Jenny's Heart

Chapter 6

"I'm sorry about Alfredo," Nathan said as they stepped out of the kitchen. "He's a bit ... eccentric."

"I noticed," Jenny replied with a small smile.

"Well, he has been ever since he had his nervous breakdown back in France. He was one of the top chefs. I suppose, he couldn't handle the stress anymore. I offered him a job here when I heard he wasn't happy about having to leave his five-star restaurant, and I allow him to cater for all of my functions if he feels he can manage."

"That's very kind of you," she responded as her smile grew.

Nathan hummed in response as he stared at her for a moment. Jenny felt her heart rate speed up and tingles ran down her spine. 

He quickly looked away and cleared his throat. "Right, let me show you the rest of the house," he said as he walked through the living-room.

Jenny's eyes scanned the area as she followed after him. It was a beautiful penthouse with a beige marble flooring and cream walls. Two of the walls were made entirely of glass, showing the outdoor entertainment area and the city life beyond it. The living-room that they walked through was made up of a few very expensive couches and a flat screen against the one wall.

They moved through an arch into a dining-room. There was a large table and twelve chairs made of a dark wood that contrasted nicely with the pale walls. An impressive black grand piano was situated in the corner, and a little beyond it was another arch that led from the kitchen. From there, Jenny noticed a staircase move up to the second floor, but it was one that started off in one direction and split left and right. She followed Nathan up the stairs leading to the left.

Although the house was the most beautiful she had ever seen, Jenny couldn't help but feel the lack of homeliness it contained. She found it hard to believe that a five-year-old girl lived here. Young children had a way of making their presence known, even if they weren't there. Jenny lost count of the amount of crayon drawings she had to scrub off the walls from when Isabella was younger. There were still a few markings on her apartment walls because of it. 

There was nothing in this penthouse.

"Where's Rosa at the moment?" she asked as she followed after Nathan.

"Dentist appointment. Mrs Jenkins took her," he replied as he opened a door. "This will be your room."

Jenny's interest piqued, and she moved towards the door. However, she had to pass Nathan in order to do so, and she couldn't help but take note of his nice smelling cologne as she did. She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat and quickly moved past him.

Her room was nothing short of stunning. The walls were painted in the same colour as the rest of the house, and a thick white carpet covered the floor. Her bed was queen-sized and had a beautiful white duvet with silver patterns covering it. To the left, she noticed two doors; one was painted white while the other, a small distance from the white one, was a glass sliding door that led out onto a balcony. To her right, she noticed a dressing table and closet.

"I know it's only one bed in here. If you would like, and if you do accept the position, I can order another bed for your niece," Nathan said, and Jenny turned to look at him.

"No, that won't be necessary," she replied a little too fast. When she realized that it might come across as not accepting the position, she added, "I mean, if I do accept, I don't mind sharing with my niece."

Truth be told, for the past three years, she and her niece have shared the same bed. Her apartment never had space for another small bed, and she was never able to afford a bigger apartment, so it was unnecessary to buy another bed.