“Oh Ben I am so happy to hear that! Did… did you lose some memories again?” she asked with worry in her tone.
Ben hesitated as he didn’t want to worry her but he wouldn’t lie to her. “Last night but Rochelle and Trish took care of me. All the more reason to go back to Dr. Granger.”
“How is your finger?” Tina said to change the subject.
Ben sighed gratefully. “Actually, it’s feeling much better! I almost have all of the sensation back and it’s only slightly sore at the end of the day. I haven’t been doing anything to stress the joint at all. Tomorrow Trish and Rain are going zip-lining in the jungle but I’m going to stay here and relax. I’m starting to get restless though. Have you seen any progress on the renovations?”
“Ben, I see them working hard every day but I do not look at what they are doing. You will just have to see for yourself when you get home,” she gently teased him. He made a small frustrated sound.
“Have you heard from Gabriella and Catherine?” he said to change the topic again.
“Catherine came back on the jet but Gabriella did not. Catherine said Gabriella did not sign the employment contract. Something was wrong. We have not heard anything from Gabriella since Catherine came back. Maybe she sent you an email?”
Ben got up and went to get his laptop. He brought it outside and started it up. “I’ll check my messages now. Is Catherine at home?”
“No, I believe she is at work,” Tina replied.
“How are the girls and Lucy?”
“Penny got very good grades on her last report card. Karen’s grades were not so good but she is passing. Lucy is enjoying her course very much. She is doing exceptionally well!” Ben heard the affection in Tina’s voice for his daughters and her genuine love for Lucy.
Ben looked at his messages and spotted one from Gabriella. “She sent me one, uh, this morning or her late afternoon. Hang on.” He quickly read the message and instantly became angry. “Those bastards!”
“What is it Ben?” Tina gasped.
“Something really was wrong. The CEO she went to meet was arrested for embezzling. He was funneling money away from his company. He was also having an affair with the president of that fashion house his company was merging with and she was embezzling funds from her company as well. They might have implicated Gabriella in this but for Gabriella’s efforts. Before she’d left for Milan she’d contacted the financial controllers in both companies to get financial statements for her to review before signing. They discovered the accounts had been heavily drained. The bastards fled but were caught at the airport. The money they’d stolen is hidden and they aren’t talking. It looks like they’ve almost bankrupted both companies. Gabriella’s trying to save their next production season by calling in some favors. She’s not their CEO but she wants to help as she knows these people and they’ll all lose their jobs.”
“I am very sorry to hear Gabriella’s dream job was stolen by these people as well,” Tina said sadly.
Ben struggled to understand what he was feeling. He wanted Gabriella to have her dream come true but he selfishly hoped she’d come home. He knew it couldn’t be at the expense of her dream.
“I’ll send her a note to see if there is anything I can do to help,” he replied. He frowned, puzzled that Catherine hadn’t said anything to Tina about this. He pushed that aside. “Is there anything you need me to do for you?”
“You just come home to me on Saturday safe and sound,” Tina said sweetly.
“Of course! I have a lot of kisses to deliver!” Ben grinned.
“I love you Ben!”
“I love you too! Take care!”
“Bye.”
He hung up and thought about Gabriella. He decided to try calling her cell to leave her a message. He dialed and after a few rings he heard a click.
“Hello? Ben, is that you?”
“Gabriella? What are you doing up so late? I was going to leave you a message. I got your e-mail.”
“I’ve been on the phone all day trying to find investors. The banks won’t offer the companies any bridging loans until the investigation is complete but if we can’t secure some capital immediately we lose the next season’s contracts. We miss a season we’ll have to shut down.”
“We? I’d heard you didn’t sign the contract,” Ben asked.
“That’s right, I didn’t but I’ve worked with these people for years. They are all good people, well… with the exception of a certain CEO and president. I can’t understand why they did this!” Gabriella gasped. She sounded exhausted.
“Did you find any investors?” Ben asked.
“I have three from the U. S. and one in France totaling three million dollars but it’s not nearly enough,” she lamented.
“How much are you short?”
Gabriella hesitated. “Seven million.”
“What’s the budgeted return from next season’s contracts?” Ben asked.
“Thirteen to fourteen million. I’ve seen the designs. There are some stellar products in there but if we can’t afford the materials to make them it’s over.”
“Gabriella, I know nothing about fashion but I trust you do. Let me call my finance guy. I’ll have to move some investments around but if you believe this is a sound investment I believe I can cover the seven million. May I assume I will be buying shares in these companies?”
Ben heard her start to cry. “Shhhh, Gabriella it’s ok, please don’t cry. I want to help.”
“S-s-sorry Ben. I- I didn’t want to ask y-you for the money but there’s no other way to save them,” she sniffled.
“I know. It’s ok. You sound tired. Why don’t you get some rest? I’ll call my guy and I’ll have him get in touch with you to work out the details. I’ll CC you on my note to him. How about that?”
“Oh my god Ben. Thank you so much! I love you!” She started to cry again and Ben wished he was there to hold her in his arms.
“Gabriella, I’m imagining you in my arms, cuddled in close and I’m rocking you gently back and forth as you hold me. You feel really good against me. Can you feel my love for you?”
He heard her smile as she got control again. “Y-yes! You f-f-feel wonderful! S-so much love!”
“That’s right! I have endless mountains of love for you Gabriella. I always will. Now get some rest and I’ll try to give you a call tomorrow. Trish is going zip-lining and I’m still being a good boy and taking it easy so my finger will heal.”
Gabriella hiccupped and giggled a little. She was tired.
“Good night Gabriella!”
“Good night Ben! I love you!”
“I love you too! Now go to bed!” he said with a grin. He heard her chuckle then hang up. He immediately called his financial advisor and filled him in on the details. The man warned him of the fickleness of that particular industry as an investment. He wanted Ben to be aware for his risk management. Ben thanked him and let him know he was authorizing him to invest up to nine million in the shares Gabriella would fill him in on. He said he’s send a confirmation note and CC Gabriella so he’d have her cell number and email.
Once he hung up he sent the note and opened up a browser and pointed it to the engineering board. He leaned back and thought about how much he’d changed his spending habits in the short time he’d been involved with all the women in his life. He didn’t begrudge the expense. He had money in the bank and a steady flow of revenue from his royalties and investments but until now he hadn’t really had a life. Now his money was being put to good use. That said, he liked having as large of a buffer as he could so he turned his attention back to the available projects. He immediately spotted a request which could be addressed by the product he’d designed for Stern Manufacturing. He grinned and directed the poster to contact the company to see their product offering. That should generate another royalty cheque.
He spotted a few other smaller requests that he was able to answer and two interesting puzzles he bookmarked for later research.
From the noises coming from the room behind him he knew Trish and Rain had returned. They walked out onto the balcony all grins and towels over their shoulders.
“So you enjoyed the jet-skis?” he said with a smile.
“Yeah, they’re so fun!” Trish gushed and Rain nodded with a grin.
“I have a little news from home.” Ben said and filled Trish in on Gabriella’s current dilemma.
Rain stared at him in shock when he mentioned he’d be investing in the companies to cover the outstanding amount. “What- what do you do again?”
“Mechanical engineer. I design solutions for engineering problems. I either sell the patent or just license manufacturers and collect royalties from them,” he explained.
“So you’re a really good mechanical engineer?” Rain asked. Ben smiled at her and gave her a nod.
“He’s also extremely handy at renovations!” Trish grinned. “He updated my master bedroom with a new walk-in closet and large ensuite bathroom. Then he rebuilt my kitchen with a bay window over the kitchen sink, new cabinets, granite countertops, and French doors opening on a brand new deck with a barbeque grill and a large built in hot tub!” She looked at Ben. “You did say you’d join me in that hot tub!” He gave her a smile and a nod.
Ben shut down his laptop. “Right now though, I’m going to take a nap. All I’ve done today is nap and I’m still tired! This fresh air is wiping me out.” Trish and Rain rushed back into the room and disappeared into the bathroom as Ben went inside and pulled down the bed spread. He climbed on and was beginning to fade when he felt the soft bodies of the two women snuggle in beside him.
Ben waved to Trish and Rain as the tour bus pulled away from the lobby on its way to the rain forest canopy tour. Most of La’Shia’s group were in the bus including the members of Dream’s group. Killah wasn’t going to be doing any zip-lining but they apparently had a volcanic mud treatment and hot spring there as well.