“Isabel, it’s 5:30 in the morning,” Lena muttered. “What’s wrong?”
“I need the biggest favor,” Isabel said. Her voice was strained and congested. “I’m sick. Really sick. I’ve been up all night with a fever and I can barely stand. But I have a shift at the Hart estate today, and if I don’t show up, I’ll lose this account. It’s my best client. Please, Lena—can you cover for me just this once?”
Lena sat up, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders as she processed the request. She had planned to spend the day working on her master’s thesis in early childhood education, but Isabel sounded desperate.
“The Hart estate?” Lena hesitated. “Isabel, I don’t know the first thing about—”
“You don’t need to,” Isabel interrupted. “Mr. Hart is barely home during the day. He’s a widower. Works nonstop. You just need to do basic cleaning. Maybe watch his son for a few hours if needed. He’s five. His name is Theo. He’s sweet but very shy. Please, Lena. I’ll owe you forever.”