Tea Time Tuesday Presents:
Hey there, lovelies,
Mischievous M here for another Tea Time Tuesday. This week I bring you Such Great Heights by the lovely SydneyAlice, who I featured weeks before. This story right here was the one that made me love Daddyward and All Human settings too, so if any of those two are your favorites then you'll love this. Of course it's a Bella and Edward fic, but you get plenty of other characters thrown into the mix. It's not your usual they meet, they hook up, and HEA, not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you. What I like about this story is that it's simple, yet very well thought out. Plus, there is lots of cuteness and fluff hidden behind every corner. With an adorable little boy, Riley, in between all that what else could you ask for?
And in the author's very own words:
Edward Cullen is in desperate need of a nanny after his wife walks out on him and their five-year-old son. Bella Swan is a teacher with no job prospects. Can she find her true place in the world while helping father and son overcome their pain?
~ * ~
"I can't believe I'm doing this," I mumbled as I punched the button for the 27th floor. Rose wasn't lying when she said the building was a high-rise. She did fail to mention that my new home was a penthouse. Not that it mattered. From the outward appearance and marbled lobby of Brookstone Towers, I doubted there were any apartments in this building that would be less than spectacular.
What the hell was I doing here?
Oh yeah. I needed a job.
Finding the penthouse was easy enough. The elevator opened right in front of the front door. Taking a deep breath, I readjusted my blouse and smoothed my hair as I exited the elevator. Pulling my suitcase behind me, I tentatively knocked on the door.
"Miss Swan?" A lovely, older woman greeted me with a smile. She was wearing a maid's uniform – pressed and tidy. Her graying hair was in a bun. She was probably in her fifties, and she reminded me of my Grandma Swan. I liked her immediately.
"Yes, but please call me Bella."
"Bella," She smiled warmly as she stepped back. "My name is Carmen. Won't you come in? May I take your coat and bag?"
"No, thank you," I replied as I stepped inside. I saw her face falter, and I was instantly contrite. Perhaps she was required to be hospitable upon greeting visitors? I certainly didn't want to get her into trouble. "I'm sorry. Would you be more comfortable taking my coat and bag?"
"Yes, Miss…I mean, Bella. I'd be happy to take them and then show you to your room before you meet Mr. Cullen and little Riley."
I thanked her as she led me through a long, winding hallway. Not a fingerprint on the pristine white walls. No toys laying around. Just the hallway was meticulously clean. I could only imagine the rest of the house. I looked for any sign of life – any indication that a small child resided here. But every door in the house was closed, and I wondered if that was because Mr. Cullen liked his privacy or because the house was symbolic to their moods. Closed-off. Cold. Unwelcoming.
"Here you are," Carmen smiled as she pulled my suitcase into a bedroom and that was bigger than my apartment's living room and bedroom combined. The bed was covered in a beautiful cranberry comforter and assorted pillows graced the mattress. Other than that, the room was completely bare except for the bedside table and dresser. There were no pictures on the stark-white walls. If the comforter hadn't been on the bed, there would be no color at all in the room.
Cold. Unwelcoming.
"I'll leave you to unpack. You'll let me know if you need anything at all?"
"I will," I smiled. "Thank you, Carmen."
"It's so good to have you here, Bella." Her voice was low, as if she was afraid someone might be listening. "I'm so hoping this….works out. For everyone involved."
"Me too. Thank you."
With a warm smile, she closed the door behind her. I sighed as I opened the double doors to the massive walk-in closet. I flipped on the light and began unpacking the week's worth of clothes I brought with me. While Rosalie was confident this arrangement would last, her brother had insisted that I only bring the bare essentials for now.
"Less to pack-up if this doesn't work out," Rosalie had reasoned. "Just go with the flow, Bella. Edward isn't optimistic, but can you blame him?"
Four nannies in one month.
After accepting the position, Rose had given me the lowdown on the babysitters. Two girls had each lasted exactly one week. Deciding gender was the problem, Mr. Cullen had then hired a male nanny. He'd been an older gentleman who had forgotten to place Riley in his booster seat before driving him home from school. Right through a school zone. The patrolling officer had given the nanny a ticket. He, in turn, had handed Mr. Cullen the citation, and Mr. Cullen had shown him the door. The final nanny was a college student. During their very first lunch, Riley had tossed a bowl of spaghetti over the man's head. He had apparently bawled like a baby, and he was packed and gone within the hour.
Rosalie promised that Riley isn't usually a behavior problem. He was just a little boy lost – his mother leaving him behind with a father who worked long hours and wasn't accustomed to being both mother and father to a five year old child. Of course, this child was acting out.
And his father. Would he be relieved to see me? Of course, he was hesitant about this arrangement. He'd hired four others just like me in the past thirty days. I was prepared for that. But would he be cold? Indifferent?
If the appearance of this penthouse was any indication, that possibility was there.
A knock on my door interrupted my mental musings.
"Bella, Mr. Cullen is in his study. If this is a good time for you, he'd like to meet you and introduce you to Riley."
"Of course." I closed the closet door and noticed my reflection in the mirror. Suddenly, I was very nervous. "Carmen, do I look okay?"
"Oh, you're lovely, Bella."
"Thank you," I blushed. "But I meant my attire. I'm not sure what I'm expected to wear?"
She smiled. "Mr. Cullen will explain all of that, but I assure you, casual wear is fine. Unless of course, there's a dinner party or a function in which you're asked to attend. But again, he will explain those things."
Dinner parties? What kind of functions?
I was going to kill Rosalie.
With one last look in the mirror, I followed Carmen down the hall and into the massive living room. The décor was very contemporary and, of course, immaculate. A grand piano rested in a corner that was flanked by windows overlooking the terrace. A plasma screen – at least fifty inches – graced the far wall. Intricate pieces of art were scattered about, and oil paintings surrounded the room. The place was like a museum, and I was literally afraid to sit down on the leather sofa. I glanced around, looking for any sign that a child actually lived here. But there was nothing. No coloring books. No toys. No stuffed animals.
"You look confused," Carmen noted as we made our way toward the study.
"I was just wondering…, does Riley play? I haven't seen anything so far that would even signify that a child lives here."
"Mrs. Cullen required Riley to play in his room," Carmen explained, her tone hushed and clipped. It was obvious the sweet maid wasn't a fan of the wife, either. "Playing wasn't exactly encouraged until Mr. Cullen came home."
"Mr. Cullen likes to play with his son?" This surprised me. And encouraged me. "What do they do?"
"Oh, they paint. Read books. Color. Study French."
I stopped in my tracks. "French?"
"Yes. Riley is expected to be well-cultured."
"He's five! He's just learning English!" I snapped angrily and immediately covered my mouth with my hand. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
Carmen chuckled. "I agree with you. You are going to be a breath of fresh air around here. I just know it. Here we are…"
Carmen ushered me into the study, another huge room that was lined with shelves full of books and journals. I felt as if I was standing in the middle of a library. I carefully walked around, letting my fingers trail softly against the spines of some of the books in the collection. My eyes flickered to the titles, and I was surprised to see some of my favorites.
I was in heaven, and I could just imagine pulling one from the shelf and hiding in my bedroom for hours as I lost myself in the pages.
"Miss Swan?"
His voice was soft like velvet, and I slowly peeled my eyes away from the books and settled them on quite possibly the most handsome man I'd ever seen. His eyes were brilliant emeralds. His jaw was chiseled. His hair was dark and neatly trimmed. He looked tired. Almost apprehensive. But he was still gorgeous.
And did I mention his eyes?
Rosalie neglected to tell me that her brother was sexy as hell.
Holy crap.
~ * ~
If that didn't get your attention, well then shame on you.
Just kidding.
Seriously, though, this fic is a great read it will leave you with tears. Some sad and some from joy. I know I shed both types, and I love that. Like I said, "Such Great Heights" has a very elegant style to it, but it doesn't fail to deliver a good plot. And the ending . . . well, I'll let you get to that on your own. That is, if you're willing to read on.
So go on and give the story a try. Don't forget to leave SydneyAlice a lovely review because she really deserves it. Tune in later on for Wicked Wednesday!
Love,
~*~ Mischievous M
