Raindrops on Roses: Book One of the Favorite Things Trilogy by Millenia Black Read Free Book Online Page A

still driving? Where exactly do you live anyway? I just
realized I have no clue." She laughed. "You know, we really should
get to know each other just a little bit better."
    Michael's voice lowered intimately. "Well,
I'd say we've gotten to know each other pretty well already—but I
won't argue the point." He chuckled. "I live in Delray Beach. You
familiar with South Florida?"
    "Absolutely," she replied. "I've been down
there quite a bit, I have some good friends in the Boca Delray
area."
    "Oh, okay," said Michael,
instinctively deciding to change the subject. "So I don't want to
overstep or anything...but is everything okay with Douglas? He
seemed pretty... intense ."
    "Yeah, yeah. He's fine," she said. "We just
have a lot to deal with right now. It's a pretty major adjustment.
We're going to our lawyer's office tomorrow morning for the reading
of my grandmother's will, so there's that. Plus my mother's been
acting up, causing problems for us at the hotel. She's basically
trying to take over." She sighed. "And it's just, like, the last
thing we need going on over there right now, you know?"
    "Did your grandmother not want her to run
things?" Michael asked. "Is it possible she left her in
charge?"
    "Well, you see, she only
manages the clothing store on the ground floor. And she only got
that job after my brother begged Gran to hire her, just to shut her
up."
    "Oh. So, is your mother not a Bauer
then?"
    "No, Bauer's my father's name, it's his
family; and they were never married. He died of some weird liver
disease when I was four."
    "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that." He
paused. "Boy, Veronica Bauer's as famous as it gets but I'm
guessing that's a little known fact."
    "It sort of is. Mostly because she left the
spotlight such a long time ago and rarely ever gave
interviews."
    There was a pause on the
line as Michael changed lanes, processing. He was now dating the
granddaughter of Veronica Bauer. The Veronica Bauer. It was a serious
head-trip when he thought about it. It meant a whole new world was
opening up to him.
    "You know, I wish I didn't have to leave you
tonight."
    "I know."
    "When will you have me back?"
    "How about Friday?" she said. "All the dust
should've settled by then."
    Michael closed his eyes. He'd be on his way
to Tucson with Amber. "Ahh, Priscilla, I'm so sorry...We have a
business trip planned to Arizona this weekend and I won't be back
until Monday morning. Can I see you before I go?"
    "Well, you've already made the trek up here
a couple times this week. Why don't you just call me when you get
home on Monday? I can't promise Doug won't be around, but if you're
not too tired, I'd love to see you then."
    Disappointed, he decided not to press the
issue. "I won't be too tired," he said quietly. "I'm already
missing you like crazy."
    "Me too," she told him. "Just have a safe
trip, okay? I'll see you when you get back."

 

    • CHAPTER EIGHT •

    T he following day, Priscilla and Douglas left the law offices
of Jordan, Dyer & Brighton with the full weight of their
grandparents' legacy having been placed firmly on both their
shoulders.
    Their grandmother had left them each a fifty
percent share of Bauer Enterprises and all its assets, with Douglas
stepping into her role as CEO. She expressed a wish for him to
mentor Priscilla so she could work alongside him as the company's
President in the not too distant future.
    Emerald Leas and an apartment in Paris were
left to Priscilla, while Douglas inherited the country house in
Normandy and the apartment in London. Their grandmother had also
owned a villa in Greece, but she'd left that to someone else...
    While they both knew their grandparents had
done well for themselves, first in Hollywood and then in the hotel
business, Priscilla and Doug had both been shocked to learn of the
millions of dollars in cash their grandmother had had at the
ready—and its three-way bequeathment was the hot topic of
conversation on their ride home.
    "So why don't we go and meet her