Page 15 of Saving Hanna
Chapter Eleven
AIDEN
Watching Hanna leave the house, I had a pretty good idea where she was going. It was a good seven miles back to the city. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking, but the only option she had was to either walk or call a cab. Neither one was acceptable. Knowing that she wouldn’t speak to me after the information she just learned, Albert was my only hope to make sure she got home safe.
As soon as she had enough time to cool down, I would try to explain my plans for the diner. Hanna had no idea how much it had been costing Dotty. The building was old and in need of new plumbing and electrical wiring. It was a fire hazard and Dotty knew it. The fire marshal gave her until the end of the year to bring it up to code. Her time was running out and she didn’t have the resources to get it done in time. Matter of fact, she had been thankful that I came across her diner when I did. With the money I offered her for the place, she would be able to live comfortably for a long time.
Looking at my watch, I saw I had given Albert enough time to get her home and for Hanna to cool down. Grabbing the keys to my car, I pushed my chair away from my desk and made my way to the front door. Entering my car, I thought it was best to give Albert a call to make sure they made it.
While heading down the driveway, I wanted for Albert to answer. I was just ready to hang up when his voice sounded on the other end. “I hope you aren’t waiting for us at Ms. Marsh’s home.”
“Albert, please tell me that you didn’t take her to the diner.” I wasn’t sure why I even asked. I knew it would be the only other place they would have been.
“Sorry, sir, but I am afraid so. I tried not to give in to her, but I just couldn’t refuse.”
I didn’t blame him for one minute for not following my instructions. I knew exactly how persuasive Hanna could be, having been persuaded myself with her womanly charm. Ending the call, I couldn’t help but wonder what Dotty would say to Hanna once she told her my intentions. It didn’t really matter to me if she cared. There was nothing that either of them could do. The paperwork had been signed and the money had been wired to her account. She would be stupid to try to get out of the exchange.
There was no reason to hurry, and there was one thing that I needed to take care of. Instead of driving straight to Hanna’s I decided this would be a great time to pay my father a visit. He had more connections than I did and he would know how to find out more about Carter Marsh. I wanted to know everything about him: his financial situation, his business dealings, everything. More than anything, I wanted him to pay for what he did to Hanna. I wanted him to know what it felt like to lose everything. When I was finished with him, he would be lucky if he had a roof over his head. I was going to let him know that he should have never taken the home that Hanna loved so much from her.
Getting angrier by the minute just thinking about it, I decided to put my feelings aside and think of something else. Turning the volume up for my favorite XM Radio station, already the thoughts of Carter Marsh had taken a back seat. When my favorite song came on, I found myself tapping my thumb on the steering wheel in time with the music. I would never argue with the person that said music was a stress reliever. I could already feel my body relax.
Pulling into the parking garage at Elite Exchange, I parked my car next to my father’s. I didn’t know why he insisted on driving his Nissan when he was more than financially able to purchase a classier car. I could only assume that he wanted to be reminded how far he has come since he bought the car ten years ago.
As for me, I dressed for success, and that included the vehicles I drove. I wouldn’t be caught dead in anything with less than a 100K sticker price. After all, money exhibited success, and with success there was respect. My father should live by his philosophy. It was something he had told me over and over.
Reaching the top floor of the Drake building, Rita was at her desk looking quite beautiful this late in the day. Being her assertive self, she looked up at me over her reading glasses and smiled. “Good afternoon, Mr. Drake.”
“Good afternoon, Rita. Is my father in his office?” I questioned.
“Actually, he is in the board room. His meeting should be finishing up.”
“Meeting?”
“Yes. Your father requested a meeting at the last minute with the junior executives. I’m surprised you weren’t informed about it.”
I had never missed a meeting and knew I had never been informed of this one. My father was up to something and I was going to find out what it was. “I’m sure I was. It must have slipped my mind.”
Heading to the board room, I saw some of the executives were already leaving. Waiting until they had all left, I entered the room where my father was still seated at the head of the table. There was an open folder in front of him which appeared to be holding applications of some sort. Unaware of any new positions opening up, I placed my hand on the top of the folder and pulled it towards me. As I scanned the documents, I saw these weren’t applications at all, they were questionnaires.
I began reading the questions and knew then what this last-minute meeting was about. Looking at my father, I pushed the folder his way and demanded an explanation. “What the fuck is this, Father?”
“Don’t be so dramatic, son. You’ve known for a long time that I wanted to fill the CEO position before I leave.”
“That position is mine,” I stated.
“You haven’t done anything to secure that position. Time is running out. With only a couple of months until you turn thirty, I don’t have any faith that you are going to find a suitable wife. I need to look out for this company.”
“You’re wrong. I will find a wife and I will be CEO.”
Rising to his feet, my father gathered the folder and the papers that spilled from it and headed to the door. Stopping short of the doorway, he moved his head to the side and said, “Nothing would please me more than to see you head this company. Don’t disappoint me, Aiden.”
My father was right. My time was running out. Somehow, I needed to convince Hanna to marry me. There was only one way to do that, and that was to make her happy every minute of every day. The first step in doing that was to keep the diner as it was, or at least close to it.
~*~*~*~
When I got to Hanna’s house, Albert was nowhere to be seen. I had spent longer that I wanted to at Elite Exchange and knew that Albert and Hanna should have been here at least an hour ago if not more. Reaching for my cell, I found Albert’s number and waited for him to answer. Before he could say a word, I voiced my displeasure. “I hope that you are on your way to Hanna’s house.”
“Not exactly, sir. There’s a bit of a problem.”
