He nods curtly.


    I look to the ground to hide my smile. This is hrious. I’ve never seen her so out of herfort zone.


    “Emerson,” A male voice calls from behind, and when I turn, I realise it’s Mark.


    “Hello.” I smile nervously.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He kisses me on the cheek. “Sorry I’mte.” He turns to Brielle. “You must be Brielle?”


    “Yes.” She smiles before she gestures to Mr. Masters. “And this is…” She hesitates, obviously not


    knowing what to introduce her new employer as.


    “Julian Masters,” he announces sternly for her as he takes Mark in a firm handshake.


    Brielle and I fake smiles to each other. This is so damn awkward.


    Mark is blonde and handsome. His hair is neat, he’s dressed nicely, and… what else? Oh, I know…


    Short. He is really, really short – so much shorter than I imagined. I am notpletely sure of whether


    it’s the jetg or the let down of my imagination running away with me but I really thought I was going to


    see fireworks the instant I met him.


    Guess not.


    Hmm.


    Finally,  after  ten  minutes  of  ufortable  silence,  Brielle  spots  her  bag  as  it es  out  on  the


    turnstile. “That’s my bag.” She points to her luggageing out underneath the rubber ps.


    Julian Masters raises an eyebrow. “The one with the pink ribbon?” he asks dryly.


    Brielle nods and drops her head in shame, and I want to hoot withughter. I told her the pink satin


    ribbon looked ridiculous and not to tie it on the handle, but she insisted it was a good I will easily find my


    bag tactic and that was the only color ribbon she’d had. Her luggagees around and he aggressively


    grabs it from the turnstile and turns to her. “The car is this way.” He gestures to the right.


    She nods nervously. He turns back to me and shakes my hand. “Nice to meet you, Emerson.”


    I smile. “Likewise. Please look after my friend,” I reply as my eyes flick to Brielle. She looks so


    scared, I think she might run over water to get back to Australia any minute now.


    He walks off, wheeling her baggage behind him, and she turns to cuddle me.


    “This is shit,” she whispers.


    I smile into her hair as she grips me tight. “It will be fine. He’s probably really nice.”


    “He doesn’t look nice,” she murmurs as she pulls out of my grip.


    “Yeah, I agree. He looks like a tool,” Mark adds as his eyes follow Julian across the airport.


    My eyes flick to Mark in annoyance. He is not a part of this conversation and I’m trying to sweeten the


    deal here. Shut up! Is he not aware that I have been in a ne for twenty-four hours and have jeg with a


    bad case of don’t bloody mess with me?


    “Mark, look after my friend, please.” Brielle smiles.


    He smiles and rubs his chest like a stupid gori. “Oh, I intend to.”


    I frown and he winks cheekily at me. Hmm. My disturbed eyes meet Brielle’s and this time it’s her


    who is smirking at my situation. We both look across the airport and see Julian Masters looking back


    impatiently for Brielle.


    “I better go.” She frowns.


    I nod. “I will get my phone sorted and then call you tomorrow. You have my apartment details if you


    need me beforehand.”


    “I  will  probably  turn  up  in  an  hour.  Tell  your  room  mates  I’m ing  in  case  I  need  a  key,”  she


    whispers.


    “Go,” I mouth. She nods and tentatively walks over to her new boss, and they continue off into the


    distance  together,  soon  disappearing  from  my  sight.  My  eyes  fall  back  to  Mark  and  then  over  to  the


    luggage carousel. “There it is, that one.” I point to my suitcase as I go to retrieve it.


    “Stand back and let a man do his job,” Mark announces.


    I feel the womens’ lib hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention. “I can lift a suitcase,” I mutter


    with a frown. Damn, this jeg is making me bitchy.


    Heughs heartily. “That’s why you have me. I’m going to look after you for this entire trip.”


    I fake a smile. Oh, great. Lucky me.


    “Its on the third floor,” Mark tells me as he unlocks the bottom front door of my new apartment block. The


    building is old and smells musty.


    I feel the apprehension swirl in my stomach.


    We walk up the flights of stairs in silence until we get to number fourteen and he unlocks the door,


    holding it open for me. I peer in like a curious child.


    “It’s a nice apartment.” He smiles.


    “Yes.” I nod, still unsure as we walk in together. “Thank you for organizing everything.”


    “And your room is through here.” He opens the door and I smile. Oh… my bedroom is nice. It has a


    rge bay window with a window seat. It’s airy, big, and painted white. The bed is Queen size and the


    headboard is cast iron in a mint green kind of color. There is also a desk, arge wardrobe, and a full-


    length mirror on the far wall. I look around and for the first time since leaving home, I feel excited. Mark


    throws my suitcase onto my bed. “The others wont be home until after six. They’re all working.”


    “Okay.”


    “And I have taken tomorrow off work so I can show you around London.”


    Oh, he’s being so nice. I smile broadly. “Thank you. That would be lovely.”


    “Would you like me to make you a cup of tea or something?” he asks.