I peered up to the front seat. This whole bodyguard thing was new to me. Maybe Van made them sign some kind of ‘do not disclose’ form, stopping a tell-all book from surfacing about my snoring and drooling.
“We’re almost home,” he said.
“I like the sound of that.”
A few minutes later, Michael brought the car to a stop at a large iron gate blocking the driveway to Van’s property.
“This is new,” I said.
“The gate was here,” Van replied. “I guess I never cared enough about what was on the property to close it.” He lifted my hand, bringing my knuckles to his lips. “I care now.”
“Is this part of what you were telling me, part of what Jonathon has been doing?”
Van nodded as Michael punched a code into a box. Once he was done, the gate effortlessly moved to the side, allowing us entry. The car took the winding driveway up and up until the golden glow of the house came into view.
Soon the car was parked on the wide driveway.
“The house is equipped with a new security system.” Van pulled up an app on his phone. “With heat and motion sensors, we can see who is, or in this case who isn’t, inside.”
I let out a sigh. “I wish life were easier.”
“Life is easy, beautiful. I’m determined to make it safe.”
Standing on the driveway, frigid air turned our words into vapors. Pushing my hands deep into the pockets of my coat, I watched as the two men unloaded our luggage from the trunk. It was then that I recalled the items we’d sent ahead to the plane. “What about all of our things on the plane?”
“Andrew and Ruth landed hours ago. Everything has been delivered.”
At the front door, there was a new keypad with a sensor.
“Tomorrow,” Van said, “all the entries will be programmed with our handprints.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to say you’ve gone overboard, but—”
Van pulled me close as he opened the door. “Nothing is overboard when it comes to your safety.”
A sense of peace washed through me as we entered beyond the French doors. Warm lighting filled the large living room, giving a reflective quality to the large windows overlooking the bay. Besides the items that had been delivered from the plane, the room was exactly as it had been the first time I entered. That first time, the house seemed large, open, and foreign. After being away, it truly felt as if now I was home.
I’d been lost in my own thoughts and not paying attention. I looked up as Michael and Albert carried our belongings up to the second story.
Once they’d disappeared, I said, “It’s late for them to drive back to Chicago.”
“They aren’t leaving.”
I watched for their return. “Where are they going to stay?”
“Tonight, I offered to let them stay here. We have plenty of bedrooms. If they take my offer to work for us full time, they’ll stay on the property.”
“You offered both of them a job? Why did I think you’d be upset with Albert?”
Van’s lips quirked. “I was…livid.”
“Well, I guess that means he knows what he’s in for if he works for you.” My gaze went back to the second-floor landing. “I like him. Michael too.”
Van tugged the zipper of my coat, bringing my attention back to him. “I noticed. I also know you aren’t comfortable with the whole security issue. I understand that having people around infringes on our privacy. Believe me, it’s not easy for me either. My hope is that you’ll be more comfortable with people you’ve already met.”
“Are they interested in the job?”
“I made them a damn good offer.”