“You’re Calvin Gates?” she gasped.
“Hey, I’m sorry about what just happened. Rona has been following me for days, and she doesn’t get the hint that I don’t want to go out with her.” He shrugged. “I figured if she saw me kissing another woman—”
“You areCalvin Gates?” the woman repeated, putting more emphasis on his name.
“Uh, yeah.” He paused, watching the shocked expression on her face turn to embarrassment, and then to anger. “And you are?”
She huffed and folded her arms. “I’m Rayne Kennedy.”
Slowly, he nodded in acknowledgment, even though the name didn’t sound familiar. “It’s nice to meet you, Rayne. As I’d said, I’m really sorry—”
“You don’t know me?” she asked as her gaze narrowed on him.
“No. Should I?”
“Yes, you should!”
He scratched his chin. “I’m sorry, but—”
“The nameKennedyisn’t familiar to you?”
As he thought about it, he recalled his father making snide remarks about some guy named Max Kennedy. Apparently, his father considered Max a cheat and a menace to society. Max had owned a bunch of hotels and was wealthy. Calvin’s father was also wealthy because he owned stocks in Apple and some pharmaceutical companies as well as some stores overseas.
“I don’t know him personally,” Calvin said, “but my father knew a guy named Max Kennedy.”
She nodded. “That’s my father.”
“Oh.” Calvin stared at the confused woman. Why did he care about some guy his father knew? And why was this woman so upset about it?
After a few seconds of silence passed, the elevator doors opened. She stepped to the doors and blocked them from closing. The way she peered at him made him wonder if she expected him to do something. He wouldn’t mind kissing her again, but he doubted that’s what she was thinking.
Uncomfortable, he cleared his throat and shifted from one foot to the other. “It was nice meeting you, Rayne Kennedy. Give your father my regards”
Her expression became unreadable and she shook her head. “My father died a week ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“And when I met with his lawyer, Mr. Lee Parry, I discovered there was a clause in my father’s will that kept me from receiving my inheritance right away.”
Calvin didn’t know why she was telling him this, but the stern look on her face and the roughness of her voice made him think he needed to hear this for some odd reason. “That’s terrible.”
She chuckled lightly without smiling. “Oh, there’s more.”
She didn’t look very happy, and he was sure she hated that the elevator doors kept bumping into her, wanting to close. He pointed toward the lobby. “Would you like to talk about it more over a drink? There’s a coffee shop just around the corner.”
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise before she nodded. “I think that’s a great idea.”
He left the elevator and walked outside the building with her. She kept glancing his way, but it wasn’t out of interest. He had the feeling she was expecting him to say something. So maybe, he should continue the conversation.
“Was your father very sick when he died?”
“He had cancer.” The anger on her face was replaced with sorrow. “He’d had cancer for about two years. As much as I prayed for his full recovery, I knew God wanted him more.”
“I’m really sorry to hear that.” He studied her pretty eyes that misted over slightly. But then she inhaled deeply, and her stubborn appearance returned.
“Thank you. I appreciate your concern.” Her eyebrow arched. “How is your father?”
“Alive and well, I’m afraid.”
