Daring The Billionaire

chapter four

"Hey, mom!" Richard called out as he approached the elderly lady, his mother, who was talking to one of the waiters by the host's table.

"Hi Richy dear, how are you?" Joanna greeted her son with a smile and a kiss on his cheek.

At fifty-six years of age, Joanna Gilbert did not look like a woman who had given birth to three grown men and two women. She was tiny, only five foot four, and was slim despite owning restaurants and a husband who could cook food to die for. She preferred to be up and about in business, hence why she chose to be the host of their busiest restaurant.

"I'm good, where is Dad?" Richard asked out of habit, but he knew his father was probably in the kitchen cooking or arguing with the chef.

"Somewhere in the back, arguing with Marlowe about what goes well with smoked salmon or something." He was spot on.

Anyone who knew Daniel Gilbert would know that the kitchen is his second favorite place of his. The first is next to his wife, the love of his life.

The two had a love story that inspired many, especially their children. They dated from high school since Daniel was a senior and Joanna a junior. They were both not popular kids because Daniel had already found his passion for cooking and was on the chubby side of the scale. Joanna was always by his side, assisting in some way. She was this blonde bombshell that fell in love with the fat kid who always smelled like food. Joanna told her kids it was the smell of food that attracted her to their father. Now thirty-nine years later, they were still in love.

"New recipe?" Richard asked. As the second born in his family, the passion for cooking was never expected to pounce on him as it did on his older brother, Marlowe. Richard could cook amazingly; it was in his genes, but his love was learning and teaching history.

"New, old, I can hardly keep us. Where is my grandbaby?" Joanna asked, her beautiful slightly wrinkled face turning into a frown as she looked behind and around Richard.

"You would never believe this Mom, but Lexi went to the mall with Tiffany from her school," Richard replied, crossing his fingers behind his back.

Alexa was the family's first grandchild. And Joanna was extremely close and protective of her, especially with the struggles Lexi had faced growing up.

"Tiffany Miller, that spoiled bullying brat?" Joanna whisper-shouted. Richard knew if there had been anywhere but a busy restaurant his mother would have screamed.

"She apologized," Richard informed her, trying to calm her.

"And that was enough for you? That little Barbie made my sweet Lexi cry for years, I want more than an apology. I want... I want her parents' apology for spoiling that girl. I want them here on their knees begging Lexi and me for forgiveness." his tiny mother looked ready for war.

"Mama, calm down, please. Lexi wanted to go and I think it's big of her to be able to forgive. You should too."

"Hmph. Forgive my foot. If that little girl tries anything with my grandbaby, I'm going to show her whole family flames, even the cats and mice are going to feel my wrath," Joanna ranted.

"Hopefully nothing happens, we don't want you going after their household pets," Richard spoke with a small smile.

"Anyway, are you going to play on your own today?" she asked.

"It's not the same without Lexi," Richard replied.

"I know but a few customers have been asking when you will start. You cannot deny them the pleasure of hearing you on the saxophone. And if you play my favorites, you get an extra pie on Sunday," His mother was his biggest fan. At some point, she pushed him to pursue his musical interests, but again, history won.

"I can never say no to your pie. I'm going to go set up everything," Richard told her as he went around to lift his case.

As he was about to turn, he hit someone with the case and when he turned to apologize, he was met with the coldest glare ever.

He had hit the most beautiful lady he had ever met. He mumbled his apology as the man who was with her shoved him away. Probably an overprotective boyfriend. He would not want anyone touching his woman if she looked like that.

As he closed his case that had opened in the encounter, Richard noticed something shiny on the ground next to his case. Picking it up, he saw it was a silver bracelet with a precious stone and little diamonds. It looked very expensive and he had a feeling it belonged to the beautiful lady.

Richard turned to go give it to her but saw her sitting in the private section of the restaurant with another man. The man Richard had thought was her boyfriend was sitting at a table behind them, it seemed he was the bodyguard.

Marbles was known to host very important and influential people. Some of them came with bodyguards. Richard then knew the lady must be a very important person and going to them seemed like a bad idea. So, he decided to approach her as she left and give her the bracelet back. Hopefully, by then she would have forgotten about him hitting her with a saxophone case.

He had just sat down when she stormed out with her guard trailing behind her. Richard put the case he was about to open down and got up to approach her.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he called out to her and she turned so fast he feared she might sprain a muscle.

Richard had thought about how the second time that lady laid eyes on him would play out. He would apologize and give her the bracelet back with another apology. Then she would smile and thank him and they would part ways with her, forgetting him instantly. But fate had other thoughts and so did the beautiful woman.