Irresistible Forces - Brenda Jackson [64]
“Ms. Steele, Mr. Saxon is here to see you.”
Taylor frowned. That couldn’t be. Dominic had called her that morning from England and said he would be in business meetings all day. There was no way he could be back in the States.
“Mr. Saxon?” she asked, making sure she’d heard her secretary correctly.
“Yes. Mr. Franco Saxon.”
Franco Saxon? Taylor pondered the name around in her mind. The only Franco Saxon she knew—or rather had heard of—was the wealthy Frenchman who’d made his millions through his shipping company. Could he be one and the same and why was he coming to see her?
“Ms. Steele?”
“Oh, yes. Please send him in.”
Never in a thousand years would Taylor be prepared for the sharply dressed, gray-haired older man who walked into her office. He had such charisma and style that she immediately recognized him as someone who had to be related to Dominic. But then there were the features, so like Dominic’s it was amazing. It was as if she was staring into the face of a much older Dominic. The man was tall and very handsome. It was evident the man was related to Dominic but in what capacity? Although she had yet to meet Dominic’s father, she had seen pictures of him in magazines and he wasn’t as old as this guy. Was this an uncle perhaps?
“Madam Steele, thank you for seeing me,” he said with a deep French accent as he crossed the room to her. He leaned over and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.
“You’re welcome,” she said, thinking whoever he was, he was a true Frenchman.
When he straightened, a smile touched the corners of his lips. “You seem in a quandary as to who I am.”
“Yes,” Taylor said, studying the man’s features. She would put his age in his early seventies. “It’s obvious you’re related to Dominic.”
She saw a sudden shadow that crossed the man’s green eyes, eyes that were so much like Dominic’s it was uncanny. “Yes, I am related to Dominic,” he said in a somewhat soft voice that dampened the smile he wore. “I am Franco Marcello Saxon, the grandfather Dominic refuses to acknowledge that he has.”
Chapter 12
At first Taylor could have sworn she had heard the older man wrong, but a part of her knew deep down she’d heard him right. There was no doubt in her mind that the man standing before her was Dominic’s grandfather, and since Dominic had denied having any living grandparents, she could only wonder why he refused to acknowledge the man’s very existence.
“B-but why would Dominic do such a thing?” she asked, knowing the man would be able to provide her with an answer.
“It’s a long story, one you have a right to know.”
She wondered how he figured that. He evidently saw the question in her eyes and said, “Because you are the woman who will give birth to my great-grandchild and more than anything, I want to be a part of its life.”
Taylor wondered how he knew about the baby. Again, as if he’d known what she was thinking, he said, “My son and daughter-in-law were excited about the news and were happy to share it with me.”
Taylor nodded. If that was the case, that meant he and Dominic’s parents were on speaking terms. If they were then why not Dominic?
“I know you have a lot of questions, Madam Steele, and I would be honored if you joined me for dinner so I can explain things to you.”
“Dinner?”
“Yes.”
Taylor thought about the invitation. Regardless of whether or not he was on good terms with his grandfather, Dominic should have mentioned the man’s existence to her. No matter what degree of discord subsisted between the two men, the one standing before was her baby’s great-grandfather. So, she made a decision. “Yes, I would love to join you for dinner.”
As soon as they entered the Marcinelli Restaurant, Taylor could tell the man by her side was used to dining in elegance. She glanced up at the vaulted ceilings with intricate carvings and bordered by richlooking marble that seemed to blend into the stone walls. The spacious interior provided an air of sophistication and style,