Paradise Found

34

ALISTAIR

Four hours later, goddammit! I didn’t mean to stay away from Eloise for so long, but one thing after the other happened.

“Did Eloise get settled in all right?” I ask Bernard as I slide into the car.

“Yes, she did.”

Good, I want her to feel like my home is hers while she’s staying with me.

“And what do you think of her? I trust your judgment, old man,” I ask him with a chuckle.

Bernard has been with my family forever and has been my private driver since I was a teenager. He knows all my secrets. He’s been privy to all the chaos George would inflict on me. He was the one person I could vent to back then, and I know no matter what, he would never betray my trust. He felt more like a father to me than my own. Not that I had a bad father, but he and George were close because they work together. They have spent every waking moment together for their entire lives, and I always felt like the third wheel anytime we were together. I was never privy to their private jokes.

“She seems lovely, Ali.”

He’s not giving much away.

“Lovely?” I question with a frown. That’s not at all what I thought he was going to say.

“Yes.”

“That’s all?” I ask, pushing him further. His opinion means the world to me. And Elle means something to me.

“Do I believe she’s a gold digger with ulterior motives? No, I don’t, sir. Not when she showed me her family home,” he adds.

“Wait! Her family home?”

Bernard's eyes widen in the rearview mirror. “I didn’t realize you didn’t know, Ali,” he says.

“It’s a subject she doesn’t like talking about, so I’ve never pushed it. All I know is her family cut her off when she chose to model over university, and she’s been on her own ever since. She’s also an only child,” I explain to him.

“Miss Muller comes from money, it seems. Her family owns a terrace home in Carlyle Square,” Bernard tells me.

My eyes widen in surprise. “That’s an expensive area,” I say to Bernard. A terrace in that area is about twenty million pounds. If Elle comes from a family like that, then why the hell is she working at a sex resort? I always assumed she didn’t come from money because of her work.

She was cut off, remember?Fuck, no wonder she has been so dead against me helping her in any way. She’s been cut off from extreme wealth, and I guess she wants to prove to her parents that she did make something of herself, and she didn’t need their money to do it. I must admire her determination.

“She’s also protective of you,” Bernard adds.

“How so?” I question him, intrigued by that thought.

“She doesn’t like George very much,” he says with a grin.

That makes me smile. “She overheard an interesting phone call from my brother while we were away. He was trying to rub my nose in a deal he’d done through sleeping with the client.” Bernard’s brows rise high. “Fatherhood hasn’t changed him at all,” I say, rolling my eyes. “I like her, Bernard. And I think Elle might just be the first girl who won’t fall for George’s charms.”

“I believe you could be right. She didn’t have anything nice to say about him. She looked angry while talking about the entire situation,” Bernard says with a smirk on his face.

That gives me hope, thinking about Elle championing for me with Bernard.

“Was she okay that I had to work tonight? Should I stop and get flowers, chocolates, diamonds?” I ask.

“Miss Muller was more than happy when she arrived at your home. She understands that your work’s important to you and that things sometimes arise that can’t be helped,” Bernard tells me.

“It’s all so new at the moment. What happens in a year’s time when I’m called in, or five years? I’m not sure if she’s going to be as understanding then, is she?” I say as worry sets in.

“Maybe … maybe not. Just because Miranda became unhappy about it doesn’t mean Miss Muller will,” Bernard explains.