As I pulled up to the gated community, I gave my name to Steven at the gate. He opened the gates for me, and I drove straight to Oliver’s home. It was even more beautiful than I remembered. That morning, a team of people was doing yard work to keep the property in top-notch shape. They were trimming the bushes that, to me, already looked perfect and watering the fully blossomed flowers that were vibrant shades of yellows and reds.

I wondered how many people it took to keep a house that size up to par. I could hardly keep my small apartment clean for a day. I wouldn’t even know what to do with a property the size of Oliver’s home.

I approached the front door and took a moment to catch my breath before I wiped my sweaty palms against my smoothed-back hair. After I rang the doorbell and waited a few moments, the front door swung open, and a beautiful woman stood tall in her heels. “Hi! You must be Emery. I’m Kelly. We talked on the phone. Come on in,” she said, opening the door wider.

Taking the first step into his mansion felt surreal. My whole apartment was the size of Oliver’s living room, if not smaller. A huge crystal chandelier sparkled in the foyer, creating specks of light that danced across the room from the beams of sunlight coming into the space. The house was well lit with natural light due to all the floor-to-ceiling windows. To the right of me was a spiral staircase made of wooden beams, and my mind couldn’t stop imagining where that staircase led to. The floors were made of a natural wood, too, and seemed polished to a T.

I was glad I didn’t tell Oliver I was a housekeeper, because keeping a home that size would’ve been the death of me.

“It’s a beautiful home,” I said, glancing around in awe. It looked as if I’d stepped straight into a home-decor magazine. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Everything was perfectly in place. A clear sign that Oliver didn’t have children.

“Isn’t it? Wait until you see all of it.” She smiled. There was something so kind about Kelly’s spirit. She seemed extremely welcoming, which made my nerves somewhat falter. She led me to the living room—the living room with white furniture. I couldn’t ever imagine such a thing. Reese would have Cheeto dust and Play-Doh all over it in a heartbeat.

“So, it’s my job to get you all squared away with your tasks and paperwork that needs to be filled out. I’ll show you around the property, too, one of our last stops being the kitchen, which will be your playground.”

Kelly was more than willing to take her time with explaining all the ins and outs of being a personal chef for Oliver. She went over how he’d need three meals a day, but dinner could be early so I could pick up Reese from camp. She told me that my spending for groceries was unlimited, and I’d be reimbursed for whatever I spent. Lastly, she informed me that if Reese ever needed to tag along for the day, that was fine, by all means.

“Oliver wanted me to make that very clear to you. He said you’re a single mom, and he never wants you to feel as if you have to leave your daughter somewhere else during the day. He even offered getting a nanny for her while you’re both here too. So that’s an option.”

He wanted to get help for the help?

Kelly smiled at my somewhat stunned expression. “He wants you to be as comfortable as possible. Which brings me to my next point.” She pulled out a check and handed it over to me. “Your first paycheck.”

I raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t done anything yet,” I said, stunned by the amount written on that piece of paper.

“It’s a hiring bonus. To help get things going before you’re paid in two weeks.”

Five thousand dollars.

Simply because.

I didn’t want to look like an emotional wreck, but man, did I want to burst into tears and cry. “I can’t take that.”

“Oh, you can, and you must. Otherwise I won’t hear the end of it about how I didn’t do my job. So, help a girl out,” she jested.

“Thank you. This is just . . . thank you.”

Kelly smiled. “I’m glad I could pass on the news, but trust me, it’s all Oliver.”

When we finished a lot of the main tasks that needed to be covered, plus NDAs and contracts, Kelly sat down with me on the sofa and gave me a halfway grin. “I’m going to say this now, just so you go into this situation with an open mind and heart. Oliver’s a bit different than he used to be. He’s always been a bit of an introvert, but now, after . . .” She took a breath and blinked away the emotions sitting at the back of her eyes. “Some days he walks around as if he’s so far away from reality. If he has his headphones on, he’s probably working through some of his emotions. If he walks into a room and ignores you, or if he comes off as cold or rude, don’t take it personally. He’s just trying his best, day in and day out, to be okay.”

“I understand.”

“Also, Cam might be lingering around in the mornings before she takes off for her day.”

“Cam? As in Cam Jones?” I breathed out, stars in my eyes. “Really?”

Kelly didn’t seem as impressed. “Yes. Really.”

“Oh my gosh. I’m such a fan!”

Cam always seemed like the sweetest person whenever she did an interview. She was the only reason I’d even listened to country music. I couldn’t wait to meet her in person.

“I can’t wait to meet her!” I exclaimed.

Kelly cocked an eyebrow and parted her lips as if she had her own thoughts on the subject, but she shook her head and pushed out a smile. “Yeah. Totally. Also,” she said, shifting the topic, “don’t mind the covered mirrors throughout the house. Oliver’s working through some things. If you have to use a mirror, say in the bathroom or something, just make sure to re-cover it before you leave, please.”

Celebrities and their odd quirks.

Kelly proceeded to give me a tour of the property, starting outside. She showed me the tennis court and an insanely beautiful swimming pool outside, with an attached hot tub, of course. There was a grilling station and an area for entertaining with a stereo system, lounge chairs, and a firepit. If Reese were with me, she’d probably think we were at Disneyland or something. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Prince Charming came from behind the bushes for a photo op.

Kelly showed me all the rooms in the house, including Oliver’s bedroom suite. The teenage version of me would’ve freaked out at the idea of seeing Oliver Smith’s bedroom. The grown-up version of me tried my best to keep my cool.

Then, there was the kitchen.

The kitchen was made for masterpiece meals. Not a tool was missing from the cabinets. There were even some gadgets that I was certain I’d have to google to figure out how to use. “What are the guidelines on meals?” I asked as my fingers ran across the marble countertops.

“Oh, you can cook anything and everything. He has no allergies at all, so everything is fair game. Trust me, he’s very laid back.”

The last space she took me to was the west wing of the house, where Oliver’s studio was located. As we walked down the hallways, we passed glass windows looking into the studio space. At first, I assumed he wasn’t in the room, since he was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh, he’s hard at work,” Kelly commented, making me raise an eyebrow. She then pointed to the floor, where Oliver was lying down with crumpled-up pieces of paper surrounding him. His headphones were set against his ears, and he had a grumpy look on his face.

“Sometimes he’ll stay in here all day, so don’t be afraid to interrupt him and get him to eat something. It’s more than okay to do that,” Kelly explained.

I stared at the artist lying on the floor, and a small smile fell against my lips. I wondered if that was how he lay when he wrote my favorite song, “Heart Stamps.” Was he spread out on the floor with crumpled pieces of his mind scattered at his sides? Did he close his eyes and move his lips as he mouthed something to himself? Did he cover his eyes with the palms of his hands and tap his feet?

I wondered what his next creation would be.

I wondered if I’d love it too.

After getting a tour of the house, I unloaded all the groceries and filled up the refrigerator pretty quickly. I had a few hours until lunchtime, so I started chopping up some vegetables that I’d be able to use throughout the week.

A few minutes passed before Oliver appeared in the doorway of the kitchen with his headphones on. I looked up from my cutting board and smiled his way. When his stare found mine, he seemed a bit startled.

“Emery. Hello,” he said, formal as ever. He removed his headphones and let them sit around his neck. “Kelly got you settled in?”

“Yes. I’m getting used to the beautiful space. Honestly, I’d kill for a kitchen like this. It’s so open, and the appliances are out-of-this-world fantastic.”

“I’m glad you’re pleased.”

“I am.” The nerves that I’d often felt around him began to build up again. “Can I make you anything? A smoothie? A snack?”

“No. I was coming for water, that’s all. I’ll be out of your hair,” he said, moving around me to the fridge to grab himself a bottle of water.

“There is something else I wanted to talk to you about, though, if that’s okay,” I started.

He cocked an eyebrow. “Is everything not okay?”

“No. It is. I mean, it isn’t. What I mean is . . .” I walked over to my purse and pulled out the check that Kelly had given me. “I can’t take this.”