Ten Brides for Ten Hot Guys

by Donna Fasano

  “Shes-a back!”

  Chapter 52

  A visit from the private investigator, Adam Small, was the next diversion in Angelina’s suddenly reestablished happy life. The man had stopped by to give her an update about her treasure.

  “It seems all of the previous owner’s family has died out. In fact, his wife passed away a year after selling the building to you. Her estate was ironically left to a local charity. Now, I do believe by law, you are the owner of the bag of gold coins because it was part of the property when you purchased it. Check the facts with a lawyer if you’re still confused, but if I were you... well, never mind. Do what you have to do.”

  Angelina listened to the P.I. and decided she would take his advice. Some days earlier, she’d made a phone call to her company lawyer and had been given the same recommendation.

  “The young girl, Tee, who first found the gold and again recovered the bag after it was stolen, will be given half. The rest will be donated to a charity here in Victoria. Since I didn’t earn the money myself, I don’t feel any right to it,” Angelina stated unequivocally.

  Admiration appeared on Adam’s face and made her blush. “I don’t know if I could be as generous in your place.”

  “It’s not generosity, its civic conscience. The addict who tried to steal the bag of coins was a teenager. Something has to be done to get these young runaways and substance abusers off the streets and into rehab. And I know just the guy who works like a dog towards that goal. He’ll give me a hand finding the right organization that’ll use the money in a functional way that’ll help a lot of kids. What better use could the money have?”

  “I have to admit your plan sounds pretty special. If there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

  “Actually, there is one thing I wanted to discuss. Remember me mentioning Tee? The girl who saved the bag of coins? She has a job for you. Do you have time?”

  “Absolutely, all the time she needs.”

  Angelina lifted the phone and made an inter-office call.

  A short while later, Tee arrived, furiously brushing down her working clothes. “Sorry to be so dirty. If you want to wait for a few minutes, I can clean up a bit?” She looked questioningly at Angelina.

  “No need, Tee. I want you to meet Mr. Small. He’s from the agency we hired to help us find the previous owners of the gold coins. And, he has some good news. It seems I bought the building from an old woman who had no living family. Looks like we get to keep the gold. Even though I don’t know the exact amount yet, as I promised, half is yours.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “Oh yeah!”

  “There is a God!” Prayer-like, Tee clasped her hands in front of her face.

  “When we talked about the chance of you coming into half the money, you explained your circumstances. You said you’d been saving your wages in order to hire an investigator to find your birth mother. You can afford it now.”

  Having a hard time forming words, Tee stuttered. “I - I only have her first name, and my date of birth. I know I was born in Victoria, at the Royal Jubilee Hospital, but that’s it.”

  From the breathless way she spoke, Angelina was aware of how important those details were to Tee.

  “What’s her name? And your date of birth?” Adam began to fill in a form taken from his briefcase.

  “Her first name is Brenda, and I was born on August 7, 1999. That’s all the information I have. I don’t know if she tried to find me, or if she wants to be found by me. I’ve lived in Toronto all my life and grew up in various foster homes—too many of them. They didn’t like me enough to keep me. Can’t for the life of me figure out why?” She grinned, then shrugged her muscled arms and shifted to her customary I’ve-got-attitude stance.

  “It’s not a lot to go on, but I’ll give it my best shot. I’ll need you to fill in this registration document giving me permission to carry out this work on your behalf. It’ll also need to be signed by your guardian since you’re underage.”

  Cutting in and giving Tee the look that said—shush—Angelina asked, “Where do I sign?”

  Adam Small had barely closed the door when Tee shot across the room to Angelina, choking her with an emotionally-aggressive hug.

  “Angelina, thank you! Thank you!” Dancing around the room with typical teenage abandon, Tee, for once, acted like a normal adolescent. Angelina loved the pure youthful spirit of the girl, instead of her usual contrived don’t-mess-with-me persona.

  “Tee, what surname did you write on the document he gave you to fill in? I noticed you were careful not to let me see the name, but I really think it’s best to let me know, don’t you?”

  “You’re going to be pissed at me, but I just couldn’t put my own name down. I never, ever want to be that person again. I love being Tee. And I hate the other me. So, I borrowed Grandma’s last name, Butcher. Do you think she’ll be very mad at me?”

  “To tell you the truth, I think she’ll get a kick out of it. It’s best you tell her though, in case the investigator calls you at home.”

  “I will, I promise,” Tee said, calming down. A shy look appeared on her face. She ducked her head self-consciously. “All my life I’ve wanted to belong to someone. Maybe now, I’ll have the chance.”

  “Even if the outcome of this search isn’t what you’ve dreamed of, baby, always know I care about you and you’ll have a home with me for as long as you want. That’s a promise.”

  “Thank you, Angelina.” Tee was touched and showed it by the shine in her eyes and the huge smile she couldn’t seem to douse. Because it was an expression not normally seen on her troubled countenance, it added a delightful charm that one didn’t normally think of when Tee came to mind.

  “And… if nothing comes of this endeavor, you and I are going to sit down and put all our cards on the table. Then we’ll go to whatever agency we have to and see about some legal stuff.”

  “You’d do that for me? Why, Angie? Why me?”

  Angelina recognized the hovering emotion Tee tried to hide, but the continuous waves of affection were more than the youngster could control. Her feelings were powerful and her tearful reaction unexpected.

  Angelina moved in close and put her arm around Tee’s shoulders. “At first it was because you reminded me of someone. Obviously, a person I cared about, because you were important to me from the first time we met. But then I got to know you for yourself and now you’re just Tee. I need to be sure that you’re safe and happy. It’s about you now.”

  For a few seconds, Tee lowered her head to rest it on Angelina’s shoulder. Then she straightened, mopping her eyes with her fist. “Now look what you’ve done. I’m so happy here, I’m not sure anymore if I want my dream to come true. I love living with you and Grandma Evie. But I have to try, Angelina. I actually have a real chance with this money behind me. And, if it turns out my mother doesn’t want me in her life, then she’s the one losing out.”

  Clasping the youngster’s face between her hands, Angelina held her tenderly and looked straight at her. “Tee, if she doesn’t want you, I do, my friend. Both Grandma and I do.”

  “God, Angelina. You’ve been so good to me.” Tee choked up and her voice cracked. “You make me feel awesome. Most days I think I know exactly what I want, and then I look around me and see all my new friends, and I’m back to wondering again. My head’s all goofed up. You see, all my life I’ve thought of nothing else but finding her. It’s all I’ve cared about. I’ve felt a link or connection to who I think of as my mom and it’s kept me from ever settling for anything else. But at this moment, it scares the hell outta me. What if I’ve started something here I can’t stop and it turns out badly?”

  Angelina was astounded at the teen’s abilities to alternate between bottomless lows and mercurial highs and then back again. Only the lows were places no-one Tee’s age should ever have to go, and Angelina promised herself that if she had anything to do with it, the young girl wouldn’t have to suffer them again.

 
; “We’ll take it one step at a time. First, let’s see what Adam comes up with. Okay?”

  “Okay!”

  Chapter 53

  A week later, the telephone’s shrilling made Angelina jump, yanking her from deep concentration. “Miss Serrano, this is Sam Black. My father would like to make an appointment with you. As you might expect, we received your financial report from the auditors, and would appreciate a chance to discuss the results and make our apologies in person.”

  Singing a little song in her mind, Angelina kept her voice free of the giddiness. “When would be good for you, Mr. Black?”

  “Please, after all we’ve been through, I hope you’ll call me Sam. My father is anxious to see you as soon as possible. We would be happy to come at your convenience.”

  “After lunch today, say two pm? I’m sorry, but my morning is full.” She couldn’t help feeling righteous for keeping them waiting and relieved that it was the truth.

  “Two o’clock will be fine. We’ll look forward to meeting with you then.”

  Angelina leapt from her black leather swivel chair and charged into the outer office.

  Loudly she crowed, “I just made an appointment with Nathan Black and his son Sam for two o’clock this afternoon. They want to apologize in person. We did it, you guys. In a little over a week we reconstructed and presented the books to the auditors, and proved our innocence. Gracias Dios!” she gulped and promptly burst into tears.

  Instantly surrounded, she struggled to control herself. It wasn’t until Coralee said, “Stop it or you’ll have us all bawling and you and I both know, Johnnie’s pathetic when he’s emotional,” that her tears changed to laughter.

  ~*~

  Coralee knocked at Angelina’s door precisely at two pm to admit Sam and Nathan Black. Her childish grimace behind them when leaving the room forced Angelina to bite her cheeks rather than laugh.

  Standing, shaking hands and politely inviting the two men to take a seat gave Angelina time to let the nerves inside her settle and relax.

  It was noticeably foreign to Mr. Black’s nature to be in a situation where he was forced to apologize, but he was a gentleman of the old school. With steely resolve, and a professional code of ethics that demanded he lower his pride, he spoke, enunciating every word harshly. “Miss Serrano, I believe you’ve met my son, Sam, who has agreed to join our company. He was out of the country for years and only recently returned.”

  Angelina was still trying to decide if the man could possibly be genuine. No male had the right to look this good – not without plastic surgery. She stifled a smile at her silliness and remembered the impression she’d gathered from their first meeting. Nothing had changed. From the top of his fashionably-styled blond hair to his expensive leather shoes this man could sweep any woman off her feet and make her happy to fall. Of medium height, with every inch put to first-class use, and using his sexy eyes like a pro, he smiled in a slow intimate way as he held out his hand. “You said I’d be the one apologizing at our next meeting and I’m happy to admit you were right.”

  “Mr. Black...” He raised his eyebrow, his stunning brown eyes and slightly insolent attitude telling her that wasn’t acceptable. Shrugging, she changed her mind and said, “Sam, thank you for saying that.”

  “Angelina, my firm has given all our business to Serrano’s for almost two years, since you first started up, and your performance has excelled any other firm we’d used previously. Your standards have been of the highest caliber and it has been a pleasure doing business with you.” The older man, visibly upset, looked much more aged than the last time she had seen him, maybe a month or so before the earthquake.

  “Muchas gracias,” she said, interrupting. “May I offer you gentlemen a coffee or a cold drink?” Maybe a beverage would help to relax poor Mr. Black senior.

  “No, thank you,” both answered in unison.

  “Angelina, the bottom line is that someone in my own organization, thinking your books would have been destroyed by the earthquake, took this opportunity to misappropriate the funds. You have been fully exonerated, and the fact that you were ever implicated is intolerable to me. Especially since I have had the honor to work as your father’s lawyer here in Canada for many years and was asked by him to help guide you when you first came to Victoria. My relationship with him will suffer from this situation I have no doubt, and for that I am truly sorry.”

  “I don’t see why he has to know. I have said nothing about our problem to anyone other than my staff and a few very close friends.”

  “I don’t deserve your thoughtfulness, child, but I gladly accept it.”

  “I won’t tell if you don’t.” Angelina reached over to pat the old man’s quivering hands. “Por favor, can you explain to me what happened?”

  “My personal assistant, who held a responsible position and was therefore able to manipulate the outcome, made the allegations. It was also this person who arranged for the lawyers to draft you the scurrilous letter and victimize you. The ingrate has since been fired and is no longer with our company. My faith was such that full access to the bank accounts and adequate power enabled the unconscionable thief to carry on right under my very nose.”

  Having said this, the older man slumped back in his chair as if an unbearable weight had slackened the stiffness in his spine. He looked devastated, destroyed, a quivering mess.

  Angelina, with a heart softened by pity for the suffering man, was on her knees next to him in an instant. She scooped up his shaking hands and rubbed them warmly. In a gently chiding voice, she cajoled, “Nathan, please do not be so concerned. I’ve always maintained daily back-ups and kept them in the safe at home in case of emergencies. It’s how I was able to restore your files so quickly and accurately. All is well now. Your books are in order and up to date, my company is in the clear and we are still amigos, si?”

  Next to her, Sam, also on one knee, put his arm consolingly around the older man’s bowed shoulders and coaxed, “Please, Dad. Angelina has accepted our apologies and mercifully is still our accountant. All is well. Let me take you home now.”

  Mr. Black senior nodded his head and angled a gaze at Angelina, his eyes blotchy with red veins throughout. He lifted a hand marred with age spots and wrinkles to pat her cheek like one would a child. “Why couldn’t I have had a daughter like you?” He sighed heavily and got up to leave. Standing, leaning strongly on his son, he went to the doorway and turned.

  “Thank you, my dear. Sam will be in charge of our company from now on. Therefore, if you need to speak with someone, he’ll be glad to look after you.”

  “That’ll be fine. Please go straight home now and rest. Don’t fret another minute over this unfortunate mistake.”

  “Thank you, Angelina,” Sam added. “Would you by any chance be free for dinner tonight? It would be my pleasure to escort you for a lavish meal at a very exclusive restaurant,” he grinned, “as my father’s guest of course.”

  Seeing a fleeting smile hovering over Nathan’s countenance while awaiting her reply, Angelina agreed purely to bring cheer to the despondent older man. It did—immensely.

  After they left, Angelina took a few minutes to chastise herself for wishing the invitation had come from someone other than Sam. A handsome devil of a flirt who couldn’t see the treasure he kept rejecting. But it was past time to stop thinking of Joe as the only fish in a sea of sharks. She needed to start respecting her own worth.

  Oh, Joe!

  Chapter 54

  At the end of the day, when Angelina left a mite early because of her date, Coralee had both Lee and Johnnie in the corner working on nefarious plans to get Joe back in the picture.

  “What’s this Sam guy like?” Lee asked.

  “He’s obviously experienced, a lover who would know how to treat a woman. I can spot one of those hustlers a mile off.” Coralee giggled when she saw jealousy flash over Lee’s face. “Down, tiger, I never did like his type. Too smooth! Any man who looks better than me isn’t one I want to
compete with.”

  Johnnie listened and nodded at Coralee’s sentiments. “I just had an idea. Lee, maybe you should invite Joe out for dinner tonight? You say he’s been down in the dumps lately, so a good friend would want to cheer him up.”

  Coralee squealed, “You brilliant busybody, I love it!”

  Lee looked from one to the other. “What?”

  “It’s simple. John-boy and I will tail the couple as they leave Angelina’s house, and call you to tell you where you will be taking Joe.”

  “Aw, Cora honey, I don’t know? It feels kind of sneaky.”

  “So? And your problem is?”

  “I’m in as long as I get to drive the surveillance vehicle.” Johnnie smirked at the long-faced guy sitting next to him.

  “One day, he’ll thank you,” Coralee pushed.

  “You think? When he’s in the slammer, serving fifteen for murdering his once-upon-a-time best friend? I’m telling’ you, Coralee, I don’t feel good about this.”

  “Let’s put it this way. Do you really want to have kids?”

  Jumping up, Lee raised his arms beseechingly. “So why should that bum get off scot-free?” He looked from Johnnie to Coralee. “Right?”

  “Damn right!”

  Chapter 55

  That evening, Tee, Grandma Evie and even Rosario were skulking around the living room, waiting to catch a glimpse of the expected escort. Tee wasn’t sure how she felt about this date: edgy, confused, frustrations niggling. It should be Joe, she thought, still a fan. Not sure why, since he’d made Angie sad. But somehow, Tee understood that he was all mixed up and just as unhappy.

  Earlier, Grandma Evie had worked hard, trying to get Tee to accept a substitute for Joe, solely because of the misery her girl was suffering on account of his indecisiveness. “If this Adonis can put the sparkle back into my little girl, then he’s welcome.”