“I guess that’s up to you. It’ll be one more thing Lisa will be pissed off at me about if you tell her you know.”
“I’ll have to think about telling Pam. But I get to tell her about the engagement unless you were going to tell her.”
“I was going to call her in a bit. She hurt my feelings on Saturday, so when she wouldn’t let me come over, I called Jennifer and proposed instead.”
“Pam was enabling you to stay a little boy.”
“You could say that, I guess,” Ryan replied. “It’s safe at your house. I’d move in if she’d let me.”
“She’d let you, but I won’t let her,” Randy said, slapping him on the back. “Grow up, Ryan. There’s nothing worse than a grown man acting like a loser, especially when he has everything.”
He enunciated everything.
“Whatever was done to you as a boy is over with. Stop making decisions based on your past. Every itch and scratch you have doesn’t need to be responded to. You had a bad blow, getting involved with Lisa in the first place, but that’s not your fault. I hope I never meet your mother because I have an earful for her.”
“She was a victim, too,” Ryan said defensively.
“Victim, shmictim. Anyway, it’s in the past. That’s over with. What is important is what’s going on right now, right this second.”
His phone beeped, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Putting it to his ear, he asked, “Who is it?” instead of saying hello.
“I’ll talk to you later,” he said to Ryan, and left the lounge.
Ryan wanted to see how Jennifer was faring after the ring reveal. A gorgeous young woman stood at the reception desk, and Ryan had to force himself to look away from her. The way she carried herself made him think of someone, but he couldn’t place who it was right away. She watched Ryan as she strode along behind Jennifer like a model, self-assured, leaving a trail of the fragrance of flowers in her wake.
“Miss Long, if you’ll come with me,” Jennifer said, leading the woman back to Randy’s office and winking at Ryan as she passed.
The woman made eye contact with Ryan too, only briefly, but enough that his penis moved.
“Who was that?” he asked Jennifer when she came back.
“I have no idea. But she’s sure tall,” Jennifer said, rubbing her neck after straining to look up at her. “Tall and redheaded.”
“Ha! Well, back to work. We’re going to lunch with Peter, by the way. Probably to get a lecture.”
“Do you promise to support me if he cans my ass?”
“Yes. You don’t have to work. Go back to school. Anyway, don’t start worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet.”
“You want to save up money for a house, I gotta work,” she said.
“You remembered that, huh?”
“What, that you want a house? I haven’t thought of much else since then. But we don’t want to commute, so it has to be an apartment in the city. I’ll live happily right where you’re at.”
“I don’t want to raise kids in the city,” he said. “They need room to roam.”
“Okay, I’m going to get fired if I don’t get back to work. I’ll see you for lunch.”
He looked around to see that the coast was clear and gave her a quick kiss. On his way back to the office, he thought of who the woman reminded him of, red hair and all. Sandra.
Randy Braddock paced while Laura Long explained how she’d happened to find him.
“I hired a PI,” she said. “Run-of-the-mill ex-cop. He paid ten bucks to run your name through an address-finding company, and I got the whole report, including traffic violations.”
She opened her briefcase and pulled out a sheaf of papers paper clipped together. He reached for them and thumbed through it.
“I didn’t know about you,” he said, finally making eye contact. “Your mother chose to keep you a secret and never asked for anything, didn’t tell me a thing. I should be furious, but now I’m just sad.”
Looking at him sidelong, Laura was trying to get a feel for his sincerity, but it wasn’t happening.
“Can we sit?” she asked, pointing to the chairs in front of his desk.
He pulled one over and sat next to her. “I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock, I guess.”
“Can I tell you about myself?” she asked. “Maybe if you know that I’m a normal person and not trying to get anything from you, you could relax.”
He laughed and nodded at her. “I don’t think you’re trying to get anything from me. If you’re my daughter, and I’m not saying you aren’t, I want to share what I have. Any parent would want that for his child.”
“I’ve already taken the DNA test, but you have to take one too, to compare mine to.”
“I’ll do it right away. I feel like I must make amends.”
“Mr. Braddock, please don’t feel that way. There are no amends to make. I worked through high school to save money for college. I have loans, but I got my degree.”
“You did? What’s it in?”
“Criminal justice.”
Frowning, Randy thought that was like political science. What did you do with a criminal justice degree?
“What are you going to do?” he asked.
“I found a job, here, actually. Security at the medical center.”
“Like carrying a gun security?” he asked, not too pleased if that was the case.
“No, assistant to the head of security. I hope it doesn’t turn out to be a glorified secretary,” she replied.
“It sounds awful,” he said. “I’m sorry if I sound like your father already. I wish you’d come to me sooner. We’re doing a big project for the medical center right now, and the CEO is a friend of the office.”
The minute the words were out of his mouth, he realized what he’d just said. “Nix that. I just remembered we gave the project to his girlfriend.”
“Jeez, that sound sort of collusive,” Laura said.
“It really does.”
He was thinking that after spending four million cash to get rid of Sandra, he should have been able to keep the Dutch house. Oh well, it was water under the bridge.
“Will you have lunch with me?” he asked.
“I’d love to. I don’t start the job until March first, so I have some time to get settled.”
“Where are you living?” he asked.
“In a residence. It’s not bad, actually. No bugs, which was my mother’s main concern.”
“How is your mother?” Randy finally asked.
“She’s great! I brought pictures,” Laura said. “We can look at them during lunch.”
“I’ll say goodbye to my partner and we can go now. I don’t stay all day. Just come in to see what trouble I can get into and then leave.”
He was thinking of what he had to tell Pam when he got home. The news about Laura would explain his nervousness…which was also about Lisa being pregnant. Young Ryan should call Lisa and tell her what he’d slipped up and done.
“I hardly know where to begin,” he said, leading her to the elevator. “How do we recapture a lifetime?”
“Mr. Braddock—”
“Call me Randy,” he said.
“Randy, then, let’s just get to know each other. I don’t think that many parents and children have that much to say to each other, but we have a lot of catching up to do. I’m so intrigued with your Adventure Trek series. It was why my mother finally broke down to tell me about you.”
“Well, I don’t do that anymore,” he said.
“I’m so disappointed! I mean, not disappointed in you, but I wish I would have tried to find you sooner. Gosh, that really sucks. Oops, pardon me.”
They laughed together at her comment. Randy held the heavy door for her.
“It’s freezing here.”
“You won’t be out in it for long. That’s my car,” he said, pointing to the limo with Frank at the wheel and Clint holding the door.
As soon as Randy slid in the car, he closed
the window between the front and back seats.
“I feel fancy,” she said. “I’ve never been in a limousine before.”
He looked at her and smiled, feeling benevolent, and then it bothered him. Randy was unpretentious, but he had butterflies in his stomach, and he thought it might be because he felt like he could lavish his wealth upon this beautiful woman who was his daughter. A movie still with Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle flashed through his mind, and he bit his lip to keep from laughing. He must be channeling Pam.
Feeling ridiculous, he needed his wife to keep him grounded, when thoughts of running off to a foreign land entered his thoughts. Something about Laura Long was precipitating a manic phase, and he knew if he didn’t reel it in, he’d be calling his producers and asking if they’d like to go someplace exciting.
“So would you really go on an adventure trek?” he asked, cringing. He seemed to have lost control of his mouth.
“Are you kidding? If I didn’t have to work, I’d sign up right now,” she said.
“You don’t have to work, at least not yet. Going on an adventure would help us get to know each other. It’s different than taking a vacation, which I rarely do anyway, because you have a purpose. If I can arrange it, would you go?”
She looked at him carefully, wondering if he was insane, as her mother had suggested. “What about my job?”
“Tell them you’ll be in touch, that something pressing has come up.”
“Will you put that in writing?” she asked, worried that like many crazy people, his memory was bad and he would forget the conversation.
“Absolutely.”
Randy leaned forward and slid the window open. “Clint, I’d like to see about restarting Adventure Trek for next season. Can you make the calls? We’ll worry about selling it later.”
“Sure, boss,” Clint said without hesitation, opening his laptop.
Randy slid the window shut again. “Would you like to come home with me? I’ll text my wife right now. She has a lovely home on the ocean. It would be relaxing for you after the residence hall. What do you say?”
“I guess I could do that. I swear I didn’t come looking for you so that you could support me,” she said, a little hysteria in her voice.
“Laura, I appreciate that. But I’m ready to start making it up to you, and to your mother.”
He thought of the money he’d spent getting rid of Sandra—it was a drop in the bucket, but that kind of money would make a huge difference in the average person’s life.
“What does she do for a living? I forget.”
“She’s a nurse. Don’t worry, she wouldn’t take anything from you.”
“Well, we can talk about that later. So, it’s lunch, then to your room to get your things, and then the beach! What do you say?”
“I’d say I can’t wait,” she replied, smiling. “I might sleep for a week.”
“You can do that, too, if you can stand the dogs. They’ll be sleeping next to you, smelling up the place.”
She burst out laughing. “I’d love it. I miss my dogs so much.”
They chatted comfortably on the way to the restaurant while Randy texted Pam.
I have an unbelievable story to tell you. I’m in the limousine with my daughter. She arrived unannounced. I’d like to bring her to the beach. I’ve already asked her to come, sorry. I have so much to tell you. I think I was channeling you today.
Pam sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee, looking at her phone. Smiling, she would have insisted that he bring her home, so it was possible he was channeling her.
By all means, bring her. Time? Permanently?
With Oscar, Bernice and Annabelle wintering in Rehoboth, the crowded house in Babylon not to their liking after living in the Great Neck mansion, there’d be room for his daughter. Pam was relieved, but sad about the family being spread all over. She already missed Bernice and let her know on a daily basis.
After returning from Staten Island, Nelda moved with Miranda to the apartment over the garage, just to give Randy and Pam some privacy. Pam would ask Nelda to move down to the children’s wing, Lisa’s and Marie’s old rooms, and Randy’s daughter could have the apartment. She was, after all, a stranger who might appreciate the space and privacy.
Randy answered her questions. We’re having lunch and then will pick up her things at the residence hall and then home around four. Love you.
He didn’t mention looking into Adventure Trek, realizing that she’d be angry with him. But it would only be for one trip and only so he could get to know his daughter.
They sat across from each other. It was the wrong restaurant, too formal with white linen and silver salt and pepper shakers, but she seemed thrilled with it, looking around, smiling when she spoke and even whispered, “Is that…?” and mentioned the name of a famous actress. It wasn’t.
Randy had a swordfish salad, and Laura had the house burger, a monstrosity eight inches high oozing with cheese, with a huge pile of truffle fries on the side. She seemed almost embarrassed that she’d ordered such a big greasy thing.
“I don’t know how to eat this,” she said, laughing.
“Do you want to trade? I’ll cut it and you can have part of it.”
“That’s a great idea,” she answered, handing it over to him. “Although I feel bad about the beautiful fish—it has a sword! But it’s already dead, so I’ll eat it so it doesn’t go to waste.”
“You are definitely my daughter,” Randy said, moved. “That is exactly what I was thinking when I ordered it. A little voice said you’re going to eat that magnificent creature?”
Continuing on their quest to make up for lost time, the first hour flew by, then the second hour.
“We should head back to your place,” Randy said, looking at his watch. “Pam’s waiting for us.”
“Is she okay about me?”
“Yes,” he said. “You’ll see. No worries there.”
Maybe a little worry, Randy thought. He had underestimated Pam’s response to Sandra hosting the show, and it ended up collapsing. He wondered if they could revive the show. It seemed unlikely. Doing an Adventure Trek would be a good way to pacify the producers. It was as good an excuse as any.
Phone beeping interrupted his thoughts while they waited for the check.
All set, boss. Next adventure, Bali. Pack your bags. We have one week to line up a crew, two to find a cast.
“You’re going to Bali! Quit your job before you even start.”
They walked out to the car, and Clint was smiling ear to ear.
“I’ll call the same people we had in Greece,” Randy said. “Add Laura. Clint, this is my daughter, Laura. Then Gladys, if she can tear herself away from her olive farmer; Violet—”
“Violet will never leave Dale,” Clint said. “Guaranteed.”
“I’ll have to dig through the files, then. I’m sure we won’t have trouble finding enough people to play.”
“Play? I thought you go to solve a crime,” Laura said.
“Trust me, it’s play. You’ll have a wonderful time.”
“Oops, I take that back about Violet,” Clint said, talking over the backseat. “Dale is retiring from the fire department, and he’ll be there, her words—with bells on.”
“Ha! Great! They were a great team.”
Now all I have to do is tell Pam I’m going to be gone again.
Chapter 12
Sandra accepted Michael’s invitation to go into work with him to look at the office space the hospital had to sublet. One of his buildings on First Avenue caught her eye because there was a cluster of real-estate support businesses around it: appraisers, title agents, surveyors, and contractors.
Putting together a team would take precedence over anything else. She was standing in the middle of a vacant office when her phone beeped.
“Sandra, this is George Crier from Video Solutions.”
Sandra knew the producer of Randy Braddock’s historic renovation television series, who had
taken one look at her and screamed, “Host,” when they were in the Lang office last week.
“I never thought I’d hear from you again,” she said.
“Yes, well, I am sorry about that. I hope you received our letter of apology.”
“I didn’t, but that’s okay. I haven’t been home.”
“Okay, I’ll get right to the point. We are anxious to begin production and are hoping you’ll consider coming back on board with us and allowing us to document your progress on the Dutch house.”
Floored by the request, Sandra didn’t speak right away. Where was Randy? She decided it wasn’t her business.
“Where does Lang fit into the production? They were adamant I wasn’t to be involved.”
“They won’t be associated with the series after all. They’re having difficulty finding a building to work on.”
Stunned, Sandra wondered what had led to the decision. Time would reveal everything. Thinking briefly that she should confer with Michael because he did own the house, she would use that as an excuse to stall a little bit.
“I’ll need to approach the medical center about it. They hold the title to the property and are paying for all the renovations.”
“Of course. If you need us to back you up, don’t hesitate to call me. In the meantime, am I rushing you if I ask for a decision by noon tomorrow?”
“No, I can probably let you know sooner.”
She thought of the blow job she’d given Michael the night before with her finger in his ass and was pretty sure she’d be getting whatever she wanted from him.
“Unless the offer has changed, are we using the same paperwork from the last agreement?”
“If it’s okay with you, yes,” he replied, knowing she was probably going to ask for more money.
“I do have a few changes I’d like to request. I’ll make those notations now and send it back to you by messenger if that’s acceptable.”
“Whatever you want, Miss Benson,” he replied.
She ended the call, eager to talk to Michael. “I’ll take this space,” she told the agent, who handed her the keys and left.
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