Page 23 of Billionaire Retreat

One of the security guards patted me awkwardly on the shoulder as if to reassure me. “Listen, you seem like a nice girl. Find a nice boyfriend or girlfriend and get some help.”

He walked away with the other security guard and I watched them in silence as they disappeared.

“That was a disaster,” I said, tearing up again as Cliff guided me by my elbow out of the building.

“Listen, I’m sorry for what happened back there. I didn’t know the old witch was upstairs. She must have used the private executive entrance and didn’t notify anyone,” Cliff said.

“Who is she?” I asked, still shaken up.

“Mr. Wallace’s mother.”

“Ohhh…”

“Look, if you give me your phone number and contact information, I’ll get it to Mr. Wallace.”

I hugged him abruptly, driven to uncustomary displays of affection because I was so grateful for his help. I began to cry again as I hugged him. “Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. You’re a really great person.”

He pried himself out of my arms and said with a soft chuckle. “Hey, not a problem. So, stop all the crying, ok?”

I nodded and wiped at my tears. He pulled a couple of questionable looking napkins out of his pocket. “Here, wipe your face. You have some…” He gestured to my nose.

He didn’t have to finish his sentence as I wiped at my nose and thanked him again. I realized that I probably looked a mess. No wonder the security guards thought I was a crazed stalker.

“Anyway, I need to get back in before the old witch notices I’m gone.”

He programmed my number into his phone and wished me good luck.

As I sat on the corner, waiting for a bus to take me to my cousin’s home, I didn’t feel lucky at all.

* * *

I looked around the small ice cream shop that sat across from the beach. There were several families milling around and little kids darted in and out. Some collided with each other and moms spent most of their time apologizing to other moms for the actions of their rambunctious children. I hoped that I didn’t look like a weirdo staring at them, but they all seemed so happy whilst I was sitting there miserable.

I nervously tapped my finger against the table and with my other hand I played with the straw in my milkshake. I guess my fidgeting bothered the guy across from me as he looked up from the book he was reading, looked at my finger pointedly and then glared at me before burying his nose back into his book.

I gave him an apologetic smile and placed my hands in my lap. I leaned forward and took a big sip of my milkshake, and tried to focus on anything but how nervous I felt.

The day after being escorted from the office, I’d received a phone call from Zach telling me that Mr. Wallace would meet me at 1:00 pm at this location. I’d been so torn. Part of me had been ecstatic that Cliff had come through for me, but the other part of me was terrified about seeing Griffin alone again.

I watched the door as I sat drinking my milkshake. I’d arrived half an hour before the agreed time and had seen a lot of customers come and go.

I watched as a family came in with a little girl, around three years old. She was adorable. She wore a summer hat and a cute sundress. She waved to me as she walked by and I waved back wondering what it would be like to have a little girl of my own. I’d find out soon enough, I thought, feeling a little overwhelmed. The idea of being a mom filled me with panic, but also joy. I looked down at my stomach, which barely showed even a slight bump, and rubbed it without thinking.

It was then that I heard someone in front of me clear their throat. I snatched my hand away from my stomach and looked up. And then I promptly began to choke on the remaining milkshake in my mouth as I saw who had joined me. Mrs. Wallace, my unexpected guest, responded by thumping me hard on the back. I wasn’t sure if she had been trying to help me or kill me.

I tried to stop coughing and reached blindly for a glass of water while Mrs. Wallace seated herself across from me. She stared at me as I tried to control my coughing, but offered no further assistance. In fact, she looked bored. She wore a pants suit that looked like it cost several thousand dollars. Her makeup was perfect, and her hair was down for the first time since I’d met her. It was long and a deep chestnut brown without a hint of gray. Either she had no worries or an excellent stylist. I figured it was the latter.

Even after I stopped coughing, I didn’t say anything. I was in shock. What was she of all people doing here? Obviously, she’d found out about my conversation with Cliff or maybe my conversation with Zach? Or had she been responsible for the phone call I received from Zach? And then something dreadful occurred to me. What if Griffin had sent her? No… I didn’t think that was what happened. Granted, I didn’t really know him all that well, but he didn’t come across as the type of guy who would do that. It was too cowardly. No, if Griffin wanted to blow me off, he would have done it himself.

“What are you doing here?” I managed to squeak out finally.

She reached into her purse, pulled out a piece of paper and slid it across the table towards me.

I barely glanced at the paper. “I’m not sure who you think you are, but you have no right to interfere.”

“I have every right to protect myself and my family from predators like you.”

“Predator?” I said in disbelief. It hurt that she thought so poorly of me. “I’m not a predator. Everything that happened between me and Griffin was—”