Chapter 1

Well, it all started when we got this assignment in our business studies class. We had to spend a week at one of the local companies, just learning the ropes.

Now my neighbour runs a property and investment business from his home. I thought it would be a good idea to ask him if I could hang around for a week and see what happens.

My mum was pretty cool, she asked him for me and he said OK. Mum wants to be a Real Estate Agent and Mr Chalmly had been pretty helpful to her. Y'know, getting her a mentor and such.

Mr Chalmly has a couple of small kids, a 4 and a 6 year old. Apparently Mrs. Chalmly ran off with a bulldozer driver or something. My dad said it served him right for getting himself a 'trophy wife.' I think he was just jealous.

Dad said Mr. Chalmly must be in his forties and Mrs. Chalmly barely 25 when she left him. You should have heard the gossip around the neighbourhood when she went. I felt sorry for him.

Fancy leaving the kids there, I couldn't. They're such neat little kids and Mr. Chalmly has his work cut out looking after them as well as running his business.

I'll be 18 next March and I want to go on to University to get a degree in Business Administration. I'm really good at maths and sciences and I would like to study law as well. I've set my goal of earning $1 million or more by the time I'm thirty.

Boys! HUH. They are SO boring at our school. All they talk about is cars and sport and I hear them bragging about their girlfriends and stuff. They think its cool to take a girl to some silly movie and stick their hands up her dress. They are so immature and I never want to go out with any of them.

I did go out with an older guy once. He was my friend Angela's older brother and he's about 24. He's actually quite smart and a grad student in history. I'd never have gone out with someone really stupid!

Anyway, we went to the movies, it was one of those arthouse things, and everything was ok until he wanted to put his arm around me. I suddenly felt cheap and dirty, y'know. Wierd, it was only an arm but still!

I left his arm there until his hand started to travel down towards my breasts. I shrugged it off and he started to get all pissed off with me. Does he think he's earned the right to grope me or something?

He took me home and he was all quiet at first. Then when we neared my house he tells me he's sorry and he really likes me. I told him it was alright, he just needed to respect me as a person.

'Just one kiss, ' he asks when we pull up.

'No, ' I said, then he tells me I'm 'uptight' and 'frigid' and he starts all over again. He may appear a nice guy but underneath he's a bastard.

I run inside and he yells that I'm 'up myself'.

'Better that than HIM up me' I think, but I don't tell him that. Why are boys such pricks?

My real name is Beatie but everyone calls me 'Tee.' That's ok, better than 'Beat' any day.

I'm in my final year of High School at this small provincial town. I can't wait till next year when I start Uni and move into the city, it's so boring here.

My mum wants me to get contacts but I like wearing glasses. She says that, 'boys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses, ' but I think that's good.

When my breasts started to grow and I got hips, all the boys started to treat me differently. I don't know what they want with me, I'm not exactly a barbie, I guess they think I'm desperate and would 'put out' for them. I gave them the message!

I knock on Mr. Chalmly's door and he lets me in. He is SO smooth as he shakes my hand and shows me the office where he works.

I can see why he's so successful, he has one of those personalities that put you at ease straight away. It exudes confidence and... warmth, I think is a good description.

His office is very orderly, I can see that his kids are not allowed in there! It's so tidy.

Nick, he asked me to call him by his first name, shows me around and explains the system he uses. He tells me that office management is one of the key areas of running a successful business.

Next he shows me the computer, his spread sheets, and I get a peak at some of his client files. He explains how he uses the information to target his market.

Nick is kind of nice looking for an old guy. Dad said he's in his forties but he really doesn't look it. I think he must work out at the gym.

Funny, I'm sitting at the computer screen and Nick's standing behind me giving the commentary. I suddenly feel all distracted and nervous, wierd. He has on this cologne aftershave and, when he bends over to point something out, his face is just inches from mine. All I can think about is the scent from him and how close he is. I can hardly remember what he's saying.

We break for lunch and go through the lounge to the dining room. It's such a nice day he suggests we eat out on the balcony, which is off the lounge.

I wait there while he goes to heat some pizza. On one side of the wall is his CD collection, hundreds of them. I look at the titles and you wouldn't believe the stuff he has. Punk and goth music, grungy stuff as well, like Nirvana and Soundgarden, unreal!

I look down the collection and at the bottom are some Rachmaninov and Vivaldi, more HIM I would have thought! I don't know how someone could appreciate Vivaldi then listen to Pearl Jam! I figure they are probably his ex-wife's and she'd left them behind.

On the balcony over lunch he tells me that his kids are at school and kindergarten.

"How do you get on looking after them and working as well?" I ask him.

He shakes his head before answering.

"I've had to cut down a fair bit. It's tough in the evenings especially, I won't leave them with just any old babysitter you see. I'd like to start up some kind of social life too but the kids come first."

The next thing I know I'm suddenly volunteering to look after the children for him. He looks interested but he tells me he's not sure, I would have to meet the kids and see if I get along with them.

Now I've seen them, of course, I live next door, but I haven't had that much to do with them. He suggests that I hang about until they get home and we'll see.

Funny, I'm suddenly getting quite excited by the idea of babysitting his kids. God, I hope I'm not developing a crush on him or anything, that would be SO embarrassing!

After lunch he shows me some photos of investment properties and points out the features that make them attractive to his company. He brushes past me to retrieve a folio and lightly touches my shoulder with his hand. I nearly jump out of my skin, oh no!

He apologises to me and I'm looking at the carpet red-faced, I feel so stupid! Please don't let him notice!

His kids are really neat! They come crashing home talking really loudly about what they did at school and kindy. Nick gives them big hugs and kisses each one, which I think is so cool.

It was kind of hard listening to them because they seem to be competing to get out their stories, Nick is so patient with them.

He introduces them to me and asks them if it would be alright if I looked after them from time to time. They ask all sorts of childlike questions but they tell him it would be OK.

Before I go home he asks me to wear something tidy tomorrow because we're going out to see some houses. I'm not sure whether it was a hint, but I feel a little insulted, I am always tidy!

The next day I put on a suit. I borrow it from my mum because we're the same size now. I think Nick will be impressed.

Nick raises his eyebrows and smiles, he approves!

Straight away we get in his car and head off. It's very flash, like a Jaguar or something and I feel pretty cool riding around in it.

It's a Daimler Double-Six and a classic. I know because I asked him. It's all leather and wood interior, definitely the sort of car I'll buy when I earn my first million!

We arrive at the first house and we're shown around by an agent. Nick introduces me as Beatie his assistant, that is so cool of him!

We stroll around while the agent fiddles with some papers. We go into a back room and he sniffs the air.

"Thought so," he says, "damp, can you smell it?"

I told him I did but really I couldn't detect anything but a faint paint smell.

"Repainted," he says, "here, see the edge of the carpet?"

I look but I don't notice anything.

"If you run your hand around the edge you can feel the pile's stiff. It's been dried out without being lifted. Condensation has been running down the wall and wetting the carpet edge. They probably had a mould problem, that's why they repainted the room. You can feel it, poor ventilation."

He crouchs down to look at the skirting board.

"Yes, there'll be a problem there I think. The skirting's starting to come away... there, look!"