My wish didn’t come true. If I thought I felt out of place in the back of the big, black, shiny car I knew for a fact that I would feel out of place at the restaurant. As Aiden helped me out of the car I said, “I’m not exactly dressed for a place like this.” He slid his eyes over me, leaving a trail of heat in its wake.
“You look beautiful. We’ve got no one to impress.” He maybe has no one to impress. I don’t think my confidence would hold up to his under scrutiny. Before I could protest further, he held out his arm and I took it. It was that or run for a cab. He led me into the upscale Italian restaurant where the lighting was dim and soft Italian love songs were playing in the background and I was suddenly thrust into his world. The hostess immediately greeted us and led us back to, “Mr. Scott’s table.” On our walk through the restaurant I could feel all eyes on us. My shoddy self-confidence would like to believe it was related to my appearance, but I honestly think I was practically invisible. The eyes were on him, and who could blame them? Tonight he was wearing a black dress shirt that he probably had a jacket and tie on with it at some point. They were gone now and I appreciated that as I watched the smooth material of the shirt ripple across his tight muscles with his every movement.
We were seated at a beautiful little table next to a floor to ceiling window that looked out on a lovely man-made canal with a sweet little bridge going across it. The light from the almost full moon danced across the water and the reflection played across the table where we sat. Our table was secluded from the rest of the patrons by large, lush sego palms in giant pots. For that, I was grateful. The walk to and from the table was humiliating enough. The table was thick, shiny oak and so were the chairs. Ours held a vase of fresh flowers and a set of red candles in a silver sconce on the table.
Without Aiden even asking, a bottle of wine was brought to the table and when the waiter left I said, “This place is beautiful; it seems they know you well.”
He grinned and said, “Yes, I come here often. I don’t know if you like seafood, but their Lobster Alfredo is world renowned.”
“I love seafood,” I told him. Not that on my budget I get to taste it that often. “That sounds perfect.”
We were brought a plate of sourdough toast and a bowl of tapenade and Aiden poured us each a glass of wine.
“Do you not care for wine, Holly? I’d be happy to have them bring you something else.”
“One glass would be perfect. Thank you Aiden.” I replied. Thanks to my mother’s bad habit I had never been much of a drinker, however I did allow myself the odd glass now and again.
I looked around the restaurant again and I had to wonder what a guy that could afford to, “come here often,” could possibly see in a coffee girl. He must just be one of those really nice people who felt blessed and wanted to share his good fortune with those of us who were less fortunate. In other words, he felt sorry for me.
“I think not drinking too much alcohol is a very respectable choice,” he said. He looked sincere when he said it and before I knew what I was doing, I opened my mouth and said, “It saves me a lot of money.” What the hell was that?
“That’s true,” he said.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I said that.” I felt my face go hot again.
“Don’t be sorry for being honest, Holly. I find it refreshing. I get exhausted sometimes just trying to sort through what is the truth and what’s not when dealing with people. I would imagine it’s difficult in this economy to make it on a waitress salary.”
I smiled, I couldn’t believe I was discussing my finances with this man whose limousine I’d just ridden in. He was just really easy to talk to. “If not for the tips it would be virtually impossible. I’m thankful for the generosity of my customers.”
“So no husband or boyfriend Holly? No roommate or anyone who helps you out?”
He was easy to talk to and he seemed very non-judgmental but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him about my mother. When you grow up as the child of an alcoholic you learn at a young age how to cover what was going on at home.
“No, no husband or boyfriend,” I told him. I didn’t mention my mother, but I didn’t lie. “What about you?”
“No, no husband or boyfriend,” he said with a smile. I laughed and then he said, “I’m divorced, from a woman,” he grinned on the last part.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said. I never know what the appropriate response was for, “I’m divorced.” Some people were happy about it and some weren’t who knew?
He smiled and said, “Don’t be sorry, it’s much better this way. She wasn’t happy with me.”
I couldn’t imagine that, not being happy with him.
“Do you have children?” I asked him. He had a strange look on his face and it took him an inordinately long time to answer the question.
“No, no children,” he said, finally. We ate in silence until we’d finished our meal. I was worried because he’d stopped talking. I thought I’d said something wrong, over-stepped somehow. He asked me if I wanted dessert and I declined and then with that same strange look he said, “Holly, I have a proposition for you.”
Here it goes, he’s going to tell me why a man like him would consider having a date with a waitress like me…This should be good….Or not….
“Okay.”
“First of all let me tell you about myself. I’m twenty-nine years old and I’m the CEO and owner of Scotto Enterprises, have you heard of it?” I was hoping that my mouth wasn’t hanging open at this point. Of course I’d heard of it. It started as a computer software corporation and being no financial expert, I’m not sure what it’s involved in now, but I do work in a café surrounded by businessmen every day and I’d definitely heard of it. The rumor was that the business was worth billions.
“Yes, I’ve heard of it,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
“I was married when I was twenty-three to a woman that I thought was the love of my life. We were together for about a year when she told me that she was pregnant. Words can’t even describe how happy that made me. All I ever wanted was a family of my own, and I thought we were well on the way. She had the baby, a beautiful, healthy little boy. I was over the moon. I did everything, I changed diapers, I fed him, and I bathed him. She wanted to hire a nanny, so we did, but I still usually had him with me. I only let the nanny take care of him when I was busy or at work. It wasn’t much though I had arranged my schedule in advance so that I could be home with him during the day. His name was Mark.”
I didn’t like the way he kept saying, “was.” People with babies don’t generally say their child’s name, “was.” If this story ends with a dead baby I might lose my dinner. I didn’t interrupt him though and he continued.
“Just after Mark’s second birthday my wife came to me and said that we needed to talk. She told me that she was having an affair, and had been for over three years. The affair was with a man named Jake, a man I considered my best friend since high school. I gave him a job….Anyways, that was upsetting, what was devastating was what she told me next. She said that Mark wasn’t mine and that she was leaving me, her and Jake intended to move overseas with my child.”
“Oh my God, Aiden that’s horrible.”
“Yes, it was. I didn’t take her word for it of course. I had a DNA test done right away. It turned out that she wasn’t lying. I thought about fighting it in court, but my attorney said that since she was his biological mother and was not considered, “unfit” that I would lose. I thought it was too much to put the baby through if I was going to lose anyways, so I gave up the fight. Sometimes I still feel like I gave up on my son. Then I have to remind myself that he was never mine, and his mother and bi-dad knew it.
Jake moved his new little family to Europe. He quit his job with me to take one with a corporation that was headquartered in Belgium. I haven’t seen them since. My heart was left with an empty space and for a few years I had no idea what to do. After a lot of thought and research, I’ve come to a decision, and that’s where you come in.”
I was so entranced by his story and so honored that he’d choose me of all people to share it with, that it took me a second to process what he’d said at the end. Then, I was confused. I had no idea how I could help him with this. I was even a little bit afraid to ask. He didn’t wait for me to ask though, instead he just blurted out, “I’d like for you to agree to give me an heir.”
I’m glad he waited until I was finished eating or I may have choked.
~
Chapter Four
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