Poor Dad Met A Woman Through A Friend At A Party, Not Knowing She Was A Billionaire Falling Fast
A Chance Meeting and a Growing Spark
Jack Daniels sloshed in Ethan Bentley’s glass as he checked his watch for the third time.
He shouldn’t have come to this party.
Between the babysitter’s hourly rate and the gas it took to drive across town, this evening was already costing him more than he could afford.
But Miles had insisted, practically begging Ethan to just get out of the house for once.
After turning down six consecutive invitations, Ethan had finally relented.
“Stop looking so miserable,” Miles said, appearing at Ethan’s side with a fresh drink.
“You’re scaring away all the single ladies.”
“I’m not here to meet women,” Ethan replied, though he accepted the drink.
“I’m here because you wouldn’t stop harassing me.”
“You need this, man. When’s the last time you went out?”
Ethan couldn’t remember.
Since Lily’s mom had left three years ago, his social life had dwindled to parent-teacher conferences and the occasional beer with Miles when he could find a sitter for his six-year-old daughter.
“I’ve got responsibilities,” Ethan said.
“A child, bills, a job that barely covers either.”
“And that’s exactly why you need a break,” Miles surveyed the crowded living room of his cousin’s upscale apartment.
“Look, just talk to someone. Anyone. One hour of normal adult conversation, then you can go back to being super dad.”
Before Ethan could protest, Miles was waving to someone across the room.
“Natalie! Hey, Natalie, come meet my friend!”
A woman turned at the sound of her name.
Even in the dim lighting, Ethan could see she was stunning, with dark hair falling in loose waves past her shoulders.
She wore a simple black dress that somehow looked anything but simple on her.
She smiled and made her way toward them, navigating through the crowd with effortless grace.
“Miles,” she said warmly, giving him a quick hug.
“Great to see you again.”
“You too,” Miles grinned.
“Natalie, this is my friend Ethan. Ethan, this is Natalie James. We met at that charity thing last month.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ethan said, extending his hand.
Her palm was soft against his callous one.
“Likewise.”
She had a slight accent he couldn’t place.
“So, how do you know our host?”
“I don’t, actually. Miles dragged me here as his plus-one.”
She laughed, a sound that reminded him of wind chimes.
“I’m in the same boat. My friend Deianne insisted I come, then abandoned me to talk to some guy from her yoga class.”
“That’s Miles’s specialty: total abandonment.”
Ethan looked over his shoulder, but Miles had already disappeared into the crowd.
“Seems we’ve both been set up,” Natalie said with a knowing smile.
“I should apologize in advance,” Ethan said.
“I’m terrible at small talk.”
“Good. I hate small talk.”
She sipped her drink.
“Let’s skip it altogether. What’s something you’re passionate about?”
The question caught him off guard.
“My daughter,” he answered without hesitation.
“Lily. She’s six.”
Something softened in Natalie’s expression.
“Tell me about her.”
And just like that, Ethan found himself talking freely for the first time in ages.
He told Natalie about Lily’s obsession with space, how she dressed as an astronaut for Halloween and insisted on sleeping with her helmet on for a week afterward.
He described how she was learning to read and would sound out every sign they passed on their walks to school, and how she’d started saving her allowance to buy a telescope.
“She sounds amazing,” Natalie said.
The genuine interest in her eyes made something warm unfurl in Ethan’s chest.
“She is. What about you? Any kids?”
Natalie shook her head.
“No, but I’ve always wanted them. Just waiting for the right time, I guess. Right now, my work keeps me pretty busy.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m in renewable energy,” she said simply.
“Consulting, mostly.”
“Sounds important.”
“It is to me.”
She tilted her head.
“And you?”
“Construction. I’m a site manager for Bennett Building Corporation.”
He didn’t mention that his paycheck barely covered rent for their modest two-bedroom apartment or that he’d been taking on weekend handyman jobs to afford Lily’s school supplies.
Natalie nodded.
“Honest work. Building things that last.”
There was no condescension in her tone, just appreciation.
Ethan relaxed a little more.
“So, consultant,” he said.
“That must involve a lot of travel.”
“Too much sometimes. I just got back from Tokyo yesterday. Still a bit jet-lagged.”
“Tokyo? I’ve never been farther than Canada.”
“It’s overrated,” she said with a small smile.
“After a while, conference rooms look the same everywhere.”
They talked for nearly two hours, moving from the crowded living room to a quieter corner on the balcony.
Ethan couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such an easy conversation with someone, especially a woman he’d just met.
Natalie was intelligent and thoughtful, asking questions that showed she was really listening to his answers.
When his phone buzzed with a text from the babysitter, he reluctantly checked the time.
“I should get going. Sitters don’t come cheap.”
“Of course.”
Was that disappointment in her eyes?
“It was really nice meeting you, Ethan.”
“You too.”
He hesitated, then decided to take a chance.
“Maybe we could do this again sometime? Without the forced setup?”
Her smile widened.
“I’d like that.”
They exchanged numbers, and Ethan found himself whistling as he walked to his car, a beat-up Honda Civic that had seen better days.
For the first time in a long time, he felt a flicker of something that felt suspiciously like hope.
The following Tuesday, Ethan was at work when his phone rang with an unknown number.
His crew was on lunch break, and he was using the time to review blueprints for a problem area they’d encountered that morning.
“Ethan Bentley,” he answered, tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder as he continued examining the plans.
“Hi Ethan, it’s Natalie from the party.”
He set down his pencil, suddenly more alert.
“Hey! I wasn’t sure if you’d actually call.”
“I said I would, didn’t I?”
There was a smile in her voice.
“Listen, I know this is last minute, but I’m free for dinner tonight if you are.”
Ethan mentally reviewed his schedule.
Mrs. Peterson from down the hall had offered to watch Lily anytime as repayment for when he’d fixed her leaky sink.
“I think I can arrange that.”
“Great! There’s a place called Luchanos on 8th Street. Do you know it?”
He knew of it—an upscale Italian restaurant where entrées started at thirty dollars.
“Uh, sure. Is 7:30 okay? I have a meeting that might run late.”
“7:30 is perfect.”
He’d have to dip into his emergency fund, but for some reason, the prospect of seeing Natalie again made it seem worth it.
“Great, I’ll see you then.”
Ethan spent the rest of the afternoon distracted, earning good-natured teasing from his crew when he approved the wrong shipment of materials.
By the time he picked up Lily from after-school care, he was uncharacteristically nervous.
“Daddy, why are you taking so many showers?” Lily asked from her perch on the closed toilet lid as Ethan shaved carefully.
“You already took one this morning.”
“Because Daddy’s going to dinner with a friend, Lilipad. And I spent all day at a dusty construction site.”
“Is it a girlfriend?” Lily asked, emphasizing the space between the words with all the dramatic suspicion of a first grader.
Ethan paused, razor in hand.
“Yes, actually. Her name is Natalie.”
Lily considered this.
“Is she pretty?”
“Very.”
“Is she nice?”
“I think so. I’ve only met her once.”
Lily nodded solemnly.
“If you marry her, will she be my new mommy?”
Ethan nearly cut himself.
“Woah there, kiddo. It’s just dinner.”
“Grandma says you need to get back in the horse.”
“On the horse,” he corrected, smiling despite himself.
“And Grandma talks too much.”
