why would someone
kidnap her because of what you know?”

John watched a woman push a stroller into the
café. “I gave up trying to figure out people’s motivation a long
time ago. Up until now it’s been relatively easy to look after
Bella. She came with me whenever I needed to travel. Her tutor and
a bodyguard came with us. Since we moved to Bozeman, things have
been different. Bella needs a routine. She needs friends. I
couldn’t give her that when we were moving around the country.”

“Is that why you moved to Bozeman?”

John picked up his drink. “Partly.”

Rachel waited for him to tell her more. When
he didn’t say anything, she leaned forward, keeping her voice low.
“So the tutor you want to employ would need to know how to look
after Bella?”

John shook his head. “I’ve got staff who can
do that. Bella’s tutor would need to know how to take orders.”

“You think I couldn’t?”

“You care about Bella. If she was in danger,
you’d need to act quickly and follow what Tank, Tanner, or I
said.”

“That’s only if I applied for the job.”

John sat back in his chair. “I already know
that the salary I’m offering is four times what you’d earn at the
local school. I also know that your full-time teaching contract
doesn’t start until January. What’s stopping you from saying
yes?”

It was Rachel’s turn to squirm under his
gaze. “I’ve made a commitment to the school. They might not be able
to find another substitute teacher.”

“What if they could?”

“Then I might be interested,” Rachel
conceded. “But that’s a big might. It’s not easy finding part-time
staff, especially this close to Christmas.”

“And you wouldn’t have a problem with one of
my security guards following you?”

Rachel shook her head. “It would only be for
two months. Once school starts in January, Bella will be joining
her class and I’ll be working full-time.”

John smiled for the first time since she’d
sat down. Her breath caught in her throat. This wasn’t the reaction
anyone should have for their potential boss. It was just as well
he’d be at work for most of the day. “What hours would you want me
to work?”

“Nine to three.” John tilted his head to the
side. “Is that a problem?”

“No, that’s fine. I want to keep volunteering
at the library.”

“Does that mean you’ll accept the
position?”

Rachel thought about the job John was
offering her. She liked Bella, so teaching her would be fun. The
money he was offering would make up for some of the savings she
hadn’t been able to do when she was teaching part-time. As long as
she spent as little time as possible around her boss, she’d be
fine.

But before she could accept the position,
there was one last thing she needed to sort out. “I need to talk to
the principal at Bozeman Elementary. If they can’t find someone to
replace me, then I won’t be able to leave.”

“I’d better hope they have someone else,
then.”

Rachel picked up her bag and coat. “I’ll let
you know what they say. When do you want me to start?”

“As soon as possible.”

She stood up and John did the same. “I still
think you’re paying too much, but I’m not going to complain. Thank
you for giving me the opportunity to work with Bella.”

“I should be the one thanking you.”

“Okay, well…” Rachel looked around the café,
then stuck her hand out toward John. “I guess I’ll speak to you
soon.”

His hand tightened around hers. “I’ll walk
you to your car.”

Rachel shook her head. “I’ll be okay. Bye.”
And before John could say anything, she walked out of the café and
through the front doors. The cold air hit her face, cooled down her
body, and made her worry about what she’d just done.

***

A week later, Rachel stopped her car in front
of the gates separating John’s home from the road. She rolled down
her window and pushed a button on a pole. The black iron gates slid
open and she drove up the driveway, staring at the home hidden
behind snow covered pine and spruce trees.

She didn’t know what she’d expected to see,
but the white wooden siding home didn’t even come close. The
traditional two-story home wasn’t what she would have imagined a
billionaire would live in. She’d expected something grander,
something big and overwhelming that looked like an art gallery
instead of a family home.

She stopped beside the front porch and undid
her seatbelt. She tried to imagine what it must be like to have so
much money that you didn’t have to worry about paying the next
utility bill, or counting down each week until you had enough money
to make a good deposit on a home. If John’s biggest worry was
someone following him, then he could count himself lucky.

The front door opened and Bella stepped out
onto the porch. Her wide smile and laughing brown eyes calmed some
of the nerves racing through Rachel’s body.

A man stepped out behind her. He had wide
shoulders, long legs, and an awareness about him that screamed
bodyguard.

Rachel got out of her car and waved at Bella.
“Hi. I’ll just get my teaching things.” She opened her passenger
door and wiggled the first box of crayons, paints, paper, and
stationary toward her. She didn’t know what Bella did or didn’t
have in her home, so she’d decided to bring all of her teaching
aids with her.

“I can help you with that.”

Rachel turned and smiled at Bella’s
bodyguard. “Thank you.” She passed him the first box and looked at
the second. “I might have brought too much.”

He looked inside the box he was carrying.
“Bella’s got most things she needs, but at least you came prepared.
I’m Tank.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Tank. I’m
Rachel.”

Tank nodded. She supposed he knew exactly who
she was.

He held the first box under one arm and
waited for her to pass him the second. “I’ll put these in Bella’s
classroom. If you haven’t got anything else to take inside, I’ll
move your car into the garage when I get back.”

Rachel passed him the second box. “I’ll leave
the keys in the ignition.” Before she could thank him again, he
disappeared inside. Rachel picked up her tote bag, closed the
passenger door and took a deep breath. She was about to start her
first day of her new job.