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

  Maybe if she spent some time with Gareth, she’d rub off on him. Not to the point of singing karaoke, but doing something fun would be better than nothing. Once he was out there and talking to others, he’d quickly forget she was there, unless he needed to order food.

  That really wasn’t very flattering, but it was the truth. Her gift of gab came in handy as a waitress. People were drawn to her to chat. That’s all this was with Gareth. One dinner with him and he’d relax. Although he joked with her, she could still tell he was uptight about something. He wasn’t the first man who’d come to New Hope and struggled. There were some who’d come to escape personal problems. That never worked. Problems followed you no matter where you went. Others were work-alcoholics and they were the worst. They felt guilty about having fun, so they chose not to.

  Was that his issue? Was his job overwhelming and burning him out? Could he bring himself to stop thinking about business long enough to play a little? No. It couldn’t be that, because he was willing to take a break to have dinner with her. So if you scratch off personal problems and business, what was left?

  Hell if I know. I’m not a psychologist.

  No matter what brought Gareth there, New Hope was probably just what he needed. How was she going to get him to see that without getting herself fired? If she was smart, she’d just walk away and let Gareth do what he wanted. But for some crazy-ass reason, she couldn’t do that. She also couldn’t bring herself to approach the activity leaders and asked them do their job and coax him into things.

  Brooke knew what she needed to do. She looked at her watch and hesitated to call so late, but not only did she need Janet’s approval, she needed to cover her ass. Looking around to confirm no one was in earshot, she dialed Janet’s number.

  “Hello, Brooke. Is everything okay? Wait. That was a stupid question. Of course there’s a problem. You never call me after hours. Do you need me to return to the resort?” Janet asked quickly.

  “Oh God, no. I wasn’t even sure if I should call you this late.”

  “Brooke, it’s only ten. That’s not late. And besides, I know you wouldn’t call unless it was important. So why don’t you tell me what’s going on.”

  “There’s this man. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Is he harassing you? You know we don’t tolerate that. I can have him removed immediately if—”

  “That’s not it. He just seems . . . lost. I’m not sure if that’s the right way to explain it. He says he’s a guest, but he doesn’t seem interested in doing anything.” Except having dinner with me.

  “Maybe he just wants to enjoy some quiet time on the beach. Many people just come to soak up the sun.”

  That would be a logical thought, but she knew there was something more. Gareth was a mystery, and one she wanted to solve. This was crazy. Why was she giving him a second thought? She should’ve declined his offer and kept moving. But no, she stood talking with him because . . . she wanted to. Whatever lame excuse she was giving Janet for having dinner with him was just that, an excuse. Yet that didn’t seem to stop her from making them. “I know, but I don’t think he’s made it down there. Each time I suggest one of our activities, he asks me to join him.”

  “Like a date?” Janet inquired.

  I wish. “No. I don’t think so.” This guy probably had woman dying to go out with him. No way would he ask a waitress out. “Maybe he just doesn’t know how to have . . . fun.” That was hard for her to believe. Gareth didn’t look like a sheltered man in the least.

  “And what did you say when he asked?”

  Where have you been all my life? She wasn’t one to fall all over a guy, but Gareth was a very handsome man. He also made her laugh, a trait she loved. She didn’t say no, because she couldn’t bring herself to.

  But not telling Janet she found him attractive wasn’t actually lying, was it? Since Janet didn’t ask that question directly, she would answer only what she’d asked. “The first two times I declined his offer. But he asked if I would join him for dinner tomorrow night. I ran out of ways to say no, so I agreed to meet him at five. But I wanted your approval before actually moving forward with this.”

  “Date?”

  “No. I asked him what he liked to do for fun, and he said we could discuss it over dinner. It would be unfortunate if he traveled all this way just to spend his entire vacation sitting in his room. Maybe if I can talk to him a bit longer, he will see how much New Hope really has to offer.”

  “And you don’t think one of our activity leaders could do the same? I mean that is what they are paid for.”

  And I’m paid to be a waitress. I know. Normally she loved her job. It’s just this once, she wanted . . . more. “I can’t explain it, but he seems . . . comfortable talking to me. If you’d rather I let him know I can’t make it, I’ll do so.” But she really was looking forward to hearing what Gareth liked doing during his free time. He’d piqued her interest, and not on a professional level either. There was more to him than he let on. And she wanted to know what it was.

  “Okay. Have dinner with him. But if you find he’s not . . . the introvert you believe him to be, back off. I don’t want to see you being . . . manipulated in any way. Tabiq has a reputation for some disturbing things, and New Hope won’t stand for any of it.”

  Brooke was glad to hear that, but it opened up the question as to why New Hope was so firm on this policy. Had they encountered a problem before? She knew the locals definitely kept their distance from any outsiders. Even though she worked with them, it wasn’t like anyone ever invited her to their home for dinner. Actually, she didn’t know much about any of them at all. If it weren’t for Janet and a few others, Brooke might not have stayed. No matter how beautiful the resort was, she needed adult interaction and conversation to survive.

  “Okay Janet. I promise, if things don’t feel right, I’ll let you know.” And if it feels too good, I’ll keep it to myself.

  “Thanks for calling me, Brooke. By the way, what is the name of this guest?”

  “Gareth.” Funny, she didn’t even know his last name. But Janet had access to room records and how many Gareths could there be staying at the resort this week?

  “I don’t think I’ve crossed paths with him yet either. Keep me posted.”

  “Will do. Good night,” Brooke said and ended the call.

  She slipped her phone back in the pocket of her black apron. That call went better than she’d expected. In a way, she just got Janet’s blessing to have dinner with Gareth. With any luck, that dinner would turn into something fun on the beach. He’s going to enjoy this vacation even if I have to make him.

  As she made her way back toward the kitchen, she chuckled to herself. And I’m finally going to get to have some fun too.

  3

  “Charles, staying there wasn’t going to change anything. What Dylan needs isn’t my advice, it’s yours. Be glad I’m not giving him a sympathy card instead of a wedding card.”

  “You’re lucky Rosslyn isn’t here listening to you right now,” Charles warned.

  Exactly my point. Gareth didn’t dance around watching his words. Rosslyn seemed to have already figured that out. “She’s not that delicate wallflower you make her out to be. Hell, she’s running Grayson Corp. From what Dylan told me, she’s not a pushover either. Thankfully, she’s not her uncle Maxwell, or we might all be in trouble.”

  “Just because she’s strong, doesn’t mean she’d appreciate your comments. And for the record, I wasn’t protecting her; I was protecting your dumb ass.”

  “Ouch. Where are your HR words?” Gareth asked teasingly.

  Charles laughed. “Probably out on vacation just like you. Good thing the others are picking up all the slack.”

  “What slack are you guys talking about? From what I saw before I left, we had nothing pending. The only thing I’m missing is baby and wedding talk. You can have both of those.” Gareth wasn’t ignorant enough to think the day-to-day work wouldn’t back up a bit, but it was
nothing he couldn’t handle when he returned. If something was pressing, his brothers would handle it. They always do.

  “That is beside the point. You can’t just take off anytime you want.”

  “What’s the point of owning a company if you need to ask permission?” Gareth asked sarcastically.

  “And what’s the point of owning a company if you’re not going to be here to run it? Where exactly are you, by the way?” Charles asked.

  Fuck. He’d been hoping to avoid that question. “A tropical island soaking up the sun.”

  “What you mean is that it’s none of my business,” Charles stated.

  “Did you really want to hear all about it?” Gareth asked.

  “No. You can keep all those details to yourself. Should we expect you back next week?”

  “I don’t have a return date yet, but I promised Dylan I would be back in plenty of time to throw him a bachelor party.”

  Charles sighed. “Do you really think that is necessary?”

  “Just because you didn’t want one, doesn’t mean he doesn’t,” Gareth clarified. “Don’t worry, Charles. I’m not ordering strippers. I was actually thinking we’d fly out to Vegas for the night and try our luck.”

  “You don’t think we are lucky enough?” Charles asked.

  “Are you becoming Dad? Old and no fun?”

  “I’m nothing like Dad. And if you even say Granddad, I’ll come find you and kick your ass. The last thing I want is to be anything like our ancestors.”

  He could hear the anger in Charles’s voice. “What’s got you so pissed off?” Charles didn’t answer so Gareth added, “Listen, I know I joke around a lot, but if there is something you want to talk about, I’m here.”

  “Dad made a comment yesterday when he was holding Penelope.”

  “What did he say?” Their father was unpredictable so Gareth didn’t even want to take a guess.

  “He said he hoped she didn’t grow up to be like her auntie.”

  “And you think he meant Aunt Audrey?” Gareth asked.

  “Who else would he mean? She was the only female on either side, and since Dylan isn’t married yet, I doubt he was talking about Sofia.”

  That was a fucked-up statement. But what shocked him more was his father making it. “I thought he didn’t know anything. This sounds like he was—”

  “Lying. I know. What I don’t get is why would he lie to us? Dylan said he spoke to him. That was Dad’s time to come clean with everything he knew. He should know us by now. If we want to know something, we won’t stop until we get it.”

  Ain’t that the truth? “Maybe he thought he was protecting us.”

  “I think he’s protecting himself. There’s something going on, Gareth, and I can’t figure it out. When you come back, I think we should continue looking into the connection between us and the Hendersons.”

  Now Gareth felt like an asshole. Obviously Charles didn’t know he and Dylan already met with Brice. The timing wasn’t good to bring that up now. It was going to cause problems, and Gareth wasn’t there to intervene.

  “I think you’re right. But can’t this wait a few weeks? Let Dylan and Sofia have their wedding, and then you and I can sit down and talk about everything we know and plan out what to do about the missing pieces.” This should buy him some time. Gareth doubted he’d know it all, but anything he could learn was less to worry about later.

  “Okay. We’ll table it for now. But I have to tell you, Dad’s slipping and I don’t want him saying something that will cause a scandal for the family,” Charles said. “We need to know so we can prepare for damage control.”

  “Got it. I’ll try to cut this trip short. But my dinner date is about here, and I don’t want to keep her waiting.” Gareth hadn’t left his room yet, but he would soon, and that was the fastest excuse he could come up with.

  “Someday, Gareth, you’ll settle down.”

  Gareth laughed. “And look whose mind is slipping now,” he teased. “I’ll text you when I’m on my way back to the States.”

  As soon as he ended the call, he dialed Dylan’s number.

  “Are you calling to let me know you’re coming back?” Dylan asked.

  “Ha. If you saw the beautiful woman I’m having dinner with, you wouldn’t rush me.” Brooke definitely was stunning, but that wasn’t what he wanted to talk about. “I only have a few minutes, but I wanted to let you know, I just got off the phone with Charles.”

  “Let me guess. He’s pissed that you’re gone.”

  “That too. But he was more upset with Dad. He wants me to start looking into the Henderson connection after the wedding. You can’t let him know we already met with Brice. If he finds out, he’s going to want to know everything.”

  “And that’s a bad thing why?” Dylan asked.

  “Because your bride-to-be will not get the wedding she wants. Instead she’ll be caught in the middle of family drama. I don’t know much about shit like this, but I don’t think that’s going to be good for her, the baby, or you.”

  “Gareth, I’ve got to be honest, there are times I wish we hadn’t met with Brice. Some of the things he said haunt me. This is our gene pool we’re talking about. I don’t think it worried me until I learned I was going to be a father. Now . . . it makes me sick. They are not the stories I want to tell my child.”

  “And you won’t have to. Trust me Dylan; no one wants the truth to come out. That’s why you can’t say anything to Charles. Just let it lie for now.”

  “I thought that was our plan. You make it seem like something has changed. What aren’t you telling me, Gareth? And don’t give me a bullshit line about some woman. Where are you?” Dylan demanded.

  “Tabiq.”

  “What the hell are you doing there?” Dylan snapped.

  “Gee. Would you believe I’m on vacation?” Gareth asked sarcastically. “Didn’t think so. I’m trying to find out why the Hendersons are here. You do know they have built a multi-billion dollar resort here, don’t you?”

  “Charles mentioned something about Brice wanting a contract with the Lawsons. Was that it?”

  “No. This is different. From what I can tell, it’s only a few years old. But why here? It doesn’t fit. This country is . . . poor. And I’m not sure about the crime rate, but they don’t want any guests leaving the resort alone.”

  “That isn’t the only place that has those types of recommendations. You’ve traveled enough to know that,” Dylan added. “But you could’ve done all that research from New York. Why go there?”

  “Do you remember Brice stating they were making amends for what his father had done?”

  “I do. And I remember him saying that Great-granddad was connected as well.”

  He was trying to forget that part. “Well, we’re not going to find that information on the internet. So I came here to learn firsthand.”

  Dylan laughed. “You went halfway around the world to see if some stranger would tell you the Hendersons’ dirty little secrets? You should’ve told me, Gareth. I would’ve let you know you’re wasting your time.”

  “You have a better idea?”

  “Yes.”

  “Let’s hear it,” Gareth said.

  “Let’s sit down with Brice again, and this time we demand he tell us everything.”

  Gareth laughed. “And you really think that will work? Because if someone demanded we do something we didn’t want to do, I don’t think they’d be leaving happy at all.”

  “You’re right. I’m just . . . unsure what to do. And I definitely don’t like the idea of you in Tabiq by yourself. If Brice finds out you’re probing for info, there is going to be hell to pay. I can’t have your back from where I am.”

  “And I don’t need you to. Trust me. I’m not going to stir the pot. Just here on vacation, that’s all. Oh. I’m meeting with Alex Henderson too.”

  “What the hell for?” Dylan snapped.

  “To sell him steel of course.”

  “You want to do bu
siness with them now?” Dylan asked.

  “Nope. But I’m going to make it look like I do. Hence why I’m here in Tabiq. Just a sales call, that’s all.”

  “You’re fucking nuts if you think they are going to believe that.”

  “Dylan, Alex doesn’t know about us. He’s just going to look at me and tell me no. That simple. No worries.”

  “Great. You’re in a foreign country taking on a family that doesn’t want to know us. At least if you don’t make it back, I’ll know where to start looking.”

  “We’re not dealing with murderers here.”

  “And you know that how?” Dylan asked. “Exactly. You’re there because we don’t know what we’re dealing with. Every time we think it is bad, it seems to get worse.”

  “And that is why we need to know. I don’t give a shit what James Henderson did. But if a Lawson was connected, and I don’t just mean Aunt Audrey, then we need to know.”

  “You don’t have to worry, I’m not telling Charles anything about this. If he knew what you were doing, he’d be on a flight there to confront your ass.”

  “I don’t answer to him, Dylan.” I don’t answer to anyone.

  “Try telling him that. Hey, Sofia is calling me. I’ve got to go. You better check in with me every day or I will tell him. Got it?”

  “Sure. Daily updates. Got it.” Gareth ended the call. Dylan was at the breaking point, and this was just another weight on his shoulders. He wasn’t sure calling him was the right thing to do, but it was too late now.

  He slipped his phone in his pocket and made his way downstairs. When he arrived at the lobby he asked the front desk if Alex Henderson had arrived yet.

  “He has. Is there something I can assist you with?”

  “I was hoping to meet with him.”

  “Do you have an appointment?” she asked.

  Do I need one? “No. Why don’t you just call him and let him know Gareth Lawson from Lawson Steel is here.”