Nurse's New Year with the Billionaire
Author
Karin Baine
Reads
18.1K
Chapters
12
Chapter 1
JO KIRKHAM CLOSED her eyes, clenched her fists and prayed she wouldn’t die.
‘I never get used to this either.’ Isabelle Stroud, the reason she was on this tiny seaplane imagining plummeting to her death, gently patted her on the knee and did her best to put Jo at ease.
It wasn’t working. Being flown out on a private jet with all the privileges and luxuries of working for a wealthy family was entirely different to island hopping in a contraption where she was way too close to the cockpit. The one consolation was that Bensak, the private island owned by Isabelle’s entrepreneur son, wasn’t too far away.
She never would have dreamed she’d willingly spend Christmas Day travelling, arriving at her destination late on Boxing Day, completely missing the usual festive celebrations. But a free trip to the Fijian islands was the best thing that had happened to her in a long time.
Politeness forced her to open her eyes to address the elderly woman she was here to take care of for the duration of their stay. ‘I’ve only ever flown commercial. This is all new to me.’
Isabelle was recovering from a stroke and Jo had been employed as her private nurse to continue her treatment; making sure she took her medication, keeping an eye on her blood pressure and blood sugar and helping her with her physiotherapy in between appointments. All to try and prevent another stroke from occurring. Her patient was recovering well, with only her mobility still providing a cause for concern, but she might not be so lucky the next time.
The plane hit a pocket of air and bumped them in their seats. Jo bit back a panicked scream and dug her nails deeper into her palms.
‘Believe it or not I wasn’t on an airplane until I was fifty-four years old,’ Isabelle confided, her light blue eyes sparkling at the memory.
‘Really?’ With the billions the family were reputed to have, Jo imagined fleets of all manner of vehicles at their disposal. Able to transport them anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. A far cry from the daily commute, sardined onto the train with all the other minions whose livelihoods depended on working for rich overseers.
Not that the Stroud family were her sole employers. As a private nurse she took work with whoever needed her, and looking after Isabelle so far had been a joy rather than a chore. Of course, she still had to provide essential medical assistance, which put a great deal of responsibility on her shoulders, but this particular job had its perks. Like accompanying her charge out to the family’s private island for New Year’s Eve celebrations in a few days.
‘We had to work hard for our money. My husband, John, built the business up from the ground and it was years before we were able to take a holiday abroad. It was my son who completely transformed the company and made it what it is today. I’ve been lucky enough to see the benefits of that. Unfortunately, John didn’t live long enough to see Stroud Technologies become the phenomenon it is now. I only wish he were here with me to enjoy all of this. He’d be proud of Paul and everything he has achieved.’ She gestured out the window to where the island was coming into view in the midst of the turquoise waters. Paradise.
‘I’m sure he would be.’ Jo reached across her seat and gave Isabelle’s fragile hand a gentle squeeze.
Paul Stroud wasn’t just a successful businessman; he was an inventor. Creating all sorts of innovative, and expensive, electrical products that made Stroud Technologies a household name. As well as making the family their fortune.
Isabelle offered her a watery smile. Although they came from completely different worlds, sometimes it felt as though they were more than nurse and patient. She might only have been working with her for a couple of months, but there was a genuine connection between them, and Isabelle had been as beneficial in assisting Jo in recovering from her troubles, as Jo had been in Isabelle’s stroke aftercare.
These last couple of years had been tough. Once upon a time, Jo had run her own business with her partner, Steve, providing agency nurses and healthcare assistants to private clients. She’d worked as a nurse herself before starting the business and built it into a successful agency, which afforded her a beautiful big house, where she’d lived with Steve and looked forward to a happy future with him.
Now she was bankrupt, back living with her parents with whom she had a strained relationship to say the least, and was spending the holidays working so she could afford to rent a flat the size of a matchbox. All because Steve had emptied their joint account and fled the country, leaving her behind to face all the unpaid bills and deal with the fallout. He’d broken her spirit as well as her heart, and it had taken her a long time to crawl back out of the black pit of despair he’d tossed her into.
Still, she was taking one day at a time, and today’s view was stunning.
‘Brace yourselves,’ the pilot told them just before they came down with a bump and a splash, and Jo gave a silent prayer of thanks for their safe arrival.
‘It looks as though we have a welcome committee.’ Isabelle waved out the window to the family members already assembled and awaiting their arrival. They’d flown out ahead, leaving Jo to accompany Isabelle.
She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a little apprehensive. Although she’d met some of the family members, spent a lot of time in Isabelle’s home, being part of this gathering was out of her comfort zone. She hadn’t been very sociable since her ex had ruined her life, and these were people who moved in some serious social circles. As she escorted Isabelle down onto the golden sand she had to pinch herself that she was here at all.
‘Welcome to Bensak Island.’ Paul greeted them with open arms, wearing an open-necked white cotton shirt and loose white cotton trousers, looking every inch like the head of a hippy commune. Barefoot, long haired and donning the requisite leather thong necklace, he was either going through some belated mid-life crisis, or he was beginning to believe his own hype. He was the leader of his kingdom on this island.
But Jo couldn’t deny his generosity or hospitality.
‘Thanks,’ she said, dodging the kiss he tried to plant on her lips so he came into contact with her cheek instead.
‘Mother.’ He met Isabelle with double kisses, but she batted him away.
‘It’s getting late. Just take us to our rooms, Paul. I’m tired.’
He looked a tad crestfallen by her dismissal, but Jo had been with her patient long enough to know that her crotchetiness was often due to her arthritis. The long journey to get here, not to mention the cramped confines of their last mode of transport, would have taken their toll on the elderly lady’s frail body.
‘I should probably get your mother settled for the night. It’s been a long day.’ Jo tried to take some of the sting out of the moment, and Paul immediately perked up.
‘Of course. I’ll get someone to take you to your quarters.’ With a snap of his fingers he summoned what looked like a glorified golf buggy to take them to their accommodation.
Whilst the journey there wasn’t smooth, it was worth it to reach their destination. A sprawling, glass-fronted mansion, which appeared to stretch for ever appeared in the midst of the green landscape.
‘My son doesn’t do understated,’ Isabelle mused upon seeing Jo’s reaction.
She’d heard about this place, the celebrities and rumoured royals who’d stayed and partied here over the years, but it was something else seeing it materialise like a mirage before her. Knowing this was going to be her home for the next week.
‘I’ll show you to your rooms and have someone bring you dinner. You can catch up with everyone tomorrow after a good night’s sleep.’ Paul jumped out of the cart that drew up alongside them and helped his mother out.
‘That’s okay, Mr Stroud. I’m here in a work capacity to take care of your mother,’ Jo reminded him. Not sure she was ready to be presented to the wider circle of family and friends.
‘Nonsense. You’re part of the family now. Even Taylor’s coming tomorrow to be part of the celebrations. Everyone is going to have a great time.’ Paul seemed to be trying to convince himself of that.
Jo had heard that his relationship with his eldest was strained. She’d met his stepson, Harry, and stepdaughter, Allegra, but Taylor had been absent from the family home as long as she’d known them. From everything Isabelle had told her, he despised everything his family stood for, so she wondered why he would’ve agreed to a New Year’s Eve party on the private island, and what made him so superior to the rest of the family.
Whether it was the humidity, or the guilt of leaving her parents behind in snowy England that was keeping her awake, Jo couldn’t keep lying in bed staring at the ceiling. She had been afforded every luxury, but she was still restless. Tiptoeing past Isabelle’s adjoining room so as not to disturb her, Jo decided to explore the villa a little further.
She’d only seen part of the sprawling property on the way in, but it was enough to intrigue her. Along with the requisite swimming pool and relaxation area, she was sure she’d also seen an open air gym. Not that she was keen to do anything too energetic in this heat, but she was curious as to what other surprises were in store. There was also the matter of her rumbling stomach and her parched throat to attend to. Paul had kept his word and had dinner served to Jo and Isabelle in their rooms, but as delightful as the seafood platter had been, it hadn’t quite filled her. The mini fridge provided for them was also in Isabelle’s room and she hadn’t wanted to disturb her. Yes, this late-night visit was basically a search for the kitchen to find herself a midnight snack...
Padding barefoot along the cool tiled floors, she bypassed the other bedrooms and huge bathrooms, until she came to the large open plan kitchen.
‘Wow.’ It was about ten times the size of the box room she’d been living in at her parents’ place for the past two years.
She trailed her fingers across the marble countertops and stainless steel appliances. Everything was spotless, and the floor-to-ceiling windows provided a stunning view out to sea. Although it was dark, the glow from the silver moon reflecting on the frothy waves outside was as much light as she needed.
Jo helped herself to a bottle of water from the American-style fridge and carried it over to the window, holding it against her fevered skin as she listened to the soothing sound of the waves. It was all surreal. Usually on Boxing Day she’d still be lying in something of a food hangover from Christmas Day, the remnants of unwrapped presents lying all around the Christmas tree, listening to her father complain about the lack of good programmes on TV. Here, there was no sign Christmas had even happened. It really was a different world. A fantasy land that made her believe she could really leave everything that had happened to her these past two years behind and start again. Maybe she could do so with the money she was being paid to work the holidays.
Not that that was the sole reason she’d agreed to come. Isabelle was a lovely lady and she wanted to be here for her so she could enjoy the celebrations with the rest of the family. Plus, it gave Jo some time away from her parents, and she reckoned they could all do with a break from one another. At least when she was around Isabelle she didn’t feel as though she was treading on eggshells, afraid to say the wrong thing and upset her. Regardless of how much still needed to be said.
Things hadn’t been right between herself and her parents since she discovered she was adopted upon opening a new bank account. Until then, she hadn’t needed, much less seen, her birth certificate, and had ordered a copy of it unaware of the ensuing consequences. Finding out her parents had lied to her her whole life had affected eighteen-year-old Jo deeply, leaving her feeling betrayed and lost. Everything she’d ever known, apparently a lie. She hadn’t been ready then to make contact with her biological parents, concentrating on her studies and her nursing career. A part of her not really wanting to accept the truth. After the break-up with Steve, feeling lost, she’d made an attempt to reach out to her birth family. Searching for some sort of stability. Only to find they’d died without her ever getting to know them. It had brought back all of those old feelings of resentment towards her parents, but she’d had to swallow down her pride to ask for their help. In return for lodgings and support she’d suppressed all the questions and anger she’d been holding on to for over a decade for the sake of harmony. The atmosphere at home had been strained ever since, because she blamed them for not letting her discover who she really was.
A few days out of that pressure cooker environment would do wonders for her stress levels.
‘Who the hell are you?’ The unexpected gruff voice behind her made her jump, and she wasn’t proud of the yelp she gave in response either. Clearly she was still wound a little tight.
‘J-Jo,’ she stuttered as she turned around, responding to the sudden interrogation, regardless of the man’s rude manner.
Looking at him attired in a navy tailored suit, she felt extremely underdressed in the moment, aware that she was clad only in her white cotton nightshirt, which wasn’t meant to be seen by anyone else, bought only for comfort. She certainly hadn’t accounted for it coming under the scrutiny of a handsome, dark-haired stranger who was looking at her as though he could see straight through it. Despite her unease, she resisted her initial urge to try and cover up, and fronted this awkward interaction out. After all, she didn’t know who she was speaking to either, and she had as much right to be here as he did. Probably. Unless he was some kind of high-end burglar who’d travelled all this way to rob the Stroud family under the cover of darkness.
‘Jo who?’ he demanded, but with the few seconds she’d had to recover from the fright, Jo now resented the attitude this stranger was taking with her.
‘Who is asking?’ she countered, not feeling the need to justify her presence here when she’d been invited, employed, by the Strouds to be here.
‘Taylor Stroud.’ His answer was sufficient to form an O on her lips.
The prodigal son.
‘I thought you were arriving tomorrow.’
‘I got here early. Again, I’m asking who you are.’
She wondered if he was like this with everyone or if it was evident to him from this brief interaction that she didn’t belong, wasn’t one of the rich and famous acquaintances who were probably free to come and go as they chose without providing proof of ID.
‘Joanna Kirkham. Jo. I’ve been employed to take care of your grandmother.’
It was hard to see in this limited light, but she was sure he rolled his eyes at her.
‘Oh. You’re that Jo.’ The way he said it made it sound as though her reputation had preceded her, and not in a good way. She couldn’t for the life of her figure out what she’d done to deserve his obvious disdain. Other than come from a working-class background.
‘Yes. I’m her nurse.’ For some reason she felt compelled to add her professional status, though that should have been pretty obvious by now. Her explanation only brought forth a snort of derision.
‘Of course you are.’
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
Mr Stroud Jr began to walk towards her, and she backed up against the windowpane as his angular features were highlighted in the moonlight. The high cheekbones and strong jaw would’ve made him a handsome man if not for the stern look on his face.
‘And tell me, Jo, do you often snoop around your clients’ houses in the middle of the night?’
It was her turn to frown at the accusation she was doing something untoward. ‘You tell me, Taylor, do you often hang around in formal attire waiting in the dark to attack strangers?’
‘I walked in on you, remember? And you didn’t answer my question.’
Jo folded her arms across her chest, her patience and politeness wearing thin. ‘No, I don’t snoop around anyone’s house at night. However, when I’m staying in a very humid room and I don’t want to disturb the lady sleeping next door, I will go to the kitchen to get a cold drink. Your family told me to treat the house as my own. I wasn’t aware I was under curfew.’
Taylor made a humph noise, which suggested he had no comeback to that one.
‘Well, I’m a doctor, so I can take care of her from here.’
‘Er, Isabelle wants me here, and the family are paying me to look after her. I’m sure you can find something else to do with your time.’ She wasn’t sure what kind of doctor he was. For all she knew, he’d simply bought the title. The family were certainly rich enough to do whatever they chose. His siblings seemed happy enough to ride the family coattails and didn’t feel the need to get in the way of her doing her job. She didn’t know what made Taylor so special, or why he appeared to have a problem with her being here.
‘I assure you my grandmother’s interests are all I have at heart. It’s the only reason I came here. I’m not prepared to let anyone take advantage of her.’ With that, he tilted his nose in the air, turned on the heel of his expensive leather shoes, and walked away.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ she asked into the darkness. The ominous silence that followed his exit told her perhaps this trip away wasn’t going to be as relaxing as she’d hoped.
Taylor stomped back to his room and wrenched his tie off before stripping completely and stepping into the shower. The cold water made him take a sharp breath at first, but he soon acclimatised. He needed it to cool off after his unexpected interaction with Jo.
Guilt still ate away at him that he’d been abroad when his beloved grandmother had taken ill and he was only able to see her now, two months on. By the time the news had come through to him she was already recovering at home. He’d video called, and if he’d thought her life was in imminent danger, he would’ve found a way to get back. However, she’d insisted that he needn’t fuss and should concentrate on his work. He’d kept up to date with her recovery, but this was the first chance he’d had to take a break from work.
This mysterious nurse who’d apparently inveigled her way into his grandmother’s life in such a short time had already made him wary, and meeting her hadn’t done anything to assuage his fears. The family name was a magnet for people who thought they could take advantage and make themselves a few quid. He should know. He’d once thought he’d met the woman of his dreams, someone who was as philanthropic as he hoped to be. But the whole time, she’d been secretly stashing away his money into her own bank account. He wasn’t that trusting any more.
Although he still preferred to make use of the family fortune in a more altruistic manner than his father, he was careful about the people he let into his life these days. On this occasion he thought his family should have adopted the same attitude when it came to choosing a companion for his grandmother. From what he could ascertain they knew nothing about this ‘Jo’, other than the fact that she was capable of doing her job. It wasn’t enough for him to entrust his beloved grandmother’s welfare to a complete stranger. Con men, and women, were very adept at gaining people’s trust. Going under the radar until it was too late and the damage had been done. At least he was able to come out here and provide an objective opinion on this woman and her motives. He could also use the opportunity to provide some medical aid to the locals on neighbouring islands, so this trip hadn’t simply been a jolly jaunt added to his carbon footprint.
Taylor needed to know he was doing his best to help others, to remind him he wasn’t anything like his father who preferred to sit and count his money than spread the wealth.
As a doctor, he hadn’t been able to save everyone who came to him for help, but he could rest easy knowing he’d always done his best. He couldn’t say the same about his father.
At thirteen, Taylor had been old enough to remember his father sending him and his mother packing with a hefty cheque, and moving his mistress and her young children into the family home in the same day. It wasn’t something easily forgiven. Although he’d still had contact with his father, he’d always felt as though he was something of a nuisance in his father’s new life. He’d spent the next couple of years pinballing between two homes, until he found stability at university. He’d no longer felt part of a family. None of what had happened was Harry’s, or Allegra’s fault, but they weren’t close. They had little in common and were very different people. Taylor liked to think he had more of his mother’s traits. She was someone who hadn’t been too proud to go back to work for a living and was quite happy in her part-time job and living out in the country. His stepfamily seemed to take easily to the good life, and were content to wallow in luxury without a thought for others. It was difficult not to be resentful of the fact that his mother had been treated so appallingly, whilst they’d had everything they’d ever wanted.
Of course, Taylor had enjoyed something of the same pampered lifestyle, but he’d made a vow never to be as callous as his father had been. As soon as he was able to make a difference in other people’s lives, he did everything he could to not be just another selfish billionaire only looking out for himself.
He rarely saw any of his family when he was so busy with his work abroad, but he did have a soft spot for his paternal grandmother, Isabelle, who had always been very loving towards him. She’d made time for him when his father always seemed too busy with work or his new family to bother with him. Her illness had been a shock, and her current circumstances were the reason he was here. His grandmother was still vulnerable, and he knew a thing or two about opportunists taking advantage of kind-natured people.
One thing was for sure, he wasn’t going to let this Jo have sole access to his grandmother. He was going to shadow her every move whether she liked it or not.
