Ethan (Members From Money Book 37)

by Katie Dowe

  They made excuses to stay behind at the office. He had a tiny apartment in a part of town that she had never been to before. His mother was in an elderly care facility and he was doing his best to take care of her but the expenses were crippling him. She had offered to help but he had refused. “We just started seeing each other. How would it look if I took money from you now?” he had asked her. She had been warmed by his ethics and it had made her want to help him even more. She had called the facility and pretended that she was a family member and had put things into place. She was the CFO along with her sister but she knew how it would look if she increased his salary. There would be questions and speculations and she could not afford that. Her mother and brother ran things and they did so with soberness that would not allow the slightest leeway. Erica sank down into the bath and stayed there for a moment. She had her own suite of rooms and had thought about sneaking him inside the manor several times but her sister had a habit of walking in unannounced when she had things to share. She would never betray her but Erica was not taking the chance!

  “I am falling in love with you,” he had told her softly as he ran his fingers over her bare flesh. It was after seven and everyone had gone for the night leaving the guards downstairs but they would never come upstairs without calling first. “You are my boss and a woman who is rich beyond my wildest dreams and the sensible thing to do is to tell you to fire me and let me leave. This will never work Erica.”

  “I don’t believe in never.” She had murmured as she wrapped his arms around her waist. “I believe in possible and hope and love and I am falling in love with you too.”

  He had stared down at her in wonder. “How do you know that I am not after what I can get from you? How do you know that it was not my plan all along to seduce you and get you to love me?”

  “We seduced each other.” She had framed his face with her hands. “I have more money than I could ever spend. When I was growing up I never really thought about people who did not have anything. I had no need to. I grew up with people like me. I went to private schools and partied with friends who had money the way my family has. I never had to worry about money for college because it was already in place for me. I never had to worry about a job when I left college because I already had a job waiting for me. I am privileged and I never had to think about medical expenses, food or anything like that. I get paid to do my job here but I do not spend it because I do not have rent to pay or overhead expenses. I have a shopping allowance and I take trips to Europe or wherever I want to. I am doing something I love for a company I love and I never have to worry about where the next meal is coming from. I want to help you Mark and I want to be there for you. It does not matter if you are using me. I have money and I want to help.”

  He had brushed the hair from her face as he looked at her. “And I like that about you. I thought you were a cold rich entitled woman when I first interviewed with you but I have watched you over the months and see that you care. Erin does too but she tries to hide it.”

  “Let me help you.” She had whispered. He had not said yes yet but he will!

  Chapter 3

  “Ms. Simmons, you are here preparing packages for the troops who are not here to spend the holiday with their loved ones. Are you one of the radicals who think that war is a waste of the country’s resources and are responsible for the unnecessary death of our men and women in battle?” a young and eager reporter shoved his microphone into her face.

  “I am just here to do a good deed to those who are fighting for this country even if I think that the effects of war drain our resources, human and otherwise,” she said coolly as she prepared the package. She had been doing this for the past year and it had gotten bigger over the months because she had been rallying people to help to donate.

  “So you are strongly opposed to companies like Shaw’s Holdings who supplies the military with the things needed to make wars possible.” He persisted.

  “Any enterprise that aids and abets troops being deployed and does so to line their pockets in the process is something that I find deplorable! But who am I to dictate what someone does to make a living?” her tone was sarcastic and left the viewers in little doubt as to her meaning. “Shaw’s Holdings and others like them do what they have to do and I am doing what I have to do to ease the pain and suffering.”

  Ethan froze the image as he stared at the woman for a long time. The caption said that her name was Harper Simmons and that she had started a drive a year ago to help the men and women gone to war by preparing care packages for them. Several people already did that but she went a step further by not only helping the soldiers but also helping the families left behind. He studied her features and was fascinated by her complexion and the thick dark hair that was loose around her shoulders. She had on a deep red sweater that looked great against her coloring and she had passion and zeal on her face. He had a feeling that she did not give a damn what people thought of her!

  “So I see you were watching it,” his mother came hurrying into the room. “She is making us look as if we are heartless people only in it for the money.”

  “I am beginning to think she is right.” Ethan turned the television off and turned to face his mother. It was the holiday season and they were getting ready to close the offices for the holidays.

  “You cannot think that darling!” Evelyn exclaimed as she sat across from her son’s desk. It had been her husband’s office and Ethan had done little or no redecorations but basically left it the same way. She remembered coming in here, sitting with him while they worked out strategies and everything else. She would always miss him. “Have you found out anything about the drug?’

  “Still checking Mother,” His dark blue eyes sought hers. “With this in the air and the drug in question and this,” he gestured towards the television. “We are going to do some sort of damage control.”

  “What were you thinking?”

  “Some sort of gesture to make it show that we are not greedy and grasping and profiting from the sufferings of others.”

  “And then we will show that we are complicit.” Evelyn said resignedly.

  “It does not show that if we spin it in the right direction. The Club is having a masked ball in January. I will speak to Jeremy into making it one where we raise money for these families. We are going to have to do something Mother. The demonstrations are not going to stop because we ignore them.”

  “Have you spoken to the board about it?” she asked him.

  “I just came up with the idea.” He put his head back against the rest of the chair. “How did Dad deal with all this?”

  “Well for one we never had people camped out on our doorsteps and calling us monsters. Your father saw the need and made the decision to supply it. He had the ears of the former President then and he decided that it would be a good fit. Our company supplied the equipment needed and we make a profit. He never knew it would become so large.”

  “Is it wrong for us to do this mother?” Ethan asked her.

  “No,” she said firmly. “And I will not have you thinking it is. We are running a business darling and whether or not we supply these things, others will and the war will not stop.”

  He nodded. “I am just in a melancholy mood. It’s the festive season and I know that there will be all these rounds of parties that I am getting tired of attending.”

  “You have to make the rounds. You are the CEO of the company.”

  “I know,” he said with a slight smile,

  “Is everything okay with you and Samantha?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I have noticed that you have not been seen with her for the past two weeks.”

  “We both run companies Mother,” he told her dryly.

  “And you have been home every night other than when you go to the club.” She pointed out.

  His eyebrows lifted as he looked at her quizzically. “Have you been spying on me?”

  “I have spies inside the manor. Your sist
er Erin told me that you have been locked inside your room when you come home. On weekends you are at the club. What’s going on darling?”

  “Nothing is going on Mother,” he said with a hint of impatience in his tone. I run a company and it takes a lot out of me. She understands.”

  Evelyn got to her feet. “Just don’t let it be about the company. You need love and happiness too.”

  *****

  “You were on television,” Her mother commented as soon as she sat down for lunch.

  “So I was told. I hope they got my good side.” Harper nodded to the waiter as he came to take their order. Her mother had called and insisted that they had lunch. The restaurant was crowded with the holiday rush and she recognized a few faces.

  “You were very direct darling. You named a very important company.”

  “And you are afraid that they are going to sue me?” Harper asked in amusement as she sipped her eggnog.

  “You think this is funny?” Faye hissed. “You embarrassed me.”

  “How did I embarrass you?” Harper asked her mildly.

  “All my friends are calling and asking about what you said!”

  “And that embarrasses you? You are too easily embarrassed Mother.” Harper said dryly.

  “Is that what you are going to be spending your life doing?” Faye asked as she placed the napkin into her lap. “Running around and trying to save the world? What about your life? You have no man and you put other people before you. When are you going to start thinking about yourself?”

  Harper stared at the woman opposite her. Faye Simmons was out for a simple lunch with her daughter but was wearing couture, probably something she had pressed her father into buying. A mink stole was hung carelessly from the padded chair and her hair looked as if she had just come from the stylist. Harper had donned faded denims and a thick green sweater. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and had been mussed by the breeze. How different they both were! “There are people around us suffering in ways you could not even imagine. Children are being abused and starving while troops are sent off to wars that makes no sense. I am going to be doing this until I see changes mother so stop telling me about a man I am supposed to have and how I am supposed to get married and settle down. I will do all those things when the time is right.”

  “And you have no care as to how you disappoint your father and me?” she sniffed.

  “I have a feeling that Daddy is quite fine.”

  “That’s because he spoils you!” Faye muttered as she dug into her salad. Harper had ordered the juiciest burger.

  “It’s called parenting Mother.” Harper said as she bit into the burger.

  “I have been a good mother to you.”

  “Are we going to spend the afternoon arguing about all the issues in our lives or are we going to enjoy this delicious lunch in this highly expensive restaurant?” Harper asked her.

  “We have an image to uphold and even if you don’t see it others will. You going on camera and voicing your displeasure about that very important company does not look good.”

  “And you know I don’t care.” Harper bit off a sigh. “I am not coming to the house for Christmas dinner next week.”

  The woman stared at her as if she had taken leave of her senses! “Not even you could be so cruel.” She whispered.

  Harper sighed and put away her burger. “Mother stop making a federal case out of it. It’s just dinner and I am sure I will not be missed.”

  “How would it look if I throw a party and my only child is not there?”

  “It would look as if your only child has better things to do with her time than to be paraded before the number of so called eligible bachelors that you already invited.” Harper told her. “I am having dinner with Laila and the kids this year, Mother.”

  “You would pick a total stranger over your family?”

  “Mother, I am asking Laila to adopt me and change my name,” Harper said impatiently. “I don’t want to attend a party where I have to pretend to be enjoying myself. I just want to have a relaxed holiday this year. Please understand.”

  “It never ends,” she said tremulously as she pushed her bowl away. “You always choose people over your family. You think I am out to get you. I am your mother and I want what is best for you.”

  “I am sure you do,” Harper said soothingly. “But you have to start realizing that I am an adult and I make my own decisions.”

  Her mother did not answer and Harper stifled a sigh as she watched the woman delicately ate the rest of her salad and then sipped her lemon water. She had never gotten along with her mother and had stopped trying to please her when she had turned a teenager. Her mother was determined to set impossibly high standards for her and throw her into a life that she wanted no part of. She was not the type to be involved in high society. Faye Simmons had not managed to land a millionaire for a husband but was doing her very best to make sure her daughter landed one. It helps her cause that her daughter had taken the looks from her and tried to capitalize on that.

  Harper sat there and wondered when she could take her leave and the moment came soon after.

  “Faye?” an elegantly coiffed woman came forward. Delaney Dudley was a part of the society her mother desperately wished she belonged to and was the wife of a millionaire who owned properties all over the country.

  “Delaney how nice to see you!” she got to her feet and went around embracing the woman and gave her air kisses. “What are you doing here?”

  “I am having lunch with some friends.” Her eyes went to Harper. “And this is your beautiful daughter.”

  “This is Harper.” She said with a proud smile.

  “Nice to meet you my dear.” She shook Harper’s hand. “I saw you making that statement on television. That was very brave of you.”

  “I would not call telling the truth brave.”

  “Darling, don’t you have somewhere to go?” her mother was desperately trying to get rid of her.

  “Of course. Thanks for lunch, Mother. Very nice to meet you, Delaney.” With that she hurried away, a sense of relief washing over her.

  *****

  Her father called her that night. “You are breaking your mother’s heart,” he murmured as soon as she answered.

  “Her words or yours?” Harper asked as she poured herself a glass of wine. Being with her mother for an extended period tend to take a lot out of her.

  “Hers,” he said with a chuckle. “She came home moaning about how you are embarrassing the family and have decided to abandon us by not coming to the very large Christmas dinner she is planning.”

  “Dad, you don’t have to put up with all that. Why do you?” Harper asked him impatiently. “I know the last thing you want is a few hundred people in your house. You love quiet, the same way I do. Tell her you don’t want a party this year.”

  “When you fall in love you will know what it is like to give up your comfort so that the one you love is happy.” He told her.

  “At the cost of your happiness. Daddy that is not love! I might not be in love or have ever been but even I know that when two people love each other they meet each other halfway. Not just one person doing all the work.”

  “You are strong and you do anything you want to do and I love you for that. But I am not like that. I love your mother and what she does makes her happy. It does not take anything away from me and I love to please her.”

  “Even if it means displeasing you.”

  “Pleasing her pleases me darling.” He said gently. “I know you do not understand why I put up with these things as you put it, but I do it to make her happy.”

  Harper pondered that for a moment. “Am I breaking your heart by not coming?” she asked him.

  “I understand why you are not doing so honey. I will deal with your mother and make sure to let her know that you are not doing it to break her heart,” he said in amusement.

  “Thanks daddy.” She said gratefully.

  “I still have your
gift.”

  “What is it this time?” she asked wryly. “A check to make sure that your daughter has food to put on the table and that her rent is paid?”

  He chuckled. “You know me so well.”

  “Daddy I am doing okay. You don’t have to keep giving me money. I am managing.”

  “It’s also a gift certificate for you to go and get yourself a nice dress and shoes to match.”

  “Daddy I am not Mother and I have no need for nice things the way she does. I am fine.”

  “You are not going to refuse your dad, are you?”

  “I suppose I am not,” she said with a sigh. “I will bring over your gift sometime in the New Year.”

  “Take care darling. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Harper took the glass of wine to her bedroom and got into bed, making sure that she did not spill any on the thick blue comforter. She plopped the pillows up and decided whether she should watch something on television. She had offered her service at the soup kitchen where they would be serving dinner to the homeless on Christmas Eve. Laila had asked her one time if she felt guilty.

  “About what?” she had asked.

  “You come from money Harper; you were cosseted and treated as a child whose parents can afford to give her basically anything. Yet here you are chasing after every cause in the world and trying to help people less fortunate.”

  She had thought about it before responding. “Maybe I feel guilty or maybe I see the injustices in the world and want to try and do something about it.”

  “You cannot save everyone Harper,” her friend had warned. They had been walking along the streets downtown at the time and she had been carrying a sandwich in her hand to give to someone who wanted it. She always did it. Whenever she go into a restaurant and buy something for herself she would be a second one for someone in need. She had stopped and handed the sandwich to a man huddled in the corner.