Haley stared out the window of the limousine as it crossed yet another bridge towering over crystal blue water. She smiled as she looked out, admiring the pristine beauty of Massachusetts.
"I know, it's a lot of water, right?"
Haley turned to Peyton who was smiling, sitting next to her.
"Yeah."
"It's a great place to live if you're into the water."
"What about you?" Haley asked. "Do you like the water?"
"No."
Haley looked away. It had been well over an hour since she had been picked up from Logan International Airport. A black limousine had been waiting for her as well as the blonde assistant slash PR rep slash right hand woman of Nathan Scott. Her name was Peyton Sawyer. She had a pretty face and stylishly cut short blonde hair along with a pair of green eyes that never let you know when she was being sarcastic, funny or serious. It had been a long ride and Haley was tired from the cross country trip. She was also nervous. From the moment she had left Phoenix, Haley James, FBI agent no longer existed. She was now Haley Webb, traveling RN. It was a whole other world and persona, one she must assume completely for fear of botching an entire federal investigation.
"It's very nice out here."
Peyton shrugged.
"You're from Florida, right?"
Haley tensed up. "Haley Webb" indeed had grown up on the East Coast.
"Yeah. Um, I grew up right outside Tampa and I got my degree at the University of Florida in Gainesville."
She cringed as she soon as she said it, fearing it had sounded a little too rehearsed.
"That's cool. Sounds like you're used to the water. You'll fit in just fine here."
"I hope so."
"We're almost there. This is the mid Cape. Nathan's house is on a private stretch of the beach out towards Hyannis."
Haley nodded and tried to enjoy the rest of the quiet ride, silently begging the butterflies in her stomach to calm down. It was a moment she had been waiting for and it had finally arrived. Ten minutes later, they descended upon a neighborhood of sprawling and immaculate beach homes. The land between them became more and more until eventually they came to a private gated area as the limo stopped.
"Oh my God. Is this…"
"This is it", Peyton announced as she got out the car.
Haley was mesmerized. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. It was beyond her to even imagine some people lived like that. Of course there had been photographs and blue prints of the house in her case files but none of the pictures had done it justice.
"Wow. This house is absolutely amazing."
"He bought it a couple of years ago. If you think the outside is cool, wait until you see the inside. Eight bedrooms, four bathrooms, a theater, a rec room, an office, indoor pool and Jacuzzi, private tennis and basketball courts…you name it."
"Living in something like this, who the heck would ever want to leave?"
Admiring the grounds, they were interrupted when a younger man joined them.
"Hey, Peyton."
"Hey, Bobby", Peyton greeted him. "This is the new private nurse, Haley Webb. Haley, this is Bobby Green, Nathan's groundskeeper."
"Hi", Haley smiled and politely shook his hand.
"I'll get your bags and take them to your room, Ms. Webb", he offered.
"Thank you. And please, call me Haley."
He nodded and disappeared with her luggage as she followed Peyton inside.
"Okay, I'll give you the quick rundown. There is Bobby the groundskeeper, who you just met, two cooks, Frances and Maria, and two maids, Beatrice and Roberta. Basically, they're just here doing their jobs during the day. After that, they leave. Nathan also has a local limousine company on payroll so there will be a driver accessible to you 24 hours a day."
"So Bobby and the cooks and the maids don't live here full time?"
"No. Nathan's not into the whole staff and entourage thing. He thinks it's pretty lame actually and he doesn't like a lot of people in his house. Bobby cleans the pool and does the landscaping and all the other odd jobs around the house because Nathan doesn't have the time and the patience to do it himself. He also hates to clean up and if he was the cook around here, let's just say it would be a never ending feast of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Ramen noodles."
"He lives alone in this huge house?"
"That's the way he likes it but most of the time his family is here. His parents and Lucas and his wife, sometimes the grandparents. Want a quick tour?"
"Sure", Haley nodded as they began to walk around.
There was a large kitchen that looked bigger than most restaurants. Beside it was a classy and elegant dining room, with space for 15. The rec room was a teenager's fantasy filled with arcade games, and ping pong and foosball tables. The den was comfortable with its many couches and chairs and a barrage of sports trophies collected from over the years. A large plasma TV had been built into a wall from corner to corner. Next door was a private screening room complete with a popcorn ,nacho and Icee machine along with a projector and several rows of theatre type seats and multiplex screen. Haley was in complete awe, even as Peyton's cell phone rang.
"Can you excuse me while I take this?"
"Go ahead", Haley waved as she walked a few more feet.
She found herself in the living room. As the other areas of the house, it was spacious and beautiful. She smiled as she immediately noticed a Baby Grand piano in the corner. Expensive and stylish furniture filled the space along with dozens of photographs. Haley curiously stepped in to take a closer look. From her background history of the case, she could already recognize most of the principle players. There were several pictures of an older bearded man with piercing, intimidating eyes. It was Royal Scott, father to Dan and grandfather to Nathan. The soft and matronly blonde was his wife, Mae and the brown haired man who was the uncle, Keith. Several portraits were of the handsome and smirking Dan, along with his beautiful, blonde wife, Deb. Lucas, brooding and striking, with his stunning wife, Brooke were in a lot of the family photos as well. And finally there was Nathan. From birth to present, the pictures chronologically told the story of his life. He had always been good looking, even as a kid. Tall, tanned, muscular, strapping, mesmerizing blue eyes. But there was one aspect identical in every photo…Nathan Scott never smiled.
"Sorry about that", Peyton returned, apologizing. "I'll finish showing you around. Where we are now is the central part of the house. All of the rooms I've showed you so far are common areas that you will always have complete access to along with the pool, Jaccuzi and tennis court. On the south end of the house, is where your bedroom is. Towards the west end is where the family sleeps. And the north wing belongs to Nathan."
"Okay."
"Ground rules, stay away from the north end as well as the basketball court. I know you live here but Nathan is really weird about his personal space."
"Um, sure, okay", Haley responded uneasily.
Peyton's expression softened a bit.
"It's really not that bad, I promise."
"I'm fine. I mean, most of my duties are for the road, right?"
Peyton made a face.
"Most of them but you will be needed at the house, should something come up, you know, because of your medical background."
"Of course. Like Nathan's injuries or any pains or problems."
"That among other things."
"Other things?" Haley frowned.
"You did sign the confidentiality agreement?"
"Yes. I faxed it a few days ago."
"Good. You're here because of Nathan but it'll be good to have you around because of Deb."
"Why? What's wrong with her?"
"Let's just say she has a few Dr. Feelgoods and a prescription for one too many bottles of happy pills."
"You mean…"
"Let's talk later and I'll explain everything then. The walls have ears around here."
"But…"
"You'll figure it out. Come on, let's go outside."
They walked onto the lanai overlooking the pool. Swimming laps in the water was a bikini clad brunette as a blonde lay sunbathing nearby.
"Peyton, it's good to see you", the blonde stood and walked over. "And you must be the new nurse. Haley, is it?"
"Yes, ma'am", the two shook hands. "Haley Webb. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Scott."
"Please call me Deb and please don't call me ma'am. I appreciate your politeness but it makes me feel old."
The dripping wet dark haired woman joined them.
"You're the new nurse, huh?"
"Brooke, this is Haley Webb."
Brooke shook her hand and gave a little smirk.
"Good luck."
"Oh Brooke, it isn't that bad", Deb laughed.
"Oh yeah? Looks like it just got worse."
They all turned in the direction of the sliding doors to the two male figures approaching them.
"How are the two most beautiful women on the Cape?" Lucas Scott asked as he wrapped his arms lovingly around his wife.
"Better now that you're here, Broody. What took so long? You've been gone forever."
"I've got three words for you that should never be allowed in the same sentence. Dan, Scott and golf."
"Nonsense", Dan laughed, slipping an arm around Deb, who visibly tensed up. "While you may have inherited my basketball pedigree, I won't have to ever worry about you showing me up on the golf course. Brooke, your husband is no Tiger Woods."
Deb cleared her throat.
"Dan, Lucas. This is Haley Webb, Nathan's new nurse who is going to be staying here for a while."
"Nice to meet you, Haley", Lucas shook hands with a sincere smile. "Brooke and I should be in town for a while. Anything you need, let us know. Please."
"Thank you."
Dan frowned.
"Miss Webb, you say? That's funny. I don't recall hiring a Miss Webb or anyone for this position. Peyton who approved this?"
Haley's face turned beet red as Peyton rolled her eyes.
"Nathan did."
"Very well. Hope you're more competent than those others."
"Dan, stop it", Deb tersely warned through pursed lips.
"Well, if you'll excuse us, Haley and I are going to go back inside. We have more things to discuss. Deb, Luke, Brooke, I'll see you guys for dinner. Dan", she made a face only to which he just smirked.
Once inside they took a seat.
"That was…interesting", Haley smiled.
Peyton just shrugged with a smile of her own.
"Just think, it's about to get more interesting."
"Why?"
"In two days you meet Nathan Scott."