She did know that he’d lost his wife to cancer, but not much else. No, she had to keep herself at arm’s length and protect her heart. Keep the conversation on safe ground. She sipped her drink and then asked him about his work. “It’s a tech company you work for, right?”
He faced her and nodded. “Yes, that’s right. We host accounts for other companies and help them with their security, organisation, and systems. The company has grown into quite a large enterprise and we just secured a second major contract that’s going to make us grow even larger. Of course, our small contracts are important, but it’s the big ones that have gotten us this far.”
Very little of that made much sense to Tiffany. She knew nothing about the tech world or what it meant to have contracts with other firms, but she was glad to hear that he was successful. She’d heard it was a very successful company, one of the top ten in the nation.
“So, what’s your job exactly? I probably won’t understand what it means, especially if it’s some random techy thing,” she laughed.
Marcus laughed in reply. “Well, I started out as a programmer, helping to build some of our software. But then I moved up, and finally, Bree and I bought the company from my former boss. He was a great ideas man, but he didn’t have the skills to take the company further.”
She was confused. Did that mean he owned the company? “Wait, you mean, you’re the CEO?”
He shrugged, as if almost apologizing. She saw no mock surprise or false embarrassment. He was completely genuine when he nodded. “Yes, we bought it just over ten years ago, not long before my father died, when it was still a small enterprise. We took on a number of small contracts, and then, six years ago, the company snagged this major contract with a national travel company. It’s taken time to adjust to that growth and ensure that we were ready to take on another huge project.”
Tiffany still couldn’t believe that Marcus owned the company. She had no idea. She felt like a fool for not having known and wished she could take back the irrelevant questions she’d asked. “Wow. I had no idea. I knew you had a great position there, but I had no idea you were the owner,” she said, hesitant to meet his gaze.
How was it that she was going to an event with a man who was not only extremely wealthy, but who actually owned a multi-billion-dollar business? “So how does one go from being a programmer to a CEO?” she inquired further, in awe of his achievement.
“Well, I studied IT and got a minor in Business Management in school. Then I got a dual MBA and a Masters in programming. So, with those two skill sets, it seemed reasonable that I should use them both. It’s funny, though, the smoother the business runs, the more obsolete I become. We have a large staff now. For a while there, I was only going into the office for meetings several times a week.”
“You were only working a few days a week?” She frowned. Why hadn’t she known that? She laughed to herself. The mansion was so large he could be home and she wouldn’t know it.
“Yes. But over the past few weeks while we’ve been negotiating this new contract, I’ve become busy again.”
“What made you decide to buy your former boss’s business?”
Marcus sighed with a sad smile. “My wife and I talked and prayed about it for a long time. My boss had mentioned that he was considering selling and he wanted the right person to take over, but Bree and I weren’t sure if we wanted to spend that much money to buy him out. We had very little in those days. But after praying about it a lot, we felt that everything pointed to us going ahead and taking the leap.”
“Wow. I bet you’re glad you decided to do it.”
“Very. It’s just sad Bree’s not here to see what it’s become.”
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.”
“It’s okay. Anyway, tell me about your kids. Mike and…what’s your daughter’s name again? Sorry.”
“No problem. It’s Polly. Mike’s ten and Polly’s eight.”
“Ten and eight. You’re so lucky.” A winsome look crossed his face. She knew he didn’t have any children and wondered if he and his wife had wanted any.
She nodded. “I think I’m in the good years right now, though,” she said, fixing her gaze on a yacht sailing by. “I’m not looking forward to them being teenagers, especially now that I’m on my own.”
“I can only imagine how hard parenting alone must be. What are they doing this evening while you’re out?”
“They’re with my parents. They love having the kids, and it’s good for Mike and Polly to spend time with their grandparents. My older sister isn’t married yet, although she’s engaged, so Mike and Polly are the only grandkids and my folks adore them.”
“My sister has three children and my mum adores them, too, as you probably know. I’m sure she talks about them a lot.”
Tiffany smiled. “Yes, she does.” Ruth talked about them often, and photos of the three filled the living room.
Marcus glanced at his watch. “It’s about time to leave. Would you like another drink before we go?”
“No, I’m good, thanks.” Having relaxed significantly since arriving, she was now looking forward to spending the evening with him. Still, she had to remind herself that this was not a date. Marcus Alcott was CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company and she was just the woman who cared for his mother. Their date was nothing more than a date of convenience. She would have to be okay with that, even if she was suddenly noticing him.
He stood and she followed suit, taking the flowers that she’d set down beside her.
“I really hope you enjoy the evening,” he said as they walked through the house and made their way towards the front door.
Before she could reply, Ruth approached in her wheelchair. Tiffany hadn’t seen her and hadn’t even known she was in the house. Perhaps she’d wanted to give them time alone.
“Sorry for the intrusion,” she said. “I just wanted to wish you both well and tell you that I hope you have a wonderful evening.”
Tiffany smiled before leaning over and giving her a hug. “Thank you. I’m sure we will.”
“You’re more than welcome. And my goodness, Tiffany, you look amazing! I love your dress.” She kept hold of Tiffany’s hand.
Tiffany smiled. “Thank you. My mum made it.”
“Well, she did a splendid job. She must be a wonderful seamstress.”
“She is,” Tiffany replied with pride.
“You take good care of this girl, Marcus,” Ruth said, squeezing Tiffany’s hand.
“I will. Don’t you worry about that.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “We have to go, Mum. Good night.”
“Good night, dear.”
As they continued towards the front door, Ruth called after them, once more wishing them a pleasant evening. Tiffany’s heart beat out a staccato as they left the house and strolled towards the limo. Marcus had placed his hand lightly at her waist. She was sure it was simply out of politeness, but she couldn’t help the tingle that raced through her body at the touch of his hand. She felt as if she was in a fairy tale as they got into the limousine and it drove away.
The evening had already started out so magical; she couldn’t imagine what might lie ahead.
Chapter 14
The limo pulled up to the Ritz Hotel at Darling Harbour and Marcus took a deep breath. He’d been to many events here, including the past three years of the charity ball which had been hosted at the hotel. From the expression on Tiffany’s face it was clear and evident that she was impressed by the glitz and glamour.
She rolled down the window and eyed the view. A number of limos were ahead of theirs, and one by one they released their passengers and drove away.
“It’s amazing,” she said, awe in her voice.
“Wait until you see the inside.”
She looked at him with wide eyes and he sensed she’d grown a little anxious.
“I should probably give you a heads up as to what to expect.”
She nodded. “That might be helpful. Thank
you.”
“Well, I’m one of the main benefactors,” he began.
“Of course you are.” She chuckled, rolling her eyes teasingly.
He laughed in reply, although he wished he could express to her how truly unimportant he was in the grand scheme of things. He might be one of the main benefactors, but the real stars of the evening were those who’d battled cancer and survived. They’d been through so much, and he felt honoured to be able to support the foundation financially, because it truly was making a difference.
“Well, yes. So, as a benefactor, we’ll be paid quite a lot of attention. But don’t worry. No one will bother you and I’ll be with you the whole time unless, of course, you feel comfortable enough to talk to people on your own. Otherwise, all you have to do is stay by my side.”
“Stay by your side and I’ll be fine?” she asked, echoing him.
“Exactly. I won’t leave you on your own unless you want me to. But…” he said, leaning in close, “if you want to chat up any other men, at least try to keep it subtle.”
Tiffany laughed. She seemed to appreciate his attempt to lighten the moment. He was glad the joke had landed well.
“I promise I’ll ask for their numbers discreetly,” she teased.
“Perfect,” he replied, smiling. He was pleased that even with the serious chat they’d had on the deck, they’d managed to start off the evening fairly light-hearted.
There was something about her laugh that he truly appreciated, and it warmed him. She was a unique woman and one he was glad to have by his side.
“What else does a main benefactor get? Any special privileges? Do you get to steal stuff from the hotel?” she asked lightheartedly.
He chuckled. “All the time. I have a collection of pure silver candlesticks now. I take one every year.” His reply elicited more laughter from her.
The jokes were not overly clever, but it was still a relief to think he had something to offer other than his arm. Finally, their limo reached the front of the line and the driver came around to let them out.
Stepping onto the pavement, Marcus watched Tiffany’s face light up as she gazed at the hotel. He offered his arm, which she took, and as they made their way up the stairs, he could tell her sense of wonderment increased with every step.
The doors were held open by hotel employees who bowed and greeted them as if they were royalty. Placing his other hand on hers, he gave a squeeze of encouragement. She glanced at him and gave a grateful smile.
When they reached the main hall, her eyes widened, but hers weren’t the only ones. As she admired the room, others admired her. The gazes of more than a few men were on Tiffany. A number of the older women raised their brows, while others offered smiles of admiration. Marcus thought it best not to point these things out to her, lest she grow self-conscious, but it was clear to him that he was with the most beautiful woman in the room.
Entering the expansive ballroom, Marcus greeted each of the guests he knew. “Mr. Hamilton, very nice to see you. How have you been?” he asked, shaking the elderly man’s hand.
“Excellent. Last week was five years since I got my all-clear,” the man replied with a look of pure joy.
Marcus congratulated him and introduced him to Tiffany.
“My goodness, you are quite the beauty. And you’ve got a good man on your arm tonight, young lady. When Marcus helped cover the costs of my third surgery, I vowed to be as generous with my money as he was until the day I died. Of course, at that time, I thought death was much nearer, but alas, now I’m held to my word,” he said with a chuckle.
Tiffany shot Marcus a sidewise glance and lifted a brow.
He shrugged. What else could he do?
He greeted a number of other guests, many of whom were cancer survivors, or loved ones of those who didn’t survive. By the time they found their table, Tiffany leaned into him and whispered, “I suppose nothing should surprise me anymore, but you really are quite the philanthropist.”
Smiling, he replied, “I’m only using my resources the way they should be used. I figure God wouldn’t have given them to me if He didn’t intend me to do something beneficial with them.”
She nodded a little awkwardly, as if she didn’t understand the concept, but Marcus didn’t mind sharing bits and pieces about God throughout the evening if it meant opening a door for them to talk more in depth at another point. In the meantime, he was glad that she seemed to be enjoying herself and was certainly more comfortable than he had anticipated.
He looked around the room again, as he did frequently in case there was anyone he’d missed greeting. For the most part, general mingling would cover most of his acquaintances, and then after the organised events, there would be more time to chat with the guests. But he truly wanted to ensure he was not rude to anyone, especially as these were honoured guests, recipients of the foundation’s endeavours, or donors like him who sought to be generous with their finances and time.
As he gazed around the room, a flash of black caught his eye. A young woman with a short, black bob, thick rimmed glasses, and a similar body type to Sally Hubbard stood across the room, wearing a black dress that wasn’t quite the standard of the evening.
He blinked, and just as quickly as he saw her, she was gone.
Could it have been Sally? Had all his run-ins with her made him paranoid?
Thousands of women in the world had that same haircut and dark hair. There was no reason to start panicking and making assumptions. Sally was a lost young woman. Not a stalker. He had to stop interpreting her behaviour as anything more than that.
Besides, the room was filling up with people of different races, ages, styles, heights and body types. There was bound to be someone in the crowd who looked similar to her.
Marcus decided to relax and not worry so much. He didn’t have to constantly be on alert. He looked at Tiffany who was conversing with the woman who’d just sat down next to them. Glad she appeared so comfortable, he chose to focus on enjoying the evening with the woman who had unexpectedly captured his attention, and not on some imaginary stalker.
Before long, everyone had taken their seats, and their table had filled with other important benefactors and people he knew well. It was time to introduce them all to Tiffany and let her shine.
Chapter 15
Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Tiffany held onto Marcus’s arm until they were seated. Once settled, she tried to make polite conversation with the woman beside her, but her gaze kept darting to Marcus.
The whole event was foreign and slightly challenging for her, but for him, it was as if he were just having friends over for dinner.
His calm demeanour helped her relax, and soon she felt she was handling herself quite well.
“Amelia,” Marcus greeted and then stood to hug a woman who’d approached their table.
Tiffany followed suit and stood, ready to greet the glamourous woman with a high, black-haired bun and show-stopping golden gown. Tiffany guessed she was quite elderly, but she carried her age with dignity. Amelia was striking and it was evident that she was important.
“Amelia, this is Tiffany Harris,” Marcus said, introducing the two.
Amelia extended her hand. Tiffany took it before the woman gave her a kiss on each cheek. She tried not to snicker. Rich people actually did this at fancy events!
“My goodness, Marcus, she puts the rest of us to shame! And your dress. Tiffany, you simply must tell me all of your secrets because you look magnificent. Not only that, but well done for convincing Marcus to bring you to this do.” Amelia winked at Marcus and let out a small chuckle.
Tiffany smiled but was unsure how to interpret Amelia’s statement. Did she think that Tiffany had invited herself and she was after Marcus? Before she could stop herself, she said, “Well, it wasn’t me, but rather his mother who convinced him to invite me.” She gulped. Maybe she shouldn’t have said that. Was it proper to talk about things like that at events like this?
“Of course! Ruth is quite
the persuasive woman, isn’t she?” Amelia replied.
Tiffany sighed with relief. “She certainly is. She had to convince both of us that this would be a good idea. I think I rather got the better end of the deal,” Tiffany joked, glancing coyly at Marcus.
“Oh, Marcus, she is just perfect!” Amelia exclaimed.
Tiffany felt her cheeks warm. The older woman’s words flattered and encouraged, but also caused embarrassment. Was she giving Marcus the wrong impression?
After briefly discussing the schedule with him, Amelia made her way to the next table, promising to return. There were still two empty seats and Tiffany assumed they belonged to Amelia and whomever her partner might be.
“That’s Amelia Donovan.” Marcus finally had a chance to explain. “She has an amazing, huge personality, as you can tell. Her husband, Timothy, has a heart of gold, but is very nearly silent. His wife does all the talking, and honestly, she does it well. They’re the managing directors of the research foundation.”
The explanation was helpful for Tiffany, who wanted to understand the context of everything that was occurring. “It’s helpful to know that,” she replied. “Are they scientists looking for a cure?”
Marcus frowned and shook his head. “Fifteen years ago, their sixteen-year-old daughter became sick. They lost her within four months of her diagnosis. Not long after that, they set up the trust.”
“She was only sixteen?” Tiffany gasped softly. She’d never heard of someone so young dying from breast cancer.
“Yes. She was an extremely rare case, but it happens. They established the foundation and they host this charity ball every year to raise more funds for research. They’ll be sitting at our table, but they have to say hello to everybody first,” he continued.
Tiffany nodded solemnly. She couldn’t imagine the amount of loss felt by the people in this room. Nearly all those present had either survived breast cancer or lost someone to it. Or, like one of the men Marcus had talked to, had suffered other forms of cancer. It seemed the worst of tragedies.
Billionaires with Heart Boxset: Christian Romance Series Page 18
