He waved a hand. “Right. Shouldn’t have asked.”
“Not a problem.”
“Shall I help you find your friend?”
“Sure. That would be great,” Ellyn said.
He rose and held out his hand for her. She took it. This was only the second time they touched and once again, his hand infused her with warmth. Part of her didn’t want him to break contact with him.
He led her into the ballroom. Shalia was on the dance floor. Had they been dancing this whole time? Only her friend would dance with the host of the party that they crashed. Ellyn was not that brave.
“Looks like they are having a good time. I’ll offer my car again; we can take you anywhere you want,” he said.
Ellyn didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to travel home alone but she couldn’t seem to get Shalia’s attention. She and Doug were gazing into each other’s eyes. She’d have to suck it up and leave on her own. She sent a text from her phone to Shalia’s telling her that she left.
“So what did you decide?” Colton said.
“I’m leaving without her. I sent a text.”
“She won’t be mad?”
“No, she’ll understand. She knew I had to leave earlier than she did.”
“So, a ride?”
She smiled up at him and his eager expression. The idea that he liked her warmed her heart. Would this work? Could she pull of this charade? “I really appreciate your offer but I need to get back home and I’d rather do it alone.”
He nodded. “Fair enough. I can walk you out.”
***
Colton noticed that Ellyn stiffened at his third attempt. Her eyes said she wanted to stay and be with him, but her body said the opposite. She was hiding something, but everyone was. Or he made her uncomfortable. He knew his height could make him intimidating, but he’d tried to keep out of her personal space. Tried, being the operative word. She currently held onto his arm. She hadn’t let go yet and he didn’t want her to. Those incredible eyes turned to him. She bit her lip. What was she unsure about?
He could send her in his car without him. He wouldn’t have to know where she lived. “How about you take my car and I’ll promise not to ask the driver where you live?”
Her face showed a myriad of emotions but she wasn’t sure which one of them she settled on. “Would he be obligated to tell you?”
“Not if I don’t ask. And I promise I won’t.” He put a finger on his chest. “Cross my heart.”
She smiled at the gesture. He wanted her to feel safe with him. He didn’t know why, but that seemed important.
“Cross you heart, huh?”
“Yep. Stick a needle in my eye and all that.”
“That might be extreme.”
He figured if he just let her sort it out in her mind, she would decide the right thing. The time was late and frankly, he didn’t care where she lived, she shouldn’t be heading home alone. He was far too much of a gentleman to let that happen. Even if he never saw her again, he wanted her to be safe. He had resources. He might as well use them.
“What do you say? I’d feel better if I knew you arrived home safely,” he said finally.
“Okay. Just to keep you feeling better. I’ll take the ride.”
“Will you at least text me when you get there safely?”
“Okay.”
He put a hand on her back; he loved the feel of her back. He bet it was sexy and for a moment, he had a vision of kissing each vertebrae as his lips traveled down to that luscious butt. Blinking, he shoved that vision down for a more appropriate time. Like when he was alone or in the shower.
“You need your coat?”
“I didn’t bring one.”
“Then take my jacket until the car arrives.”
He retrieved his coat from coat check then put it over Ellyn’s shoulders as they walked out to the street. He dialed his driver’s phone. “I need you to take a young lady home. She’ll tell you her address.”
“Okay, boss. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
He disconnected the call. “He’ll be here in ten minutes.”
“How will you get home?”
“He’ll come back for me,” Colton said.
“Oh.”
“I really want you to call me, Ellyn. We can meet for dinner. I want to discuss your future.”
“You make it sound so serious. I have a future.”
“I know but I have another idea for you. I think you have options.”
“I’ll think about it.”
He opened the door for her when his car arrived. “Good night, Ellyn.”
She handed him his coat. “Good night, Colton.”
He watched his car drive off then turned to go back inside. He wanted to say his goodbyes to Doug though, he wasn’t sure he could tear him away from Ellyn’s friend. Hope she knew what she was doing, Doug had a short attention span.
His friend was just coming of the dance floor. The woman was on his arm, her smile broad.
“Hey, Doug.”
“Colton, this is Shalia,” Doug said.
Colton nodded at her. “Nice to meet you. I just put your friend Ellyn in a car. She’s on her way home.”
“Ever the gentleman, Colton.”
Doug looked at Shalia as if he had other ideas about what to do with her. Sending her home was not on his list. Ellyn had said Shalia would know what she was doing, but should he warn her that this might only be a one night event? Doug would make sure she got home safely but not until he fed her breakfast. How Shalia was looking at Doug, Colton figured that she wanted this as much as he did.
Colton looked around. “The party is waning.”
“Yeah, an early night. Even if it weren’t, no one would notice if I left,” Doug said.
Doug usually left early and usually with a woman on his arm. Colton smiled at him. “Go. I’m heading out as soon as my car is back.”
Doug patted him on the back. “You’re a good man. We should watch football this weekend.”
“I’ll send a text,” Colton said, but he thought that Doug was already undressing Shalia.
He watched the two leave and laughed. Doug probably sorted out all the payments beforehand. There was nothing for Colton to do but wait for his car. He could have tracked its whereabouts, but he chose not to. He’d made a promise to Ellyn and he wanted to keep it. His phone buzzed and he saw she texted him that she was home.
He texted her back. “Sweat dreams, Ellyn.”
She sent him a smiley face.
CHAPTER 2
Ellyn had broken down and called Colton. Her curiosity had gotten the better of her.
“I wasn’t sure you’d call,” he said.
His voice washed over her like warm honey. She sat on her sofa, watching Derek play with some cars. “I wasn’t sure I was going to call, but you piqued my curiosity.”
“Good. How about we meet for dinner. I can have my driver pick you up.”
“How about I meet you somewhere,” she said.
“Cautious. Okay.”
He named a restaurant.
“I can meet you there Friday at seven,” she said.
That would give her enough time to get home from work and get dressed and back into Manhattan. Which, of course was where the restaurant he named was. Right down the block from where she worked; that was going to be uncomfortable.
She’d hear what he had to say and then make a decision, if there was a decision to be made.
She hung up with Colton after a short conversation. She called Shalia next, who was free and came over to help her find a dress. They walked to the thrift store, with Derek in tow.
“Now, I need you to be very good boy, Derek. I know you don’t want to sit still, but if you are good, I’ll take you to the park for some ice cream.” Any parent who said they didn’t bribe their child once in a while was lying. Her mother had told her that years ago.
“I promise, Mommy.”
He held her hand in his as he walked and ran and skipped alongs
ide her. She probably should’ve gotten him tired out first, oh well. He had his cars with him and she knew that this store had a little play area for the kids. Ellyn dropped him off in there. No one else was in the store at this moment so she knew he’d be fine for a little bit.
Shalia had already pulled some dresses off the rack. “Try these.” She shoved them into Ellyn’s hands.
“Okay. Keep one eye on Derek for me, please.”
“Sure.”
Ellyn tried on the first one and it was too tight. She modeled it for Shalia who gave it a thumbs down.
“There’s one in there that’s a DKNY. You should try that next.”
A DKNY in this thrift shop? High-end stuff like that usually didn’t make it into this store. She found the one Shalia was talking about and tried it on. It fit almost as well as the green dress. She came out of the dressing room with a smile on her face.
“Wow,” Shalia said. “Just wow.”
“This is it.”
“How much?”
“Ten dollars.”
“You don’t even have to think about that one,” Shalia said.
“Nope.”
She paid for the dress and she and Shalia walked to the park. Derek took off for the swings. He was just learning how to do it himself. Ellyn gave him a small push and he did the rest. She stood by the swings.
“So, is this a date with Colton?” Shalia asked.
“I think it’s a business meeting.”
“What if it’s a date?”
“I’ll worry about that, then.”
“This could be your ticket,” Shalia said.
Ellyn wasn’t so sure. Colton had been so sweet and nice which made her feel guilty about pursuing him for his money. Seemed cold and calculating. But if he was offering her a job or an opportunity, she might have to take it.
“I wonder if it would matter where I’ve come from.” Ellyn said.
“Might play well in the press if you’re successful and came from nothing. Still, I wouldn’t share that yet. You did lie to him.”
“Yes, I did. Thinking I wouldn’t see him again.”
“A lie is a lie.”
“I’ll have to come clean, if he’s offering me a job.”
“That’s up to you but I would hold off.”
“His driver knows. He had to have asked him,” Ellyn said.
“You don’t trust him?”
“Look what happened with Derek’s father. I’m not big on trusting men at all. Rich or poor.”
“But if you trust a rich man, he might have to pay you off if he does something bad.”
“I’m not nearly as interested in tricking him as you might be. How was your night with Doug ?”
“That was a one night stand, sadly.”
“Were you honest with him?”
“No, but he was honest with me. I knew going into it, that there was no future but I asked him for a favor.”
“Really?”
“I told him that I was looking for a rich husband and he promised to introduce me to a few.”
“You have the biggest balls I know, Shalia.”
Shalia laughed. “To me, this is business. I want out of this place and it doesn’t seem like education is the answer. I can’t even get student loans or grants to go to school.”
Ellyn knew the deal. She’d tried for years to get money for school. If she’d been on welfare they would have thrown it at her but she wanted to make her own money. The system was cruel sometimes to those who wanted independence from it.
***
Colton was as nervous for his date with Ellyn as he’d ever been. He was rich, successful and had women throwing themselves at him. But right now, his palms were sweaty and he couldn’t sit still as his driver took him through Manhattan to the restaurant.
“You going to be okay, sir?” Paul Scott, his driver, asked him.
“Is it that obvious?”
“As my mother used to say, you look more nervous that a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”
His driver had been with him since he started his company. The man had been laid off at fifty years old, after twenty years with a manufacturing company. Colton’s father had met him and suggested he be his son’s driver. When Colton met him, he instantly liked the man and hired him. The man could be a second father to him and he listened to his advice about anything. The man was well-read and Colton often wondered why Paul had never gone to college.
“Yes, I guess I am.”
“Why so nervous this time? I’ve taken you on dates before.”
Colton looked out the window, pondering the question. “I guess I see something in her that I’ve been looking for.”
“I get that. I remember when I met the Mrs. It was as if no one else was in the room.”
“Exactly. I was in a ballroom full of people and she might as well have had a spotlight on her. You met her, what did you think?”
“I liked her a lot. She refused to sit in the back seat so when I drove around the corner she made me stop so she could sit up front.”
“I’ve never sat upfront.”
“That wasn’t a judgment of you, sir.”
“I know, but the thought never occurred to me,” Colton said. Not that he ignored his driver. When he had no work to do, Colton often chatted with the man. He’d never met his wife, but felt as if he had based on what Paul had told him.
“I would feel awkward with you up here.”
“But it was okay that Ellyn did it?”
“Yes. She isn’t my employer.”
The words were on the tip of Colton’s tongue. He wanted to know where she lived. He had wanted to send flowers but he’d promised not to ask. “Makes sense.”
They fell into a companionable silence.
“We’re here and there she is, sir,” Paul said.
Colton looked out the window. His breath caught in his throat. Was this a date or business meeting? He had to decide. He didn’t mix business with pleasure.
Ellyn looked as beautiful as he remembered. She stood on the sidewalk outside the restaurant in a dress that hugged all of her curves. She held herself with a certain amount of confidence. Many men glanced at her as they walked past. That was saying something in Manhattan where everyone was always dressed to the nines.
“I’ll call you when I need you, Paul.”
“Enjoy.”
Colton climbed out of the car and he knew when Ellyn saw him. She smiled. Not with any shyness at all. She was so open. He liked that.
“Hi,” he said and then leaned down to kiss her cheek.
She let him. Her cheek was soft and warm. “Hello.”
“Have you been waiting long?”
“No, just a few minutes.”
“Good. I’m sure if I’d been late someone else might have asked you to dinner.”
She laughed. He’d been serious. He didn’t expect a woman as beautiful as this to wait long. He put a hand on her lower back and steered her inside. Mange was packed, but since it was one of the restaurants that his parents owned, he had a standing reservation. This afternoon, he’d called to make sure a table would be ready but in the more private part of the restaurant. Whether this was a date or business meeting, he wanted to show Ellyn a good time. She looked around as the maitre’d led them to their table.
When she sat, she said, “Nice place. It’s big, but somehow has a homey atmosphere.”
“You’ve never been here?”
Something crossed her face and she smiled. “No, never.”
“Good.” He handed her a menu. “I recommend the salmon. The chef does an excellent job grilling it, then putting a lovely salsa on top.”
“Mm. Sounds good. You’ve been here before?”
“My parents own it.”
She nodded, though her eyes widened for a moment. He wondered what that meant. He decided not to ask her.
The waitress came by. “Hello, Mr. Hamilton. Nice to see you tonight. I’m Cary, I’ll be your waitress.”
“Hello, Cary. Are you new?”
“I’ve been here a month.”
“Okay. I haven’t been in for a few weeks. Cary, I’d like a bottle of that Old Vine Zinfandel my father just started stocking.”
“Sure, thing. You need more time to look at the menus?”
“Yes, thanks.”
Cary left. He knew she’d have no other tables tonight but he’d tip her well for her attentiveness.”
Colton watched Ellyn over his menu. “I realized I didn’t ask if you liked wine. I’m sorry.”
“Your choice is fine. I don’t drink much wine but I do enjoy it.”
“That was rude of me.”
“It’s fine.”
CHAPTER 3
Ellyn’s hands were sweating. She didn’t see any of her usual customers, but maybe they ate dinner somewhere else. She hoped. How embarrassing would that be to have one of them see her and mention she was a waitress herself. She wished Colton would stop apologizing. This whole date was like a fairytale. The menu had no prices and she bet just her meal would cost more than she made in a week.
This restaurant probably had five stars in the Michelin Guides while the one she worked at had only four. Everything looked good, but she wasn’t sure her stomach could fit in any food with the butterflies currently occupying.
Cary came back with the requested wine, opened it, then poured a little for Colton. He swirled it, sniffed it, then sipped.
“Nice dark cherry and spice,” he said.
“What you were looking for?” Cary asked.
Would the waitress bring it back if it wasn’t? Not many people drank wine at lunch so Ellyn hadn’t needed to know about it. If she ended up getting a spot on the dinner shift, she’d have to learn.
“Yes, it’s perfect,” Colton said.
Cary filled Ellyn’s glass, then Colton’s, before leaving the bottle on the table. Ellyn took a sip. He was right; dark cherry and spice. She smiled at herself for recognizing that.
“You like?” Colton asked.
“It’s very nice and it’s helped me make my choice for dinner.”
“You ready to order?”
“Yes.”
Cary came back and took their orders. Ellyn asked for the filet mignon while Colton chose an aged rib eye. After Cary left, Colton picked up his glass and leaned it towards her. “To our first dinner together,” he said.
How To Marry A Billionaire: A BWWM Billionaire Romance Page 3