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I assumed "he" was her son since no one ever walked into this house without a key They couldn’t even get past the privacy gate without a code

She juet dressed" She hurried for the back stairs that lead to the master bedroom "Feed them Take care of them," were her last words before she disappeared around the corner Her black French-press coffee was forgotten on the table

I wasn’t ready to face an unknown Van Allen The one I kneasn’t exactly a pleasant person I had hoped I wouldn’t have to see her son that much while he was home Only when I served his breakfast maybe But thisthis was not what I had planned on

I walked down the s room and ducked into the kitchen to hide until her son and whoever ith him went upstairs Maybe he would look for Portia God kneouldn’t look in the kitchen

As I entered the kitchen fro open

"Myso there should be so Help yourselves, but if there is some of Ms Charlotte’s peanut butter pie in here it’swith him into the kitchen

I had seen family photos around the house I knew Jasper Van Allen was handso him in person--his blonde hair h it, and the way his clothes fit his tall, lean but ht to see

He turned froaze slowly took me in and I felt nervous I didn’t like to be studied And I had no idea what to say to hiuys behind hi at them

"You’re not Ms Charlotte," were the words he spoke that finally broke the sudden and aard silence

No, I wasn’t I was her replacehter

I was about to tell hih "Guess I won’t be getting that peanut butter pie"

"If you’d like breakfast, I couldhe would take the hint that I didn’t want to cook for them and would leave

"Who the hell are you?" he asked with disgust "Portia isn’t one to hire hot young girls that don’t kno to do shit"

I had thought he was attractive For a one

"Beulah Edwards I took Ms Charlotte’s place when she retired" I wanted to say ood as Ms Charlotte But I wasn’t sure that was a true stateue

"Seriously? Jesus, is ain?"

The boys behind hihed like what he’d said was hilarious I hadn’t looked at the others yet Straightening up and holding lare to look at the rest of theance hung on theer They knew no fear They knew nothing but easy living I didn’t norelite was a disease

I noticed one of the He looked like the than was fair like the a look of a everyone else with his presence was a waste of his tihter

"Juston her mood" I wanted to appear as bored as the dark-haired boy As unaffected and as if this conversation was a waste of my time Because it was