Love Walked In Read online

  “Oh, my dear boy. I can only imagine the pain you are going through but know that we are your family and we are all here for you.” One of the other volunteers brought some tea and biscuits and set them down on the table.

  “I’m glad you’re finally out of the house Michael. I hear you’ve been locked up for weeks. Its not healthy.”

  “How did you know?”

  Hattie sat silently and poured the tea. Michael knew better than to push the topic as Hattie had her spies all over town. ‘It takes a village,’ she used to say.

  “When are you going back to school?” she asked, placing a cup in front of Michael. “What about work?”

  “I don’t know Hattie.”

  “I saw Fred Harris the other day. He’s been happy to keep the spot open for you but not indefinitely. You need to get back there Michael. You have responsibilities.”

  “ I know Hattie. I’ve just got to figure out what to do.”

  “What to do?” said Hattie, stopping to take a bite of her biscuit. “That’s easy. You just go on doing what you were doing before. Life still goes on and it’s what your parents would have wanted.”

  Michael sighed. “It just doesn’t feel right. To continue as if nothing happened.”

  “Something did happen Michael. Something terrible, but Philip and Sara raised you to be a self- sufficient young man. And you are. Yes, their lives are over, but yours is only beginning. You need to go on living Michael. It’s what your parents would have expected.”

  “I guess you’re right Hattie.”

  “Hattie is always right,” she replied with a chuckle.

  “I wanted to talk to you about something Hattie. My parents had a life insurance policy and left two million dollars to me.”

  “Oh my. That’s a lot of money. A big responsibility.”

  “I was thinking about how best to honour them and I thought about donating it to charity. This soup kitchen needs some updates, so I thought about maybe renovating, making it bigger.”

  Hattie smiled. “You are your parents’ son. Generous to the bone.” She took another sip of her tea.

  “I’m sorry Michael, but I’m afraid we can’t accept it.”

  “What do you mean,” he asked taken aback. He thought she would be happy to hear the news.

  “Your parents left that money to you. They did not leave it to the soup kitchen. They left it for you because they wanted you to be taken care of. You need to accept this money as a gift and find another way to commemorate them.”

  Hattie sat back and looked earnestly at Michael. “Your parents were so proud of you and what you have accomplished over the past few years. You are passionate about your field and Mr. Harris has raved about your drive and talent. If what Philip and Sara left for you could at all contribute to realizing your dreams and finding success, then that is the best way to honour your parents’ memory.”

  Michael sat quietly pondering what Hattie had just said. His parents passing had sent his world crashing down around him, but they would not want him moping around after them. On the contrary, they would want him to live life to the fullest.

  That day, Michael made a promise to himself to do just that. He returned to work and school with a newfound focus and started working his way to realizing his dreams. He sold his parents house at a time when the market was peaking and got a premium for it. The peak was quickly followed by a recession and wave of foreclosures leading to cheap real estate. Michael took advantage of the market and invested in some properties. He put together a small crew and fixed them up, then rented the homes out for a few years, but as the market started to recover, he sold them, tripling his investment.

  With several million dollars now in his bank account, he eyed Fred Harris’ construction business. Fred was aging and looking to retire. He had built up a solid business and although they mainly dealt with local projects, Michael knew that Harris Construction had the ability double, even triple its business within a few years. Fred Harris was happy to sell to Michael, knowing that the business and his employees would be in excellent hands. He had seen Michael’s drive to rise through the ranks and had come to look at him like a son, especially after his parents passing. Michael was aggressive about winning contracts with the city as well as with major developers and soon Harris Construction became one of the biggest names in the business. Michael, then sought to diversify and development became his new focus and the Locke Corporation was born. From condos to nursing homes and shopping malls, Michael took every opportunity for growth and diversification and after some careful investing, the millionaire soon became a billionaire.

  Chapter Eight

  First thing Monday morning, Jemma was in early with Patrick her delivery driver, getting the order ready for the Locke Corporation. As she walked through to the foyer, Christine, Michael’s assistant was away from her desk, so Jemma approached the office door and knocked gently.

  “Good Morning Jemma. It’s good to see you back in the saddle.”

  “Thank you. It’s great to be back.”

  Michael stepped aside and she walked in with Patrick, wheeling the flower cart behind her. She was surprised to see several people in the room.

  “Sorry to disturb your meeting.” She turned towards Michael. “I can come back later.”

  “No problem at all. Everyone, this is Jemma. Jemma, I’d like you to meet Terrance, William, Josie and Mary.”

  “Very nice to meet you,” she said shaking their hands as they were introduced.

  “Well, I’ll leave you to your meeting.”

  “So, where were we,” said Michael resuming the conversation.

  “The common room,” reminded Terrance.

  “Ok, yes, so I think that it’s important that there is a hub where these kids can get together. We’ll also have youth workers on site who can act as a liaison between the kids and other agencies. I’m thinking that we might have some classes to update their skills for computer, resume writing, that kind of thing.”

  “Michael, I looked into it and we may also be able to get some support from the city. I’ve written up a proposal and will be submitting it to city hall.”

  William started running through the points of his report, and as he did, Michael looked over at Jemma. As usual, she looked gorgeous, her fitted scarlet dress perfectly pinched around the waist, flattering her slender body.

  Michael turned his attention back to the group. “That’s great William. Josie, how is the addition coming on the soup kitchen?”

  “It’s almost done. The floor is going in tomorrow. With the number of homeless people increasing by the year, the fact that we can cater to more, well it means the world to that community.”

  “I can’t wait to see it operational,” said Michael enthusiastically.

  “Hattie would have been so proud of what you’ve accomplished Michael.”

  “What we’ve accomplished,” he responded, smiling and acknowledging everyone in the room. “I’ll do the rounds on Friday afternoon, so I’ll touch base with all of you then. I guess that’s it for now.” Michael stood up. The meeting was over and as they said their goodbyes, Jemma, turned to leave too. Noticing her attempt to slide out, Michael called over to her.

  “Jemma, can you hang on a second.” Jemma asked Patrick to wait in the van for her as the others left the office.

  “You’re looking well. Are you settling in at work okay?”

  “I’m doing better, much better. It was difficult at first, but my neighbours have been great, dropping by to check in on me. I didn’t get to say too much at the store the other day but what you did there was amazing and helped a lot.”

  “I’m glad I could do that for you Jemma.”

  “Sounds like you’re doing a lot of good things for a lot of people.”

  “Well, I think it’s important to give back. This city has given me so much and what’s the point in having a fortune if you can’t make other people’s lives better.”

  Jemma smiled. “There’s a lot
more to you than meets the eye Mr. Locke. You’re certainly not what they make you out to be.”

  “Oh, is that right?” Michael quipped, looking amused. “And what do they make me out to be. And come to think of it, exactly who are they?”

  “The magazine articles, the newspaper articles… I mean, you’re everywhere.”

  Michael sat back casually against his desk. “Oh, so you’ve been doing research on me?” he said with a grin.

  Jemma blushed. She had in fact googled him when she was bored at home recovering.

  “Well,” she continued, “It’s good to know who you’re working with.”

  “And what is it that they don’t know about me?”

  Jemma looked at him thoughtfully. “That you have a heart. A big heart. You are talking about soup kitchens and youth centres and I can hear the passion in your voice, but with all the information out there about you, I didn’t see any of that.”

  “Well, I have a reputation to uphold,” he added cheekily.

  “You’re right, and what a reputation. The tabloids have you down as a billionaire playboy and the business journals brand you as a force to be reckoned with.”

  “And that’s the way I like to keep it. I’m a very private person Jemma. What you see out there is my persona; it’s the person I have had to be to get to where I am and it’s because of that person that I get to do what I do, with soup kitchens, homeless shelters, women’s refuge and youth centres.” He paused.

  “My parents died when I was twenty, and I was absolutely devastated. It literally crippled me for weeks, but someone taught me that I needed to honour their memory by being the best that I could be and live my life to its’ fullest potential. I needed to find meaning in their death, so I did just that and it got me here. So now, every kid I can get off the street, every homeless guy that can eat a warm bowl of soup, every woman that has a safe place to run to, this is my parents legacy and I don’t want the world to be part of that. That’s just for me.”

  “Wow,” responded Jemma, completely floored by his response. She’d come to think of Michael Locke as a really nice guy. Now she felt like she was standing in front of a saint. There was an awkward silence as Jemma looked towards the door.

  “I should go. Patrick will be waiting.”

  Jemma opened the door, but before she left, she looked at him and added, “I’m really glad I got to see the real Michael Locke.”

  Michael made his way around the desk and sat in his chair. He didn’t mean to get quite so personal with Jemma and prickled at the vulnerability he felt. How did she do that to him? He had become so used to allowing people to see only what he chose to let them see. He smiled. She obviously wanted to know more about him and that was a good thing. He couldn’t possibly wait another week to catch her in the office on Monday morning, so would have to figure out another opportunity to get close to Jemma.

  Chapter Nine

  Nathan was out of town and Jemma lounged in bed lazily. Business had picked up so Jemma had hired a part-time employee to help with the extra work. She had planned to take a long weekend to spend some time with Nathan, but he had a construction issue to deal with and left town late on Thursday afternoon. She thought about heading to the gym, but the warmth of the sunshine streaming through the window made her feel too comfortable to move. As she dozed off into a blissful sleep, she was startled by the phone. She reached over for her cellphone which listed a number she didn’t recognise.

  “Hello,” she said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

  “Hello Jemma. It’s Michael. Did I wake you?”

  “Err, no, not at all.”

  “Are you free this morning?”

  Michael had just called Florentyna and Daphne had told him that she was off for the day. He’d been keeping tabs on Nathan, so knew he’d be away, so this was the perfect opportunity to spend some time with Jemma, if she would oblige.

  Jemma pondered a moment before answering, unsure of how to respond. Noticing her pause, Michael jumped in quickly before she could refuse.

  “The Locke Corporation is planning a fundraiser for the new Youth Centre and we’ll need to hire a florist for the floral arrangements. You’ve been doing a great job at the office so we were hoping we could hire you for the event too. It’s at the Regency Hotel.”

  “Oh,” Jemma responded, sitting up quickly in bed. The Regency was a gorgeous hotel in the city. She and Nathan had once met one of his clients there and everything about the hotel screamed luxury and prestige.

  “Well?” Michael asked.

  “The Regency is a spectacular venue, first class,” replied Jemma, feeling a little overwhelmed by the prospect.

  “Great. I’ll take you to see it. I can pick you up in half an hour.”

  Michael hung up before Jemma had a chance to respond. He wouldn’t risk her backing out and with Nathan away for the weekend, the timing was perfect.

  Jemma fell back into bed, pulling the covers over her head. She couldn’t believe it. After the contract for Locke fell into her lap, a steady stream of new clientele began to call for their services. And now the Regency… it was too good to be true. Jemma jumped out of bed and showered. She picked a casual mid length floral dress and a cropped bolero. She had just finished doing her hair when the doorbell rang. Michael was at the door wearing jeans and a shirt. She had never seen him looking so casual, but he looked just as good as he did in his suit.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Ready,” she replied grabbing her bag from the bench and heading towards him. Michael had opted to drive himself this morning and led Jemma towards his matte black sports car. Most definitely the car to suit the playboy billionaire image, thought Jemma.

  “So, when is the fundraiser?”

  “We are looking at June 5th and have a date tentatively booked. I’ll get you hooked up with the event organiser, but I thought I would show you the venue first.”

  “Do you give all your potential suppliers a personal tour,” Jemma asked with a smile.

  “No, actually, you are the only one who would oblige,” he replied jokingly. “Seriously, I thought it might be good to get your feedback on the venue.”

  The venue was spectacular and had already been prepared for an afternoon luncheon event. The crisp white linens, tableware and the floral centrepieces were stunning. There must have been at least thirty tables in the room.

  “How many guests are you expecting?”

  “About two-hundred and fifty people.” Michael looked at Jemma who was surveying the room.

  “Well, what do you think?”

  “I’d love to do it,” Jemma replied, feeling excited at the prospect of being at the Regency.

  As they headed back to the car, Michael asked casually, “So, should I drop you off at work?” knowing full well she was off for the day.

  “No, actually, I’m off today.”

  “Really? In that case, why don’t you come with me. I usually do the rounds a couple of times a month; the Soup kitchen, Women’s Shelter and I was also planning to go to the Youth Centre, so that way you can see what the fundraiser is about.”

  Jemma had nothing else planned and the gym could certainly wait until tomorrow, besides, Michael spoke so passionately about his charitable endeavours that Jemma was curious to see his accomplishments.

  “I’d love to.”

  Perfect, thought Michael, excited at the prospect of having Jemma to himself for the day.

  The volunteers at the soup kitchen were busy clearing the dining room after breakfast. A few patrons sat playing cards at tables and others were huddled around the TV, sipping on hot coffee.

  “Well, this is where it all started for me as a kid. I’d help my mom and volunteer from time to time. The kitchen offers breakfast and dinner seven days week,” he said, walking her through the kitchen.

  “The place is run by three full-time staff as well as community volunteers.” He stopped in front of a portrait hanging in the dining room.

  “Th
is is Hattie Springfield. She started the kitchen thirty-five years ago. After my parents died, Hattie became like a surrogate mother to me and to be honest, if it weren’t for her, I don’t think I would be who I am today. I owe her everything.” He turned quickly but not before Jemma noticed what appeared to be a tear in his eye. He moved on quickly.

  “The Locke Corporation rebuilt the original structure when we got involved about twenty years ago and we added a second storey for offices and two classrooms. This is the new annex.” He opened the door to reveal a new addition that almost doubled the capacity of the building.

  “We managed to buy the property next door to the original building a couple of years ago, with the idea of expansion. When this is operational, there won’t be an empty seat to spare.”

  “You’re right about that Michael. Things have changed in the past few years. The recession hit a lot of people, with job loss and layoffs. There are so many young families who find it tough to make ends meet and as a result there’s a huge drive to get more people to donate to food banks. It’s really sad.”

  “Michael.” An older lady walked towards them and Jemma recognised her from the meeting.

  “Josie. How are you?” Michael replied, embracing her. “The Annex is looking great. Won’t be long now. Josie, you remember Jemma, from the office on Monday.”

  “Ah yes. Lovely to see you again.” Josie reached out and hugged Jemma warmly.

  “Josie is actually Hattie’s daughter and a good friend.”

  “Can you stay for a coffee?”

  “Not today Josie. I was going make the rounds to the other centres too, but I’ll try and drop by on the weekend.”

  “Yes, if you could. We are short servers on Saturday night so an extra hand would be appreciated.”

  “I’ll be there Josie.” He hugged Josie and they left for the Women’s shelter.

  Jemma was surprised to see the number of women who were in residence, many of them with young kids.

  “We’ve set up a number of women’s shelters across the state, but still the demand is huge, particularly from women with kids. Usually, the women are in abusive situations but often don’t have the resources to move out by themselves. We give them a soft place to land for three to six months and try to get them on their feet until they find jobs and a way to support themselves. We also provide subsidized housing to the women, especially those with kids. With help and support, they are usually able to transition out on their own within one to two years. We provide a support system and encourage the women to support each other wherever possible. We operate on the idea that it takes a village to raise a child so encourage co-operation. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, it’s just beautiful to see the results.”