Casey was bored. There are only so many times that you can swim up and down in a kidney-shaped pool; only so many days that you want to lie under a sun shade with a good book, and only so many trips to a the local market looking for souvenirs that you can make – on your own. Two weeks into the second half of her recuperation vacation and she was at a loss.

She hadn't seen Derek for two days and she hadn't spent any significant time with him since they left London; despite his bedroom being next to hers. (Yes, even in the villa). Her 'personal assistant' was being decidedly impersonal. She knew where he was and she had to approve of what he was doing since it was what she was employing him to do, but she still missed him.

Then, as she was sitting down to the carefully controlled lunch on the terrace of the villa, Derek appeared and sat down beside her.

"Hello Stranger." Casey said.

"Your organisation is a mess, Casey. Where's your mis-manager?"

"He said something about a meeting in New York."
"Hmmm. I want to see him as soon as he gets back."

"What's up?"

"Something's rotten with this whole set-up. I've spent the last two weeks with your secretary and your accountant and I don't understand half of what your so-called manager is up to."
"You aren't a manager."

"There is no need for some of the financial transactions he has set up. Even Pete, the accountant thinks the guy's on the take. And Ged your secretary has been telling me some stories that would blow your mind."

"I trust him, Derek."
Derek looked at her. "Casey. I'm going to be my usual charming self about this and you aren't going to throw a hissy fit, okay?"

"Okay." She said tentatively.

"The fact that you trust him, is one of the reasons I don't. Your record on finding ass-holes is astounding."

"Are you including yourself in that?" she asked stiffly.

He grinned at her. "Definitely. The difference with me is I'm family. So when I screw you over it's the ketchup in your hair kind of mess, rather than major fraud."

His step-sister frowned. She might trust Milo, but if it was a contest between Milo and Derek, she knew which side she would pick.

"You think I should look into this?" she asked.

"Dad already is." Her step-brother said, admitting what he had been hiding from her for three weeks.

"George?"

"Yeah. I didn't like the way he excluded the family when you were ill. So I asked George to look into it."

"Maybe I should talk to my lawyer." She said reaching for her cell phone.

Derek put his hand on Casey's.

"Don't." He said softly. "One of the things I have found out already, is your lawyer is your manager's cousin."

Casey's eyes widened. "I didn't know that."

"Let me guess, when you were thinking of taking on your manager, he recommended a good lawyer?" Casey nodded. Derek swore. He picked up Casey's cell checked the time on his watch and then dialled home.

"Hi Dad it's me. Yeah. Do me a favour. If I get all Casey's contracts faxed to you will you get your US friend to check them for me? It seems the lawyer is definitely in on it."

Casey looked at the beautiful view from the terrace and sighed. Derek watched her as he spoke to his father. He had hoped that being her PA would mean he got to spend time with her, but so far that hadn't happened. She looked much better than she had three weeks ago, and he didn't want all this extra worry to affect her. He put a hand on hers and stroked her fingers as he ended the call.

"I wouldn't worry too much. Dad says you showed him all the contracts before you signed them. I doubt he missed much."

"You're right though. I know how to pick 'em."

"Casey what I said was unfair. You dated Sam, didn't you? And you had Tinker and Trevor as friends. Neither of them were ass-holes even if they were first class wimps. And what about Ralph?" They both chuckled as Derek mentioned Ralph. But thinking of Ralph and Sam had got Derek thinking.

They ate lunch together. He told her what he had been up to, and how he was getting on with her accountant and her secretary.

"They at least seem to know what they are talking about. I think I want to make some changes, if that's okay? You are staff-heavy in some areas and weak in others. You don't need two beauticians and two hairdressers on the payroll, and a stylist. I think we should be able to cut those five down to two. It's the back office staff you are light on. Let's face it you are a business and we need to treat you as such. Do you trust me?"
"Do I trust you? Are we talking about you running my life or guarding my diary?"

He smirked at her. Casey looked at him. "If you screwed up my business you would have George to answer to. I'd never trust you with my diary."

"I thought that's what a PA was for?"

"Not that sort of diary. Moron."

She straightened in her chair. "Did Ged talk to you about the benefits package?"

Derek looked uncomfortable. "I didn't like it Casey."

"We can increase it. It was just a starting point."

"No! I meant it was too much."
"Derek. It's the market rate. Plus of course you have food and accommodation here and a company car."

"And these guys get that sort of money?"

"You deal with a lot of crap. I thought you realised that by now."
He shook his head. "My father supported three children on less."

"Derek. If I'm going to pay someone a lot of money, I'd rather it was you."
"I said I'd do the job didn't I?"

"Good. Just so long as it won't affect your socialist principles." She joked.

"Come the revolution, the power will be the peoples'." He retorted. They laughed.

"I gotta go." He said. Casey pulled a face. "Stay and talk. I'm bored."

"I can't. I've got to build Brand Casey." He bent to kiss her cheek. "I'll see if I can finish a bit earlier and we can watch a movie tonight in that awesome home cinema."

"That would be nice."

"Any ideas what I can do till then?"
"Go talk to Ged. He said something about some magazine question and answer thing."

He turned to go.

"Derek?"

"Yup?"

"Thanks. For being here."

Derek went back to work with a renewed spirit and a grin the size of Ontario on his face.