Page 36 of Scarlett and the Big Bad Billionaire
“Many of the trees on the estate were imported. This is a Blue Atlas Cedar from North Africa. These copper beeches and weeping beech trees are from England.”
Reaching one of the flower gardens, she bent down to smell a bloom. “Now these are belladonna lilies. The bulbs were transplanted from Doris Duke’s estate—we used to run in the same circles back when we were young. So sad she ended up alone in the end.”
She snickered. “Listen to me. I’m in the same boat.”
“You’re not alone,” I assured her. “I’m here now. I’m sorry we missed so many years, but I promise you—you willnotbe alone anymore.”
At the moment, I wasn’t sure exactly how to keep that promise. Maybe I could find her a paid companion or get the nurse to come and stay full-time.
Vivi smiled and patted my hand. “Thank you, dear. You’re just as sweet as you were as a child.”
Starting to walk again, she brushed her hand over the tops of the flowers. “I always dreamed of one day seeing great-grandchildren running around on this lawn. Do you have a beau, Scarlett?”
“None that will lead to frolicking great-grandchildren,” I said, and we both laughed.
“I had one… several years ago. It didn’t work out.”
“What happened?”
“He asked me to marry him, we planned a wedding, and he changed his mind. He didn’t love me enough, and he left, simple as that. It’s no one’s fault, really.”
She nodded. “A man who doesn’t know his own mind isn’t much of a catch, anyway. Now Gray…there’sa man who knows what he wants.”
Yeah. Your money.
I didn’t voice my suspicions aloud. It was clear Gray had a huge influence on my grandmother, and it would be fruitless to try to convince her the sun didn’t shine out of his perfectly sculpted ass.
“Really? And what does he want?” I asked to humor her.
“To create beauty out of chaos.”
Notthe answer I’d been expecting. “What do you mean?”
“He hasn’t had an easy life, dear. But he has an incredible eye for art and beauty. The way he sees the world is remarkable. And he’s quite creative himself.”
“How so?”
“Gray was a student at Rhode Island School of Design before deciding to switch careers. With all his talent, I’m not sure why he spends his time installing alarm systems and cameras.”
“His talent? You’ve seen his artwork?”
“Some of it,” she said. “Did you notice his ink yesterday?”
I choked back a laugh over her up-to-the-moment word choice. “I noticed.”
In fact, I was quite familiar with Gray’sink, having studied his tattoos up close—and tasted most of them—not that I’d be telling my elderly grandmother about that.
“You’re a fan of tattoos?” I asked Victoria.
“I’m a fan of art, all kinds, and his tattoos are pure artistry. He designed them himself, you know.”
“Oh. No, I didn’t realize.”
“He designed the tattoos for all his platoon members when he was a SEAL, you know. Several of them work with him at Viridian—all of them except for their commander, I think.”
I stopped walking, my feet feeling like they’d sprouted roots and implanted themselves on the spot. “Gray was a… a Navy SEAL?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, like your father. Isn’t that something?”
