Live In Position Read online

  Live-In-Position

  by sadie grubor

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Copyright 2014 Sadie Grubor

  Cover Art by VST

  This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any existing means without written permission from the publisher. Contact Author at [email protected].

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The characters are products of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.

  blurbage:

  Twenty-five year old Sophia Ashwood, part-time nanny, has just graduated college and is ready to write the next best seller; however, she needs a full-time job flexible enough for her to fulfill her dream.

  When Sophia steps into the Bishop home to care for emotionally neglected Victoria, she’s positive Dr. Collin Bishop, aka The Anti-Christ, despises her. The intensity of his glare is unset

  tling and frustrating.

  Sophia’s determined to bide her time, until she can gain publication and freedom from the Bishop’s snobbery. However, the longer she cares for Victoria, the more wrapped up in their drama filled lives she becomes.

  Getting close and developing maternal instincts comes with being a nanny. But cussing out the cold, bitter family of the little girl you shouldn't be so attached wasn’t in the job description. Neither was garnering the attention of her father - the Antichrist. Hello, my name is Sophia Ashwood, and I'm about to become a cliché.

  Dedication:

  To my evil side kick and hubby – You are my antichrist and I so LOVE YOU!

  To Glenda, my work wife – Without you this story would never have come to life.

  To my family – Thank you for always understanding and supporting.

  To the readers – loyal and new,

  Thank you for always being there, supporting, reviewing, and sticking by me and my work, even when my deadlines and releases get further and further delayed. (I really try not to push them back, I swear!) Newbies – thanks for taking a chance on me and hopefully sticking around for more.

  To 48fourteen – thank you for taking a chance on a new author and bringing this story to life in the beginning. You have been amazing and supportive. I know we will work together again in the future.

  For now, LIP is now under the Sadie Grubor umbrella of work and I'm excited to promote and share this updated book with everyone.

  Chapter One

  My face buried in Map Quest directions, driving from Tacoma to Seattle, First Hill to be exact, my phone rang.

  "Hello?"

  "Sophia, are you on your way?" Miranda’s whispered words concerned me.

  "I just got off exit 172. I should be there shortly, what's wrong?"

  "Everything," she groaned. "He finds something wrong with every single one of them. This is your chance to run while you still can."

  I laughed. "Then what, you'll get married and still live with the Bishops? I don't think Benji will like that too much."

  She sighed.

  "I'll be there soon." Closing my phone I picked up speed. My Jeep was old, but reliable, though I couldn't push it much more or it would scream ‘uncle’.

  When I turned onto 12th Avenue, I took in the perfectly tree lined streets. There were a few visible houses, but I almost missed my destination because of the driveway being hidden.

  Pulling to a stop and climbing out of the car, the house seemed to loom over me. It wasn't like the homes I had worked in before, which had felt homey. My nerves began to collect in the pit of my stomach as I approached the front door.

  "Rand wasn't lying," My words almost echo around the vast driveway. The house is huge and definitely expensive.

  I took one deep breath and headed to the door. Before I could knock Miranda opened the door with a flustered expression. She pulled me in for a quick hug and whispered in my ear.

  "Brace yourself."

  I squeezed her hand gently and she showed me to a large dining room.

  "Miss Ashwood, I presume?"

  I nodded slowly, taking in his appearance. He was at least a foot and a half taller than me and the broadness of his shoulders was definitely worth swooning over. I wondered why Miranda hadn't mentioned much about how beautiful he was in past conversations.

  "I'm Doctor Bishop." He put his hand out. His long fingers wrapped around my hand and there was a small shock at our touch. The feeling shot from my hand to the pit of my stomach.

  "Sorry," I mumbled, pulling my hand away quickly.

  "Yes, well, let us get started, shall we? Please take a seat." Dr. Bishop motioned to a chair across from Miranda and him. I sat down and clasped my hands on the table in front of me, still trying to rid myself of the lingering effects of his hand.

  "Looking through your resume it seems you have only had one live in arrangement and it was for an infant." He looked up from my information for confirmation and I gave him a nod. "You do realize this is a live in placement with a six year old child?" I nodded again and smiled. "So your other placements have been daily arrangements on intermittent basis?"

  "Yes, mostly for mothers who are just returning to work and needed something until their children started school." He looked at me intently.

  It was on a brief moment to admire his beauty, but I took it. Obviously, I had seen his pictures in the many magazines he had been featured, but somehow they didn't do his appearance justice. He really was almost perfection. Those printed works did nothing to convey his smooth skin, high cheek bones, strong jaw, and pale red lips that weren't full but they weren't too thin either. Then there was his hair. In photos his brown hair was always tamed, but in person it was an unruly coppery brown color; a complete contrast to his frosty, calm, collected mannerisms I was a witness to today.

  "And you prefer that type of arrangement?" He eyed me closely with his bright green eyes.

  "Well, I did; however, that was while I finished college. Now that I have –"

  "So you plan to do nothing with your college education?" His face shifted into a look of disapproval.

  I opened my mouth but closed it because I was to give him a nice dose of 'to hell with you mister'. I had registered with 'Nanny Poppins' three years ago and now that I had finished college with a Degree in Creative Writing I wanted to write the next bestselling novel, but that would take time and I needed a steady income to survive. Only a few months after Miranda suggested I switch to full time, live-in status, I ended up with this interview. Instead of cursing him out, I collected my thoughts and answered.

  "I intend to use my childcare experience and education while I am employed; however, I also have a creative writing degree I will be putting to use as well." He raised a silently questioning brow. "I would like to be a published author and believe I can work on this during my own time."

  "So, you have a degree in creative writing and childcare?" Confusion plagued his handsome but stoic face. I fought the laugh threatening to escape my mouth.

  "I majored in creative writing, my passion, but as I got more involved with childcare I decided to minor in it." I shrugged. "I also have certifications, in CPR, first aid, and –"

  "Daddy?"

  I stopped and turned to see a sweet pale skinned girl with curly red hair enter the room. She was a young girl, but she still had the roundness of a baby in her cheeks. Her hair was in large ringlets flowing over her shoulders. With her blue and white striped dress she reminded me of a porcelain doll. A small smile crept over my lips and a warm feeling filled my chest as I took in her appearance.

  "Victoria, I'm busy at the moment. I will come see you later." He didn't even bother to look at her while dismissing her.

  "I apologize, daddy," she mumbled and her face fell.


  My defiant nature kicked into action. I stood and walked over to her.

  "Hello." I held out my hand.

  She looked around me toward her father. Her stiffened posture relaxed with a sigh of relief.

  "Nice to meet you," she responded quickly and gently shook my hand. My knee protested against the floor as I knelt to her level.

  "My name is Sophia." I smiled.

  "I'm Victoria." She smiled wide.

  "That is a beautiful name. It's nice to meet you, Victoria."

  A throat cleared behind me and I made a silly face at Victoria. She giggled.

  "If you don't mind, I have a schedule to keep." He snapped from behind me.

  Winking at Victoria I straightened back up to a standing position.

  "Sorry." I walked back to my seat.

  "Well, you've met my daughter."

  I nodded. "She's very lovely." Ignoring my compliment of his daughter he continued on.

  "This states you are familiar with three languages." His eyebrow rose again, this time it was as if he were challenging my information. I felt a little bit insulted, as if he were calling me a liar. Now, that ticked me off.

  "Je me demande comment familier vous sont véritablement?" He sneered as he questioned.

  "Connaitre suffisamment d'obtenir grâce a une conversation." I responded with my eyes narrowed at him. "O quizás premiere Español?" I paused. "O italiano? Se la mia italiano e un piccolo rusty?"

  I raised my eyebrow back at him mimicking his earlier challenge. He lightly cleared his throat and glared at me. With a quick look at Miranda's face, I could see the defeat. Clearly the interview was over.

  "I believe you've already come to your conclusions about me, as well as made your decision, so if you would please excuse me." Standing, I smiled and nodded to Dr. Bishop, giving Miranda an apologetic look. A few feet from my exit out the front door, a voice called out from behind me.

  "Are you coming back?" I spun quickly toward Victoria's voice. She stood on the staircase with a look that appeared to be a fine line between panic and excitement.

  "Um, I don't know." I smiled and her face fell. "Hey, there are other people to interview, so you have to give them all a fair shot." I took the few steps to reach her. "Okay?" I lightly lifted her chin to look at me while I spoke. My heart broke at her disappointment.

  She nodded and I smiled before turning back toward the door.

  I ended up face to chest with Dr. Bishop. His scent was a mixture of crisp linen and purely man. My stomach fluttered from manly aroma and the warmth from his close body.

  "Victoria, please go to your room." His voice was cold and stern.

  Blinking a couple of times, his strict voice snapping me out of my current trance, I took a couple steps back and around him, heading out the door. Once I was in my Jeep I released the scream I had been holding.

  "Well, way to screw that up Sophia," I grumbled at my reflection in the review mirror before I drove away.

  Grabbing my cell phone, before getting back onto Interstate 5, I quickly text Miranda.

  'I'm sorry. I just couldn't take anymore of him. Forgive me?'

  It was hours later while sitting in front of the TV with my father watching baseball when Miranda responded.

  'You are more than forgiven. You are hired!'

  I had to read the text three times before it sunk in and I got excited. Then I stopped, mid happy dance. Crap! I'd have to see and deal with the antichrist every day. Ugh…if only he kept his mouth shut and just let me look at him, it would be perfect. I laughed at my own internal dialogue and my father looked at me like I had lost it.

  "Do I even want to know what's going on in that head of yours?" He chuckled.

  "Do you ever really want to know?" I smiled mischievously and wiggled my eyebrows.

  "No." He turned back to his baseball game with a large smile.

  "I got a job, so I will be out of your way soon."

  "You aren't in my way Soph." He answered without looking away from the television.

  "Yeah right, now you don't have to sneak Carla into the house anymore." I laughed when he turned to look at me wide eyed. "You should so see your face right now." I laughed harder.

  "You, you know about..?"

  I rolled my eyes.

  "Of course, the question is why you thought you should hide it from me. I'm happy for you." I got up and kissed his head.

  "Well, with your mother, I just…um…Thanks." He sat a little straighter. "So, um, this new job, it's a live in position, I take it?" I knew his stumbling had everything to do with when we lost my mother five years ago. Instead of rehashing that pain, I let him switch the topic.

  "Yeah, I'll be taking care of a six year old girl, though her father could possibly be the antichrist."

  "I'll be sure to stop by the church and get you some Holy Water before you move out." My father snorted with laughter.

  "Good, I might need it. Can you see about a crucifix while you're there?"

  "I'll ask Pastor Thomas what he can do." My father's large smile was so endearing. I kissed the top of his head again.

  "Well, I'm gonna head to bed. Good night dad!"

  "Night Soph."

  The next morning I woke up to another message from Miranda.

  'Call me, as soon as you can.'

  I stretched out on my bed, listening to some of my cramped joints crack, and then called Miranda.

  "Hey Soph"

  "Hey, what's up?"

  "The agency will be sending you the contract in a couple of hours and once you get it I'd rather you call me if you have questions, okay?"

  "Sure," I yawned out. "Sorry, still waking up. So, in a couple of hours I'll just give you a call as I go over it, how's that?"

  I heard her breath in relief. "Perfect."

  "Is there something else?" Ever since I had met Rand through the agency she had become one of my best friends, and, well, she was never good at hiding her emotions. There was definitely something going on and she was stalling.

  "Well, can you start in a week?" She asked quietly.

  "I thought you still had three weeks with…"

  "Technically I do, well did. But…I figure I could have you here with me for a week to learn the routine and then well I could cut out earlier than I had…"

  "Wait, does the antichrist know?"

  She laughed heartily.

  "The antichrist? Nice." she laughed out. "I talked to him already. Honestly Sophia, he isn't that bad." I snorted. "He's a little stiff and intense, but once you get familiar you really won't have much interaction with him at all."

  "He's never around? You never mentioned that before." I thought it was kind of odd. Typically you saw the parents around their children. Miranda had told me about Victoria's not being around; having left her at a young age, so I assumed Dr. Bishop would try to compensate.

  "Umm…not really, and I'm really not supposed to discuss anything with outside people. You'll understand once you go through the contract, get here and experience the routine Victoria has."

  "Okay," I sighed out. "Once I get the contract I'll let you know."

  "Thanks Sophia."

  We hung up and I headed to the shower.

  After my shower the contract was in my inbox. I printed and read it over quickly. It was a standard contract I had seen many times; however, this time there were exhibits A and B included.

  Some of the standards included the monthly salary payment of three thousand dollars; much higher than I had ever been paid in the past. It also outlined the contract terms that would be renewable annually, then went the basics of drug testing, medical testing, privacy clauses, etc. It was the privacy clause which called my attention first. We always signed a privacy clause, but this time it was much lengthier and I was sure this is what Miranda had been referring to during our call.

  Exhibit A, duties and responsibilities, was a new section for me. Typically they would just include the responsibilities in the standard portion. Then came, E
xhibit B - Accommodations, which wasn't unfamiliar; however the fact that it was its own 'exhibit' was new.

  After reading it over again, I called Miranda. The vehicle was unnecessary and I could provide my own food; especially when he was paying me so much a month. I had very few bills since there were no living expenses, besides my school loans, car insurance, gas, and cell phone.

  "Hey, did you get it?" She answered excitedly.

  "Yeah, but Rand, I don't need a car."

  "Sophia, just take the offer. Don't tell him you don't want anything, just take it please. It will be easier." She pleaded.

  "I have a car." I protested.

  "No, you have an ancient Jeep that he is not going to allow Victoria to travel in." She countered.

  "Okay, but providing my food?"

  "You are going to cook it."

  "What other items could be necessary?" I asked quickly.

  "Umm...not too many; however, sometimes the family goes on vacation and you’ll be asked, which means required by the way, to attend with them. They’ll pay for travel costs and that sort of thing. Your typical duties and responsibilities will be the same; though some adjustments may be made since it’s a vacation." She elaborated.

  I sighed. It was better to get more than less.

  "I'll see you in a week."

  Chapter Two

  Miranda had forgone her Sunday evening off so she could help me get situated in the Bishop home. Most of her things aside from some essentials for the week had been moved into her fiancé, Benji's, place.

  "This is going to be great Sophia, I promise." She beamed at me as we lugged the first of my boxes to the bedroom. "Just wait till you see the nanny suite."

  "The nanny suite?" I asked as she pushed the door open.

  She didn't answer me, but once we entered the room…err…suite she didn't have to. I put down the box in a decent sized room with a couch, chair, and television. There was even a small kitchenette off to the side.

  "Follow me," Miranda motioned with her head as she walked through another door. Inside that door was a large bedroom, with a four post bed.