Gideon put his arm around her. “The mural will be the most incredible that San Francisco has ever seen.” Then he jutted his chin at Troy. “I’ve been meaning to call you. We have several young people aging out of the foster care system.”
“Dylan’s one of them, right?” Troy asked.
“Absolutely.” Obviously for Michaela and Flo’s benefit, Gideon added, “Dylan is a protégé of Clay and San Holo. He’s got amazing talent. He’ll be helping with the mural as well.”
Her mother’s eyes widened. “And he’s not even eighteen?” Amazement filled her voice.
Gideon beamed as if he were the boy’s father. “His work is fantastic. I’m also one of his mentors.” Then he clapped Troy on the back. “I’d like you to come talk to them. It’ll be an informal thing, not like one of your usual inspiring talks in a high school auditorium or whatever. I’d like you to give them some insight into how you got where you are. It’ll be motivating for them.”
Troy didn’t even take the time to think about it or check his calendar. “Tell me when and where, and I’ll be there.”
The way he jumped at the chance impressed Michaela. So he gave inspirational talks to young people. Despite what she’d read online about him, she hadn’t known that.
“I’ll send you all the deets,” Gideon said. “If the time doesn’t work, we can change it.”
Troy shook his head, “No need. I’ll make it work.”
He was so accommodating. In fact, every one of these billionaires seemed so darned nice. No arrogance, no cold shoulders, no you’re-beneath-me glances.
It was amazing.
After Gideon and Rosie moved on, Troy explained, “Gideon runs a philanthropic foundation called Lean on Us.”
“I’ve read about him,” Flo said. “He’s quite a remarkable man.”
“But you probably haven’t heard how he started the foundation. It’s an incredible story,” Troy went on, as though he was proud to know Gideon, proud of his accomplishments. “When he was in the Middle East, several of his comrades were killed in a terrible incident. One of them was a woman named Carmen Sanchez, but before she was killed, she gave him a small painting. Gideon literally carried it around with him for ten years. It was only after he met Rosie and she helped him research the painting that he discovered it was by a famous Mexican artist named Miguel Fernando Correa. Apparently a lost painting by this seventeenth-century artist, it went for sixty million dollars at auction.” He leaned close, as if he were telling a great secret. “My oldest brother Dane bought it.” Standing back to look at their astonished expressions, he said almost with glee, “Gideon started his foundation with that seed money, and now he’s helped hundreds of people.”
Her mother’s awe seemed to grow. “That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. What a selfless thing to do.”
And Michaela thought that perhaps Troy had at least one selfless bone in his body, if he gave talks to inspire young people.
As they moved through the room, Troy’s hand was constantly at either Michaela’s elbow or her mother’s. There were so many introductions and so many names that Michaela, who was usually very good at remembering people and names, couldn’t take them all in.
Troy called over an extremely good-looking man, who, she’d guess, was in his mid-to-late fifties, based on the way his thick, dark blond hair had grown white at the temples. He was tall and trim, his tuxedo fitting to perfection. She would even go so far as to call the man a silver fox.
Troy stuck out his hand. “Walter, so good to see you. It’s been a while.”
The man grinned broadly as they shook hands, dimples appearing on either side of his mouth. “Good to see you too.” Then he turned those dimples on the two ladies. “And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?” he asked smoothly.
But he wasn’t looking at Michaela. His eyes were all for her mother.
“Walter Braedon, this is Michaela Killian,” Troy said, his hand on Michaela’s elbow, “and her mother, Flo.”
Walter shook Michaela’s hand with a firm grip, but for Flo, instead of a mere handshake, he took her hand in both of his. “I’m so glad to meet you both.”
But the words seemed to be more for her mother.
Troy went on, “Walter owns the Regent Hotel chain.”
Walter added, “I hope to see the two of you at one of my hotels someday.”
A sparkle lit Flo’s green eyes. “Now that we’ve met you, we’ll keep your wonderful hotels in mind for all our travels.”
Michaela stared at her, wide-eyed. All their travels? Michaela was too busy to travel. And why was her mother blushing like a schoolgirl?
“Hopefully,” Walter said, “we have a hotel in one of your favorite destinations. What would those be?”
Flo actually stammered. “Well, we…we…” She let out a sigh if she’d been holding her breath. “We have so many favorites.” Then, smiling up at the handsome older man, she said, “Where are your favorite places?”