The Inheritance (Forever Bound #1) (4 page)

“I’ll take Cole Slaw. Thanks!”

“My pleasure.” She finished writing up the order and turned from his table. She chuckled when she saw Jamie sitting there. “Stay much longer and I’ll put you to work.”

“Well…” she asked.

Charity shook her head. “He ordered the fish and slaw at my suggestion.”

Jamie’s mouth opened. “Your suggestion? Did he ask for it, or did you offer it up as a suggestion?”

Charity handed the order to the kitchen staff and turned back to Jamie. “He asked what I would suggest. It’s all so strange. I can’t tell if he was genuine or an ass,” Charity whispered.

Jamie slyly looked towards the table, then looked back at Charity. “He’s always seemed genuine to me, maybe a little too much of a workaholic, but as a Mayor of our city that’s a good thing, right?”

“Right,” Charity mumbled. She looked over to the table.

“He’s dedicated to what is best for our community.” She paused, and her voice went down a notch. “I wonder why he never married.”

Charity shrugged. “Maybe it’s because he’s so dedicated to the community and can’t find a woman that will put up with that.” The door opened, and another set of customers walked in. “I have other customers, so maybe you want to take off.”

Jamie nodded. “I should. I’ll text you later to see how the rest of your shift went.“ She winked at Charity, then left the counter. Charity watched her leave the Diner, then walked over to the other table. She had other customers to take care of, and Mayor Derek Worthington was just another man.

***

Frank put his portfolio back in his briefcase. “I’ll run the numbers and get back to you.”

“Thanks, Frank. I’ll let you know as soon as I find the owner of that property. Hopefully, we can still proceed without any more distractions.”

“Would you care for a refill?” The waitress asked them as she approached the table. He caught himself staring a little longer than he intended to. He looked down at the table. “We’ll be leaving soon.”

“Okay.” She placed two bills down on the table. “Have a nice day!” He looked up to find her smiling at him. He smiled back and nodded, then turned to look at Frank as she walked away.

“I’ll cover the meal today,” Derek said, pulling his wallet from his back pocket as he stood up.

“Thanks, Derek.” Frank stood up from the table. “I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.” He put out his hand and Derek shook it.

“Bye!” Derek replied, turning from the table and heading to the cashier. Charity approached him, still keeping a smile on her lips. He’d noticed the smile a couple of times before, as she stood at their table and as he found her gawking at him from afar. He wasn’t uncomfortable with it, which astounded him even more.

“Did everything suit you today, Mayor Worthington.” He always cringed when someone called him that outside of the political realm.

“The Fish was a great suggestion!” he replied quietly.

“Great!” She added the two bills together and told him his total.

When he handed her the money, he said, “Keep the change.”

She looked down at the money in her hands. “I can’t keep that much as a tip, Sir.” She put the money in the drawer and tried to hand him the change.

“Please. The service was impeccable, and it’s well worth it.”

She tilted her head. “Really…it’s too much.”

He held up his hands. “You deserve it. Have a good day.” He smiled at her and turned around, leaving her to stare at his back. When he reached outside, he felt an overwhelming satisfaction wash over him. He passed a woman as she headed into the Diner and he smiled at her. “Hello,” he coolly stated.

“H…hello…” she slowly answered back. He reached his car and got into the driver’s seat, then glanced at the clock radio. He had to get to the ribbon cutting, but suddenly the busy day didn’t seem to bother him.

***

Charity stared at the money, still clutched in her hand. Instead of being grateful for the money, she was angered. She slid the money into her pocket and walked over to his table to clean it off. “Who does he think she is?” she mumbled under her breath. “I’m not some charity case that needs a handout.” She walked back to the counter and spotted Tina coming into work. “Hey!” Charity mumbled.

“Hey!” Tina replied. “Um…did I just see Mayor Worthington?”

“Yeah, you saw Mayor Jackass.” Charity threw the towel down on the counter and looked at Tina’s surprised expression.

“Jackass? What did he do?”

“He tried to bribe me with over fifty dollars in tips.”

Tina tilted her head. “Bribe you? What did he want you to do?”

Charity frowned. It was true; he didn’t exactly ask for anything in return, but that was beside the point. She didn’t need him to act all arrogant and thrust his money upon her. She didn’t want or need his pity for having to work in the food and hospitality industry. It was a job, after all. “The point is, he thinks he’s better than everyone else. I told him I didn’t want this tip, and you know what he had the audacity to say to me?”

Tina chuckled. “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

“He told me I deserved it. He doesn’t know me, so how in the world can he possibly know I deserve it?” Her voice raised slightly over the normal speaking level, and Tina glanced past her to the table of two teenagers seated in the corner. Charity took a deep breath and slowly released it, before lowering her voice. “I’m offended, can you tell?”

Tina slowly nodded. “It appears that way, but frankly I think you’re making more out of it than you need to. He probably felt you gave him excellent service. He can afford to hand out extra money. Instead of trying to figure out how to be mad about it, just enjoy it.” She moved past Charity and went to the backroom so she could clock in and Charity turned around and stared at the table where the two men were seated earlier. Tina had a point, but it didn’t make her feel any better.

Jesse wiped his mouth with his napkin and tossed it down onto his plate. “The meal was great, as always, Mary.”

“Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Mary replied, clearing the dinner table.

“Want to go to the den?” Derek asked.

“Sure!” Jesse stood up, and they headed towards the den. They barely got settled in one of the chairs, before Jesse started talking. “I brought a copy of your father’s will.” He pulled it out of the folder and held it up like it was a trophy.

Derek snickered. “Why? Do you think I forgot what it said?”

Jesse grinned at his remark. “No, but I thought it would finally sink in if you looked it over.”

Derek stared at the papers in Jesse’s hand, then finally reached for it and read through it. When he got to the last line, he looked up and nodded. “Yep…that’s pretty much how I remember it.” He kept the will in his hand as all the thoughts ran through his head of what he wanted to say. He wanted to express how he didn’t need a paper to dictate his life for the future or the present. He didn’t need to follow a stupid guideline when he was happy with the life he led. He especially wanted to point out that marriage was supposed to be about love, and it had been a long time since he felt that way with any woman and he couldn’t rush it now. Instead, he just looked at Jesse and froze. Everything he wanted to say just slipped from his mind, and he thought about what the will was truly saying. He snickered softly and threw the papers down on the coffee table. “My father was elected as Mayor when I was only five years old. A few years later…my mom’s gone, and it’s just the two of us. I missed so much growing up because I was my father’s son. I wanted to play baseball, but he never got around to signing me up for little league. When I got to high school and could make my own decisions, none of it really seemed to matter because no one would be there to watch. I threw up my hands and figured why bother? Every election year no one ran against him because they figured the same thing…why bother? My dad had a lot of backing in this city. He was powerful, and he got things done. When he decided to retire, it just sort of became my mission to follow in his footsteps.” He swallowed the lump in his throat and continued. “Growing up, did I expect to become Mayor? No. Not at all, but that didn’t change the way my life wound up. I’m not about to bring a family into a lifestyle that I grew up in. It wouldn’t do anyone any good.”

Jesse listened intently to every word Derek said, and when Derek hesitated long enough to show he was finished, Jesse replied. “I’m not following. The only thing you have in common with your father is your last name. You’re not your father, and you’ve learned from his mistakes.”

Derek sighed. He wanted to believe those words, but he couldn’t. Not when he spent all his life living his father’s shadow. “I’ve spent my whole life listening to what my father said. I did everything I thought he would want for me, and I longed to make him proud.” He looked down at the floor, thinking about his next words. The only option he had was to speak from his heart and hope that his best friend would understand. “After my mom left us my dad put his whole self into what would benefit Belfast. He didn’t worry about not having a woman by his side.” Jesse tilted his head and stared at him, reading Derek’s mind. “I have thought about it, and right after the will was read I even considered looking for someone to be my wife, but I figured...why?”

Jesse chuckled. “The money could be one reason.”

Derek looked away from Jesse’s eyes. “Money isn’t a good enough reason. The money will go to this town, and frankly I’m alright with that.”

“You do realize that if the money went to you, you wouldn’t have to worry about winning the next election. You could retire and travel the world. You’ll be given all that up. Are you prepared for that?”

Derek didn’t even have to consider it. He nodded. “No one can be too sure of what the future holds. I could go out next week and meet the woman of my dreams, and we could marry on our own terms. Maybe we would meet the deadline and maybe we wouldn’t, but the point is it would be for all the right reasons.

“Are you open to that?” Jesse asked.

Derek nodded. “Of course. I’m not saying that if the right woman walked into my life, I would turn away from it. I’m not a hermit for heaven’s sake.“ He laughed. “I just don’t know why you’re so vested in it. You act like you have a stake in the money.” He picked up the will and looked over it. “Did I miss the fine print?” He laughed as he looked up.

Jesse snatched the papers from Derek’s hand. “No, but I want you to be happy. Besides, I did meet someone that I think would be perfect for you.” He grinned and Derek covered his face and shook his head.

“You are unbelievable. So, who is this wonderful woman I should meet?”

“My girlfriend’s best friend,” Jesse replied proudly. “She’s gorgeous…almost right up there with Ana.” He winked at Derek. “You should meet her.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but really…I’ve made up my mind.” Derek laughed as he stood to his feet. “Want a drink before I send you off to interfere with someone else’s life.” He smiled to show that he was sort of kidding.

“I’ll take a scotch,” Jesse quietly replied. Derek went to the bar and poured two glasses of Scotch, then walked it back over to Jesse.

“I might not be interested in getting to know her best friend, but I would like to meet this mysterious girlfriend I’ve only recently heard about. So, her name’s Ana?”

Jesse nodded. “I believe she could be the one.”

Derek took a drink from his glass, before replying. “Wow, that’s saying a lot coming from you.”

Jesse eagerly nodded. “I know, but there’s something different about her. Maybe that’s another reason why I want you to consider meeting someone and getting married. Ana’s changed my heart, and the perfect girl could change yours.”

Derek rolled his eyes, as he took a slow drink and thought about Jesse’s words. Jesse didn’t understand why he believed the way he did, but he couldn’t force things to happen just so he could walk away with his father’s fortune. It didn’t work that way and eventually Jesse would have to understand.

***

Charity stood at the microwave, staring absentmindedly into her steaming hot soup. When the microwave dinged, she opened the door and pulled out the bowl. “A gourmet meal fit for a Queen,” she replied with a chuckle, taking a seat at her kitchen table. She took a bite from the bowl, then took a drink of water, before reaching for her first piece of mail.

She opened it up to find her credit card bill…late again. She stared at the past due amount and dropped the bill on the kitchen table. She reached for another envelope and opened it up to find a late notice for her doctor’s bill. She had only gone for a physical, but they seemed to charge enough to pay for three surgeries, at least that’s how it seemed. Again, she flung the bill to the kitchen table. She groaned at the bills still left on the table. She didn’t need to open them to know what they were about.

She took another bite of her soup and thought about how she never expected her life to get this bad. She took a drink of her ice cold water and sighed as it went down her pipe. Her cell phone rang, and she glanced at the number. “Perfect timing,” she mumbled, reading her landlord’s name on the caller ID. She ignored the call. It wasn’t long until a message signaled on her phone. Despite wanting to throw the phone down the toilet, she listened to the message.

“It’s Richard. I know you’re home and just refusing to answer my call, but you need to contact me ASAP. I’ve been patient, Charity. Your rent is way past due and delaying it will only hurt your case. Call me.” The phone went dead, and she deleted the message. She would’ve loved to call him and pay up, but she didn’t have the money he needed. Sure that the knock at her door was soon to follow, she finished her soup and put the dirty dishes in the sink, then grabbed her purse, and rushed out the front door. She hopped in her car and swore she saw the light flip on in his apartment, but never looked back.

She drove the few miles down her road, to the right, and up a hill, until she turned into the parking lot of the nearest club. She sat there for a few minutes, contemplating whether she really wanted to go inside. Then after a few uncertain moments, she got out of the car and sauntered into the dark building.

She glanced around the club, seeking out any familiar face in the crowd. When she didn’t see any, she walked up to the bar and sat down on one of the stools. She smiled at the bartender. “I’ll take sex on the beach.”

“Coming right up!”

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, staring straight ahead and not focusing on her surroundings. When the bartender handed her the drink, she handed him a five and smiled. “Keep the change.” She needed time to think and sitting in a noisy club seemed a confusing option, but the right one. She took a drink and devised a game plan in her head. She had to talk to her boss and beg for a raise or more hours. She quickly was losing any other choice. She took another drink and planned out the words in her head. She would offer to work longer hours and give the ones that were closer to retirement age the time at home with their families. Stella, who only worked because her children were grown, out of the house, and living two thousand miles away, had talked about taking an extended vacation to visit them. She would gladly pick up all her hours if needed. Bill hadn’t really given Stella the time off she requested because he said that she was needed there, but Charity could help out in that aspect. It could work. It had to.

She lifted her drink to her lips when she heard the voice next to her. “Penny for your thoughts.” A penny slid in front of her, and she looked up to stare into two dark brown eyes. His long hair was draped over his shoulders, and she bit back a groan that was fighting to be released. He smiled brightly, and her knees quivered.

“Um…nice gesture but my thoughts aren’t worth that much.” She put her hand to the penny and slid it back to him, never breaking their gaze.

He grinned, which made her heart race. “I doubt that. A beautiful girl sitting there so serenely, staring out like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders…must be pretty busy in your head. I can almost see the thoughts running around inside.”

She smiled, blushing as she looked down at the bar. She’d never felt so drawn to a guy before. This coming from a woman that could sleep with a different guy every night and not think about it. When she looked back at him, she saw a gold speck in his eyes, that seemed to twinkle and invite her in. “You charmer…I bet you say that to all the women.”

He laughed. “Not all of them…just the captivating ones.”

She brushed a strand of hair back around her ear and bit her lower lip. Warmth settled into her inner core, and she situated herself on the bar stool to make herself comfortable. She took a long drawn out drink from her glass, and when she lowered it to the counter, she realized it was almost bone dry. He noticed it, too.

“Bartender, she’ll have another.”

Her eyes widened. Besides the lack of money in her billfold, she didn’t like to drink too much. She liked to have a clear head. “No…I wouldn’t,” she stated.

He glanced towards her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed. Want something else?”

She thought about it, then finally smiled and shook her head. “Another Sex on the Beach is fine.” She slowly pulled her change purse from her pocket. Knowing it would only contain her driver’s license, she moved extra slowly, hoping he would intervene. When he placed his hand on hers, she was grateful to see that he did just that.

“I got it.” He winked at her, and she was seconds from salivating. She heaved a sigh and replaced the item in her pocket.

“Thank you!” She looked into his chocolate eyes and he smiled.

“My pleasure.” He put the money on the counter and they went back to talking. “So, what is a beautiful woman doing here alone?” he asked.

“Perhaps looking to meet a nice guy to talk to.” She smiled, providing the same warmth he gave to her.

“Please. I’m sure you have guys standing around the block for you. You don’t need to come to a club to get that kind of attention.” He took a drink from his beer bottle.

The bartender placed her drink in front of her, and she grabbed a drink to buy herself some time. Smiling, as she dropped the drink from her lips, she answered with, “Maybe I would prefer a different kind of attention that they can give me.”

He wiggled his eyes at her and chuckled. “Hm…I can’t lie. That did intrigue me.” He took another drink, then replied, “My name’s Damian…and you?”

He seemed different than the other guys she’d flirted with. Without giving it the second thought, she told him her name. “My name’s Charity.” She held out her hand, and he shook it, gleaming with confidence.

“Charity, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

She smiled at him and slowly pulled her hand free from his. She looked down at her full glass and a knot formed in her lower abdomen. She didn’t want to appear ungrateful, but she also didn’t want to make a fool of herself. She took a sip, then placed it back down on the counter. “We’ve talked about why I’m here alone, but what about you?” she asked. “You’re not half bad looking…I mean, a woman could do worse.” She grinned, and he laughed, brightening up the dim room.

“Gee, I’m flattered. You want the truth?” he asked.