Onyx.
It was such a fitting name for the man.
Iona giggled at the fact they were on first name basis.
The previous day after Onyx had officially hired her, he'd informed her that they were only four years apart and it wouldn't be awkward if she just referred to him by his first name.
Iona had refused because the last thing she wanted was to encourage familiarity but Onyx had insisted.
'I can't keep saying Miss Quinn about the house. It feels too stuck up. I'd like to be able to call you Iona'.
Iona hated that she loved the way he said her name.
With Onyx Bentley it was like all the ingredients for love and romance had been presented to her and she refused to mix them.
There was the right amount of attraction, chemistry, banter and tension. It would make a good spicy pot of poor girl, rich boy romance.
It was a good thing she was a nasty cook.
Okay maybe not nasty but she was a basic cook and any romance she mixed would have a plot similar to a lifetime Christmas movie.
It was a new day now and Iona hummed as she brushed her hair out into an afro. Her fro was meduim sized and covered her forehead and ears. She liked the look of it but she couldn't leave it out today because today she was organising and decorating Onyx Bentley's house.
After she had been officially given the nanny job, Onyx had shown her about his house and shown her all the work they had to sort through before his boys came next week.
Iona was excited for the extra money, the evening after the interview she had completed her google research and sent Onyx an estimated bill over text. He had quickly agreed with her prices.
Now she was trying to figure out the best way to wear her hair for a day of labour. She swore that as soon as she got paid for this design job she would get braids. Knotless braids that would last her up to six weeks. Life was so much easier with braids.
Finally, Iona settled for putting her hair in a slicked ponytail again. She wore casual clothes, t-shirt, jeans and a pair of ratty canvases.
Since she was organising and decorating there was no point in looking anything beyond decent.
It was nine in the morning and she had to be at Havencreek in an hour. After dressing up, Iona settled down to have a breakfast of rice crispies and apple slices. As she ate her mind wandered to her studies. She mentally reminded herself of all the deadlines she needed to meet.
Marine engineering was a very demanding field of study and it usually had her stretched to her limits. Regardless Iona was determined to conquer it. It was the only way she would become something, she couldn't be a nanny forever. So far attempting her semesters at her own pace had helped her in maintaining extraordinary grades and she planned to keep it that way and even make things better.
She smiled when she remembered the fact that her knew job would help relieve much of the stretch she was feeling. She wouldn't have to worry about rent or meals or transportation since Onyx had informed her that she would be given an official car. She simply had to make sure that Jamie and Miles were looked after. The best part was that she only had to do that on intermittent weeks. In the fifty-two weeks of the year she only had to work twenty-six. Although she was paid per hour she would be allowed to live and eat at Oakley road even on the weeks the boys stayed at their mother's houses.
Iona was a person who was used to getting the short end of the stick so this job felt like a blessing. The odds had never been this much in her favour.
The smile that had begun stretching across her face melted away at the shrill cry of her ringtone.
Iona frowned, phone calls were rare with her. She barely had any friends.
Sighing, she put her bowl of rice crispies on her small table and scrambled in her purse for her phone.
When her hands wrapped around the cold metal she snatched it out of her purse curious to see who the caller was.
The name flashing on the screen made her eyebrows lift.
Sissy. Sawyer Quinn.
Iona's sister was a texter not a caller mostly because she was usually someplace with shitty network so whenever Sawyer called it meant something in the universe was not quite in place.
Enthusiasm drained out of her as she slid the green button to answer it.
'Yes. Sawyer'.
There was a loud squeal so typical of her elder sister that Iona didn't so much as flinch.
'Sissssssyyyyyy', Sawyer sang 'Guess what?'.
'Oh no', Iona said.
'Don't be like that Ona', Sawyer scolded.
'What's up, why didn't you text me'?
There was a long annoyed hiss followed by a rhythmic, irritated teeth kissing.
'You're so impatient. You never wanna take a guess'?
'One would think, you would take a hint and stop asking me to. What's going on Sawyer'?
'Well it's nothing. I'm in your city, girlie. Did you miss me'?
Sawyer in her city out of the blue like that?
There was definitely something but Iona wasn't going to point that out over the phone.
'Since when'?
'I'm driving through the border and reading the welcome sign as we speak'.
Sawyer was driving? Where was Santino?
'I'm ok. I'm excited to see you again sissy. I've got work today tho. So I'll leave my key under the door to the left within reach so you can come in while I'm gone'.
There was dissapointment in Sawyer's tone when she spoke.
'You just got the job yesterday and you're resuming today?'.
Iona hummed
'Something like that. I'll fill you in when I see you.
Love you sissy, can't wait to see you'.
'I can't wait to squeeze you too thickianna'.
'Gross', Iona declared and cut the call before Sawyer could retort.
She returned to her breakfast, eating faster than before. But even as she scooped the cereal down her throat she couldn't help worrying about Sawyer.