Free The Billionaire's Weekend Bride by Kimmy Love Page B

did she hear?
     
    “If you'd like,” Mrs. Merriman went on with a serious expression, “I could have the coffees served on the patio. It's a warm enough night for it.”
     
    “Oh no, we'll be right in, Gloria,” said Sonia. “Just catching my breath. We'll come straight into the living room in one second.” She held Damian's hand and swung it back and forth with a loving smile on her lips. Damian responded by kissing the hand holding his.
     
    “Fine. I'll see you inside.” Gloria Merriman turned to leave but stopped after a few paces. “By the way,” she said.
    “Who's Sonia?”
     
    “Um,” Sonia said.
     
    “My mother!” Damian blurted out. “Penny reminds me so much of her, I sometimes mix up the names.”
     
    “Sweet,” Mrs. Merriman said, going back to the house, still with that serious expression.
     
    “Do you think she heard what I said?” Sonia whispered when she thought Mrs.  Merriman was out of earshot.
     
    “No,” Damian inhaled and blew out a long breath. “If she did, she would have come right out with it. I don't think our cover is blown. I'm going to have to wrap this up quickly. I'll say you're tired, if that's all right with you.”
     
    “Fine,” she replied.
     
    “Okay, good. I'll get Merriman to sign and we'll be on our way.” They began to walk back to the house, still holding hands. Sonia slipped her hand out of his.
     
    By the time the two of them entered the living room, they were all smiles again.
     
    “Oh, Penny,” Gloria Merriman said, rising from her chair. “All better?”
     
    “Yes. Thank you.” Sonia took a seat on a sofa upholstered in kingfisher blue. Damian sat very close beside her. They were instantly served black coffees and offered cream and sugar.
     
    “Just black for me, thank you,” Damian said. “So, Joseph, I hope now we can get down to business.”
     
    “Business. Yes,” Merriman said. “I don't have to repeat how important family values are to me, do I, Damian?”
     
    “Of course not. We both know that about you and completely admire it, don't we darling?” He lightly touched Sonia's thigh and returned his gaze to Joseph.
     
    “Well, then, Damian. You will also know that honesty comes hand in hand with these values.”
     
    “Oh, definitely,” Damian replied with a wide grin, taking Sonia and Gloria Merriman into his scope of vision. “But what has that got to do with the matter at hand? I mean, I am right in thinking that you've made a decision. Aren't I?”
     
    “I think I have. But, you know, honesty is everything, Damian. Now, before you leave for DC, there is one more thing I want you to do for me before I sign my hotels over to you.” Merriman replaced his coffee cup. He began to toy with the cigar box.
     
    “Anything,” Damian said.
     
    “Well, tomorrow morning, I'm going to call one final meeting at my offices in Manhattan.”
     
    “A final meeting? I don't understand?”
     
    “I've been discussing it with Gloria and we've come to a decision. We will be signing over the hotels but we decided that one last meeting would help us seal the deal. I'm very sorry that it seems like we're procrastinating, but this is very important to us and I hope you will allow us to sleep on it just one more night.” He gave a very sincere smile to his guests. “So? Can you be there tomorrow morning, Damian?” Mr. Merriman asked.
     
    “Yes, of course I can, Joseph.” He gave a confident look. “This is unbelievable,” Damian enthused, looking optimistically at Sonia, who smiled sweetly in return. “I thought by the time I left tonight you would have made up your mind to sell to me and would be drawing up the contracts next week sometime.” Another quick look at Sonia. “But looks like you want to go ahead and sign on the dotted line tomorrow morning!”
     
    “Yes, that's right,” Joseph Merriman said. “You did still plan to be in New York tomorrow, didn't you?”
     
    “We should have been flying back in the