“We need more ice for the beer,” a male voice called out. I hurried to do that. Then I went to make some guy a grilled cheese sandwich with chips. When I delivered that, more of the guys began placing similar orders. The day went on and on. A caterer showed up at four to handle dinner. I helped the caterers serve dinner and hoped the party would end soon.

Very few girls were wearing tops. Some were even missing bottoms.

Three guys were also going bare. I’d never seen so many naked bodies in my life.

“I want to see that one topless,” a drunk guy yelled out as I placed another tray of fancy shrimp on crackers near the cabana. I turned to see him pointing at me.

“She’s the help dumbass,” a girl told him.

“I want to know where the fuck Jasper hired help that looks like that. I’ll take five or ten.”

“You’re cut off Auden,” Jasper’s voice came from my left. Much closer than I’d expected. He was lounging with Isla at his side and like I guessed earlier she was topless. They both had drinks and his hand was now inside her bikini, splayed across her bottom.

“Don’t tell me you don’t want to see her naked,” he said laughing.

“That’ll be all for tonight, Beulah. You can head to your room.” Jasper’s tone sounded as if he were talking to a child. However, I nodded and mustered my self respect as I walked back into the house with my shoulders straight and my head held high.

I’d cry a later, but I’d do it in the shower when I washed off the day and I could be alone.

THE NOISE FROM THE PARTYING group was muffled inside the house. The further I walked away and the closer I got to the back stairs, their chaos was quieter.

My room was downstairs next to the laundry room, wine cellar, and storage. The bed that I slept on was full-sized and was in the corner of the same room as the washer and dryer. Their location made it convenient to doing laundry at night. Before Jasper and his friends came there had been very little laundry. Now the piles would be endless, towels mostly I suspected.

I had opened the door that led to my room, but the clicking of heels stopped me from going any further. Portia appeared from around the corner. Another glass of the amber liquid she had been drinking all day was in her hand. She looked annoyed and concerned at the same time.

“I saw Jasper talking to you not once, but several times. And he was looking at you. Make yourself less attractive. He’ll get rid of you and I won’t be able to do anything about it. If you want this job and to take care of your sister, then don’t draw his attention.” The last word came out in an angry hiss, then she turned and walked away quickly. Her clicking heels on the marble floor were slowly drowned out by the sound of the party.

I walked down the stairs slowly. Partly because I was tired, partly because I was frustrated, and partly because I was scared. Since coming here I’d been worried that what I had could end. That Portia would get mad at me stope everything. Just as I began to trust that I was safe, Jasper showed up and I’m told by two people that he would get rid of me.

Why did Jasper get to make that decision? Who was he that he could tell his mother what to do? And how did she expect me to make myself less attractive?

I had no mirror down here, but I could look down and see the knee length khaki shorts and white polo shirt that Portia had given me for my job. Nothing about this outfit was attractive. I reached up, touching my hair that was pulled back tightly in a ponytail. Some of the girls by the pool looked like a stylist had done their messy updos. The girls weren’t really clothed anymore, but when they were, their bikinis had been sexy and expensive. I couldn’t possibly stand out in a crowd like that. They saw me and knew I was the help. There wasn’t any way I could make myself less attractive.

Sighing, I sank down on the edge of the bed and kicked off my tennis shoes. My feet hurt every night because the shoes Portia had given me were a size six and I wore an eight. After running around all day and not even getting a break for lunch, my toes were so cramped that the pain from setting them free took my breath away.

My stomach rumbled and I looked toward the stairs knowing there was no way I could get food and go unnoticed. My feet ached more than my stomach did. I’d make sure to eat breakfast before I had to start my day tomorrow.

It was almost midnight. I’d be up again in six hours. The shower was beside the washing machine. It was inside a claw-foot tub that had a wraparound curtain. Standing up, I winced and hobbled over on my sore feet to turn the warm water on. A good cry would make me feel better, and the hot water would feel wonderful on my feet.

When I finally laid down in bed, sleep came fast. Faster than normal.

Luckily, I wasn’t so exhausted that I slept past six, when I was supposed to be up. My stomach was growling when I opened my eyes and I figured that was what had woken me. With a good long stretch, I wiggled my feet. They were still sore but better after rest. The idea of putting the too small shoes back on made me grimace. It was early and no one would be awake until at least nine. I could head upstairs in my socks. My breakfast would be so much more enjoyable if my feet weren’t cramped up.

I dressed quickly, pulled my hair back in a ponytail, brushed my teeth and headed for the stairs. This was my favorite time of day. It was the only time I had to myself that I could enjoy. Now that Jasper and his friends were here for the summer I’d look forward to my early mornings even more. Especially if yesterday was any indication of how he planned on spending his summer.

Portia had bragged about Jasper to her friends that visited, and acted like him being home was a wonderful thing. Then he’d arrived and it all changed. She completely changed. The woman who had been distant and unfeeling seemed scared of her son. That made no sense to me. I was missing something and I wanted to know what.

Before I walked into the kitchen, I heard a cabinet close. Who the heck was in there this early? Portia didn’t stir until after ten o’clock on most days. I doubted she’d ever seen six in the morning. Ever. In her life.

I peeked around the corner to find a girl with messy dark brown hair. A large guys T-shirt was the only thing covering her body. She was on her tiptoes looking in the cabinets. I assumed she was one of Jasper’s guests from last night. Which meant I had to help her. She was ruining my quiet morning.

“Can I get you something?” I asked as I walked all the way into the kitchen.

She dropped to the flats of her feet and spun around to look at me. “Oh. It’s you. Yeah, I need some coffee and food. I’ve got work in an hour. Do you know how to call a cab around here?”

Work? She worked? “Uh, I don’t know about a cab but you could Google it on your phone. I’m sure you could use an app for a car service too. Those come here.”

She sighed. “Yeah, that’d be great if I had a phone with an app, and those car services require bank cards attached to them, and I don’t have one of those either. I have ten bucks. And that ten bucks has to get me to my apartment so I can get dressed.”

This girl didn’t sound like one of Jasper’s friends. At least, not one of the Ivy league, trust fund types I’d met so far. It was interesting that she was here.

Unable to help myself I asked, “Where do you work?”

She walked over to the fridge. “I nanny for Auden Elswood’s younger siblings. His father’s second wife is twenty-seven and they have two-year-old twin terrors. A boy and girl. That’s how I know this crowd since you’re obviously trying to figure me out. Now could you point me to food?”