Page 23 of Some Like It Scandalous
“Armand.” Reminding her would become a habit if she kept trying to put the barriers back up between them.
“I don’t knowArmand.”She traced a pattern on the window with her fingernail. “And I’m a scholarship kid. Every penny of my education came from scholarships like this one, and from the jobs I took. Not everyone is born with a silver spoon.”
Irritated at the slam, he leaned against the glass and studied her profile. “I know. You should be proud of what you accomplished. I just wanted to know why these kids were so important to you.”
“Because they aren’t important to anyone else.” She chewed on her lower lip and all he wanted to do was lick along the soft skin to nurse the hurt. “They get forgotten, shuttled to the side, put off over and over again. No one makes them first on their list. I had to jump through hoops to get this kid to agree to the meeting. He doesn’t think there’s a point, so I have to prove to him there is.Everyonedeserves a chance to fly.”
“I hate that Alyx grew up that way,” he admitted. It lacerated his soul to think of anyone in his family feeling unwanted.
“I really like her.” Anna met his gaze and smiled a little. “She’s funny. But her funny covers up a lot of pain.”
“I know, her husband is very good for her, though. He makes her truly smile.” Daniel Voldakov would not have been anyone’s first choice to marry into the family—his Bolshevik roots, his American mannerisms, even his fervent disregard for protocol. But none of it mattered. Not when he adored the princess.
And without him, we wouldn’t have found Alyx.
“He’s an interesting man.” Admiration crept into her voice and ignited his anger all over again.
“He’smarried.”
The softness in her expression turned tense. “I’m aware of that, I just said he’s interesting. I’ve only met him once when I was having lunch with Alyx. Don’t play the jealous lover, Your Highness. It doesn’t suit you.”
The elevator dinged and Anna jerked back a step. Her cheeks went rosy again. She’d forgotten about Kyle—a fact made clear by her faltering look at the security guard and her unsteady smile at the blonde making her way toward them.
Aggravated with his own lack of control, Armand bit back the urge to order the other woman to wait so he and Anna could finish their discussion. “I’ll leave you to meet with Miss Braddock.”
Striding away before he could change his mind, he refused to glance behind and see if she felt his absence as keenly as he experienced hers. In the elevator, he shook his head. He wasn’t a college student anymore—and had no business behaving like some overeager boy on his first date. Glancing up at the camera, he considered his next steps. “I want reports of her afternoon and alert Peterson I’m going out.”
Withdrawing his phone from his pocket, he dialed Richard’s number. A grueling game of racquetball might take the edge off and give him time to clear his head.
ANNA
Kate Braddock turned out to be brilliant. “All right, I’ve contacted your office and downloaded the application materials and his latest grade reports as well as the essay his English teacher submitted.”
The first round of scholarships would go to teens identified and nominated from the local school districts. Thirty candidates had made the final cut and it was up to Anna to identify the first ten. She really wanted Derrick to be one of those ten. “Can you scan the essay? I remember reading a quote fromGreat Expectations.” After spending five minutes with the other woman, she’d taken solace in the idea that Kate understood exactly what she’d need.
Armand had disappeared again, and when she’d asked Johnson, he’d only replied that the grand duke wasn’t available. Irritated, she focused on the meeting in front of her rather than the SUV she rode in or the two cars traveling one in front and one in back. As much as she resented the interference, the photograph of her sleeping in her bed popped into her mind and she had to fight away a fresh shiver of fear.
“I have it…” Kate glanced up.
“Go ahead.” Work. She needed to work, to think about Derrick, about how to persuade him to take charge of his own future.
“‘Whatever I acquired, I tried to impart to Joe. This statement sounds so well that I can’t in my conscience let it pass unexplained. I wanted to make Joe less ignorant and common, that he might be worthier of my society and less open to Estella’sreproach.’” Kate stroked her finger across the screen to turn the page of the young man’s essay. It had captured Anna’s attention from the first time she’d read through his work. The rest of the team had felt the same way.
Kate continued. “This resonates because Pip is so caught up in the appearances of things that he feels like gentlemanly behavior can be caught, like a cold. While a person cannot be more than who they are, it is true that exposure to culture can have an ameliorating effect on a person’s behavior, choices, and goal setting. I appreciate Pip’s value of knowledge, particularly in the admiration he shows to Miss Havisham and Estella. Unfortunately, it’s clear that Pip values the academic pursuits of these two women over the real-world knowledge Joe possesses. It’s all well and good to admire what the ‘haves’ have, but it’s better to be aware of how the world really works.”
“Haves versus have nots. He admires the concept of a higher education, but doesn’t put any practical value in it.” Thinking out loud helped Anna organize.
“Or he’s simply afraid to believe in a dream.” Kate suggested. “Because he does admire it so much, he doesn’t put himself in the same class as Miss Havisham or Estella. Like Pip, he doesn’t think he’ll ever belong so what’s the point of dreaming about it?”
“Oh, I think I love you.” Anna grinned. “That’s it exactly. Okay, I know what to say to him.”
“You’re welcome.” Kate chuckled and checked her watch. “Do you want me in on the meeting with him?”
“I think so, but if I give you a signal do you think you can get everyone to back off a little? I don’t want to intimidate him.” The last she said with a glance at Kyle.
“Miss Braddock can step out as necessary.” Kyle twisted in his seat. “But I will have to insist on staying in the room, Miss Novak.”
“Kyle, it’s very important that Derrick doesn’t feel like we’re pressuring him.” She wouldn’t allow him to be intimidated, not even for her “safety.”
