She Doesn't Know She's His

Chapter Three

Sunlight streaming through her windows made it clear Elaine had slept well past her usual 6am. Considering that it had been after midnight when her father had finally dozed off on the sofa though, she wasn't surprised. What did catch her off guard was the curiosity about the gentleman from last night that she just couldn't shake. Her father had managed to draw details out of her that she hadn't even realized she picked up on. She knew he was trying to pinpoint who the man might be, especially after Elaine mentioned how it had felt when he had touched her hand. It may have been the wine she had been sipping, but it looked like something had crossed her father's mind when that was mentioned, almost a sad acceptance.

Elaine's mother had come from a rather obscure part of the northern west coast, and little was ever said about her family there. Growing up, it had always been her father's family they celebrated holidays and birthdays with. Elaine couldn't even remember her mother receiving a card or phone call from her own blood. There was no indication that her people were even still alive. Last night though, after his 2nd bourbon, Elaine's father let a few new details slip. In his depressed reminiscences he mentioned how her mother had never quite accepted the path her family had wanted for her. And if Elaine's mysterious stranger managed to steal her away, it would only be keeping with her mother's legacy. Knowing how painful it was for her father to talk about her mother, even 5 years after her death, Elaine decided to do something she had never felt the need to before.

Pushing back the gray, abstract rose-patterned comforter, she crossed the room to her desk and pulled from her work bag the laptop that went almost everywhere with her. Connecting the power cord, she settled down and made sure to message the housekeeper asking if she could please bring Elaine some coffee and oatmeal. It wasn't uncommon for the father and daughter to have entirely opposing schedules, so eating alone wherever they were working wasn't out of the ordinary. Elaine quickly got to work researching her mother's side of the family. After a little digging through the local courthouse website, she discovered that her parents had been married in a courthouse in Washington state years before the photos in the wedding album had been taken. But that made no sense. Why the facade? Further research found that her mother's maiden name had originally been Walker, a name common to the area that could have belonged to any of a dozen or so families.

None of this made any sense. Everything Elaine was finding indicated that she should have at least some family on the West Coast. There must have been something to drive her mother away. The families she found may not have been as wealthy as her father, or the man from last night, but the property values in that part of the state were the least in the upper six figures.

Right as Elaine was trying to decide if she was going to ask her father, or do more individual research first, the housekeeper knocked on her door. It occurred to Elaine that Irene had been present her entire life. The whole family leaned on her steady presence more and more as Elaine’s mother’s illness progressed until she was irreplaceable. It felt devious, but Elaine started to develop a plan and by the time she had thrown her mother’s burgundy robe over own lilac pajamas and answered the door she had decided to play up having a minor hangover. Irene was of an older mindset that a woman should never allow herself to become inebriated and never hesitated to remind Elaine that though she was of age to drink, that didn’t mean she should.

Opening the door Elaine smiled at Irene as she reached out for the tray Irene carried, noticing that the woman had put some pain killers and an electrolyte drink on it as well. “Thank you Irene, I guess you heard Father and I last night?”

“Young lady, you did the right thing, letting him talk. He needs to talk or he feels like he is forgetting her.” The older woman's velvet voice was pitched low out of concern for her young charge’s supposed headache.

That voice had once stunned small audiences and stole the hearts of thousands. But then rising star had been assaulted by her manager’s brother, becoming pregnant. Elaine’s father had been an old friend of the woman's, and now offered her a quiet home away from everything that reminded her of what had happened. Even though the child had been conceived in one of the worst ways imaginable, Irene was an amazing woman. She carried the child to term, with an adoptive family chosen where both parents majored in child psychology.

Knowing her child was now in the best hands possible, Irene still could not return to the life she had once pursued with a passion. Jeramy and Estelle had never once considered kicking Irene out, or insisting she pay her way, though she certainly had the funds saved to do so. Instead, Irene found solace in taking care of Estelle, who’s disease was making it increasingly difficult for her to manage the day to day of the house. When Elaine came into the picture, Irene was officially a part of the household and had been bullied into accepting payment for her efforts, in addition to room and board. Estelle was able to devote her dwindling energy to her baby, relying on Irene to keep the rest of the house running. Eventually, other staff were brought on, a nurse to help manage Estelle's condition, a groundskeeper and driver after Jeremy became too busy to manage those, and eventually an assistant for Irene.

"Irene, I never asked before, but some of Father's reactions last night... What do you know about my mother's family? Father mentioned that they had plans for her that she didn't want to go through with?" Elaine put all of the loss and confusion she had felt for the last 5 years into her voice, her eyes. It wasn't hard to do, Irene had been more of an aunt than anything her entire life anyway.

"Child, your father should be the one to tell you about all of this. I made that clear to him from the day your mother passed. Told him that he would need to keep your mother's story alive to keep her alive in you." Irene looked out the south-facing window above the spiral stair that led up to her rooms and the guest rooms.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Elaine was no longer thinking like an investigator trying to work an informant, now she was just a girl who missed her mother. "Why did he avoid my questions?"

"Elaine, my darling, it's just not my place. But I will tell you this, something about the conversation you two had last night got to your Father. He was up and leaving the house at 7 am on a Saturday. You know that man has never been out of bed before 9 at the earliest if there weren't plans made." A sly smile crossed Irene's softly tanned and gracefully aging face. "You know, he really wouldn't approve but... we haven't had a girl's day in over a year! Why don't we head out and do some shopping while I tell you what I remember of your mother. We can get lunch and plot how to corner your father this evening so you can work those beautiful green eyes on him instead of trying them on me." Irene reached for the bottle of pain killers and the electrolyte drink from the tray and Elaine didn't even bother pretending to be surprised. This woman had helped raise her after all.

An hour later and both ladies were dressed in their own style. Elaine kept it simple, a light gray cable knit cashmere sweater and fitted jeans that flared over thick-heeled black books. She had never seen the point of wearing clothing with some designer's label, and in truth abhorred the larger designers. Elaine's mother and Irene had shown her a little cluster of hand-made clothing boutiques down town and Elaine had rarely shopped anywhere else since. There were also a few other specialty stores in that area, so a couple of girls could spend a day there and never get bored. Bernard even called his mother and asked if she needed anything tailored while they were out. There was no question that he was coming with them.

Irene's outfit was much like Elaine's except that where Elaine wore softer, more natural colors, Irene was all jewel tones and black. A black leather jacket that probably cost as much as Elaine's school books covered a blood red turtle neck. Black fitted jeans hugged legs that could have belonged to a 30 year old. Her thick silver hair was up in a French twist and her makeup was flawless, highlighting natural beauty instead of changing anything,

Irene never really played the part of the housekeeper, especially not in public. In all reality, she was more like family who helped around the house and was compensated for it because it freed up Elaine and her father for their busy lives. There was more to that arrangement than Elaine had ever been told, but she knew that Irene's past had been painful and never pushed.

Bernard had tried to dress less like a bodyguard and more like a friend, but it hadn't worked. Black slacks, dress shoes and a white polo under a peacoat still reads bodyguard when years of habit keep you constantly scanning the crowds. He had even gone so far as to wearing the firearm in a way that you wouldn't know he had it.

Not long into their tour of the boutique district, Elaine started to notice that her hands were trembling ever so slightly. So much for relaxing being the cure for that. Irene noticed it and suggested they all get lunch at their favorite cafe around the corner. Chatting about what they planned to order and wondering what the chef was playing with now, they almost walked into a couple of men waiting right outside the doors. They were facing each other but Elaine knew immediately who it was, as did Bernard. Her stranger from last night was standing in front of her having a rather intense discussion with someone at the other end of a phone call. Trying to ignore the impulse to bump into him again, Elaine stepped around him and into the cafe.

Bernard chose them a seat towards the back of the cafe, where he could see the door and the stranger from last night wouldn't be able to accidentally bother his charge again. Elaine was seated in the booth facing Irene, which wasn't uncommon, and kept her conveniently out of sight. The waitress came over and took their order, and answered a few discreet questions regarding the stranger outside the door. Apparently they had come in about 10 minutes before they had and from the opposite direction, but had stepped out when the older gentleman's phone rang. Something that the staff here were trained to notice given the nature of their clientele. Someone was always watching the door and the security system here was updated every other month.

Elaine caught Bernard's eye and nodded to him, "It's him Bernard, and I think he knows I'm here. Relax. If he comes over we will be polite until he gives us a reason not to be." Elaine's voice sounded breathy even in her own ears, causing Irene to look up from her examination of the menu.

"And who is 'him'?" Nothing caught Irene's ear like the social lives of those around her and she never bothered to hide it.

"The gentleman from last night I bumped into leaving the gala." Elaine tried to play it down, but there was no hiding that she was almost hoping he would come over. And if she was honest with herself, she wanted him to. Unbiden, her mind went back to how his touch had felt, how his eyes had held her. As though her thoughts summoned him, Elaine suddenly knew that he had walked through the door. She didn't need to follow Bernard's eyes to know he was coming their way. But she did look up to her friend and when he looked down to check in with her she gave him a shy smile, deciding in a heartbeat not to deny what she was feeling unless he gave her a reason to.

"Leo, she's here." Ian looked pointedly in the direction of the trio walking towards them. His cousin was emersed in pursuadeing the property developer who had finally called him back to meet with him for dinner. They may be here for personal matters, but his cousin had a knack for finding opportunities to expand the family business anywhere he went.

With a self-satisfied smile Leo ended the call. He had a few hours before he was to meet Mr. Hilland for dinner, which would be enough time for Ian to find somewhere suitable that would have tables reserved for meetings like this. He had heard Ian tell him that Elaine was walking towards him, but he had picked up her scent not long after getting out of the car. It was still difficult for him to accept the intensity of the attraction this young woman held for him, but there was no denying that his wolf knew her as theirs. When she walked around him it had taken everything in him not to reach out and touch her. Instead, he had watched her walk into the cafe they had just stepped out of so as not to disturb anyone else.

Ian just shook his head watching his cousin go from an accomplished businessman to a love sick puppy in minutes. He was happy for Leo, and was honest with himself to admit a twinge of jealousy. Ian had never imagined he would have any real desire to find his mate quickly, but watching this play out made him wonder when and how he would find his partner.

They waited a few moments after the trio entered the cafe, not wanting to give the guard the impression of being followed. When they went back in Ian went to the counter to ask that the orders they had put on hold please be delivered to their table when convenient. Leo, however, couldn't deny his wolf much longer and went straight to the back of the cafe. He made eye contact with the guard and smiled slightly, trying to appear friendly when his wolf wanted them to chase off this other male so close to their mate.