2
Rosslyn’s heart was pounding so hard she was sure it could be seen through this dress. But she was here and even if she had to say it herself, she looked pretty damn good.
She’d taken a selfie before the limo arrived. Her friends back home weren’t going to believe it. It’d been a long time since she’d worn her hair above her shoulders. For years it had been so long that when she wore it in a braid down the middle of her back, it almost touched her butt. At least cutting off thirteen inches hadn’t been for nothing. The hair stylist said it would be donated to make wigs for cancer patients. That’s all it took to turn her entire day around.
Doing something for someone else always made her feel better. She wished she had enough money that her job could be volunteering to help the needy. Rosslyn wasn’t bitter, but she couldn’t understand how a brother and sister could be so different. Her mother would’ve given away her last penny if there was someone who needed it more. Maxwell had more money than one could spend in a lifetime, and everything he gave was based on one thing only, how it made him look to the world.
Rosslyn had no idea what the event was, but she was positive Mr. Grayson was there to be noticed. If she was expected to be by his side, she was going to be thrown into the center of attention as well. There was no way they would be able to hide that they were related for very long. The media was better than hiring a private investigator. They could find skeletons in your closet that you didn’t even know you had. I bet Uncle Max has quite a few. Probably pays them to keep their mouths shut.
She made her way through the sea of luxuriously dressed individuals. The good thing about shopping at a consignment shop, no one was wearing the same dress she was. It was so last year, or even older. Rosslyn only saw two things: it fit her shape and her wallet. Was it wrong that she had extra cash and no plans to offer it back to her uncle? She considered it payment for her time tonight. And besides, it wasn’t like the money was going to something foolish. It was going to the medical bills. If he knew that, he’d probably demand it back.
She didn’t like living like that. Back home things were much more open and honest. She was free to be herself. Now she needed to be who Uncle Max expected her to be. Of course she wasn’t sure what that was. But she was going to find out.
Her uncle spotted her from across the room. With a tilt of his head, she knew he wanted her to join him. On the way she snagged a glass of champagne. She wasn’t fond of the stuff, but it gave her something to do with her hands instead of fidgeting.
There was a hesitation about what she was supposed to call him. Mr. Grayson? Maxwell? She waited for him to address her.
“Rosslyn, this is Mary Lou. Her son will be doing an internship with us.”
Mary Lou was beaming with pride. “Mr. Grayson, I can’t thank you enough. I’d been praying that either you or Lawson Steel would accept him.”
She saw her uncle’s jaw twitch, but he said nothing. Rosslyn probably should’ve done some research on who was who in the business, but she didn’t think she’d be in a situation where it was needed. Smiling she said, “He’s made the right choice.”
Max turned to her and for a moment appeared to give his approval. It was short-lived. “If you’ll excuse us, we have several other parents who are equally eager to discuss their child’s future.”
“Of course. Thank you again, Mr. Grayson. I’m sure you’ll be impressed,” Mary Lou said.
As they left Mary Lou standing there, Max said, “Every parent thinks their child is a genius. Most are bloody idiots.”
Rosslyn thought about how many times her parents had bragged about her abilities. I’m sure I will be an utter disappointment to you as well, Uncle Max. Hoping to get an understanding as to why she was there, Rosslyn asked, “Is there something you require me to do tonight?”
He replied, “Yes. Do you see the man talking to the woman with the red dress on?”
Rosslyn scanned the room and only saw one person wearing red. The man beside her almost looked like the man she’d seen earlier at the restaurant. It was hard to tell because everyone looked different in a tux. “I do.”
“Good. I want you to keep track of each person he speaks to. And by the end of the night, I want to make sure we have spoken to every single one as well. But mind you, only after he has talked to them. Understood?”
It seemed very straight forward. “Yes.”
“And whatever you do, stay the hell away from him,” Max snarled.
Whoever he was, her uncle obviously didn’t like him. Of course, that didn’t mean anything. Max wasn’t what one would call a very likable guy. She spent the rest of the evening doing exactly as Max had instructed. And it wasn’t long before she realized that the other man represented Lawson Steel. Evidently, that was her uncle’s rival. What she found humorous was Max made it sound as though Lawson Steel was insignificant. But his actions said otherwise.
Was the man actually the Mr. Lawson? Rosslyn watched him closely; he carried himself as though he could be. At times he had the same look her uncle had. One that wished he was anywhere but there. It seemed to be prevalent among the guests. Except for the parents pimping out their children’s talents, no one seemed happy to be in attendance. Not even her.
“Do you need transportation home?” Max asked.
She had expected him to provide it both ways, but once again, she shouldn’t have assumed. “I’m all set.”
“Good. Don’t forget, eight a.m.”
“I’ll be there.” Tired but I’ll be there.
She hadn’t planned on a late night right before her first day on the job. Rosslyn still didn’t know how any of this played into being a personal assistant. She could only imagine what tomorrow would bring. Hopefully something in the office, where she could be off her feet. One thing about being in the city, you did a lot more walking than driving. Mostly because you could walk faster than the traffic seemed to move. There was nothing pleasant about that when wearing heels. She should’ve gotten the hint when she saw women dressed in business attire and wearing sneakers.
There was no way she could walk to the hotel even if she had the energy to do so. If it wasn’t so late, she’d have texted that nice taxi driver from earlier. He did say to do so at any time, but it was past midnight. It would be rude and asking too much.
The chatter from the other guests made it impossible for her to think clearly. Stepping onto the balcony, she pulled out her phone and searched for taxis in her area. As she went through the list, she had a feeling she was being watched. Turning around, she saw the one man she wasn’t supposed to interact with. His tie was loosened and his shirt was partially unbuttoned. Had he already been on the balcony when she came out? She’d been dying for some fresh air and hadn’t noticed.