Kyra looked at her askance. “Yeah, right. He’d have to be a darned good saver to be able to afford all this rich stuff. Are you sure this guy’s on the up and up?”
“What do you mean?” Now it was Solie who turned narrowed eyes on her friend.
“I mean,” Kyra said, pausing as if for effect, “is the guy legit? He could be running a drug ring for all you know.”
“Of course he’s not.” Solie drew back, offended on Ransom’s behalf. “That’s a terrible thing to say.”
Kyra shrugged and put the vehicle in drive. “Just reality, sweetheart. You have to be prepared for anything these days.”
“But Ransom isn’t-”
“Ransom, Ransom. Everything Ransom.” Kyra drove out of the parking garage and onto the road. She didn’t look at Solie as she spoke. “He could be the head of the Mafia.” She shook her head and sighed. “So naïve.”
“I’m not,” Solie said, her mouth rigid. “And take back what you said about Ransom. He’s nothing at all like that.”
Kyra shrugged. “I know you like him, Sol, and I don’t want to spoil it for you but you’ve known him how long? Six months? And you still can’t tell me how he’s able to afford all these fancy restaurants? Give me his last name, Solie. Let me check him out.”
Solie gave a hiss of frustration. “I told you already, from the time we started dating. His name is Ransom Kent.”
“You told me that? I must be getting old.” Then, looking like her brain was going a mile a minute she repeated the name, rolling it off her tongue. “Ransom Kent. Cool name. Sounds sort of familiar. Ransom…” Then suddenly she stopped. As she peered down I-95 she bit her lip. When she spoke again she was frowning. “Somehow that name rings a bell. Ransom Kent. And he’s in construction?”
“Yes. Why? Is something wrong with that?” Solie frowned. If Kyra was going to knock Ransom for being a blue-collar worker she’d kill her. “What do you have against-”
“Oh, my God. Oh. My. God.” Kyra was staring straight ahead, her fingers clutching the steering wheel.
Solie jerked forward. “What? What’s the matter?”
“Ransom Kent. That name.” She slapped the steering wheel with her hand. “I knew I’d heard it before. How could I have been so dumb?”
“What are you talking about?” Solie glared at her friend. Kyra could act crazy sometimes but this time she was past weird.
“You said construction and you said Ransom Kent. There’s this big shot guy who was featured in the Chamber of Commerce newsletter. He owns a billion-dollar construction business and his name, for your information, is Ransom Kent.”
Solie’s frown deepened. “Since when do you read the Chamber of Commerce newsletter?”
Kyra shook her head. “That’s beside the point. Don’t you see? The guy you’re dating is a billionaire.”
Solie could only laugh. Kyra and her insane ideas. “Please. Ransom lives next door to me in an ordinary house in an ordinary neighborhood and he drives an ordinary car. If there’s a billionaire whose name is Ransom Kent it’s not this one.”
“Wanna bet?” Kyra glanced at her, looking for all the world like the cat that swallowed the yellow canary. “How much are you betting?”
“A hundred dollars. And you’d better get ready to pay up because you’re gonna lose.” Solie smiled as she thought about this wonderful turn of events. “I know exactly what I’m going to do with that hundred dollars. Remember those blue suede pumps we saw at Macys?”
“Don’t start making plans just yet, honey child.” Kyra gave her a smirk. “You’re going to see the man tonight. Ask him.”
Solie chuckled. “He’s going to laugh himself under the table. I can just see it now.”
“Fine,” Kyra said with a shrug. “But tomorrow morning first thing you report to me.”
“Deal.” Brimming with confidence, Solie grinned at her. “Just make sure you have my money ready.”
***
“You look stunning in red.” For a moment Ransom could do nothing but stare at Solie, so elegant and poised as she stood in her doorway, so sleek and sexy in a dress that hugged her curves in all the right places.
“Why, thank you, sir.” She gave him the sweetest of smiles then she took his hand and walked with him to the car.
It was hard to believe that he’d known this woman all of six months yet every time he saw her she made his heart pick up pace. She grew more and more lovely with each passing day. God bless the day she’d barged her way into his life.
For more reasons than one…
It wasn’t just that she was beautiful. The whole world could see that. The fact was, Solie had become such an important part of his life that he could not imagine being without her.
They’d been out together to so many places – restaurants, the movies, the beach. They’d even gone grocery shopping together, occasions which were, to him, the most meaningful of all. More than that, they’d shared intimate moments, moments when he’d been able to hold her close and show her how much she meant to him.
But now that wasn’t enough. At least not for him. Now it was time to take things to a whole new level, which was why he’d asked her out.
They soon got to Barton G. where the maitre d’ escorted them to a private lounge. The food, as expected, was excellent but Ransom was too distracted to fully appreciate the scrumptious fare. Tonight his entire focus was on the woman who sat across from him, the soft light from the candles making her cheeks glow, her lips glisten and her eyes sparkle. She was so goddamn beautiful.
The meal over, Ransom reached for her hand. “Solie,” he said as he gazed into her eyes, “there’s something I need to ask you. Something really important.”
She gave him a soft smile and squeezed his fingers. “What do you want to ask me?” Then she raised an eyebrow and her smile turned crooked. “Hey, wait. There’s something I need to ask you, too.”