She didn't forget him.

Standing by the entryway with her fists on her hips, Gloria could not forget the kind old man. She could not forget his welcoming gaze that failed to behold her in lust or in disdain. She could not forget his welcoming smile and the warmth he exuded.

For the first time since Gloria was a little girl, a man was kind to her. He treated her with so much kindness, she was starting to believe she was human again and not the disgusting piece of trash the society referred to her as. Which was why she stood here, having an oral wrestling match with Coleen.

Coleen was the conniving, cheating, lying owner of the brothel. While Gloria knew very well that she had earned enough money to be independent of Coleen, Coleen insisted Gloria still owed her for boarding, food, and clothing. Not to mention the twenty percent Coleen always took from the money Gloria made.

But Gloria wouldn't let Coleen's shiftiness upset her. She knew when to get her money, and best of all, she knew how. Today, however, she was going to dinner with the kind old man, whether or not Coleen approved.

Gloria stood on tiptoes and glared into the eyes of the six-foot woman who stood before her, brown hair falling to a mess on her shoulders.

"Get out!" Gloria growled.

"I've said it repeatedly, Gloria. I'm not letting you go when the man in question refuses to seek my permission. You know how ridiculous you sound trying to convince me that this dinner does not involve other things. Do not think I'm a fool; don't think you can cheat me out of the twenty percent I'm entitled to."

"You are entitled to your ridiculous theories, Coleen, but I'm not your slave, and you can't keep me here!"

"You owe me, Gloria, and this is a business contract. You can't leave without my permission, and you certainly do not have it."

Gloria stared at Coleen, fighting the overwhelming urge to slam her head against the door frame.

One peek behind Coleen and Gloria could see a small crowd of girls, between the ages of fifteen and thirty-eight, staring at the two as they exchanged words.

Gloria almost felt sorry for those teenagers who chose this life. She knew very well that fate had forced some of them into a life like this, but there were those who walked in willingly, and she was one of them.

Fists on her hips, Gloria's angry gaze moved back to Coleen, whose calmness filled Gloria with unease.

"Get out of my way, or God help me, Coleen, you're going to regret it!"

"I don't think so." Coleen stayed glued to her position by the door.

Gloria knew it was way past seven — she was late. Angered, she reached forward and grabbed Coleen by the wrist before yanking her from the path.

She made her way out of the door and down the dingy stairway. The entire place smelled of alcohol and tobacco. Housed in this building was the scum of the town. Their eyes trailed her movement, mentally stripping her naked as she passed by. Slimy hands reached out to grab her, but she was accustomed to their antics, easily maneuvering her way past them while simultaneously ignoring their nasty comments as she made her way to the door and pushed it wide open.

Something in Gloria wanted to escape this self-imposed prison. It had been ten years since she had sat at a dinner table.

A soft breeze washed over her face, filling her nostrils with clean air. With her arms outstretched, she welcomed the first wave of freedom as it washed over her. She was on her way to a man's house, not to prostitute herself, but to eat. It was a feeling that caused joyous laughter to erupt from her lips.

*

Hunger gnawed at Howard's stomach, causing it to rumble in protest. The frown on his face deepened as he clutched his stomach and glared at his empty plate; they were required to wait in hunger until his father's dinner guest arrived. The only problem with the requirement was the guest's incredible ability to be tardy.

He glanced at his father, who had his eyes fixed on the entrance to the dining room. He recognized the difficulty of needing to dispose of Hannah's ashes a few hours ago, and it was this knowledge that restrained him from voicing his displeasure of having to wait.

"A little while now, Howard," his father pleaded.

He ignored the old man who sat across from him. He didn't see the need to respond. He'd wait a few more minutes before forfeiting dinner altogether.

The sound of the front door opening drifted to them, and his father straightened.

"Sir, your guest is here," Jackson, the butler, announced.

Stuart smiled and rose to his feet. He made his way toward the entrance.

"I'm sorry, I'm late."

Howard was stunned to hear a soft female voice behind him, but he didn't turn around to find out who she was. All that mattered was her complete disrespect for time.

"Nonsense!" Stuart waved her off. "Welcome, Gloria."

Howard ransacked his mind, trying to remember if he had heard that name in the past. He knew he hadn't.

"Howard?" Stuart called.

Heaving a breath, Howard turned slightly to find his father staring at him.

"Father?"

"I'd like you to meet Gloria." Stuart moved to the side, revealing a devastatingly beautiful woman with fierce green eyes that reflected off of the candlelight.

Pressing his lips together to keep from gasping, Howard sat up straighter in his seat. His gaze ran down the length of her. She was dressed in a red gown that caressed her flawless figure. Her black hair formed a cluster of curls atop her head, with two ringlets falling to her bare shoulders. A simple gold necklace graced her neck, its pendant resting in her bosom. White gloves covered her dainty hands that were clasped before her.

"Howard?" his father spoke, pulling him back to the present. He glanced at Stuart, who had an eyebrow raised. Then, his gaze traveled to himself, to find that he was still seated.

Embarrassed, he rose to his feet and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

She glanced at his outstretched hand before raising her gaze to his. He noticed the small frown that creased her forehead as she ignored his hand. "Likewise." She offered a small nod and turned to Stuart. "I'm sure everyone has had enough of waiting for dinner." She giggled.

"Howard has had a frown on his face all evening." Stuart laughed before placing her hand in the crook of his arm and leading her to the chair beside Howard.

Settled comfortably on her seat, Gloria offered Stuart a smile.

"I'll get the food," Stuart announced. He offered Howard a sly smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he turned from the table.

So, his father noticed his interest in Gloria? And if his father's leaving the room to get their food, even if it was highly unnecessary, was anything to go by, then his father was giving him his blessing. Fighting the urge to smile at his father's antics, Howard turned his attention to his plate.

Howard had met many women in his time, many prettier than the woman who sat beside him. But he treated them all as nothing but instruments to be used and disposed of at will. He saw them all with the same eyes he saw his mother: liars, cheats, and opportunists. It was a realization that brought great sadness his father's way. But there was something about this woman that made it impossible to turn away; there was something about her that drew him in.

Still, she ignored him, seemingly uninterested in his advances as she turned her attention to the expensive furniture in the room.

His gaze traveled around the room with her. The Sullivan's San Francisco mansion was extremely grand: five bedrooms, three extra rooms in the left-wing of the house for the household helps, a living room, a family dining room, and a grand dining room that could seat fifty people.

Howard was born within these high walls. And even if he could hardly remember what it was living here, he could vaguely remember leaving in the middle of the night. They had moved to Arkansas when he was a boy, but Stuart had kept ownership of the house and the staff.

He cleared his throat, causing Gloria to turn to him. "My grandfather bought this land for next to nothing."

She stared at him for several seconds before turning away. Speechless, and slightly insulted, he sat quietly and waited until his father returned. Dinner was served soon after.

With the meal before him, Howard found it impossible to eat, for his mind was completely occupied with the knowledge of the presence of the woman seated beside him, ignoring him.

*

Gloria felt Howard's eyes on her. She noticed the way his eyes ran over her the moment she arrived, the way he stripped her naked with his gaze. She noticed the fact that his eyes never left her, even after dinner was over, and they sat for a cup of tea in the living room.

Howard's unsolicited attention wasn't new to her. But she ignored him and focused instead on the pair of kind brown eyes that were before her.

Stuart was very pleasant to speak with, and by the time she realized it was time to leave, it was almost midnight. He offered to escort her home, but she waved him off. She didn't want to drag him into her life as a prostitute, and she knew she could handle herself on the streets.

She was pulling her coat over her dress and was about to head out of the door when Howard finally spoke, causing her to freeze in her tracks.

Turning around, she stared at him, shocked. For a moment, she thought she heard him say...

"Marry me!" he repeated.