I beamed from ear to ear. “That is amazing, Andie. I am so proud of you.”
Brittany grabbed her hand. “Me too.”
It warmed my heart that I had helped Andie, not only by saving her from Carl but by giving her the courage to fight.
In turn, I needed to fight too. Not in the way Andie had spoken of but for the future I wanted. It was time to put the past behind me.
16
BRIAN
Hough Hall, the site of Oakwood Academy’s scholarship banquet, was thriving. Guests wearing suits and fancy dresses lingered around the dining tables as waitstaff served champagne to the teachers, school staff, and parents. A quartet from the music department provided the background music with violins and bass, giving the atmosphere an eclectic feel, which aligned with the diverse makeup of the student body. Students from all over the world attended Oakwood and came from rich and high-society families.
I felt proud to be there for Fran but also out of my element. The galas and parties I’d been to outside of the school had been attended mostly by shady people, corrupt politicians, and criminals like me. Granted, the purpose of those gatherings was to raise money, and the organizers of the events invited people with deep pockets.
As I wondered who else in the crowd made their money illegally, Nora’s mom glided toward me in her expensive off-the-shoulder gold dress. If anyone could satisfy my curiosity, it would be Janet Welby. She had her finger on the pulse of Oakwood Academy.
“Brian, I hear you’ve moved back to Boston.” She held a champagne glass, her five-karat diamond sparkling beneath the muted lights overhead. “Nora tells me that you didn’t like the restaurant business. What do you plan to do now?”
Before I’d decided to sell the restaurant, I’d thought about opening another car dealership in Boston. I had a love for cars—old ones, really. But I needed a change. One that meant I didn’t have to manage employees, books, lenders, suppliers, and the like. If I dove deeper into what I was good at, it was people and sales. Duke had always ribbed me about my talents. “You could sell a rock to a politician and make a fuckton of money,” he’d claimed.
I adjusted my tie, which seemed to be cutting off my circulation. “Not sure yet.”
Her gaze bounced around the crowd as she brought the champagne glass to her painted red lips. “Surely, you’re not running a drug empire again.”
As we stood by a window and faced the room, I scanned the crowd. “Not the time.”
I wasn’t shocked that she knew. When I’d first met Janet Welby, she was forthcoming that she’d looked into my background for the simple fact that she had to know who her daughter was rooming with. I’d done my own investigation on the Welby family.
She lowered her glass. “All I’m saying is I would hate to see Fran in danger. She’s beautiful, extremely intelligent, and she’s going to change the world one day.”
Watching Fran laugh with Nora at a cocktail table on the other side of the room, I gripped the glass of club soda so tightly that at any second, it would crack. “Nora said you wanted to talk to me, not tell me how to raise my daughter. And I’m more than capable of protecting her.” I’d let Hunter go that morning, though, since Arturo wasn’t a threat at the moment.
Janet lifted her chest, sticking out her big tits. “My apologies. I know Fran misses her mom, and I’ve been honored to be there for her. I adore your daughter, Brian. And yes, I wanted to chat. Marsh Technologies needs a head of security. With your background, you’re the perfect candidate. It’s a steady job and one that isn’t dangerous.”
I cocked my head at Janet. “You could’ve started with that.”
She gave me a sidelong glance, her floral perfume wafting up my nose. “Our Boston office has an opening. Starting next month, I’ll be moving from our Texas branch to run things there. I’ve been wanting to be closer to Nora while she’s at the academy. Are you interested?”
It sounded like a cushy job and one that wouldn’t put Fran in danger. “I might be.”
Ryan Montgomery swaggered over to my daughter.
I watched intently, ready to strangle the kid for no other reason than to temper my dislike of any boy touching my daughter.
Janet tracked my line of sight. “Mm, you don’t like him.”
The verdict was out on that. “Boys are not something I want to deal with.”
She laughed. “I get it. Nora dated for the first time last year, and I thought my husband was going to pull out his shotgun. But I’ll put you at ease. Ryan Montgomery is a good kid. He’s been through a lot with the death of his father. His mother hasn’t recovered. She took to the bottle, if you know what I mean. Luckily for Ryan’s sake, a counselor at his public school recommended him to the Boys & Girls Clubs in Boston for mentoring and support, which is how he ended up here on a scholarship.”
The topic of my daughter and her boyfriend went by the wayside when Fran hurried around tables toward the entrance. I was about to move in her direction to see what was wrong, butI flash froze at the sight of the beautiful woman who had starred in my dreams every night since that kiss in my condo.
Janet didn’t miss a beat. “Grace Hart. Your daughter talks about her a lot. She’s as stunning as ever.”
Her comment was an understatement. Grace wore an elegant maroon fitted dress that hugged her mouthwatering curves and fell to her ankles. A slit up one side revealed her toned leg.Holy fuck!She was always gorgeous, but tonight, she was—as Janet said—stunning.
My dick jumped in my suit pants, and I began silently repeating a slew of swear words that would put a sailor to shame. My heart banged against my ribs as five swarms of butterflies came to life inside my stomach. The right thing to do to preserve my friendship with her brother would be to walk away. But my willpower was on the verge of disintegrating, especially with the way that dress hugged her curves and accentuated her beautiful tits.
