“Don’t stare too hard,” Josh said, flashing her a pearly-white smile. “These walls represent Prescott George’s history, and rumor has it if you stare too hard into the eyes of a founder, you’ll begin to think the photograph is really staring back at you.”
Becca laughed it off. “Yeah, right.” She was still thinking about Josh’s words when they entered a large room. At first glance, it looked like an old boy’s club with wood paneling and leather furniture as the main decor. To Becca, the room screamed old money. On one wall, there were floor-to-ceiling glass shelves covered with bottles of Scotch. On another wall sat rows and rows of books that Becca wished she could take a peek at. In the center of the room was a large unlit fireplace. But what really got her attention was the group of men clustered around it. All of them oozed richness and power, even as they stared at her and Haley as if they were the main attraction.
“I take that back,” Haley whispered. “They may have been discussing important Mogul business, but we have definitely captured their attention.”
Becca swallowed. Seeing a group of men like the Moguls all in one room was intimidating and intriguing all at the same time. As Josh introduced them, she noted that each man either welcomed them, gave them a nod or raised their glass. Then, as quickly as they’d become the center of attention, suddenly they weren’t.
“Well, that was nerve-racking,” Haley said.
“They’re all harmless,” Josh said with a laugh. “Right now, I’m sure they’re all taking bets on the latest sports game. Usually, if the Moguls each have a Scotch in their hand, we’re almost finished discussing business. Back in the day, smoking stogies would have been an indicator.”
Becca noticed Josh stiffen when his eyes caught someone over her shoulder. She turned to the man as he approached.
“Ladies, my name is Ashton Rollins and I’m the president of Prescott George. I’d like to thank you for accepting our meeting invitation and congratulate you on being chosen as the charity recipient for this year’s gala.”
“Thank you.” Becca shook Ashton’s hand. After several moments, she cleared her throat when Haley didn’t speak up.
“Thank you,” Haley finally said. Haley was still staring at Ashton as he walked away. When she looked back at Becca, all Becca could do was smile. In all honesty, she understood the effect that Ashton had on Haley. Josh had the same effect on her.
“Okay,” Josh said, getting their attention. “In about five minutes, you two will give your presentation on The Aunt Penny Foundation. I’ve talked about the foundation at length, but nothing is as good as hearing the details from the horse’s mouth. Let your passion seep through your words and I’m sure all the members will see what I’ve been saying for weeks.”
Becca looked at him expectantly. “And what have you been saying?”
Josh searched her eyes, briefly dropping his gaze to her lips. “That The Aunt Penny Foundation was created by extremely talented and passionate women who are determined to make a difference in the community by giving less fortunate students a chance to go to college—an opportunity they otherwise wouldn’t have. They know you’re both amazing. You just have to prove to them how amazing.”
Although the foundation had a lot riding on this meeting, Becca’s mind was frazzled with thoughts of the man staring back at her. When they’d first met, it had seemed as if he was always saying the wrong thing. Now she felt like he was always saying the right thing.
His jaw clenched and she noticed he also squeezed his fists together at his sides. I wonder if he’s having as hard a time keeping his hands off me as I am keeping mine off him.
Becca thought back to a conversation she, Haley and a couple other girlfriends had had in college. Becca had teased one of their friends who’d claimed that a guy in her English class was so sexy, she could “jump his bones.” Having never experienced the feeling herself, it had been easy to make fun of the statement. But back then, she hadn’t known Joshua DeLong. Now that she did, she wished she’d listened to the women as they’d given tips and tricks on keeping their womanly urges under control. She’d need every one of them to resist this sexy man.
“Earth to Becca,” Haley whispered. “Would you get a room already?”
At Josh’s smile, Becca immediately closed her eyes. She didn’t know what was worse: the fact that Haley was right—all she wanted to do was drag Josh to the nearest empty room and make sweet love to him—or the fact that Josh had obviously heard Haley’s bad rendition of a whisper. Becca sighed. This is going to be the longest presentation of my life.
A chime echoing throughout the room caused her to open her eyes.
“It’s time,” Josh said as he led them through a side door to a conference room. Becca and Haley took a couple seats at the end of the front row as Josh went to the podium to make introductions. Once they were seated Haley’s phone chimed, indicating that she had a text message.
“You need to shut off your phone,” Becca whispered.
“Sorry.” Haley grabbed her phone out of her purse and read the message. Seconds later, the handbag tipped off her lap, spilling a few items onto the floor. When Becca glanced at her, all color was drained from Haley’s face.
Becca touched her shoulder and spoke in a low voice. “Hales, what is it? Is everything okay?”
“No, it’s not. Aunt Penny has been taken to the hospital. My parents don’t know what’s wrong yet.” Haley was on the brink of tears as she gathered her fallen items. She showed Becca the text message when she leaned over to help her. The text was cryptic, but it didn’t sound good.
“Oh my goodness, let’s go. I’ll drive your car to the hospital.”
“No, you can’t do that,” Haley whispered. “The foundation has a lot riding on this presentation. You stay here and I’ll call you as soon as I know more.”
“No, Haley. Let me come with you.” Becca glanced around to make sure no one could hear them. “It’s Aunt Penny. We have to check on her.”
Haley spoke a little more sternly. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime meeting. I need you to get up there and give a presentation that will wow the Moguls so much, they’ll support The Aunt Penny Foundation past the gala. I need you, Becca.”
Becca’s own eyes were filling with tears, but she shook them off. “Okay, you go and I’ll stay here. But the minute you know more, promise you’ll tell me.”
“I promise.” Haley made a quick exit just as Josh called them to take the stage. Becca appreciated the applause; it concealed the loud sigh that had escaped her lips when she rose from her seat. She ignored the concerned look on Josh’s face when she approached the podium. Now isn’t the time to get frazzled, Becca. Now is the time to deliver. She may have been upset. She may have wished she was headed to see Aunt Penny instead of giving this presentation. However, she’d never let Haley down. Haley, Aunt Penny and the foundation needed her to step up now more than ever.
* * *
Becca was the consummate professional. There was no other way to put it. She was delivering a presentation worthy of a roomful of millionaires, yet Josh could tell that something was wrong. He doubted any of the Moguls could detect her emotions, but he noticed the tension in her posture and the stress lines in her forehead.
When her presentation ended, the men gave her a standing ovation. Josh didn’t miss the appreciative glances that some of the men were shooting her way. He couldn’t blame them. She looked beautiful in her sleek black dress and black heels. Her hair, free and flowing around her shoulders, looked just as striking as it had the last time he’d seen her.
Every time a Mogul approached her, Becca politely smiled, but her eyes were screaming a different message: I need to leave and I need to leave now.
“Are you okay?” Josh asked when he was able to corner her alone.
She shook her head. “No, I’m not okay. Right before the prese
ntation, Haley got a message that Aunt Penny was rushed to the hospital. I don’t have any more information and all I want to do is take a cab out of here, but this meeting is important to us.”
Josh was already shaking his head. “Your presentation went great. You’ve done what you came here to do. Let me drive you to the hospital.”
Becca nodded her head. “Okay. Thank you.”
“Stay here and I’ll be right back.” Josh searched the room for Daniel Cobb. They’d been playing phone tag for days and lately it had been more apparent than ever that Prescott George was stuck in the Dark Ages. Daniel and Josh were finally supposed to talk to a few other members about the direction of Prescott George.
He spotted Daniel talking with Ashton. Crap. There was no way he could pull Daniel aside with Ashton right there. Although it had been over a month, Josh still recalled his argument with Ashton about the way the organization handled charity outreach and public relations. He didn’t need a repeat performance, especially when Becca needed him.
Deciding he’d just text Daniel later, Josh walked back over to Becca and led her out of the building and to his car.
“Do you know what hospital Aunt Penny is at?”
“Yeah, Haley texted me when she arrived.” Becca showed him the message. Josh typed the address into his GPS and then placed a hand over Becca’s.
“It’s going to be okay. Don’t worry.”
“You don’t understand,” Becca said as her voice cracked with emotion. “Aunt Penny is more than just the name behind the foundation. I know I told you what she means to Haley, but she means a lot to me, too. Although I love my family, my relationship with my parents has always seemed to have strings attached. When Haley and I became roommates in college and I had the pleasure of meeting Aunt Penny, I felt like all of a sudden I had my own personal cheerleader.”
Josh glanced at Becca to make sure she was still holding up okay. “Maybe you would feel better if you called Haley and told her you were on your way.”
“That’s a good idea.” Becca dialed Haley and didn’t relax her shoulders until she heard Haley’s voice.
“Everything went great. Josh is bringing me to the hospital right now.” Becca frowned. “Haley, I want to be there. You shouldn’t have to go through this alone.”
Josh squeezed her hand for support. It was difficult knowing what she needed when he could only hear one side of the conversation.
“Okay, Hales. I love you and I’m here for you if you need anything. Keep me in the loop.” Becca placed her phone in her lap and sighed. “They don’t know much about Aunt Penny’s current condition, but for now she can’t have any visitors. Haley is there with her parents. She says she’s okay and she’ll call me if anything changes.”
Josh just kept driving while Becca gathered her thoughts. He hated seeing her look so helpless. “Do you want me to take you home?”
She didn’t look his way when she spoke. “If you don’t mind, that would be great.”
There’s nothing I’d mind doing for you. He didn’t dare say the words that were floating around in his head. “I don’t mind at all,” he said instead.
Josh turned his car around to head in the direction of Becca’s home. He took her lead and remained silent the entire drive there, never removing his free hand from hers.
Chapter 10
“Is it okay if I walk you to your door?” Josh asked after he pulled into a parking space in her lot.
Becca looked from her complex to Josh. “Actually, if it isn’t too much trouble, would you mind coming up for a while? I could make us some tea.”
Josh ran the back of his hand down her cheek. “Sure.”
Normally, Becca would never have invited Josh up to her cute one-bedroom condo in the middle-class Floridian neighborhood. It wasn’t that she was ashamed of where she lived. Quite the opposite. Whether Josh was a millionaire or not, she was proud of her condo and the neighborhood she lived in.
It was just that there was something extremely personal about inviting him into her home. Had she not been so upset over Aunt Penny, she probably would have thought twice about it.
“Here we are,” she said, opening her door. Josh stepped through the threshold of her humble abode. After growing up in a house with entirely too many rooms, she’d been happy to trade it in for a quaint condo suitable for one. Despite the smaller space, her contemporary decor, open floor plan and multiuse furnishing made her home appear much larger than it was.
Josh ran his fingers over the white marble island in her kitchen. “I really love your style. Reminds me a lot of the type of decor I have throughout my yacht.”
“Based on what I saw on the first deck, I can definitely see the resemblance.”
“I’ll have to give you a full tour next time.” Josh glanced at her chic coffee-colored couch. “Tell you what. How about you take a seat and I’ll make us both some tea. Sound good?”
“You’re a guest. I should be the one making you a cup of tea.”
Josh smiled. “I’m sure I can manage. You’ve had an emotional evening, so you should rest.” At the reminder of Aunt Penny, Becca’s eyes watered.
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything to remind you about the situation.”
“It’s not your fault. I’ll probably be thinking about Aunt Penny all night. That’s why I wish I could have gone to the hospital with Haley when she got the news.”
Becca connected her phone to her Bluetooth speaker in her living room, closing her eyes when smooth neo soul music filled her condo. At the sound of the boiling water whistling, she turned to Josh. His eyes met hers with laser focus. She only exhaled when he broke his stare to make their tea. He opened a couple cabinets and successfully located two mugs, tea bags and honey.
“How many teaspoons of honey would you like?”
“Two, please.”
When he joined her on the couch, his arm brushed against hers in a way that made her glad she was tightly gripping her mug. Otherwise she would have spilled tea over her sofa cushions.
“Stop feeling guilty,” he said. “There’s nothing for you to feel guilty about. From what I heard in the car, it sounds like Haley wanted you to stay and give the presentation.”
“She did, but I still can’t help but feel guilty.” Becca took a sip of her tea. “I’ve had loved ones in the hospital before, but never someone as close to me as Aunt Penny is.”
“I hate hospitals,” Josh said as he took a sip of his own tea. “The waiting. The nervousness. Sitting in a waiting room while someone is in surgery is like the calm before the storm.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Becca placed her hand on Josh’s forearm. “Talking about Aunt Penny is probably bringing up thoughts about your father, right?”
“Actually, I lost my grandfather a few years ago, so I was thinking about him this time.”
“Were you close to him?”
“Extremely. He was my dad’s father and after my dad passed away, my grandfather became everything to my brothers and me. Because I was the oldest grandson, he made sure that I understood what it meant to be a DeLong. Even though he was one of the best men I knew, he was also one of the most stubborn. The old man didn’t even go to the doctor until he was good and ready. By that point, his time was near.”
Becca scooted closer to Josh. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Both my grandfathers passed away before I was born and I barely knew my grandmothers.”
“Talking about my father’s death is still difficult to me, but my grandfather was in his mid-nineties when he passed, so he lived a full life and he got to see my career take off.”
“You fight hard for them, don’t you?” Becca asked. “You don’t say much about them, but when you do, there’s a noticeable amount of pride in your voice.”
“You’re right,” Josh said with
a smile. “I told my father and grandfather that I would always honor the DeLong name. They were such admirable men, and I wanted to do something to make them both proud.”
Becca leaned her head against Josh’s broad shoulder, careful not to spill her tea. “With everything you’ve accomplished, I’m sure you’ve made them both extremely proud. They may not be here on earth, but they are looking down on you...celebrating your accomplishments alongside you.”
“I miss them every day.” Becca leaned her head up when Josh began rolling up his sleeve. “I got this infinity tattoo when my dad got sick, but it’s fitting for both of them. I wanted my dad to know that no matter what happened, our bond would never be broken, whether he was here on earth...or in the afterlife.”
“It’s beautiful.” Becca touched his bicep. “What about your mother’s parents?”
Josh frowned and rolled down his sleeve before taking another sip of his tea. Must be a touchy subject. “They’re still living.”
Becca glanced at Josh, expecting him to say more. After thirty seconds of silence, she realized he wasn’t going to continue. Her thoughts wandered back to Aunt Penny.
“Aunt Penny’s getting up there in age, so times like these really put life into perspective. She was so looking forward to Prescott George’s gala next month... What will we do if she doesn’t make it?”
“You can’t think like that. Even though dealing with the passing of my father and grandfather was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to go through, I never gave up hope.” He lightly kissed the top of her head. “And you can’t, either.”
“I know you’re right. I think I’m exhausted since I’ve been working so much lately. I just need to relax my brain and stop worrying. Everything is going to be fine.” Becca tried not to think too hard about the fact that she was clinging to his shirt as he held her.
“I have an idea.” He grabbed both of her hands and turned her toward him. “Let’s send some positive vibes Aunt Penny’s way. First, close your eyes.”
A Miami Affair Page 9
