Chapter 11 - The Unexpected Invitation At The Estate
Grace gripped the phone tightly,
her heart skipping a beat.
"My help,
sir?
With what?"
"The estate library,"
Caleb answered smoothly.
"Sloane took all of her belongings out of the East Wing late last night,
which means there are boxes, decorative items, and corporate gifts scattered everywhere.
As the new Director of Estate Operations,
I figured you were the only person competent enough to help me organize that chaos."
Grace let out a soft, nervous breath.
"Of course,
Mr. Westbrook.
I can be at the main gates in an hour.
I just need to drop Lily off at daycare first."
"Actually,"
Caleb said immediately,
his tone leaving no room for argument,
"bring Lily with you.
Mrs. Higgins in the main kitchen has been asking to bake cookies with her all morning,
and I happen to have a brand-new set of watercolor paints in my study that need testing."
Grace blinked in astonishment.
"Are you sure,
sir?
That's... that's very kind of you,
but I'm working now."
"It's not charity,
Grace,
it's a perk of the new job,"
Caleb chuckled softly on the other end of the line.
"See you in an hour."
The call disconnected before Grace could argue further.
She looked over at Lily,
who looked up from her puzzle with bright, curious eyes.
"Come on,
sweetheart,"
Grace said,
a genuine smile breaking across her face for the first time in years.
"We're going back to Mr. Caleb's house."
An hour later,
Grace’s repaired sedan pulled through the grand wrought-iron gates of the Westbrook estate.
The security guards,
who had previously looked right through her,
now saluted respectfully as the vehicle passed by.
Grace parked near the service entrance,
feeling a strange mixture of nervousness and soaring liberation.
As soon as they stepped out,
Mrs. Higgins,
the elderly head chef with flour dusted across her apron,
hurried down the stone steps with a wide, welcoming grin.
"There she is!"
Mrs. Higgins cheered,
scooping Lily up into her arms before Grace could even blink.
"Come along,
little angel.
May you like
We're making chocolate chip cookies,
and nobody says no to extra chocolate in this kitchen today!"
