A New Foundation Rochelle Alers (read aloud .txt) 📖

Sonja knew she didn’t have to explain herself to Taylor, especially if he was to become her employer. And it wasn’t because she was his sister’s friend. It was her education and experience in the field of art history that made him want her to become a part of his restoration team.

She turned to face him. “What are you saying, Taylor, if not that?”

He stared down her at the same time the beginnings of a smile tilted the corners of his strong mouth. “I think you are an incredibly talented woman that any man with half a brain would respect.”

Sonja felt hot tears pricking the back of her eyelids, but she refused to cry and embarrass herself. Hugh had driven her to tears so many times that he would provoke her just to see her cry. She was damned and determined not to let Taylor see her that way.

“I had a man tell me almost those exact words and, unfortunately, I fell hard, hook, line and sinker, into his trap. I gave him four years of my life, and then I knew I had to get out before I allowed him to destroy me. It took another two years to end the legal entanglement because he refused to let me go. That’s when I swore I would never become involved with another controlling man as long as I was in my right mind.”

“You are lucky because you were able to get on with your life. I know you don’t want to hear it, but not all men are like your ex-husband.”

Sonja closed her eyes for a few seconds. “It’s been difficult for me, but that’s something I’ve been trying to convince myself.”

“I’m not saying I’ll try to convince you one way or the other, but I’m available if you need a friend.”

She managed a brittle smile. “You want to be my friend and my boss?”

One of Taylor’s eyebrows lifted. “Boss aside, I’ll always make myself available to you if you need to talk about something.”

Sonja chided herself for misinterpreting his motives. Maybe it was because she was his sister’s friend that he didn’t want any romantic entanglement. Besides, he’d warned Viola about attempting to set him up with her friends, and for Sonja she thought of it as a win-win. Not only would she add the restoration project to her résumé, she would also interact with a man with whom she could have a no-pressure ongoing friendship.

She extended her right hand. “All right. Friends.”

Taylor took her hand and dropped a kiss on her fingers. “Friends.” He released her hand. “Now, friend, it’s time we head down to the cellar so you can see what’s waiting for you.”

Chapter Five

Sonja clapped a hand over her mouth when she saw crates filled with china, paintings, crystal pieces, monogrammed silverware, a collection of snuff boxes, framed prints, porcelain figurines, vases and military swords and paraphernalia, and worn leather-bound books she suspected were first editions.

She found shelves lined with dusty wine bottles, Bainbridge Cellars labels indicating the year the grapes were harvested. The entire cellar contained a treasure trove of items that would take months, possibly a year, to go through.

“What do you think?”

She turned to find Taylor standing several feet away, arms crossed over his chest. “I feel like a kid walking into FAO Schwarz during the Christmas holiday season. I don’t know where to begin.”

“I told you it was overwhelming.”

She sighed. “Yes, you did. I’m going tackle one crate at a time, but I can’t work down here.” The space was dimly illuminated with several overhead naked bulbs.

“Don’t worry, Sonja. I’ll set aside a room you can use as an office. And once you’re set up, I’ll bring the steamer trunks here instead of leaving them at your hotel. You’ll have enough to do here, that once you get back to your hotel you shouldn’t have to look at anything that remotely resembles work.”

“Thank you.” She paused. “I’m sure there’s a library in the house, and that would be perfect place to set up my office.”

Taylor lowered his arms. “Let’s go upstairs and see.”

They found the library on the east wing of the château. Sonja stared at the walls. “You’ll have to hire faux bois specialists to restore the wall, and the plaster moldings in here and in the ballrooms,” she told Taylor.

“After I take care of securing and cleaning the house, I’ll need you to come back and go through the entire house and recommend the craftspeople needed to restore everything to its original state.”

“That’s not a problem. The interiors have held up well after not being occupied for sixty years. I’ve been inside homes that were practically falling around the owner’s head because of neglect. Bainbridge House has what I call good bones.”

“We’ll find out once I inspect the foundation.”

“When are you going to do that?” she asked.

“One day this week. A moving company is scheduled to take the contents of my apartment to a storage unit sometime next week. Once that’s done I can move into my mother’s condo. Living in Jersey...” His words trailed off. “Is that your stomach making those noises?”

Sonja bit her lip as she averted her gaze. “Yes. All I had was coffee, and it’s probably reminding me that I need to eat.”

“Why didn’t you say something earlier? We could’ve stopped to eat before coming here.” Reaching into the pocket of his jeans he removed his cell phone and tapped the screen. “I just sent Dom a message that we’re leaving, and he should close the windows and the gate.”

Sonja was relieved to leave the cavernous unheated house and feel the warmth of the sun on her face. She’d hoped by the time the office was set up for her to begin working she wouldn’t have to wear a coat.

“Where are we going to eat?” she asked Taylor as she secured her seat belt.

“There’s a restaurant in Yonkers I sometimes frequent.