The Butler

24

Chapter 24

"Mr. Young is a surprisingly enjoyable person to be with," I said trying to make a conversation with Richard as if nothing embarrassing happened earlier.

"Oh yeah? I'm sure you had a very stimulating conversation?" I might be a bit tipsy but I can still detect some sarcasm when I hear one.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, sensing an insinuation I couldn't quite grasp.

"He must have taken a liking to you for some reason."

"And what reason would that be?"

"Well, there's talk going around that he might not have an interest in women." Richard revealed.

"I certainly didn't get that impression from him." I scoffed, dismissing the gossip.

"Because you're too naïve sometimes." Richard retorted sharply.

"How did those rumors even start?" I inquired, genuinely intrigued.

"The thing is, his marriage to his wife is purely business. They can't stand each other," Richard elaborated.

"That's it?"

"And they don't  have children either. Whisper on the street is, their marriage isn't even consummated." Richard added.

"That doesn't necessarily mean anything. A rumor should not be accepted as truth unless there's proof. Reputation sabotage is common in the business world you know." I argued refusing to buy into baseless gossip.

"But still... it must have come from somewhere." Richard insisted.

The scent of Andrea's perfume lingered in the car, as if it was mocking me. Frustrated, I pressed the windows down to hoping to clear my head with some fresh air.

"What's going on between you and Andrea?" I blurted out, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

"I've told you, she's just a friend," Richard replied calmly.

"Really?" My question came out more bitter than intended.

"Yes, really." Richard reiterated, his tone defensive.

"How did you two meet?" I probed further, curious about the nature of their relationship.

"Well, Andrea was a child star, and I was accompanying my mother during a product shoot they had to do. Our fathers also knew each other, so that's how we became friends," Richard explained.

It wouldn't be surprising if Richard followed in his father's footsteps by marrying a famous model. Their children would undoubtedly be adorable if that were to happen.

As we continued our journey, the cool night air and the dim surroundings began to lull me into a state of drowsiness. I closed my eyes briefly, feeling close on the verge of slipping into dreamland, only to be jolted awake by Richard's hand resting on my knee.

"Richard. Hand?"  I protested, startled by his sudden touch.

You can't doze off while I'm driving, or I might end up getting sleepy too," Richard reasoned, his hand still resting on my knee.

"That is so unfair. Remember when I drove you home when you were drunk?" I retorted.

"And who's the boss here?" Richard countered.

I remained silent, conceding to his point.

"Exactly," he stated triumphantly.

"Fine," I relented, "Then could you please remove your hand?"