Page 112 of Wrapped in Perfection

"Where did this come from?"

"I bought it for you today."

She pecks me on the lips. "You're spoiling me."

"Not even close. Turn." I hold the jacket open, and she slides her arms into it. We leave and get into the car.

"So, where are we going?"

"My brothers and I invested in a restaurant. It's the grand opening."

Her eyes light up. "Fun! Do you own a lot of restaurants?"

"Not a lot. A handful. The Russian restaurant you've been to a few times, we have a stake in. But we're investors only. We don't deal in the operations."

"So you develop real estate, own restaurants and a boxing gym. Anything else?"

"Yes. Lots of things."

She tilts her head. "How do you know what to buy into?"

"It depends on the investment."

She taps her fingers on her thigh.

I put my hand over it. "What are you thinking right now?"

She turns in the seat. "Harper said she'd go to the investment classes with me. Vivian and her friends don't want to go. Piper made them spend their twenties learning about investments. She dragged them to too many classes to count, Vivian said."

"Piper. Is that Noah Parker's wife?"

"Yes."

"I met her at an event for Vivian's foundation. She's sharp."

"Yes. Piper, Noah, and Steven are all number gurus. But you are, too, aren't you?"

I shake my head. "No. I wouldn't say I'm a guru. They have special skills I don't."

"But you've created what you have, right? Or were your parents rich?"

I snort. "My parents were anything but rich in America. They lost everything when we fled Russia. The language barrier was too much of a problem for them to thrive here. And they had four growing boys to feed. It's why we try to help our community and other immigrants when we can."

She bites her lip, thinking. She slowly says, "Would you consider yourself poor when you grew up?"

"Yes."

"But now you aren't."

"No."

"So, how did your family pull itself out of poverty?"

My chest tightens. I growl, "All of our businesses are legal."

She scrunches her face. "I didn't assume they weren't."

What am I doing?

---