by Claire Adams
“All right, take a seat, milady,” I said with a deep bow.
Gina giggled into her hands and sat down in a chair usually reserved for tea parties. Gina looked the part of a princess going off to a fancy tea party. She kicked out her feet, and I slipped the shoes on over them.
“I’m so excited!” she said, clicking her heels together when I was finished with her shoes. “When is Daddy getting home?”
“He should be home soon, so now I’m going to go get ready,” I said.
“Can I watch?”
“Sure.”
Gina came into the master bedroom, and I set her up on one of the chairs near the window.
I pulled out my dress, and she let out an appreciative, “Oooh.”
“You like it?”
“I do.”
“I’ll be right back.”
I went inside the walk-in closet and shed my bathrobe. I found this dress a few months ago at a boutique during one of our trips. Gina and Noah had gone off on their own for the afternoon, so I walked the area and window shopped.
When I saw this dress, I knew it was special. And I was proved correct when I tried it on. The strapless dress was fitted at the waist, and the bottom flowed down my legs in waves. A golden fabric peeked out the bottom of the dress that reached my mid-thigh.
I hadn’t worn it before, waiting for a special occasion. Even though we’d had plenty of fancy dinner nights in the past, none of those nights felt right. That is, until today. There was an electricity in the air that I couldn’t ignore and I had a feeling this night was going to be special.
I slipped on the dress, and it still fit me, even after all these months. I grabbed a pair of high heels and slipped them on, adding almost four inches to my height and accentuating my calf muscles.
When I came out of the closet, Gina jumped out of her seat. “Wow, Jess.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Then I heard the front door slam downstairs.
“Daddy!” she said and took off.
I heard his voice floating up the stairwell and knew Gina would be preoccupied. I took a moment to check myself out in the full-length mirror and couldn’t help but smile. I’d tied my hair back into a simple bun at the back of my neck, and I went over to my jewelry box to pick out a bracelet and earrings. The dress was simple enough that I didn’t want to overdo it on the accessories, but I needed something to make it pop just a teeny bit more.
When I was finished, I looked at myself in the mirror one more time before heading downstairs.
Noah’s briefcase sat next to the stairs, and I heard their voices in the living room.
Noah went into the satellite office once a week to consult on the operations of his company. I knew he couldn’t stay away forever, but since he “retired,” he was particular about the amount of time he spent there. And since going back, he had weekends off to travel with us, and he was always home before five. I was happy that he could fit in his job with his new lifestyle. It only took him a year to figure it all out.
I walked into the kitchen and smiled when I saw Noah sitting on the couch with Gina. He wore a suit from work, but this one was a little more dressy than normal. I’d been right about tonight. I didn’t pry, but I had a feeling that Noah thought tonight would be special too.
He stood up and crossed the room.
When he reached me, he took my hands in his. “You look absolutely breathtaking.”
“Thanks.”
He turned to Gina. “Shall we?”
Noah hadn’t told us where we were going for dinner that night. But I was surprised when he got onto the highway toward Sydney.
For other dinners, we stayed local to Mona Vale or one or two towns over. But this time it appeared I’d been right about tonight being more special than just a regular dinner out with the family.
Gina kept Noah preoccupied with the events of the day, so I didn’t get a chance to ask where we were going.
Though, when the Sydney Harbor Bridge came into view, I knew for a fact that Noah had something up his sleeve. We hadn’t traveled that far before during our monthly family night.
What was he up to?
Gina openly gaped out the window at the brilliant lights around the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. She distracted me enough that I didn’t realize it when we reached our distraction.
Noah pulled the car up to the curb of a restaurant. He lifted my hand and kissed it before getting out of the car to greet the valet. Two other valets came around to open the doors for Gina and me.
“Thank you,” I said to the valet.
Noah rounded the car and took Gina and my hand in his.
“Where did you find out about this place?” I asked him.
“I wanted to do something new for tonight,” he said. “I did my research.”
We entered the restaurant, and it was definitely one of the more expensive places. I knew my outfit was fine for the occasion, but my mind was unprepared for the elegant venue.
Noah strode over to the hostess and announced our arrival. The young girl beamed up at Noah and then signaled for us to follow her. I had no issue with the way women responded to Noah. It was almost like second nature for them to be attracted to his charm and good looks.
The hostess’ ponytail swished around as she walked through the restaurant toward our table.
Noah held tight onto my hand, and with my free hand, I held Gina’s. The place was packed, though I know Noah liked to have a window seat for these dinners. Gina’s manners weren’t of concern, but he really liked nice views. And I couldn’t imagine him making a reservation at this place without having a view.
As we neared the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the water, the Opera House appeared to float right in front of us.
The hostess pushed through the glass doors leading to the outside deck.
The edges of the deck were adorned with twinkle lights strung across the entire perimeter. There were hundreds of flowers in various clusters around the deck. A table set for three was the focal point of the space. And other than a bucket with champagne chilling inside, the table and chairs were the only other pieces of furniture.
“Noah,” I breathed. “Is this for us?”
“Yes,” he said.
The hostess retreated back inside the restaurant, and we went toward the table. A single red rose adorned two of the plates. Noah went over to Gina and helped her into the chair with the booster, and then he came over to me. I was still a little stunned and he had to prompt me to sit down.
I glanced around our general vicinity. It had been a warm day, and the heat still lingered under the cool breeze rippling off the water.
“I can’t believe you did this,” I said.
“Well, tonight is special for us,” he said. “For all of us. Jess, before you came into our lives, we were a strong family unit. But we were missing something. I was missing a partner to fill my heart while Gina missed a mother to fill hers. I thank whoever is up there looking down on us for sending you into our lives. I don’t know where we would be today without you. And I know you’ve been a member of our family since the moment you stepped into our lives, but tonight, I wanted to make it official.”
I opened my mouth to say something when Noah got up from his chair and knelt next to mine. He took my hand in his and lifted a black velvet box from his jacket pocket.
“Jessica Holland, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” Noah asked.
My head spun, and my jaw slackened. I wanted to scream out a big fat YES, but there was one thing I had to do first.
I glanced over at Gina. “Gina, I want to make sure this is what you want too.”
“I want you to be my mom,” Gina said with a big smile on her face.
My eyes teared up, and I turned back to Noah, nodding my head. “Yes, of course, I will marry you.”
Noah opened the box, revealing a massive diamond ring. He slipped in on my finger, and I jumped up out of my chair and kissed him. One of the thou
sands of kisses that we’d share as an engaged and married couple.
Gina came around the table to hug my leg. I broke the kiss and Noah reached down, lifting his daughter to his hip. The three of us embraced each other. And I’d never felt more whole or happier in my entire life.
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BILLIONAIRE IN HIDING
By Claire Adams
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Claire Adams
Chapter One
Garrett
“I don’t know what you did and I don’t care. While you are here, you are just any other drifter who’s looking for a job before moving onto the next location. I won’t treat you any different.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What’s your name, son?” the older man asked me.
“Malcolm — I mean, Garrett Reynolds,” I replied. Instantly, I knew the mistake I had made. Luckily, I also knew that this man in front of me was the only one who knew that I wasn’t who I pretended to be; his job was to take me in and keep me safe.
I was scared, I readily admitted that. I was in a strange city — hell, a strange state even. I was dressed in clothes that I would never have worn in my day-to-day life and the only thing keeping me alive was a government organization that wanted to trade my testimony for the conviction of a drug smuggler.
My life was very clearly in danger and I was grateful to be at the ranch with the silly cowboy clothes on. If working as a ranch hand and living in the middle of nowhere was what I had to do to stay safe, I was going to do it.
“It’s hard, but you can’t make that mistake again. Whoever you were before doesn’t exist right now. You are Garrett Reynolds; don’t forget that.”
He was stern with me and I appreciated the reminder. It was going to take practice for me to learn this new person that I was supposed to be. In my normal life, I was charismatic and social. I loved hanging out with my friends, partying, and traveling. But all of those things were gone now. Instead of traveling and having fun, I was relegated to lowly, ranch hand duties and I was going to have to like it.
The agent had given me two choices in where I could relocate to. Either take the ranch hand position in Montana or head up to Alaska and try my hand at fishing. Because I knew myself to get violently sick on a boat, there really was no choice for me: I had to go with the ranch.
“I know, sir; I won’t let it happen again.”
“I’m Sid Miller; it’s nice to meet you, young man,” Sid said as he reached his hand out and shook mine. “I promise you’ll be safe here until they come back for you.”
I trusted Sid, which was strange for someone I had just met and considering the circumstances in which I had arrived at his ranch. But Sid Miller struck me as the kind of man who always kept his word and wouldn’t do anything to let my secret out.
He was probably in his mid to late fifties with a big, gray mustache and weathered skin. He wore cowboy boots, jeans, and a button up shirt that were probably part of his daily wardrobe from the looks of the wear and tear on the clothing. Sid also had a well-worn cowboy hat that seemed to fit him as if it were custom made. There was no doubt that he wore cowboy gear better than me.
I struggled with the boots the most. They felt like I was wearing ladies high-heeled shoes. As I took each step, I put my heel to the ground and then felt off balance as the front of my foot hit the ground in odd timing. I would have to practice walking in them so I didn’t look like a total idiot as I started my job.
My new identity was Garrett Reynolds and I was supposed to be familiar with horses and farming. The problem was, I wasn’t familiar with either of those things. It was going to be the best acting job of my life if I could actually convince people that I belonged on that ranch.
“Sid, thanks for everything.”
“Okay, that’s enough of the pleasantries. These will be your quarters; I suspect they are far below what you’re used to, but you’ll be safe. Depending on how long you stay here, and how hard you work, I’ll move you up in position just like anyone else around here.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“For now, you’re a ranch hand. You’ll work with the younger boys who are here for the summer. This bunkhouse will be where you sleep and that building across the way is where the ranch hands eat.”
The ranch felt a little like a summer camp I had went to as a teenager. The bunkhouse was filled with several sets of bunk beds and small lockers at the foot of each bed. The lockers had padlocks on them, which I assumed was to keep personal belongings safe. Although I only had on small bag of personal items with me, and none of them were all that personal.
When I left my home in Los Angeles, I wasn’t allowed to take any photos or items that could be used to identify me. So, I grabbed my journals and a few other small items that were important.
Normally, if I went on a long vacation I would have my sister or one of her friends housesit my house, but it was too dangerous considering the current situation. Instead, I just paid for the highest level of security and I’d have to hope everything was still there when I got home.
“Yes, sir,” I replied. “I truly am grateful for the safety you’re providing.”
“Do you know when the trial will be?”
I looked at him in surprise. I didn’t know that Sid had been told anything about the trial that I had to testify in or the dangerous men who were threatening my life. As I followed him up to the main house, we talked briefly about the realities of my situation.
“Maybe a month, or maybe two years, I’m not sure how long the process takes.”
“I’ve had men here as long as six months, not much longer than that. So hopefully that gives you an idea.”
“Thank you,” I said gratefully.
Back home, I had left a thriving business in the hands of my Corporate Vice President, Casey Zane. It was a tough job and would require him to work harder than he was used to. I had confidence in Casey though; he had only been with me a year, but he had proven his abilities. Luckily, we had a top-notch team of leaders to support him in my absence as well.
The worst thing that could happen would be that my private jet business would go bust while I was away. And after having my life threatened and having one of my co-workers murdered, bankruptcy didn’t seem like the end of the world.
I had fought the idea of going into witness protection, though. I really didn’t like the idea of leaving my employees exposed to the evil character who wanted me dead. But the truth was that none of them knew about Frank Gordano and his drug smuggling business like I did. The only other person who worked for me that had known him was dead. So as much as I didn’t want to go into protective custody, it was much better than being dead.
“I’m going to introduce you to my wife. She’s the one that feeds you men and she’ll help with any questions you might have.”
“Does she know?”
“She knows that we take in witnesses, but she prefers not to know which of you are in the program and which are genuinely just here to work. It’s easier for her that way.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The large farmhouse looked much bigger as we approached it. There was a sweeping, wraparound deck and a white porch swing. It looked as if it was right out of a storybook, and when Sid’s wife walked up to the front door and let us in, I thought we were certainly in some sort of make-believe land.
I had a girlfriend once that made me watch made-for-televisi
on movies with her. As I stood on the porch of Sid’s perfect home, in the middle of his perfect, Montana ranch, I felt like I was right, smackdab in the middle of a made-for-television movie.
“This beautiful woman is Meredith Miller, but you lot usually just call her Mrs. Miller.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” I said with extended hand.
Meredith pushed my hand aside and gave me a warm hug. She was beautiful, warm, and clearly cared about the men who came to work at their ranch. I knew instantly I was going to enjoy my time at Miller Ranch.
Hard work had never scared me. I hadn’t become a success by being afraid of hard work. My aviation company was one of the top, private jet companies in the world. I had more than one thousand planes in the air and twice that many employees. Sure, testifying in this case had put me in a precarious position, but I couldn’t have forced my employees to do it. What kind of CEO would I have been if I hadn’t been willing to keep them safe and testify myself? Plus, any of the employees who had had contact with Frank Gordano weren’t even aware of what he was transporting on our planes. I was really the only person who know the whole story.
Meredith was tall, thin, and had beautiful, caramel-colored skin. It was obvious that she didn’t just sit in the house all day while Sid managed the ranch. As she pulled away from our embrace, she looked into my eyes and for a moment I felt like she could see right through me. I didn’t think she needed me to tell her that I was there under protection; something told me that she knew it right away by looking at me.
“What’s your name, young man?” she asked.
“Garrett,” I replied with a smile. Partially because I was proud of myself for remembering the right name to say and partially in response to the beautiful grin on Meredith’s face.
Just being near her and talking to her had calmed my nerves a bit already. She had a gentle way about her and I could see why Sid had married her. Someday I hoped to find a woman that I could love like they seemed to love each other.