The Billionaire's Scandal (The Blank Check Series Book 3) Read online

  And there was her out without having to explain why she stood Gareth up. Smiling, she said, “You know me, always happy to help.”

  She could feel Janet eying her. “A little mishap?”

  “You could say that. I believe we might have a guest who is less than pleased with me right now.”

  Janet laughed. “I can almost guess which one too. Drake asked me to keep my eye on him.”

  “High maintenance?” Brooke asked.

  “Not really sure. Drake was vague. That’s not unusual for him though. You know the saying.”

  “You know what you need to know. I heard the speech.” For the most part, it worked for her. It kept her out of any drama.

  Janet snickered. “It’s funny, because people from Tabiq don’t want to know anything. They don’t ask questions either. They come, do their job, and go home. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that.”

  “Me neither. But you have to admit, they are hard workers, and I doubt they ever dumped a frozen drink on a guest,” Brooke admitted.

  “That’s because they keep their distance. I understand why, but New Hope has been open for a few years now; you would think they’d have loosened up,” Janet said. “Guess it’s going to take a lot more than a job to get them to come around.”

  “Is it a cultural thing?” Brooke asked.

  Janet shrugged. “It’s funny. I can tell there’s something holding them back, but I can’t put my finger on it. When I ask someone, it’s like a wall goes up and that person usually quits. Now I just manage and have stopped asking. Really, as long as New Hope is successful and the guests are happy, my job is done. Speaking of that, we both better get back to ours. It’s going to be a busy night. Thanks again for filling in. I owe you, Brooke.”

  “No problem.” Brooke bent over and finished cleaning up the last remnants of the drink that remained on the floor. Janet was right about one thing, it was going to be a long night, because it’d already been a long day. But at least I won’t be anywhere near the beach. She never thought that would be something she was looking forward to.

  2

  “Damn it, Gareth. My wedding is in a few weeks. You couldn’t wait until after that to take off?” Dylan questioned.

  “Hey, you know me. I can’t sit in the office that long. Besides, all that talk about weddings and babies was driving me nuts. At this rate, you guys will be lucky if I come back to work at all.” There was part of him that wasn’t joking. He never wanted to work for Lawson Steel. Not in the aspect he was. He enjoyed meeting with customers and doing background research, but the day-to-day routine bored the hell out of him.

  “Charles is pissed that you disappeared too. We were counting on you to pick up the slack.”

  “Dylan, what slack is there? Seth practically lives in the office and looks like he’s in heaven. Jordan and Ethan are backing you and Charles. What exactly is it that should hold me there?” The silence confirmed it. He wasn’t really needed.

  “Gareth, I get it more than any of the others. We’re the jeans and T-shirt guys. But Lawson Steel belongs to all six of us. No one wants to step on your toes and make decisions for you.”

  “And you don’t have to. I’ll be back. What really can happen in a few weeks?”

  “My wedding,” Dylan reminded him.

  Gareth laughed. “Oh yeah. That. Since I’m your best man, you should know I’ll be back in time.”

  “And because you’re my best man, I’d have thought you’d be here.”

  Fuck. He could hear the disappointment in Dylan’s voice. His brother needed him there. Gareth wanted to explain to him he wasn’t just fucking around. What better wedding gift could he give Dylan than securing the family’s good name stayed just that?

  Dylan added, “I really hope she’s worth it, Gareth, because Sofia is going to be livid if you’re not here.”

  Translated to, I won’t forgive you, Gareth, so don’t fuck up. “You can tell that beautiful bride-to-be that I will be home not only for the wedding, but also to throw your ass one hell of a bachelor party.”

  “At least I know you wouldn’t miss that. Keep in touch though. Too many changes lately, and it’s left me feeling . . . uneasy.”

  “Is something going on that I don’t know about?” Gareth assumed he was the only one keeping secrets. That was a foolish assumption.

  “Brice called me last night.”

  “What did he want?” Gareth asked.

  “That’s what was odd. I don’t think he wanted anything. Just called to say hello.”

  Gareth wasn’t buying that. “That’s good, I guess.”

  “Nothing is ever that simple, Gareth, and you know it. If a Henderson calls, they want something. Guess time will reveal what that is.”

  Yeah, they want to keep a close eye on us. That only confirmed Gareth’s initial thoughts. Brice wasn’t keeping his family abreast of any new developments. Because he doesn’t know what shit we’re hiding. It was so tempting to come clean with Brice and lay all the cards on the table. But he didn’t trust Brice to be totally honest. And why should Brice be? He had nothing to gain by divulging their secrets and everything to lose.

  He didn’t want Dylan worrying or even thinking about the Hendersons right now. “Who knows or cares what Brice’s motive was for calling? Your name has been on the news lately with your upcoming nuptials. He might have been looking for an invite. You didn’t extend one, did you?”

  “Hell no. If I had my way, I’d elope. You would not believe what Sofia’s parents are planning. And with Sofia being pregnant, she is too . . . emotional for me to talk to her about it.”

  Gareth laughed. “Is it too early for me to say I told you so? If you’re not careful, you’ll be buying a house with a white picket fence and getting a puppy.”

  “Glad you think this is funny, Gareth. Better watch yourself or you might come back from your trip hitched yourself,” Dylan joked.

  “There’s not enough booze in the world for that to happen.” Gareth could hear Sofia calling out for Dylan. “Guess that is your cue to hang up. See you in a few weeks.”

  “Make it two. I’ll talk to you later. She wants to go out for ice cream.” In barely a whisper, Dylan added, “Our freezer is full of it, but somehow none of it is the kind she’s craving. How the hell did Dad do this six times?”

  Laughing, Gareth said, “Now you know why he worked so much. I suggest you find that flavor fast or it won’t matter when I return.”

  Gareth ended the call and silently wished his brother luck. Sofia wasn’t close to her delivery date, and he wasn’t sure how Dylan was going to survive this. The last time he saw Dylan, he looked like he’d been out partying for days. And everyone says settling down is good for you. It looks like it’s gonna kill him instead. Yet another reason to remain single as far as he was concerned.

  Since he was single, there was nothing holding him back from enjoying the company of that beauty, Brooke. And if he was lucky, he might be able to obtain some information from her as well. After all, she worked for them. Even if she didn’t have any dirty little secrets about them, she would have a personal opinion of who she thought they were.

  Gareth needed someone who wasn’t so close to the situation to provide him that information. He’d hoped Roy would’ve been able to do that, but fear was a powerful tool, and Roy, for some reason, was afraid.

  There was no way it was only from what was in the file. Someone had to have reached out to Roy and scared him off. But who, and what did they say? What Gareth didn’t understand was why Roy wouldn’t admit it. The Lawsons weren’t pushovers and had no issue with standing up to the Hendersons. If they had threatened Roy, Gareth could’ve protected him. But would Brice go to those lengths in order to keep the truth hidden? Guess it depends on what the truth is.

  Gareth hoped that coming to Tabiq was going to give him some insight to what that might be. Although the staff seemed to be friendly, they were all business. No one hung around for small talk. Normally that w
ould be a good thing, but it limited Gareth with asking them questions, at least not ones directly related to New Hope. It wasn’t like he thought the answers would just drop into his lap, but being here only made him question things more.

  Why build here?

  This was a five-star all-inclusive resort that would appeal to anyone, but in a country that didn’t have enough money to subsidize itself. The road from the airport to the resort highlighted a vast difference in class. He couldn’t close his eyes and ignore it. Rundown homes in the distance and vehicles on the road that looked like they should be in a junkyard. Were the Hendersons so greedy as to prey upon the less fortunate? He couldn’t see any other reason for them building here. He hoped he was wrong, because the last thing he wanted was more reasons not to want the Henderson family to be his relatives.

  The only personal contact he’d ever had with them was with Brice a few weeks ago. But if Brooke was right, he was about to get the opportunity to meet another one very soon. Alex was probably going to be the easiest for Gareth to deal with as he seemed much more laid-back than his brothers. And if Brice kept to his word and didn’t share any information, Alex wouldn’t have any clue as to their relations. So there won’t be any reason to lie to my face.

  This might be the break he was hoping for. Gareth was going to need to use Lawson Steel as the reason behind this trip. The perfect cover. And since Gareth wasn’t on the sales side like Jordan and Ethan, there was no risk that Alex would consider hiring them. Gareth never thought he’d see the day he intentionally fucked up, but there’s a first for everything.

  With Alex arriving tomorrow, it gave Gareth plenty of time to come up with some half-assed sales pitch. He’d make the pricing so high it’d almost look like a joke, but close enough that Alex wouldn’t suspect anything. That would leave most of the evening free for . . . more enjoyable things.

  He needed to eat, and since he invited Brooke to join him, he should at least show up. Whether or not she would remain to be seen. She appeared to be the total opposite of him. A rule follower. If she thought the company wouldn’t approve, she wouldn’t do it. That was disappointing, because she was a very attractive woman and would’ve provided a sweet distraction for tonight.

  The way things were going, Brooke probably wouldn’t want to upset a guest, so she’d show up, and then she’d be reprimanded. Jobs like this didn’t appear easy to come by in Tabiq, so ensuring she didn’t lose it would be the nice thing to do.

  He picked up the phone in his room and dialed the front desk to leave her a message. Gareth hung up the phone before they answered. Her shift would’ve been over long ago. Looks like I’m going to a clam bake.

  Gareth was overdressed for such an occasion, and quickly changed into a pair of khaki shorts and a T-shirt. He slipped his cell phone into his back pocket and headed for the beach. The time difference meant no one should be calling. They didn’t expect him to answer when he was . . . vacationing. Which made him question why the hell Dylan really called. There was no way Dylan believed Gareth would miss his wedding. And Dylan knew for a fact Gareth wanted nothing to do with the planning of it either. Was his brother getting cold feet? It was a huge leap from playboy to husband and dad.

  Fuck. Gareth had been so focused on finding answers in Tabiq, he never thought his brother might actually have needed him there. He knew Dylan could handle anything that came along on the business side. However, with all the personal changes happening in his life, he might be freaking out.

  Gareth normally would be more than happy to give advice and guidance. But what did he know about any of this shit other than if it was him, he’d have run for the hills? Tomorrow Gareth would have to suck it up and call Charles. He’d get the normal lecture for being irresponsible and leaving Lawson Steel in a lurch, which wasn’t the case at all. But it would be worth it if he at least gave Charles the heads-up to hang close to Dylan. The last thing he wanted was his kid brother to unravel while he was here in Tabiq.

  “Excuse me. Mr. . . . Gareth, do you have a minute?”

  He knew whose sweet voice was calling him. He turned, surprised to see her still dressed in her uniform “Not quite beach attire.”

  “I’m really sorry. I was asked to work a double. Unfortunately I won’t be able to . . . bump into you at the clam bake. But I’m glad to see you’re still going. They even have someone singing and playing an acoustic guitar tonight. You should have a lovely time.”

  Gareth wasn’t really a sit-back, do-nothing guy. His idea of being on the beach at night would entail taking in the sight of the moon with some sexy woman and a bottle of wine, clothes optional. Lying on a blanket, alone, listening to music sounded boring as hell.

  “It’s unfortunate you’re going to miss it. Do they do this to you often?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “I’ve been here for a few years, and it’s happened only a few times. Janet, my supervisor, would’ve picked up the shift if I didn’t want it. Really, this is an amazing place to work. Most places only worry about the guests being happy, but here they take into consideration the staff’s needs as well.”

  “That is nice to hear.” And surprising since I know who you work for. “Maybe you can bump into me another time. What’s on the schedule for tomorrow night?”

  Brooke laughed. “Karaoke. But you don’t want to hear me sing. I sound like a cat when you step on its tail.”

  “That’s hard to believe. Your voice is—”

  “Trust me. And no, I’m not about to prove I’m telling you the truth either. I don’t even sing in the shower; it’s that bad.”

  Gareth laughed. “Wow, it really must be horrific.” He played along, but didn’t buy it for an instant. It was more likely that she was shy.

  “Let me guess, you’re a performer and are dying to sing.”

  “Not even close. I’m in the steel business, and I’ve never sung karaoke either. But a place like this must have other things happening.” Like a real night life.

  “There are, but most people come here to spend their time on the beach or in the saltwater pools, which are amazing as well. What do you like to do on vacation?” she asked.

  Drink. Party. Sleep late. That wasn’t much different than his normal routine, just the location changed. It wasn’t as though he wasn’t a responsible person. He took business seriously, but when he wasn’t working, he liked to play and play hard. What was wrong with that? The life of a bachelor. Perfect. “A variety of things. Maybe we can discuss it over dinner tomorrow?”

  Brooke smirked. “I think we discussed this before. I can’t—”

  “Eat? Because I’m sure there aren’t laws against that, even in Tabiq,” he teased.

  “Are you going to ask me each time we run into each other?” she inquired.

  “You do want me to enjoy my stay here, don’t you?”

  “Trust me, my company isn’t all that exciting.”

  So you want me to believe. “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

  “But I explained our policy,” she stated.

  That was very easy to resolve. “Then have dinner with me off the resort.”

  Her eyes widened, and she said, “Guests are strongly encouraged to stay on the premises.”

  “This isn’t a prison.” Her comment, however, made him want to know more. “Unless there is a valid reason to tell me where I can and can’t go.”

  Brooke looked serious for a moment and said, “It’s not something we talk about. But for your own safety, it is highly recommended you do not leave the resort, at least not alone.”

  If it was dangerous, he wasn’t about to encourage her to accompany him. “Then if you don’t want me to wander off on my own, I suggest you have dinner with me tomorrow here on the resort.” She had walked right into that, and he was confident he was coming out the victor. I always do.

  “I guess you have left me no choice. Dinner it is. How about I meet you at five? That way if you change your mind, you can still go out and enjoy th
e karaoke.”

  “More likely a walk on the beach. I better let you get back to work, before you accuse me of trying to get you fired.”

  “Is that your plan?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “No ulterior motive here. Just dinner.”

  She peered at him before saying, “Then I guess I’ll see you at five. Have a good night.”

  Normally women hung all over him. She definitely wasn’t his type, a live-for-the-moment kind of girl. At least that is the feel he got in their few short encounters. He normally was spot on when it came to that sort of stuff. Yet here he was, chasing after the one who had shot him down twice. He might be bored, but boredom wasn’t what had him watching the sway of her hips as she walked away. He found several things about her very . . . enticing. But damn, there was no way she didn’t know he was checking her out. She could play hard to get all she wanted, but he saw right through that act. She was interested, but it wasn’t just her job holding her back. Maybe tomorrow he’d find out what it was.

  Not that I should care. I’m not going to be here long anyway.

  Brooke turned the corner and only then let out a long exhale. What was it with him? He was supposed to be here on vacation, yet he didn’t seem like he wanted to do anything . . . fun. She shouldn’t judge, but someone who looked like him and seemed so . . . confident, shouldn’t have an issue with going out and mingling with new people. Yet the only one he seemed interested in speaking to was her.

  Who would come all the way to Tabiq just to talk to me? Hell, I wouldn’t even do that. She snickered to herself. If she had her way, she’d be doing everything the resort had to offer. Although she didn’t let it show, she was much more adventurous than any of her friends. They were all “responsible” as they always reminded her. At times the little digs irritated her, but for the most part, she felt bad for them. They all were back home doing and being what their parents expected of them. Brooke was far from being a follower. And her parents loved and accepted her for who she was. A free spirit who wasn’t afraid to take chances and try new experiences. The fact that she opted to spend a year working in a resort at a remote location said it all.