by Parker, Ali
“She’s nice,” Khloe commented after she left.
“Yes, she is.”
“I hope I didn’t crash your party,” my dad said.
I laughed. “Not at all. It was never supposed to be a late night.”
“I have to get back to work,” Khloe said. “Your boyfriend is a slave driver.”
“I bet he pays well, though,” I said with a wink.
Khloe grinned. “That, he does. Goodnight, you two.”
My dad talked a few minutes before I headed for my room. I was anxious to check in with Trent. I knew he would be waiting for my call. I had told him about my plans for the evening. He had texted he wouldn’t call me, giving me time to spend with my guests.
“Hi,” I said when he answered the phone.
“Hey, baby. How was your night?”
“It was good. Holly and Khloe got along great. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together. Julia will like her too when she comes to visit.”
“Good.”
“Khloe says you’re working her to death,” I teased.
He chuckled. “I don’t think it’s quite that serious, but there is a lot to get done.”
“Are you making headway there?” I asked him.
“I am.”
His answers were a little stilted, giving me the impression he was busy or had something on his mind.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
He cleared his throat. “I wanted to talk to you about something. I wish I was there to talk about it in person, but with the full house and all, I didn’t get the chance.”
My initial reaction was nervousness. I quickly dismissed that feeling. I was confident he was into me and wasn’t about to dump me. “What’s going on?” I asked.
“I, well, I want you to live in the house with me,” he blurted out.
I smiled. I had kind of been expecting it but didn’t want to be too presumptuous. “I’d like that.”
He blew out a breath. “Thank god. I know I should have been clearer about things when I was there, but I didn’t want to rush you.”
“It isn’t rushed. I mean, it is rushed, but it’s what we both want.”
“You don’t feel smothered?”
I laughed. “No. I can’t wait to wake up with you every day and sleep in your arms every night.”
“Good. I want that as well.”
“I’m glad you said something. I wasn’t sure what your intentions were and didn’t want to assume anything. I’m excited.”
“Will Khloe keep the condo?” he asked.
“If she wants it. I’m sure with what you’re paying her, she can afford the rent. Actually, Holly mentioned she wanted to live closer to work—maybe they can be roommates!”
He chuckled. “That might work. What do you think your dad is going to say?”
“I think he is expecting it. Once he heard you were buying a house, he knew.”
He let out a long sigh. “Now to find someone to manage the house there. Mira is going to stay on here.”
“Someone to manage the house? What do you mean?”
“You know, take care of things around the house,” he answered as if it was so obvious.
I cleared my throat. “Baby, didn’t you just ask me to live in the house with you?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m the house manager.”
“What?”
I laughed at his naivety. “I can manage the house. What exactly is it you want your house manager to do?”
“I don’t know, run the house. Laundry, grocery shopping, running errands, making sure the gardener comes and the trash is picked up when it’s supposed to. Stuff like that.”
“I can do that. That’s part of being an adult. The house here in Fresno isn’t a mansion. With just the two of us living there, it isn’t going to be that much work. It’s a normal part of life. I would be bored out of my mind if there was nothing for me to do.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m sure. If things get to be too much, I’ll let you know.”
“Good. I need to find a driver and that is non-negotiable. You can’t walk to work from the new house.”
I grimaced, realizing he was right. “I’ll buy a car.”
“I’ll buy you a car.”
I laughed. “No. I’ll buy my own car. If I’m living in your—”
“Ours,” he corrected. “It’s ours.”
“I can afford a car if I’m living with you,” I said, knowing damn well the man would never take a penny from me.
I felt a little better about the huge difference in our incomes. I didn’t feel like he was buying me. We were together. He just happened to earn about a billion times more than I did.
“All right, but I’ll still need a driver. Plus, there will be those times when we want to enjoy a few glasses of wine and we’ll need a ride.”
“You’re right,” I said. “So, what else is on your mind?”
He laughed. “You know me so well.”
“I’m getting to know you better every day.”
“I’m good. I was just a little stressed about trying to hire the right people without actually meeting them. Khloe is handling a lot of the little details, like getting the utilities transferred and all of that, which is a huge help. Is it terrible I’m glad she got fired?”
I burst into laughter. “No, it isn’t terrible, but we’ll keep that little details between us.”
“Good, because I am so glad I have her working for me. I’m hoping to convince her to stay on once I move there. I can give her a job in the hotel, working as my personal assistant but handling more of the business side of things.”
“I think she would love that,” I said.
He was quiet for a second. “I love you.”
I blinked, tears springing to my eyes. My first reaction was to ask him what he said, but that would be the wrong response. Heat flooded my body as I closed my eyes and replayed the words over in my head.
“Sade, I’m sorry,” he said, his voice guttural. “I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just—well, it’s how I feel, and talking about moving in together and starting a real life together, it just—it just came out. I don’t want to freak you out.”
“I love you,” I whispered once the shock had worn off.
“You do?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I do. I didn’t mean to go dark, it’s just that you surprised me.”
“I’m sorry. Over the phone is probably not the best way to say that for the first time. I got caught up in the moment. I can see our future together, and I’m thrilled. It’s going to be good. I promise to be a good man to you. You will never want for anything, and you never have to worry about me leaving you. You are stuck with me.”
I smiled, the case of the warm fuzzies amplifying. “I cannot wait to start this next chapter of our lives together. I will try my very best to be the woman you deserve.”
“You are perfect the way you are,” he assured me. “Don’t change. Don’t try. Just be you. That’s what made me fall in love with you. You’re just so damn good.”
“I’m so happy I met you.”
“Me too, baby. Me too.”
“I should probably go say goodnight to my dad,” I told him, hating to end the call and lose that connection to him.
“Tell him I said hello. I miss you, and I can’t wait to see you this weekend.”
“I miss you too. Goodnight.”
I sighed, holding the phone against my chest. He loved me. I had felt it and hoped for it, but hearing him actually say it was better than I could have imagined. It was amazing. He was amazing. My life was amazing.
I got off my bed and went out to the living room. My dad had the TV on, the sound very low as he read through a document.
“Hey,” I said, taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch.
“Hey, I thought you went to bed?”
I shrugged. “I was just talking to Trent. What a
re you doing?”
“Reviewing my contract. I’m making sure to read every line.”
“Good idea.”
“How is Trent?” he asked casually.
“Good. Getting ready for the move.”
He nodded, took off his reading glasses, and turned to look at me. “What is it?”
I smiled. He knew me too well. “I’m going to be moving into the house with him.”
“I expected as much.”
“You did?”
“Sade, you’re a grown woman. You’ve always made good decisions. I trust you know what you’re doing with him.”
“You’re not upset I’m dating a man like Trent?”
He scowled. “A man like Trent? What does that mean?”
“You always told me to stay away from the military type.”
He laughed. “Active duty. I didn’t want you to have to go through what your mother did. I worried about you being all alone for months or longer. In reality, I would have been okay with it, but a father wants his daughter to be happy. I was worried you would suffer and be unhappy. I’ve seen a lot of my guys lose their wives because of the distance.”
“I understand. Good. I’m glad you’re okay with it because I’m crazy about him. I want you two to get along.”
He smiled and put a hand on my knee. “We’ll be fine. I respect him. He’s a good kid and has never done anything that has made me doubt he is anything but a solid guy.”
“I can’t wait for Mom to meet him.”
He laughed. “I gave her a heads-up about the situation. She is very anxious to meet this man as well.”
“She’ll love him,” I said confidently.
He slowly nodded. “I think she will.”
“Goodnight, Dad. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight,” he said and put his glasses back on.
I headed for bed, feeling on top of the world.
Chapter 51
Trent
I paced in the hangar, my usual Friday-evening ritual. This time, I was flying Khloe and Sade out to Lake Tahoe. I still needed to get some things done, and I wanted to talk with Khloe and introduce her to Mira. They would need to coordinate the moving, and I was hoping Mira could give Khloe some tips and advice.
I heard the chopper coming in and stepped outside. I was anxious to see her. It seemed like now that I knew I was moving soon, I missed her more than ever. I hated the days apart from her and was very excited to learn she had taken Monday off from work. An extra day meant everything.
The chopper landed and shut down. The ladies climbed out and made their way to me. I met Sade halfway, pulling her into my arms and hugging her close. It felt so good to have her in front of me. I kissed her, not meaning it to be anything more than a standard kiss hello, but she had other ideas. We stood on the black tarmac, the wind blowing around us as we kissed like we hadn’t seen each other in months.
“Hi,” she said, a little breathless.
“Hi, yourself.” I grinned.
“Are you two done, or would you like us to turn our backs so you can really do what you want?” Khloe asked irritably.
Sade and I both burst into laughter. “We better get over there before she quits,” I said with a smile.
I took her hand and led her to where Khloe was standing just inside the hangar.
“Gee, did I disturb you?” Khloe asked.
“Sorry. I missed her.”
“No shit,” she replied.
Bentley was waiting at the car. We climbed into the backseat. I was conscious of Khloe and kept my hands to myself on the ride back to my place.
“Richie will be meeting us here in about thirty minutes,” I announced. “You girls can drop off your suitcases, and then we can go out for dinner.”
“Don’t you two want to be alone?” Khloe asked.
I winked. “Damn straight, but I’ve got plans for tomorrow night with just me and her. Tonight is about all of us getting the chance to hang out. I want you and Richie to get to know each other better since I imagine you two will be talking a lot over the coming weeks as I make the transition. I think it’s always better if you know the person you’re working with. You begin to start reading their minds and knowing what the other expects.”
“Works for me,” Khloe said, shrugging a shoulder.
“Date night?” Sade asked, turning to look at me.
I nodded. “Yep, just you and me. It’s a surprise.”
“I can’t wait,” she answered.
We headed inside the house, and Leia eagerly greeted Sade first and then me. Khloe wasn’t quite as excited about the exuberant dog kisses, but she was a good sport. I showed her to her guest bedroom, which was actually a large suite with a private bathroom and sitting area.
“This is impressive,” she said, looking around the room. “Are you sure you want to give up this luxury to live in a small house in Fresno?”
I laughed. “It isn’t like I hang out in this room, and the house I bought in Fresno isn’t exactly a hovel. It’s a gorgeous home, and the master suite is very nice. That’s where I’ll be spending my time.”
She smiled. “I suppose you really don’t care what the guest rooms look like.”
I laughed. “Not so much.”
“Noted. Thank you. I’m going to change and get ready for dinner. Do you offer maps of the house to your guests?”
“Ha. Ha. Turn left and don’t stop walking until you run into us.”
“Got it.”
I went back down the hall toward my room. I realized just then how much I was going to enjoy a smaller house. A guy shouldn’t have to pack a lunch to get from one side of the house to the other.
“Hey,” I said, walking into the room.
Sade was just coming out of the bathroom, a towel around her naked body. “I took a quick shower.”
I grinned. “I thought you were just getting naked for me.”
“I will get naked for you anytime you’d like—except for now. Now we have to get ready for dinner. I’m not going to be late, and I’m not going to walk into the living room or wherever looking flushed.”
“How about a kiss?”
She smiled. “That, I can do.”
I gave her a kiss and then left the room. I didn’t trust myself to be that close to her naked body and not toss her on the bed and drive myself right into her wet heat. I moved into the kitchen where Leia was zonked out on her bed in front of the windows. I poured myself a drink. I heard the doorbell and knew it was Richie.
“Starting already?” he asked, looking at the glass in my hand.
I chuckled. “Yes, I’ll pour you one.”
He followed me back to the kitchen. “Where are the ladies?”
“Changing.”
“I thought this was a low-key dinner?”
“It is, but Sade came straight from work, and Khloe was in jeans and a tee. I suppose they wanted to take it a step above too casual.”
He nodded, sipping the drink I poured for him. It was Khloe who showed up in the kitchen first. I saw Richie’s reaction and had to hide my smile behind my glass. He’d met her before, but it was like he was seeing her for the first time.
She was a beautiful woman. Her dark hair was hanging loose around her shoulders. She’d put on a lot more makeup than she’d been wearing when she had gotten off the helicopter. She’d put on a short, flirty dress that hit mid-thigh and made her legs look like they were a mile long. I realized in that moment, she was very much Richie’s type.
“You look nice,” I complimented her.
“Thanks,” she said. “What are you boys drinking?”
“Scotch,” Richie answered. “Want one?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “Sure, why not?”
I was surprised but poured the lady a small glass. Sade walked into the kitchen just as Khloe was taking a drink. I had eyes only for her. Richie and Khloe disappeared, and all I saw was her wearing a pretty blue dress that was sexy and classy and so perfect for her.
She was effortlessly beautiful.
“Damn, you’re beautiful,” I whispered, dropping a kiss on her cheek.
“Thank you. What’s going on in here? You guys look like you’ve got a party going on.”
I laughed. “I was having a drink. Then Richie showed up, and Khloe thought she could hang with the big boys.”
Khloe scoffed, and then, shocking the hell out of all of us, she downed the rest of her drink. “Now what?”
Sade shook her head. “You never want to challenge Khloe to do anything, but you definitely don’t want to challenge her in a drinking contest.”
Richie looked intrigued.
I gave him a slight shake of my head. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what? I was only going to offer her another drink.”
“I think we should go,” I said, stopping him before he could get her wasted. “We have reservations.”
“Party pooper,” he complained.
We left the house, piling into the SUV that was a little roomier for the four of us, which reminded me of something. “Khloe, can you add buy a car and an SUV to the list of things that needs doing?”
“Nope, no work,” Sade said, shaking her finger. “You can tell her Monday.”
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
“It’s fine,” Khloe said good-naturedly. “I’ll make sure and get it done.”
“Thank you. I won’t talk about work anymore.”
Richie made a choking sound. “Yes, you will, and you know it.”
I laughed. “I’m going to be very conscious of that now.”
We arrived at the restaurant and were quickly seated at a semi-private table. We enjoyed a meal together, most of the conversation carried by Richie and Khloe making fun of Sade and me and our inability to keep our hands off each other.
“If you’re finished laughing at us, maybe we could go to a club,” I offered.
“Sure!” Khloe exclaimed. “I love to dance.”
We chose a club that was more befitting an older crowd instead of the younger college kids. It was still loud, still had great music, and had a great vibe without all the cocky kids trying to get laid and seeing everyone else as a threat.