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“His own business? No. It’s the family’s business. The family’s name. He has to think about that every waking moment. Like it or not, he's a role model in the community.”
“Toni, don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh on your grandson?” she tried to soothe him.
“He thinks he can just date any pretty woman who bows to him. I warned him that he needs to think about settling down early instead of dating these opportunists. Every year he has a different woman. It’s like he gets bored easily and thinks the New Year change means a New Woman. There’s bound to be trouble. Now this young lady has a paternity suit. What else is new?”
“Don’t be too upset with him, Toni. He’s just an easy target. You know that. Lucas is way too careful for get himself into that position. You raised your grandkids well, Toni. They would never put themselves into danger like that.”
Toni scoffed. Those words didn’t seem to ease his anger. It was the last thing he wanted to hear. “I’m going to settle this once and for all,” he murmured under his breath.
“And just how will you do that?” Shelly looked taken aback.
Toni said nothing more as the passenger door to the SUV opened and the noise from the cameras clicking and the reporters all shouting questions besieged his ears at the same time. “Mr. Romero, do you have any comments on the latest allegation regarding your grandson, Lucas?” one reporter shouted.
“No comment,” Toni replied firmly and as politely as he could while he hobbled out of the vehicle with his cane at his side. He then walked up the steps, trying to ignore the commotion surrounding him. His chin was raised proudly. If there was one thing about a Romero, it was that they were a proud and confident family. Even in the midst of adversity or scandal. Shelly held on tightly to his arm as they walked inside the foyer of their home.
Shelly and Toni had just returned from a weekend excursion to Niagara Falls when the news broke about the latest scandal surrounding his grandson. He’d summoned his entire family to the estate, those who could make it, to conduct an emergency family meeting. Jack, his son, was still in hiding somewhere in Paris and hadn’t stepped foot in the country the past few years. Jack was the father of Lucas, as well as his brothers, Zack, Jules, Troy and Carl. All in their late twenties and early thirties. Toni’s eldest son, Antonio Romero II, died at the age of fifty-five, but his grandson Antonio III and his new wife Lucy Shillerton-Romero would be present.
Toni was so proud of his enterprising family; they’d inherited his good business smarts and established their own names in the community, but of course, scandal and controversy seemed to follow them everywhere they went.
A long running feud with the Romero and the Bronson families didn’t help either. His old rival, Larry Bronson, was the former mayor of Mayberry Hill and also the patriarch of the Bronson Media Corp.
Surprise. Surprise. The Bronson family owned most of the newspapers in town. Larry made his dislike for the Romero family very clear from the early days—since the Romero family won claim to a piece of land that the Bronson family had insisted was theirs.
But Toni was not about to entertain that idea right now. He had other more important things to tend to. Like, once again, clearing his family’s name. He ignored the scores of reporters, knowing full well who owned the papers and TV channel they were reporting for. Talk about media bias.
But somehow his ears zoomed in on a raspy voice of one TV reporter. “So there you have it…Toni Romero will not be making any statements about his grandson Lucas Romero over the latest allegation. I’m Blue Monroe reporting for Channel 31 News.”
He’d seen that reporter many times before camped out at his functions. He shrugged and moved up the steps carefully as his wife, who happened to be his former nurse, assisted him.
Shelly whispered in his ear. “You still didn’t answer my question, Toni. Are you planning on telling me what you’re planning to do to settle this problem with Lucas?”
Toni wouldn’t dare admit it, but he’d always had his eye on Maxine Summers who, along his other grandson, Antonio’s new wife, Lucy, made glorious arrangements for Toni and Shelly’s wedding to happen through their Dream Weddings, Inc. agency. Maxine seemed like a stable, well-adjusted young woman. He had already had her checked out through his contacts. And as if fate couldn’t have done a better job, Maxine caught the bouquet from Antonio’s wedding while Lucas, of all men, caught the garter. Well, that could only mean one thing. Two birds with one stone. He didn’t know how he was going to pull it off, but he was going to do something about getting Maxine and Lucas together as fate had intended. Yes, he hated to meddle, but for the good of the family, sometimes it was necessary. That would help Lucas’s wild-partying image and also provide some stability in his life. Maxine didn’t know it yet but Toni already considered her part of the inner circle. Trustworthy.
