I wake up to a bank notification that knocks the wind out of me. My first paycheck has come in and it is more than what I expected. Belle told me that I would get paid weekly, that’s one of the reasons if not the main reason why I took this job.

I’m getting paid in a week what I used to make in two months as a waitress. This is too good to be true.

Before doing anything else I decide to transfer some money to my parents. They need it more than I do.

Mom calls as soon as the transfer is complete.

“Rosalie Ann Jones, what did I tell you about sending us anymore money?”, she scolds me.

“Mom, relax”.

“No, do not tell me to relax. You should not be giving us your hard earned money”.

I roll my eyes. She has said this multiple times but do I listen? No, because I am as stubborn as a mule.

Another trait I got from my mother.

“I got another job, so it’s okay”

“New job? What happened to the old one? Did that creepy Paul guy do something, because if he did I will fly over there and beat him up”, she says in a threatening tone.

“Paul did nothing and if he did trust me you would be the first to know”, I calm her down “Plus I needed to move on from waitressing”.

My parents know that I worked as a waitress just because I told them I needed something to do. I never told them the real reason why I had to get a job.

“Okay then” she says accepting my explanation. “How’s things at college?”.

My heart lodges in my throat. The one question I always pray she doesn’t ask when we talk on the phone but she asks it every single time. And again I lie to my mother because I don’t want to add anymore worry onto the ever-growing load of worries she already has.

“College is okay. Just a lot of work to do”, I lie.

“I hope you graduate soon, you’ve been studying for a long time”, she says.

“Yes mom, I’m almost done with school, I promise you that I will graduate”.

It is my mom’s biggest dream to see me walk up that stage and receive my degree. She once told me that it is one of the big events that happen in a daughter’s life that a mother wants to witness.

That and my wedding day.

Since there’s no wedding soon in my life then I should at least make sure that I get to graduate.

She tells me about grandma’s progress. It’s heartbreaking to hear and a few tears escape as I listen to her.

“You should come visit soon, the dog misses you”.

I laugh at that. Trust Alina Mary Jones to use our dog, Jelly Bean as an excuse for me to visit.

“Sure mom, I will”,

“Goodbye, I love you and stop sending us money. We’re doing fine”, she scolds me one last time.

“Okay, I love you too mom, send my love to dad and nana” I say and then hang up.

I get up from the bed and walk to the balcony. A cold gust of wind hits me as soon as I am outside but I don’t care. I need it to feel alive.

The clouds look like they are gathering up for a big storm. They are grey and from the looks of them they are going to get darker as the day goes.

I walk back inside and go take a shower. A nice cosy Saturday is what today is going to be. I should probably spend it getting my affairs in order.

After my shower, I put on a pair of grey sweatpants and a long cardigan over a long sleeved shirt. And of course wear my fuzzy socks. One of the things I absolutely despise in life is having cold feet.

I literally cannot deal with anything when my feet are cold.

I grab my laptop and go downstairs.

The kitchen is empty. No sign of Pierre. No Miss June. No Harvey.

I make myself a cup of coffee and then get a bowl of cereal ready.

Sitting down on the table, I start sorting out my online life. I start with transferring some money to the college finance office. I have been saving a little over the past few months so I add a bit from my recent payment and send it through.

Thank the heavens for people who work on weekends because a few minutes later I receive an email from the finance department, acknowledging my payment and welcoming me back to my studies.

This brings a smile to my face. After so many months of not being sure that I’ll ever be able to finish my degree now I am back on the saddle and I could not be happier about it.

Once I am done eating I take the dishes and wash them. I check the time on my phone.

11:30 am. And I once again have nothing to do. At least this is my last weekend of freedom. When I start again next week with my academics, I won’t have any free time.

Instead of going back to my room to leave the laptop there, I just go with it to the living room.

I switch on the tv and my heart leaps with joy when I see that there’s a Harry Potter marathon playing.

Judge me all you want, I don’t care. I will never pass up a chance to look at Alan Rickman.

Gigi always said my affection for Mr Snape is creepy and gross. I always laugh it off.

Not a lot of people get that this man cared so much for Harry and that he was always in his corner. For me he is the real hero in the story.

Just as the first movie ends, a pitter patter of feet catches my attention. I hear the front door close.

“Saba, wait!” I hear Alexander’s voice scold.

I get up and follow his voice to the foyer and my eyes almost pop out of their sockets.

Alexander is laughing on the floor while he’s being tackled by a big ass animal.

What is that?

A bear?

A lion?

“A Tibetan Mastiff”, his voice answers for me.

I must have been thinking out loud.

“That’s a big dog”.

“Yeah, but she’s a sweetheart”, he says and then turns back to coo at the big dog that was almost swallowing up his frame with its giant one as it stands on its hind legs.

If you want your heart to melt, look at a man that’s in love with his dog. I swear my heart is about to burst at how cute this is.

If you don’t know what a Tibetan Mastiff looks like, I suggest you hop on the nearest search engine. Maybe then you can actually get a picture of how scared I am when this giant dog comes at me.

Fear wraps invisible chains around my feet and I can’t move. She just stands on her hind legs in front of me, her paws in my shoulders and for the first time in my life , I look up at a dog.

This dog is abnormally large. Like I get that Mastiffs can be so big but damn. This one takes the cake for biggest mastiff.

A sloppy wet kiss is what I get. I feel the tongue run up my face, all the way from my jawline right to my forehead.

The grossness of it does not have time to settle as this dog sits in front of me.

“She likes you”, Alexander says walking towards me.

I pet or at least try to pet the huge mane of hair she has.

“What’s her name?” I ask.

“Saba”, he says as he stands next to me to pet the dog.

“I hope we didn’t interrupt whatever you were doing”, he says.

I shake my head. “Oh no, I was watching some Harry Potter”.

“Which one?”.

“Basically all of them. The first one just ended”.

“Do you mind if I join you?” he sheepishly asks. He suddenly looks a little flushed around the cheeks.

Is he blushing?

Don’t flatter yourself. My subconscious scoffs at me.

He could be flushed because he got pounced on by this hunk of fur in front of you.

Right. That could be it.

I shake my head.

“I’ll go get some popcorn”. He says turning towards the direction of the kitchen.

I finally coax Saba onto following me to the living room, where she sits on a big dog pillow in the corner of the room.

I've always wondered what the pillow was for. Guess now I know.

Alexander walks in with a bowl of popcorn and two cups on a tray.

“Coffee?”, he asks handing me a cup.

“Thank you”

He sits next to me and places the bowl of popcorn in a small space between us.

As the movie begins, my mouth once again blurts out an unfiltered question.

“Why are you here?”

“I live here”, he simply answers .

“No, I mean why are you at home?” I ask again.

“Because I want to”

I roll my eyes at how vague he’s being.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me”, his voice gets a bit hoarse.

“Then answer my question” I say feeling a bit brave all of a sudden.

Girl, hold your horses.

“It’s the weekend”, he simply says.

“I though billionaires never took time off, because you know ,money never sleeps”

“Well technically I’m never off, but I prefer to spend my weekends at home than be cooped up in the office”, he sips his coffee. “Even us billionaires need a little time to relax”.

Our conversation dies down and then we pay attention to the screen. Alexander gets up a few minutes later to give Saba a treat, and when he walks back to the couch my eyes can’t help to drink up the way he looks today.

He looks like a normal guy in his grey sweatpants and black sweater. His outfit finished off in black vans.

Never thought I’d see him in vans. It’s weird but also attractive.

Right now, he looks nothing like the 39 year old, ruthless billionaire I read about in the newspaper articles. He is just a guy who is enjoying this chilly Saturday afternoon.

A guy who’s enjoying his afternoon with me.

His maid.

A maid that is totally crushing on him.