Secrets of a Billionaire

Chapter 12

Amanda’s POV

“We leave for Maui tonight?” I ask, and suddenly I start to feel panicky. “Oh my god, I haven’t had time to pack! How am I supposed to get ready in time?”

“It’s only just after 4 pm now,” Mark says, looking at his phone. “We’re taking a red eye flight that doesn’t leave until just before midnight. We have plenty of time to get you packed if we leave right now.”

“You’re not going to stay for your own party?” Eleanor asks. “Seriously though, delight of my womb… you should at least stay to greet the guests who arrive in order to tell them of the change in plans.”

“We can let the Davenports stay to inform all the arriving guests that the wedding is off, and let them try to explain how Corina was paid a great sum of money to drug my best man and sleep with him!” Mark replies angrily, and I can’t help but agree and sympathize with him. “She made her bed, and now she must sleep in it. I hope her $100,000 keeps her warm at night.”

“Bravo!” Donny says, clapping merrily. “Well said!”

“Shall we go, Mrs. Reynolds?” Mark suggests, taking me by the arm like a gentleman. “We can have Dixon drop us off at Harrogate Towers, can’t we mother?”

“It’s a little out of our way, but since you are my favorite son I suppose it’ll be no great hardship,” his mother responds dramatically.

“I’m your only son!” Mark reminds her with a laugh.

“Yes, which means you’re also my least favorite child at times,” she claims airily. But then her demeanor suddenly changed like the weather and she smiled at me. “But this way I get to spend extra time learning about my new daughter in law!”

“Come and see me as soon as you’re back from the honeymoon,” Elliot Reynolds the elder tells his grandson before we head out the door. “I’ll have my lawyer draw up the contract in the meantime. No signed contract, no deal. I’ll leave the company and all potential inheritance exactly as it currently stands unless you both sign.”

“Actually, why don’t you have your lawyer get in touch with my lawyer,” I tell him, which surprises the old gentleman greatly. “I want to make certain that my interests are also upheld in the contract regarding the situation with my book royalties and my trust fund. My lawyer is David Brinkerhoff, of Brinkerhoff, Lindell, and Smythe attorneys at law. I’m sure you must have heard of them.”

“Is that right?” Marks grandfather says, now showing real interest. “I’ll make sure to have my lawyer get in contact yours, then.”

We say a few words in farewell, and then I’m being steered out of the church by Mark, his mother and Donny following behind. Eleanor was laughing and confiding about how my lawyer was a part of the same firm that represented her in the divorce, where she had made out so well. So yes, Elliot the first knew of that particular firm of lawyers very well.

A few people are already starting to arrive as we are leaving, so we inform anyone we come across that the Davenport Shipton-Reynolds wedding has been cancelled.

“Mandy?” I hear someone call out my name. It’s my old apartment manager, Charlene. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, hey Charlene!” Mark calls out to her, jovially. “Amanda and I just got married today!”

“Wait! What?” Charlene says, her mouth gaping open in shock. I show her my wedding rings, and her eyes practically bug right out of her head. “You’re serious, aren’t you? I didn’t even know that you knew each other! But what happened with, umm… Corina?”

“It’s a long story,” I tell her.

“Yeah, and we need to get Amanda packed for our honeymoon in Hawaii,” Mark tells her. “I’ll fill you in on the details once we get back.”

“Oh, Mandy!” Charlene says before we can get away. “Before I forget, you got a package delivered yesterday after you had left.”

“Oh, that’ll be my personal copies of the new book,” I realized. “Damn, I haven’t changed my address yet, I’ve had so much going on the last week or so. But I’m going to need that package for the event at Powells books.”

“Could you please take the package over to Harrogate Towers the next time you’re headed there for any reason?” Mark asks sweetly, and I can see he knows how to deal with the middle aged woman, because she quickly assures us that she will gladly take care of that.

“Thanks so much!” I tell her. I’m so glad to know I won’t be running around town trying to figure out where that package is right before the book signing.

“Oh, and can you put an add in the job listings for an experienced property manager, minimum 5 years experience?” Mark suddenly adds. “I’ll interview any good candidates that apply once I’m back. Someone to replace you, actually, since I’d like to promote and move you to Harrogate Towers. If you’d be interested, that is. You’ll get a 20% pay raise, in addition to an upgraded apartment.”

Charlene just nods, apparently speechless as we walk off.

Eleanor and I chit chat a bit during the 15 minute drive to Harrogate Towers, located smack dab in the middle of downtown Portland’s posh Pearl District. Mark sits beside me in the limo, my hand encased in his, adding to the conversation where appropriate.

“I think the two of you should buy a house out in Lake Oswego or West Linn,” Eleanor is suggesting, looking outside the limo’s window’s at the urban center with distaste. “If you do end up working for your grandfather, you’ll have a much shorter commute, and a house will be a much better place to raise a family than your penthouse, darling. And you’ll be closer to me!”

“Do not fear, mother,” Mark replies with ease and affability. “Amanda and I will probably be discussing these matters very soon. Our courtship and engagement was very short, so we really haven’t had a chance to talk about those things at all yet.”

“We were engaged for what? Two hours at the most?” I add, questioningly.

“Something like that,” Mark says, and then kisses my cheek. “But it’s not the length of time that matters, so much as how we use the time allotted to us. I knew Corina for over a year, and barely knew her true nature until recently. But with you, I feel like I already know you despite our short acquaintance.”

I’m sure he’s just speaking a load of waffle, because of his mother and Donny being right there listening in, but the sentiment was nice and made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I smiled serenely at him. For now, I am happy. My 10th children’s picture book is launching in 2 weeks, and I have only some final edits to do on my latest preteen’s fantasy novel. And now I’m suddenly in what will most likely be a long term relationship with a guy who isn’t a loser wanting to leech off of my money and my good will. He has employment, money, and good prospects for the future. Things are really looking up for me right now!

But then once we get out of the limo and head into the building, I am met with an unexpected and unwelcome sight! Rick is waiting for me inside the lobby of the apartment building.

“Mandy, babe!”