His One Request

Chapter 24 -- Showing Your Hand

I was smiling yesterday, I am smiling today and I will smile tomorrow, simply because life is too short to cry for anything. - Santosh Kalwar

Chapter 24 - Showing Your Hand

Mason's POV-

Pressing ignore, I turn my attention back to the person that deserves it. "I don't understand. Are you the billionaire and I'm your play-toy or do I treat billionaires like play-toys?" She tries to make light of the situation but is failing miserably.

"It doesn't matter the headline is wrong."

"Yeah, I know that. You're not even a billionaire," she laughs this time.

"I know right? I'm only a multi-millionaire," I say with a wink, and she laughs even harder. I wait for a moment, and she shows distress. "Are you, ok?"

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, exactly, but I'm not going to hide." I tilt her head up to look at me. "We'll get Rachel to come up with a statement, if the need arises."

She picks up the paper and reads to the part about me being out with someone that is clearly not Rachel McHutchins. "I don't understand why you're big enough news to put in the paper, like this."

"Ouch, I'm hurt," I try to act offended, but she just answers with "you know what I mean".

Grabbing my IPad, I pull up some past press releases and newsletters from the company, along with a number of pictures that have run in the area newspapers. With a quick search or two, I have more than enough for her to understand.

"First off, this is local, where the Cahill name does gather more attention than it would in the rest of the country. Look, these are released pictures." Chandler scrolls through the different photos, taking note that rarely is the same girl in more than one shot. I scroll through a second album. "These are from fund raisers and were released by a third party." She again goes through different fundraising events for politicians, a local hospital, and a few others that aren't tagged.

"Even though I haven't dated but a couple of these ladies, I've been paired with all of them. To an outsider, I look like a player, even though I'm clearly not."

"Amen, to that," she says quickly, and I reward her with a kiss.

"To answer your question, in the press, I'm paired with Rachel, the daughter of a very influential senator, even though that shouldn't get the attention is does, add together the expansion of the company...and I guess my personal life becomes news."

We're interrupted again by my grandfather's call, and again I ignore it. "You're going to have to speak to him."

"Yes, but I don't have to speak to him right now. I need to make sure you're ok, and I'd like to talk to Rachel and get ideas on how to deal with this issue, because his affects her, too."

"I'm fine. You can't even tell it's me."

My hand slips into hers and I brace her for the news. "This is only the beginning. I'm not saying they're going to hound us, but they will try to figure out who you are." Her astonished face tells me she didn't think of this. "The idea that they've dubbed you my 'Play-Toy', tells me this could get ugly. Let me call Rachel and have her take care of the press."

Chandler nods, moves the tray, and slips out of bed. It only takes a moment before the sound of the shower can be heard. Leaving the breakfast, newspaper and phone where they lie, I'm torn between joining her to make sure she's ok and just waiting her out. I choose the former.

Slipping in behind her, she immediately turns and pulls me into her arms. Water falls over our skin like rain, but it's her face that I'm focused on. "Are you ok?" She asks, searching for an answer in my expression, but she is my only concern.