ENTANGLED: A McCarthy Love Story

CHAPTER 001

Sammy pushed the doorbell again more nervous by the minute, she knew she shouldn't have come but there was little to no other option. She knew how it looked and she hated she was in a situation like this. Not that she had ever been in a situation like this, no one had ever been in a situation like this. Things like this didn't just happen to people, it was the curse and it was sure as hell punishing her like it always did.
What the hell was she supposed to say and how the hell should she say it? Would he even recognise her? Even if he did Sammy knew he wasn't going to take the news well. It didn't help the family that he came from, it would obviously look she wanted something from him- from them.
Sammy turned to leave, she had no business being here, she was going to handle this on her own, she certainly could. She didn't know why she had let Vicky talk her into coming down here. Who was she kidding, she couldn't handle anything on her own, she knew it and Vicky knew it too. She was a wuss like that and that was why she was in some stranger's home in the middle of a Sunday afternoon to break a news she was sure he wouldn't even want to hear.
She turned back and rang the bell again telling herself that if no one answered this time it was a sign she should leave. Truth be told she was half hoping that they wouldn't answer the door, at least then she could tell Vicky she tried.
The door opened and then this petite woman poked her head out and smiled
"May I help you?" she asked.
Sammy swallowed the invisible lumps that had formed in her throat.
"I'm here to see Jason. Jason McCarthy?"
The lady gave her a look over that made her throat go dry, Sam cleared her throat
"Do you have an appointment?" the lady asked
An appointment? Why hadn't she thought of that? You couldn't just barge in on people like this and demand to see them. Jason was probably a very busy man
"I don't" she confessed
"but I really need to see him" she watched as the older woman frowned slightly.
"Please" she added out of desperation when she was sure the woman was getting ready to kick her out
She took a deep breath and then opened the door wider and ushered her in.
Sammy had thought the house massive from outside but the interior was much more intimidating, it was so big that she was sure it would swallow two of her studio apartment and still fit half of New York.
"Sorry you had to wait a while before I could get to the door, the staff had the day off and I was busy upstairs" the lady explained as they walked to the sitting area.
"Jason's not home right now but I'm sure it'd be a moment. So, make yourself comfortable while I get you a cup of coffee" the lady said and turned to leave
"water please" Sammy requested, Vicky said she had to cut down on the caffeine so she was going to try to.
"Of course," the lady said with a smile before leaving and Sammy closed her eyes and sent a prayer, she really needed all the help she could get at the moment.

NICK LAY ON the bed taking a break from everything, it felt like taking a break was all he did lately. But that was what happened when you got entangled in things you shouldn't get entangled in and end up in a crash that almost took your life. At least he was out of the hospital now, the arm cast was coming off soon and then he would be on his merry way out of here.
But the accident wasn't the reason he didn't go on the picnic with the rest of the family, that was entirely because the thought of being in a confined space with the rest of his family at this moment just made his head spin. Luca would throw him that worried look every time he so much as lifted a finger, Charlie would fuss and worry not minding that she was supposed to be the one fussed and worried over. And Jason would be hoping for reason to throw him a punch or an excuse to break his other arm and that would just make everyone uncomfortable. And Chase? Well nothing ever bothered or concerned that one other than how to go about his next lay.
The knock on his door came in short annoying rasps, surely they couldn't be back already? He had barely slept so surely would have heard them flying in.
The knock came again so he stood up and considered throwing on a shirt. Wasn't he the only one in the house?
"Who's there"
"It's me" Mrs James' voice came from the other side of the door.
The woman was supposed to be the estate manager now but she felt more like a member of the family than an employee. Thinking about it now Nick couldn't think of a time she was never here.
Nick opened the door and the smallish grey-haired woman came in and by habit she took a look around the room and Nick knew that if there was anything out of place, she'd give him that look and then order him to place it right. And it didn't matter that he was a full-grown man or that this was the first time in his adult life he was living at home, Joanna James still scared him.
When she was sure that everything was to her satisfaction she began,
"There's a lady downstairs, she's here to see Jason"
Why would someone come to see Jason on a Sunday?
"Is it about work?" Nick asked,
Please let it be about work, he had no idea he could miss working this much but that was what happened when you spend too much time in a hospital bed.
"I didn't ask but she really looked troubled"
A troubled lady to see Jason. Nick wasn't sure he was the right person for Mrs James to bring this information to. Not with the way things were with him and Jason at the moment.
"So what do you need me to do?" he asked
"Talk to her maybe"
Nick was already shaking his head, it wasn't a good idea to be poking into anything that had to do with Jason right now. He had been interested a moment ago when he thought it had been about work but a troubled lady to see Jason just screamed trouble and if he had a single working brain cell, he would stay out of it.
"Mrs James, I have a disturbing headache" that wasn't exactly a lie
"This would only take a minute and I promise I'll make sure no one disturbs you for the rest of the day"
Nick sighed, deeply. Mrs James wasn't someone you easily said no to. He knew that from experience
"Fine. I'll be down in a minute" Nick agreed.