“One banana smoothie.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at the waiter placing my order in front of me and he winked.
He was cute in a nerdy sort of way. All dark curls, pink lips and black-rimmed spectacles. “Haven’t seen you here before.” His gaze roved over my face as though committing it to memory and I blushed. “You’re new to the area, aren’t you?” he asked, hope glinting in his eyes.
Sticking the straw in my mouth, I sipped the cold liquid then nodded. I was warned about giving away any personal information, but a nod couldn’t be that harmful, could it.
“You’re waiting for someone?” he asked.
“Ria.”
I glanced over his shoulder as the waiter turned to look at the person who’d called my name then stepped aside. “Sorry,” he said.
“Coffee, black, no sugar, please,” my visitor ordered.
Offering me an engaging smile the waiter nodded, then walked away. Standing, I ran a slow gaze over my visitor. Dressed in a chic white suit, hair so dark it was raven and sparkling green eyes like mine, she was beautiful. Instant tears blurred my vision as she opened her arms. “Mom,” I whispered, slipping into her embrace.
“Oh, baby, I’ve missed you.” She held me tight to her body, my nose tucked into the crook of her neck, her sweet scent of lilac and soap filling my nostrils, her gentle pulse calming against my skin. We stood that way for what seemed like an eternity before she drew back, keeping her hands on my arms, her grip tight but comforting. “Let me look at you.” Her tender gaze roved over me from head to toe and back again. “God, Gianna, you grow more beautiful by the day.” Now that we were alone, she used my real name.
“I’ve missed you.” I swiped at my tears, my bottom lip trembling to keep from sobbing out loud.
“I know, baby.” She tugged me to her body once more before she let go and we both took our seats. When she’d done ordering her coffee from the same cute waiter, she reached across the table to hold my hand. As I opened my mouth to ask the burning question, she smiled. “I know. You’re wondering why I’m early this year?” I nodded. “I can’t risk meeting you on your birthday. Especially not this year.”
“Why?” I asked.
Sighing, she sat back in her seat. “Because it’s time, sweetheart. Time for him to honor his deal. I’ve done well over the years to hide you from him but I fear he may be onto me. I can’t be certain but I think he knows I’ve been the one hiding you.”
“What do you mean by time for him to honor his deal?” Sadness mingled with irritation flowed through my blood, faster with each breath. Although she visited me every year on my birthday, I accepted my mother had never divulged the real reason why she’d sent me away to live with the Singhs. Only tidbits about what dangers lay ahead if I returned home. Because the people my parents dealt with, threatened my life. So, I couldn’t wait to hear who she was talking about and what deal.
“Your father, sweetheart.”
“My father?”
She nodded. “He promised your hand to some people he...” she trailed off then continued, “works with.”
I frowned, not fully understanding the need to hide me. “Are you saying, you’ve been hiding me frommy fatherall these years?” Incredulity tightened my voice. She nodded. “My hand in what?” I asked, still trying to make sense.
She glanced away as the waiter approached with her coffee. Done, he winked at me before leaving. My mother sipped her drink then set her cup down. “You’ve been promised in marriage to some people.”
Calming the rising irritation, I breathed in slowly. “Is that why I was hidden?” She nodded. “Surely dad can change his mind after he sees me.”
“You don’t understand—”
“Then make me understand, mom. Please.” I reached across the table and squeezed her hand, wondering why a marriage promise would necessitate me being hidden.
She eyed me for a second, her eyes filled with an emotion I couldn’t decipher. “Your father is a criminal, sweetheart.” My stomach somersaulted and for just a second the world shifted. All this time I’d believed he was an extremely rich businessman who’d been threatened. The few times I’d seen him in the newspapers with various businessmen made the belief legit. “You’ve been promised as a virgin bride on your eighteenth birthday to some bad people. I thought I could hide you until you turned twenty and capable of making decisions on your own.”
Too shocked to comprehend her words, I sat back in my seat and fingered the smoothie glass. “How have you managed to hide me from my father for so long, mom?”
“It wasn’t easy. There were very few people I could trust not to say anything to your father. In the end, I had to cut a deal of my own which I’m not proud of, but I’ll do anything to safeguard you. You know that, right?”
“What sort of deal,” I asked, more curious than concerned with what she’d done.
“Let’s just say that hiding something in plain sight is a lot harder to find...” she trailed off, a look of worry swathing her beautiful face.
“Mom?” When her attention came back to me, I asked, “what deal?”
“Don’t worry about that.” She sounded tired and I relented. “To answer your question about how I hid you from your father. I staged your kidnapping, sweetheart. Made a big deal of it, so he would accept it as a legit kidnapping. He thinks his business associates may have had a hand in it, but he couldn’t prove anything. For years I pretended to be the distraught mother and he bought into it although he still searches for you.”
