The Bennett Boys

CHAPTER 7

I'm wearing my best slacks and button down for this interview at Bridget's house. My hair is up in a tight pony, and I made sure to slick back the sides so that there are no loose ends. The last thing that I need is to look like a disorganized mess.

I pull up to my destination, but refrain from entering the long gated driveway that's personalized with the letter 'B' on it, parking on the sidewalk instead. I unfasten my seatbelt and take a few deep breaths in and out. I'm so nervous.

It takes me a minute to exit the car, and when I finally do, I stare ahead, second-guessing my decision to come here.

"You lost?" a voice calls out, and I immediately turn my body to find a girl with silvery-white hair dressed in jean shorts, a tank top, and pink Converse standing next to a big brick house across the street.

"This is the Bennett residence, right?" I ask, even though I know that it is. I'm just trying to stall. I made sure to give myself enough time to get here, and I still have 20 minutes left to spare.

"Yup," she says. "Are you here for Lucas?"

"Lucas?" I ask, scrunching my nose.

"Oh my God," she shrieks with her hands out wide. "Totally not my business. Forget that I asked."

"I'm here for Bridget," I explain. "Job interview."

Before I know it, she's jogging over to me and stopping right in front of my face. "I'm Raegen," she says, sticking her hand out, her nails covered in this eccentric polish.

"Lily," I say. "Do you know the Bennetts?"

"Not on a personal level, no. I mean, I wish I did, but we're just neighbors."

I nod, then look ahead. "You've got a lovely house."

"Thanks," she smiles before grabbing ahold of her hips and looking me over. "Job interview, huh? Do you know the Bennetts. Like at all?"

"Nope. I just moved here from Massachusetts."

"Oh. Wow," she remarks, her eyes open wide. "Well, welcome to Newport!"

"Thanks," I smile.

"You know you're about to meet with Newport royalty, right?"

Royalty?! I mean, I know that the Bennetts are rich, but...royalty???

"Huh, is that so?" I ask, gulping nervously.

"Uh-huh. But hey, don't sweat it. Bridget's known to be a sweetheart."

I take a deep breath in, then exhale out. "On that note, I should get going. Don't want to be late. But it was nice meeting you, Raegan."

"You, too!"

I give her a smile and get on my way before stopping in place and turning around. "By the way...who's Lucas?"

"Oh, don't worry," she says. "You'll find out soon enough."

I purse my lips together and tilt my head to the side, giving her one more look before turning away.

It takes me close to 10 minutes to actually make it to the front door. Maybe I was better off parking in the driveway.

Scratch that. There are 2 escalades, a Bentley, and 3 golf carts under the open garage. My broken-down Volvo definitely doesn't belong here.

I reach for the brass knocker and pound the arched mahogany door. I'm shortly greeted by a lady dressed in a matching uniform.

"Miss Miller. Mrs. Bennett is expecting you," she says. "Please, come in."

I trail behind the lady and am in awe when she takes me through the hallway. The unique sculptures that occupy the space definitely cost more than my house.

We pass the living room and I try to peek in without making it obvious. When I do, I'm taken aback by how opulent it is. There's a fireplace and expansive bookshelf that even has its own ladder. The plush rug matches the velvety appearance of the L-sectional sofa, and there's a piano in the corner.

"This way," she says, opening a door that leads to the backyard.

The grass is squared off with porcelain tile, and there's an infinity pool, which overlooks the most gorgeous view of the beach.

A woman with highlighted blonde hair sits at the patio table with a crystal glass of iced tea and a bunch of paperwork.

"Mrs. Bennett," the lady calls out, and Bridget picks her head up. Her fair skin glows when it hits the sunlight.

"Ah, thank you, Sandra," she tells the lady before looking at me. "You must be Lily." She comes to a stand and walks over, lending me a smile and her French-manicured hand. "Bridget."

"Hi! It's so nice to meet you," I say.

"Likewise! Please, have a seat."

I follow her to the table and she waits for me to sit before she does. She clasps her hands together and it's hard not to miss her 5-carat engagement ring that's stacked on top of a beautiful diamond wedding band.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," she says.

"Oh, it wasn't a problem. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me."

"Of course! I'll get right to it. My assistant Lauren is pregnant with her first child, so she's unable to work the event that I'm hosting this summer."

"Right, the 10th Annual Bennett Gala."

"Exactly," she says. "I love when my candidates do their research. Anyway, I'm looking for someone to fill her role." She rests her elbows on the table and leans her body forward. "Do you have any previous work experience, dear?"

"Um. I just turned 16," I state.

"That's what I thought. You look around my son's age."

"You have a son?" I ask.

"2, actually. 17 and 16," she tells me of their ages.

"Oh, wow."

"Yeah, it's...a lot," she chuckles. "Do you go to Winston High?"

"Actually, I'm new here. My mom and I just moved to Newport from Massachusetts."

"No kidding!" she remarks.

"Yeah. But I'll be attending Winston in the fall as a senior."

"So will my son." She squints her eyes at me and just when I think that she's going to reject my application because of my age, she surprises me when she doesn't.

She goes on to ask a bunch of questions: What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? What is my leadership style? And I answer them all confidently and honestly.

"Listen, I like you," she tells me. "You seem like a nice girl; someone I can trust. And I can't tell you how important honesty is to me. I usually don't hire on the whim like this, but I have a good feeling about you. What do you say to $100 an hour, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays?"

I quickly do the math in my head. That's $1,500 a week, and I'm only working 3 out of the 7 days.

"What do I say? When do I start?" I exclaim, and she starts laughing.

"How about next Monday? That way you have a week to prepare."

"That works." I press my palms together. "Thank you so much for the opportunity, Mrs. Bennett."

"Oh, Lily, if we're going to be working together, you must call me Bridget. And while you're here, let me give you a tour of the house. I think it'll be good for you to know your surroundings since the gala will take place inside. The boys should be home soon, too. You can meet them as well."