Chapter 3: Filthy Rich Bosses: Chapter 3

I hear his deep voice call out behind me, and my heart jumps into my throat. I grip the keys in my pocket—you know, just in case—as I turn to see the man from the bench striding towards us with purpose.

‘Excuse me,’ he says, his piercing blue eyes locked on mine. ‘I need to know how you do that.’

I blink, taken aback by his directness. ‘Do what?’

He gestures at Lulu, who’s sitting calmly at my feet. ‘Train her like that. It’s impressive.’

His gaze is intense, almost uncomfortably so. I shift my weight, suddenly aware of how close he’s standing. The scent of his expensive cologne wafts over me.

‘Oh, um, it’s just patience and consistency,’ I mumble, trying to step back subtly. But he matches my movement, closing the distance again.

‘It’s more than that,’ he insists, his voice low and urgent. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it. Do you—do you do that for a living? Train dogs?’

I glance around, hoping to catch someone’s eye, but the park has emptied out. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the grass.

‘Look, I appreciate the compliment, but we really need to be going,’ I say, gesturing for Lulu to heel.

That only seems to fuel his borderline unhinged behavior. He reaches out, not quite touching me but close enough that I can feel the heat from his hand. ‘Wait, please. I’m Grayson Harrington. I have a proposition for you.’

My stomach does a little flip. He’s undeniably attractive, with that salt-and-pepper hair and chiseled jawline. And that suit definitely screams money. But there’s something in his eyes, a hint of desperation maybe, that sets off alarm bells in my head.

‘I’m sorry, Mr. Harrington, but I’m not interested in any propositions,’ I say firmly, backing away. Lulu whines softly, picking up on my unease.

He follows, his expression intense. ‘You don’t understand. This is important. I need your help.’

I shake my head, my heart racing. ‘I really have to go. Come on, Lulu.’

As we hurry away, I can feel his eyes boring into my back. Part of me is curious about what he wants, but a larger part is just relieved to be putting distance between us. Whatever his deal is, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to get involved.

I quicken my pace, hoping to leave this awkward encounter behind, but Grayson’s footsteps echo behind me. He catches up, his breath coming in short bursts.

‘Please, wait,’ he says, his voice tinged with urgency. ‘I need you to train my dog, Zeus. He’s…he’s struggling.’

I stop abruptly, turning to face him. ‘Mr. Harrington, I’m not a professional trainer. What you saw with Lulu was just—’

‘Exactly what Zeus needs,’ he interrupts, his eyes pleading. ‘He’s been depressed since Sarah, his previous owner, passed away. He won’t eat, won’t play. I’ve tried everything.’

My heart softens a bit at the mention of a grieving dog, but I shake my head. ‘I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.’

Grayson runs a hand through his hair, frustration evident on his face. ‘You don’t understand. Zeus is all I have left of Sarah. He needs someone like you, someone who clearly has a gift with animals.’

I bite my lip, torn between my desire to help and my instinct to keep my distance. ‘Look, I’m sorry you’re going through this, but—’

‘Name your price,’ he says, his tone almost desperate. ‘Whatever you want, I’ll pay it.’

The offer is tempting, I can’t deny it. But something about this feels off. ‘Mr. Harrington, money isn’t the issue.’

“He’ll die if you don’t train him. They’ll—they’ll force me to put him down.”

I hesitate and he sees it.

He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a sleek business card. ‘Please, just take my card. Think about it. Zeus needs you.’

I hesitate, then reluctantly accept the card. ‘I’ll think about it.’ I have no intention of accepting the offer, but figured saying this might get him to leave me alone.

As I walk away, Lulu trotting beside me, I can’t shake the feeling that his offer is something much bigger than a simple dog training gig.

I trudge up the stairs to my apartment, Lulu panting beside me. My mind’s still reeling from the encounter with Grayson when I spot my landlord, Mr. Peterson, lurking by my door. My stomach drops.

‘Miss Morrow,’ he says, his voice dripping with false sympathy. ‘We need to talk.’

I force a smile. ‘Mr. Peterson, what a surprise. Is everything okay?’

He clears his throat. ‘I’m afraid I have some bad news. You’ll need to find somewhere else to live. You’ve got one week to get out.’

My jaw drops. ‘One week? That’s not even legal!’

He shrugs, avoiding my eyes. ‘It’s all I can offer. The building’s being sold. They’re tearing it down and putting in big fancy condos.’

I lean against the wall, suddenly dizzy. ‘Mr. Peterson, please. I can’t find a new place in a week. I don’t have the money for a deposit, let alone— that’s not realistic. It’s not legal!’

‘I’m sorry, but it’s out of my hands,’ he interrupts, already turning to leave.

I watch him go, my heart pounding. Can this day get any worse? I mean, seriously, what have I done to deserve all this? And where the hell am I going to live?

Inside my apartment, I collapse onto the couch, Lulu resting her head on my lap. ‘What are we going to do, girl?’ I murmur, scratching behind her ears.

I could file a lawsuit, prevent the eviction, but that requires money. I barely have enough to feed the two of us. I certainly don’t have enough to hire a lawyer.

As I empty my pockets onto the table, something catches my eye. The man’s business card. I stare at it, my mind racing. It’s crazy, right? But…

I google him. He’s rich. Like Billionaire-with-a-capital-B rich. He’s not just some random trolling for girls down at the dog park.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I’m dialing the number.

‘Grayson Harrington,’ his deep voice answers.

I take a deep breath. ‘Mr. Harrington, it’s Tessa—uh, the dog trainer. From the park? I’ve reconsidered your offer, but I have some conditions.’

‘I’m listening,’ he says, a hint of eagerness in his tone.

‘I’ll need to stay on-premises,’ I start, my voice stronger than I feel. ‘Lulu comes with me. And I want to be paid weekly, not a lump sum.’

There’s a pause, and I hold my breath. ‘Is that all?’ he finally asks.

I blink, surprised. ‘Um, yes. For now.’

‘Agreed,’ Grayson says without hesitation. ‘As long as you can start tomorrow.’

My jaw drops. ‘Tomorrow? I…wait, really?’

‘Is that a problem?’ There’s a hint of amusement in his voice.

I shake my head, then realize he can’t see me. ‘No, no problem. I just…didn’t expect you to agree so easily.’

‘I’m a businessman, Tessa. I recognize value when I see it.’ He pauses, then adds, ‘Now, about your compensation…’

When he names the figure, I nearly choke. ‘That’s…per month, right?’

‘Per week,’ he corrects, and I swear I can hear a smile in his voice.

I grip the phone tighter, my mind reeling. That’s more than I make in two months at the vet’s office. Well…used to make. ‘Mr. Harrington, that’s incredibly generous, but—’

‘It’s what your expertise is worth,’ he interrupts. ‘You’ll have one month. If you can’t show impressive progress within that time, my dog is lost to me. That is not an option, Tessa. Do we have a deal?’

I glance around my tiny apartment, thinking of the eviction notice. I no longer have a paying job. I can tell this dude is going to be demanding and I’m not sure I have the patience to deal with the nonsense. But he seems to care about his dog. And I can get behind that.

This is insane, but what choice do I have? ‘Deal,’ I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

‘Excellent. I’ll have my assistant prepare the contract. Can you be at my home by nine a.m.?’

I nod, then catch myself again. ‘Yes, I’ll be there. With my things and Lulu.’

‘Perfect. I look forward to it, Tessa. I’ll text you the details.’

As I hang up, I look at Lulu, who’s watching me with her head tilted. ‘Well, girl,’ I say, burying my fingers in her fur, ‘looks like we’re moving to some big shot’s mansion tomorrow. Temporary insanity or stroke of luck? I guess we’ll find out.’