The Billionaire’s Charade, page 4
“Can’t you see that she’s already interested in Dylan?” Jordan stated as he sipped his beer.
Gareth laughed. “It’s not too late. I’m a much better dancer than Dylan is.”
Sofia didn’t even look in Gareth’s direction as she answered. “I’m not much of a dancer anyway.” Then she left them all and headed back to the kitchen.
Gareth slapped Dylan on the back and said, “Well, she put me in my place.”
And I got to see it. That was going down as the highlight of his day. Gareth was a self-proclaimed ladies’ man. His track record did kind of back him up on that. Dylan was glad Sofia wasn’t interested in Gareth. Someone like her…he’d just break her heart.
“She’s hands off for all of us,” Dylan said.
Ethan asked, “All of us? Why is that?”
“She’s Sal’s kid sister.”
“Oh…” they said in unison.
Although they didn’t know much about Sal, Charles had mentioned how protective he was of his family. It wouldn’t be wise for any of them to contemplate a casual fling with her. And since it didn’t appear that any of them were looking for anything more, the subject was over.
Seth finished his beer and said, “I’m not sure if any of you have thought about this, but Charles left with the limo. What car did you bring Dylan?”
“The Austin-Healy. You guys aren’t riding with me,” Dylan stated.
Gareth laughed. “Except for me. I already claimed it earlier. We have some unfinished business to discuss.”
Seth shook his head. “Why do I have a feeling you two are not discussing business?”
“Maybe we’re going to be discussing Sofia?” Gareth joked.
Seth shook his head. “No. I think there’s something else going on. Want to tell us about it?”
No. “Gareth and I were planning a little trip together. Which, of course, won’t be happening now.”
Ethan chuckled. “If I were you, I’d go anyway. No way would I want to get tangled up in that Grayson mess. The feds are still looking into some of the illegal shit Maxwell did before he died.”
“Has anyone even considered how this might look? We were the ones who turned the evidence over to the feds, and now we’re linked to the Grayson Corp. I’d question it if it were me,” Jordan said.
“You guys make it sound like I want to do this. Hell, how was I going to say no to a woman who was about to deliver a baby?” Dylan said.
“Easy. N. O. It’s not like she was going to freak out or anything. She’s busy thinking about her breathing and shit like that now,” Jordan added.
Dylan cocked a brow. “You seem to know a lot about this stuff. Why is that? Is there something we don’t know about you?”
Jordan got up and said, “Yeah. I read the information that Rosslyn had sent us regarding what to expect when someone you love is expecting.”
Dylan and Gareth looked at each other and burst out laughing. “I’m not even sure Charles read it.”
Jordan growled. “He’s the one who told me I had to read it and give him the short version of what it said.”
Seth laughed. “And you did it?”
Jordan shrugged. “I was bored.”
Gareth said, “I think you need to start hanging out with me. I have a few ideas to fix that boredom.”
“Thanks Gareth, but I don’t need your help in that department. I was actually talking about work. Things have been going so smoothly lately that it’s…dull.”
“Don’t worry. Dad’s flying in. That’s all about to change.” Unfortunately, that was truer than he wished. Their father wasn’t coming up just to see the new baby, and Dylan knew it. What was really behind the lengthy visit? He hoped whatever it was he’d been hiding wasn’t behind it all.
There’s only one way to find out. Sit down with him.
Their phones all buzzed at the same time.
WE’RE AT THE HOSPITAL. TELL MARIA SHE WAS RIGHT. LOOKS LIKE THE BABY WILL BE BORN TOMORROW.
“Well, that’s our cue to call it a night,” Dylan said. At least it was his excuse to get out of there. He wished he’d have bumped into Sofia again, but maybe it was better that he didn’t. Something in those sweet eyes of hers seemed like they could be more trouble than they were worth. But sweet trouble all the same.
3
Sofia had to admit, getting up before the crack of dawn to help her mother crack eggs for breakfast was going to take a bit of getting used to. It was only ten and her eyes were burning from lack of sleep. Of course, it didn’t help that she had tossed and turned all night.
Dreams haunted her again. That money she’d been given, five hundred dollars, needed to get out of her apartment. It didn’t belong to her. The stranger had thought he was helping someone in need. That’s exactly where the money should go, to the homeless.
Her mind was made up. After her shift, Sofia was making a quick stop at her apartment for the money, then heading into the city and dropping off the money. The coins from that sweet little girl, well, that was different. Sofia had put them in her jewelry box. Although it didn’t add up to even a dollar, it was priceless to her. It would always be a reminder of what a true compassionate heart was.
“You don’t have to stay, you know. You covered for me by coming in early. That’s why I’m here now. I owe you,” Emily said.
Sofia smiled. “I really appreciate you doing this. But it’s going to be a real long shift Emily.”
“Oh I know. And one day I might have to ask for another favor. So please, let me pay this debt while I can. Besides, things are slow today. Your mother will freak out if she sees staff hanging around with nothing to do.”
“Don’t I know it. The last time, she pulled out the silverware and had me shine them all again, even though they were already spotless,” Sofia said with a sigh. “If you’re sure, then I’ll go. There are a few things I needed to take care of anyway.”
“Hopefully something fun,” Emily stated.
Sofia took off her apron and hung it on the hook on the wall. “If you insist, then I’m out of here.” She knew better than to just leave. Popping her head into the kitchen, she said, “Mama, Papa, Emily is here and I’m heading home.”
“Okay. Go and have some fun. I’ll see you in the morning,” Mama shouted across the room, not even looking up from her pasta machine.
As she headed out of the restaurant, she couldn’t help but wonder, why was everyone telling her to have fun? She had a life. So what, she hadn’t been out for a while, but that was the price for working nights. Emily was about to learn that herself. The difference was, Emily probably would’ve been home with her little girl if she wasn’t working. Sofia had no responsibilities except for herself. Not even a pet.
She looked at her watch. It was too early to call Charlene to do anything; she was still at work. Sal was on duty too, not that hanging out with her brother was considered fun. Sitting in her car, she pondered: which thing on her list did she hate least? Getting chores done might not be fun, but hell, it was productive at least. Laundry. Hate it. Food shopping. I can eat at the restaurant. Housework. No one sees the place anyway. So much for her list. Nothing appealed to her.
As she placed her purse on the passenger’s seat, it tipped over. She tried to grab the wallet, but her hand got tangled in the straps and the wallet tumbled to the floor. Change went in one direction and the bills in the other. There was no longer a need to wonder what her plans were.
Leaning over, she scooped everything up and crammed it into the purse. She’d sort out the mess later. Right now she wanted to get out of this uniform and get on her way to the city. It was time to make a difference in someone’s life.
While she was in the city, it might be a good idea to check out things around the theater. Sofia had been many times to see shows, but she always went directly home afterwards. Rehearsals could run late, and she wanted to make sure she found a coffee shop close by. The last thing she needed was to fall asleep behind the wheel. It’d be great if she could take a break from the restaurant altogether, but she was thankful that Emily needed to switch. The stars were all lined up in her favor, and she wasn’t going to miss out on one thing this adventure was about to bring.
Once she had scoped out what she needed nearby, she decided to make one more stop before heading home. Sofia was tempted to hand the money over to the person who had been sleeping in the cardboard box in the alley. That would help, but not enough. It wouldn’t help get them off the street, maybe one night, but not permanently. This had to go to a place that would take care of many, not just one.
If she were back home, she’d know exactly where to go. Here in the city was a different story. So, she did the only thing she could and pulled out her cell to search for a local soup kitchen, one that fed the poor. There wasn’t anything like that close by. These were all backed by large companies and one that looked very familiar, Lawson Steel.
It was nice to learn Sal’s friends weren’t just rich, arrogant bastards. They were giving back to the community. Of course in her eyes, that was easy to do when you have more money than God. Don’t judge them for being rich. To her it was no different than placing judgment on the homeless. What you wore and what you had didn’t define who a person was. At least it shouldn’t.
Sofia opted to go to one of the local charities that wasn’t well known. They offered the homeless a place to shower and wash their clothes for free. They also handed out socks and such. Putting food in someone’s belly wasn’t the only way to help, and this seemed like the perfect fit for her. Besides, it was only eight blocks from where she was. That was walking distance.
When she arrived, Sofia found the place was extremely busy. People were lined up to use the facilities. Why hadn’t she ever thought about doing such a thing back in her hometown? Maybe because they were in the restaurant business, so food was their first thought. I’m going to need to mention this to Mama and Papa. There was so much more they could be doing too.
Granted, they weren’t rich like the Lawsons, but they never had to worry about where their next meal was coming from, and the restaurant was doing well. Her parents told her that wasn’t always the case. When they first got married, they barely could pay their bills. Papa worked in a grocery store stocking shelves, and Mama in a laundromat washing and folding other people’s clothes. It was their faith in each other that got them to open the restaurant. It didn’t hurt any that they both were fantastic cooks. But it took a lot more than that. Years of blood and sweat, long hours and a lot of sacrifice went into making it what it was, the staple of that small community. They didn’t need to be known all over, but in town, everyone knew and loved her parents.
I’ve got big shoes to fill. Impossible ones. That was one of the reasons why she needed to break away, make her own way. Sofia didn’t want to always be referred to as the daughter of Maria and Filippo Marciano. Although she loved them and was proud of them, she needed her own identity. That wasn’t going to happen back home.
“Miss, can I help you?”
Sofia turned around and saw a woman standing there wearing an apron that said, ‘Make a new friend everyday’.
“Hi. I’m looking to make a donation,” Sofia said. As she looked around, she added, “And give a lending hand today, if you could use one.”
“Oh that would be wonderful. We are short two people today, their kids were home sick from school. What are you good at?”
“Taking orders,” Sofia replied.
The woman laughed. “Then you’ll do great, because Patty is great at giving them. She’s the woman over there cutting hair.”
“You provide haircuts too?”
“Not officially, but if someone asked, then we do what we can. No one is going to win a fashion contest here, but we know how to give a good trim. Well, at least Patty can. Don’t you dare give Lori a pair of scissors. Not unless you want to wear a hat for a year.” She extended a hand. “I’m Caroline.”
“I’m Sofia. So nice to meet you. Can I give you a hand until Patty is free?”
Caroline said, “If you wait for that to happen, you’ll never get to talk to her. Come on over, I’ll introduce you.” Sure enough, when Sofia got there, Patty didn’t even stop. “Patty, this is Sofia. She wants to give us a hand today.”
“And I have a donation as well,” Sofia added. She pulled the money out of her pocket and handed it to Patty.
Patty didn’t even count it as she slipped it into her apron pocket. “Thank you. I’m sure I can put this to use. Since you’re here for the day, how about giving Caroline a hand? She’s on laundry duty.”
“I’d love to. Thank you so much for letting me help,” Sofia said wholeheartedly. This was exactly how she wanted to fill her free time.
Sofia thought she’d be doing people’s personal laundry, but in fact, there were a lot of linen and towels, a constant flow. She lost track of how many people had come and gone, some individuals and some families. All were welcomed without any question. By the end of the day she was exhausted. She thought waitressing was tough, but standing in one place for hours played havoc on her feet. Of course, she hadn’t worn working shoes and only had on her flat, no-support sandals.
As she was about to leave, Patty called her over. “Sofia, I think this is yours. It was with the money you donated, which, by the way, was very generous, thank you.”
She handed Sofia the business card. She’d forgotten all about it. The man had handed it to her telling her he’d help her get off the street. She handed it back to Patty. “The money actually came from this person. I’m just the middleman, or woman, in this case. Thank you again for letting me help.”
Patty looked at the card and said, “It must be nice to have such…generous friends. We have been trying to get their support for a long time. Guess this is a good start.” Patty slipped the card back into her apron and said, “I’ll give him a call myself to thank him.”
She was tempted to ask her not to, but what did it matter? The man had no idea who she was, and they surely weren’t going to cross paths again. Even if they did, he wouldn’t know who she was any more than she would recognize him. The entire thing was a blur, and it was best to keep it that way.
Before she left, Patty asked, “Would you mind if we took your picture and put it up on our wall of honor?”
“Wall of honor?” Sofia repeated, puzzled.
“Yes, it’s where we put people who stop in but decide to stay. Our goal is to fill this wall up. Of course, as you can see, we have a long way to go.”
Sofia looked in the direction Patty was pointing. There were about twenty photos, but room for a hundred times that amount. “Patty, I hope I didn’t give you the wrong impression. I can only help today. I work full time and at night I have…rehearsals.” She said the truth. No harm in that. The information wasn’t going anywhere.
“I didn’t expect you to.”
“But I don’t deserve to be on that wall. It was just one day.”
Patty smiled. “If everyone gave one day to helping another, imagine what a beautiful place this world would be. Sofia, you do belong there, whether you believe it or not.”
Sofia nodded and said, “If I can find time at all, I promise I’ll come back.”
Patty nodded. “Fate brought you through that door, and it will again.”
Actually it was Google.
She stood still for a moment while Patty snapped her picture with a camera Sofia had never used. It was something she might have found buried in her parents’ closet. How was this old-fashioned instant camera even functioning? The photo slid out the front and the clarity wasn’t great at all, but it was her.
Sofia handed the picture back to Patty and left so Patty could lock the doors. It had been a long day, and she was ready to get home. Yet she didn’t regret it one bit. Not only was it productive and educational, but it was also the type of fun she enjoyed and needed. But right now, she needed something else too….sleep.
* * *
Dylan had never seen Charles look as happy as he did right now, holding his baby girl.
“Guess you won’t be calling her Charles. You’ll have to go for number two,” Gareth teased.
Rosslyn shot him a warning look. “I do hope you’re joking.”
Gareth grinned, “Of course I am.”
Dylan knew he wasn’t. It fell onto Charles to keep the name going. Since he was Charles Joseph Lawson the Seventh, he needed to ensure there was an Eighth. I wonder if he told Rosslyn that. From the expression on her face, he didn’t think so. Right now definitely wasn’t the time to bring it up, either.
“Don’t you boys have something to do other than take up space in here? I’m waiting to rock my grandchild to sleep. That’s not going to happen with all your chatter.”
One by one they all walked over and kissed Rosslyn goodbye, then did the same to their mother. No one put up any argument, as they were all waiting for an excuse to bolt. They were happy for Charles and Rosslyn, but nobody wanted to be in the room when she tried feeding the baby. It might be natural and the best for the baby, but he wasn’t that close with his sister-in-law. Since little Penelope was starting to fuss, she was probably getting hungry. Funny, so was he.
As they stood in the parking lot, each let out a sigh of relief.
Ethan said, “I thought for sure she was going to ask me to hold her. There’s no way I’m touching anything that tiny.”
Seth nodded. “I’ve seen you fumble too many times when playing football, so that was a wise choice.”
Jordan laughed. “I’m not worried about dropping her. It’s the diapers. I’m in no rush to follow in their footsteps.”
“I don’t think any of you need to worry about it. Dylan is the next to fall,” Gareth said.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Dylan snapped.
Gareth said calmly, “We all saw it.”
“Saw what?”
“The way you looked at her last night,” Gareth continued.
