Chapter Nine

RICHARD

Richard knew he'd got to ask the question that had been on his mind since he saw her in his kitchen. He needed to know to sate his curiosity.

He'd never been particularly interested about a woman's hair, but hers? It just stirred something in him.

He'd never seen a red hair so curly and frizzy like her's. It reminded him of an artwork he'd seen at an exhibition a long time ago- Taylor had literally dragged him to one. It wasn't anything about a hair or a woman but it made him think of that art piece, then sunsets and rainbows.

That was just what Ava's name made him think of. Sunsets and rainbows. And her name? He'd never met an Ava before.

He even liked how it rolled off his tongue. Christ! what's wrong with me? It had just been few hours and he was already so weird and had never felt that way around anyone before. Say his domestic staff.

Her eyes pierced into his as she lulled over his absurd question. Richard was sure he would never ask anyone that, so what's going on?

She casually ran a finger over her brow to tuck an imaginary strand behind her ear. "It's natural Sir Richard."

Wait! Sir Richard? Where did that come from?

His brows furrowed and he blinked at her, letting go of the fork. "Sir Richard? What's that?"

She gave him a shy smile which thinned her lips into a straight line. "You said I should call you by your name but I can't do that..." Pausing a second before she added, "I thought maybe I could use both. I wouldn't want to come off as unprofessional."

Richard's eyes dimmed. He hadn't expected that. It made her all the more interesting.

"Unprofessional huh!" He returned her shy smile with a soft one and picked up his fork again. "you have a nice hair anyway. It's beautiful."

He'd said it. Stupid!

Her eyes widened and Richard could read flash of emotions in them which kind of unsettled him.

Her shy smile turned into a really big, bright and charming smile. "Thank you... Sir Richard."

"Grab a plate and come join me. I want to eat with you."

So, something must be making him lose it. He had never asked people to eat with him except for his daughters and Simone. He'd never felt the irrepressible urge to be chatty with strangers. He barely even had time to make small talk, but here he was, asking his not-yet-a-day old domestic staff, to grab a plate and sit with him.

He liked her. He just knew that he liked the girl in the ugly skirt and shirt. Her hair and dark eyes accentuated her light skin color.

It took Ava approximately five minutes to return to the dinning and pull out a chair to sit quietly beside him. He just wanted her to feel welcome and at home in his home. Or so, he told himself.

Waiting till she had had a few mouthfuls, Richard let his eyes rest on her delicate feature and knew without being told that she'd had a tough life.

Dropping an elbow on the smooth surface, "Ava..." He started, his voice soft and calm.

Soft, like the feel of the duvet on his bed.

Calm, like the waves that enveloped them right now.

"Ava..." He repeated, as if he was trying to get an effect or a reaction. "What does it mean?"

Richard felt her tense beside him. He hadn't meant to unnerve her, still, he was curious. He almost thought she quivered.

Heck! He was suddenly curious about a lot of things in the girl's life that sat there with him.

Raising her shadowed eyes to his, she thought about it. "To live." She finally said.

Richard thought about it too. To live. Just simple and concise. He smiled at her because he realized he liked it.

To live.

Was it a reminder for something? Was there a particular reason that she needed to be reminded that she had to live.

Returning his attention to his own plate, Ava did same. "Who named you?" Richard just couldn't stop. He couldn't stop wanting to know a bit more about her. Or even a little too much.Wouldn't hurt, right?

"My grandma did. She raised me by herself." She smiled ruefully into her plate.

Nodding, he took in the information and tore apart the underlying meaning she didn't need to tell him.

"So, how long have you been in Bellamy? Do you love the city? Though I must tell you that we also try to escape from the noise and all that at some point."

She swallowed. "It's not really been long. I still need to find my way around the city. Maybe, the noise and all that is what I need." She didn't mean to tell him that, but she'd said it.

Professional indeed!

Richard laughed. His eyes dancing with so much amusement like he'd done earlier. "Really? You're sure about that? It can get really hard for me and all I'd want to do is just go somewhere quiet..." He paused and looked right at Ava, "you know, I've never been to Salta. I might have to build a villa there."

Now, he was really blabbing.

It was already bad enough that he was being chatty with a girl old enough to be his daughter, though she was clever enough to remind him she wasn't, still_

He felt so at ease with her. It just seemed like they had known each other. He almost felt like a teenager.

Almost.

Her eyes widened at that. "You really shouldn't ever consider doing that. There's nothing in Salta." She countered fiercely.

He was getting more amused by the minute, and more excited. It was building. It kept building.

Richard nodded and pushed his almost empty plate aside, then guzzled down the water.

Setting down the glass, he fixed his eyes back on the redhead. "Who do you stay with?"

"A friend," thinking for a second, she added, "my friend. She is the reason I'm here."

Richard nodded at the piece of information. "I take it she's the only person you know in Bellamy."

She smiled and nodded, not looking at him.

Letting her eat, he watched how her eyes shadowed and bounced off everywhere without straying to him. He felt they were in a kind of game that the rules were unspoken but everyone knew the rules.

Finally, she put down her fork, and pushed up from the table. Her plate was cleared and he guessed that she must have been hungry.

"Thank you for letting me sit with you..."

He just shrugged. "It's okay.... And since we're done here, I'll let you leave. It's probably getting late and I'm sure you live in an insecure place."

That was totally cocky and offhanded. He hadn't meant to say it but he'd said it. No apology was needed, anyway.

Pressing her lips together, she drew the trolley closer to the dinning and started to stack the plates and glasses.

She hadn't served him wine. That, he'll need to let her learn with time.

Getting up himself, he locked his hands and started for the stairs, to get out of her way.

"I'll see you again?" He asked over his shoulder.

As he climbed up the stairs, a reply never came but he felt her dark gaze boring into his back. He'd do the same too.

She was probably trying to take in the gravity of what just happened. She was new to all of it and he could almost discern the fleeting emotions that danced in her eyes.

He liked her. He was sure. He liked Ava. Without any linings or strappings, he knew her liked her. Innocently.

He'd felt a familiarity with her. She didn't seem to him like an employee. Like one of his employees that lived off of his cheque books.

He was forty-nine for chrissake. He should be immune to these adolescent feelings. He was a father too. He remembered how Taylor had asked him to be his date for prom.

It had made the headlines then, but it was fun but it hadn't made him miss the times he'd skipped just to be a father to his girls.

Skipping his room, he made for the gym. He hated public places so he'd got one right in his house. Maybe, running would help clear his head.

He loved running, the gasping always made him feel the vigor within him. A good run was what he totally needed and away from the girl from Salta.

Salta. He might need to send his team down there to scout the place. Being long in Estate development had taught him that such places might not be a good run for his money, but it might always be the best for vacation houses and villas.

Pulling the lounge shirt over his head, he draped it over his shoulders and got on the treadmill, ready for a run.