“Never. But I did talk to the maid a little bit that used to be the one picking up the flowers. How much do you know about Hayden?”
“How do you know his name?” I asked.
“Besides the fact that me and the maid hit it off? Hayden Lowell owns and operates one of the largest luxury hotel chains in the world.”
“He does?” I asked.
“He does. So when you told me he probably has a decent job, that’s an understatement. He’s the owner and CEO of TreeTop Hotels.”
I felt my eyebrows rise to my hairline as my jaw dropped open.
“He’s what?” I asked.
“Make it a habit, Grace. If I can teach you one thing, it’s to Google your clientele. Big or small. Private or public. Whether you work as an in-home nurse for the elite or plug yourself into a hospital. Google is the best resource you have of finding out stuff regarding the people you’re going to be helping.”
“Hayden Lowell owns TreeTop Hotels.”
“His great-grandfather started the company, yes. Passed it on down through the generations, and now Hayden has control of it,” she said. “But that’s not why I brought this up.”
“I’m really going to have to Google him,” I said.
“That’s fine. It’s wise, actually. But the reason I’m telling you to be careful with him is because their lawsuit is all over the news right now.”
“Lawsuit?” I asked.
I pulled out my phone and started typing his name into the search bar.
“It’s pretty typical for families to sue drivers who hit pedestrians. But they aren’t just suing the driver. They’re also suing the city, claiming that the traffic lights and the pedestrian walk signs were out-of-sync. They’re gunning for blood.”
I flipped through a couple of the articles as my eyes scanned the material.
Emilia was right. The Lowell family wasn’t simply suing the driver, but the city as well. Mounting a massive defense and claiming millions of dollars worth of damages because of Hayden’s inability to run the company to his fullest extent. Something about an abandoned construction in Jamaica or something and investors getting their money back.
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I didn’t understand half of what the articles were talking about, but I saw why Emilia was concerned.
In the heat of their anger, the Lowells were volatile.
“I don’t want you caught up in some insane lawsuit that’ll drain you for all you have if you do something wrong,” she said.
“I get it now,” I said as turned off my phone. “And I promise you, I will be extremely careful.”
“That’s all I’m asking. You want to help him and that’s your beautiful spirit talking. But I want to make sure you’re going to be okay in all of this.”
“And it’s one of the many reasons why I love you,” I said.
I reached over and took Emilia’s hand. I was going to miss this woman. She’d given me my first credible job and single-handedly saved my sanity through nursing school. Me graduating with honors and keeping on track was all thanks to her. To her perseverance and encouragement and late-night talks when I was up studying and couldn’t keep focus.
“You’re going to call at least three times a week to let me know how you’re doing,” Emilia said.
“I promise.”
“And if he still wants flowers delivered to wherever he is now, you’ll call me so I can deliver them. That way I can see you face-to-face.”
“I’m not going off to war, Emilia,” I said with a giggle.
“No, but you’re stepping into a new world. And that can be daunting. I want you to know that I’m still here for you. Just because your schooling is done doesn’t mean I am.”