“I’m sorry,” I said, laughing even louder. He wasn’t ex-Secret Service, military—hell, he wasn’t even a bouncer. He worked with pets. “It really isn’t that funny, but I can’t stop laughing.”

“It’s alright. I’m used to it. People see my size and get pretty intimidated. Austin got me some training after I got hired, but Noah Sloan is the first person I’ve been a bodyguard for,” he said with a sense of pride, and I realized then that he wasn’t Noah’s bodyguard.

No. He was the decoy. While everyone was worried about him because of his size, they were completely unaware that Noah’s real bodyguard was the thin man dressed in a bow tie right beside him.

“We’re here, ma’am,” Daniel said as he pulled to a stop in front of the hotel, then stepped out to open the doors for me.

He handed the keys to the valet before walking me in through the glass doors. There, waiting for me in the lobby, was Mayko. She wore a red pantsuit with no shirt underneath, while Antigone donned a yellow one-shouldered dress. Beside them both stood a stressed-out woman who ran up to me, causing Daniel to tense up.

“It’s fine,” I said quickly, and he moved away.

“Ms. London!” she gasped out like she was dying, reaching for my hands. “I’m Sara Lucas. Thank you for being here. We’ve been so worried after losing contact with your mother. Is she alright?”

She’s better than alright. She’s dead!

“I’m sure she is. I’m so, so sorry. Whatever you all need, I’ll be happy to help in her honor for the night.”

She reached into her bag and pulled out a photo a group of girls. “Every year, W.E.W.A. sponsors six girls from all over the world to come to America for a chance at furthering their educations. They are between the ages of thirteen and seventeen. We were hoping your mother—well, now you—could give them some words about being successful, or just any advice. Along with your mother’s acceptance speech, of course.”

“I’d be honored to,” I replied, taking the paper from her. The girls they had chosen came from Bolivia, Peru, Montenegro, and Bulgaria, and two were from the Ukraine. Beside all of their faces were short stories about their families and lives in their home countries and what they had accomplished, and I knew right then and there that I was not in any way qualified to give these girls any sort of ‘advice.’

One of them started a kindergarten for all of the women in her village to help mothers who had to work.

I looked up to find Mayko and Antigone giving me the same look. No wonder neither of them wanted to go and speak.

“Ms. London?” The woman looked at me.

“Sorry, please lead the way,” I said. She smiled from ear to ear and led the way. When she turned around, I spun back to Mayko and Antigone, smacking them over the shoulders.

“Hate you both!” I said quickly, causing them to giggle as I rushed to catch up. We stopped at a large ballroom, and Ms. Lucas secretly got us behind and to the side of the stage they had set up. The only thing blocking me from God knows how many people was a large wall of curtain.

“Just channel Mom. You know she lives for these types of things,” Antigone whispered beside me.

“Tell them they are beautiful the way they are and that type of stuff,” Mayko added, not helping me at all.

“I’m not answering you when you call anymore,” I replied, taking a deep breath, my hands shaking. This was completely different than anything I had done before—let alone anything I had done last minute.

“Right there.” Sara pointed between the slits of the curtains at a table at the front of the stage. “Those are the girls.”

Nodding, I took a breath, shaking out my hands and moving away from the curtains.

Breathe.

Breathe.

If Esther can do this, you can.

Breathe.

“Tonight, the W.E.W.A. gives this award to Esther London, who sadly could not be here tonight. However, here to accept her award on her behalf is her daughter and actress Amelia London. Please help me walk her to the stage.”

Fuck me, man.

Putting a smile on my face and trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach, I braced myself as they opened the curtains, revealing the packed room. Waving, I held my head high and walked as gracefully as I possibly could toward the glass podium. Taking the award, a glass torch statue, and shaking the speaker’s hand, I turned to face the audience and the cameras. I paused to allow the applause to die down.

“Thank you,” I said when it got quiet. Bullshit it, Amelia. “Today, I stand, as I have always stood, in the shadow of great woman and an even greater mother.”

Again, they applauded.

Nodding, I continued, “Many people have asked over the years what it is like to have Esther London as a mother, and it is very much like holding this award—in all aspects of her life, she passed the torch to me. The strength I have to stand up in the world today is because of her and her constant reminder that as women, we have work harder, though it is not fair or right. We must push ourselves in every aspect of our lives to get the things we truly want—what we deserve, in fact. I would like to thank every member of the Women Empowering Women Association for honoring my mother. I’m not biased or anything …”

They laughed.

“… because she truly is the only logical choice to me. Without her, my life would be completely different. My family will treasure this always. Thank you.” I lifted the award up.

“Tonight, not only does W.E.W.A. allow me to honor my mother, but also six beautiful young women: fourteen-year-old Elisa Rivera Vargas from Bolivia, seventeen-year-old Heloise Severiano of Peru, thirteen-year-old, Pelivanka Dobrislav of Montenegro, sixteen-year-old twins Katerina and Marynia Koval of the Ukraine, and last but certainly not least, from Bulgaria, seventeen-year-old Lala Zahari. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand with me and applaud these young ladies.”

Pushing the award to the side, I, along with everyone else, applauded them as they laughed with each other.

“I was asked to give you ladies advice, and, as the award symbolizes, to pass the torch,” I lifted it to them. “However, the more I thought about it, the less came to mind, because you wouldn’t be here today if you waited for words from others to propel you to act. Each one of you is extraordinary because you sought something and chose to make it happen despite all the obstacles in front you. So my advice is for the young girls who aren’t here today to never ask anyone permission to follow your dreams or to make a positive impact in your communities—just do it. Just be what you want to be, and eventually, you will achieve it. Should you ever forget that, we have six young women here ready to light the way for you. Thank you.”

Backing away from the podium, I walked down the stage toward the girls, giving each one of them a hug, and when the photographer came over, we all huddled together, posing.

Noah

Finally, I thought when Father Christmas himself sat down in front of me. We had been here for a good thirty minutes, and I was beginning to think I had wasted my time.

“You’re as hard-headed as your pops,” he chuckled, downing his beer.

“Don’t compare—”

“Why? You ain’t proud?” he frowned at me.

Frowning, I leaned back, eyeing him carefully. “I could think of thousand adjectives I could use, but ‘proud’ is not among them.”

“You got balls.”

“You’re the second man this week who has commented on my balls. Honestly, it’s making me uncomfortable. Do you have anything for me?”

“A smart ass, too,” he muttered. “Before I talk, what are you going to do when you find him? There is no way he’s getting out of this.”

“For fifteen, do you really give a damn?”

His eyes narrowed at me. “You might have forgotten your pops has also got a big mouth, always talking about his millionaire son who forked over thousands with a ring. You gonna have to do better than fifteen.”