by E. L. Todd
Dad stayed quiet like he promised.
“So…I was hoping you would make a fake scholarship and send it to her, which would cover all of her loans. That way she wouldn’t know we helped her and she can stop stressing out. She works really hard and she deserves some help.”
Dad covered his bottom lip with his fingers, clearly wanting to speak out.
“As a thank you…I will work for you full-time for a year without pay in addition to working for my studio. I will still pay you back for that loan you gave me.”
My dad’s eyes widened at my words but he still didn’t say anything.
Was that everything I wanted to say? I went through it in my head then nodded. “I’m done.”
He dropped his hand from his lip. “First question; Beatrice comes from a wealthy family. Why don’t they help her?”
I knew this would come up. “I can’t tell you why.”
“At all?” he asked incredulously.
“She’s just not close with them. As far as she’s concerned, they aren’t related to her.”
“Damn,” he said. “They must have had a serious falling out.”
I didn’t say anything.
“And for your request, I’ll grant it. However, I have a counter offer…”
“I’m listening.”
“You will work for me full-time for two years with no pay.”
I opened my mouth to argue.
“Her loans aren’t going to be cheap, and I’m not sure why you think you would be making bank your first year working for me.” He cleared his throat. “As I was saying…or you can work for me permanently for full pay. I won’t deduct anything for her loans.”
Now, I didn’t see that coming. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, I think you opening this studio shows responsibility and commitment. I’m glad you’re doing something on your own. However, I think you have more potential than that. My father built this company, and I want at least one of my kids working here. Since you seem…lost…I think you would be a good fit here.”
I pondered his words. “Skye is the new CEO.”
“There can be more than one,” he said simply. “Believe me, my brother drives me crazy but I’m grateful he’s here every day. Skye has no idea how hard it’s going to be to handle on her own, no matter how much experience she has.”
“I think she’ll be fine.”
He studied my face.
“I don’t want to work as her partner, and I don’t want to work with her.”
“I’m confused,” he said. “It sounds like you have a problem with her. Do you?”
“No,” I said immediately. “Skye is one of my closest friends.”
“Then I don’t understand.”
“I just don’t want to work with her every day,” I answered. “I’d be willing to do something else that didn’t require any interaction with her. Like how Cortland is the director of the IT department. He doesn’t work with you and Sean at all. It’s separate.”
He rubbed his chin. “Explain why you won’t work with her.”
I shrugged. “I feel like she was made to do this job. I don’t want to step on her toes.”
He nodded slowly. “Now I understand…Conrad, Skye isn’t going to mind sharing power with you. I’ll talk to her if you want but—”
“It’s not that either,” I said quickly. “I don’t think I’d be a good CEO. I don’t think I have what it takes. I don’t have brains like she does. I’ll screw up and make a stupid decision. I just can’t handle it. If you made me in charge of a department or something, I think I could do that.”
He gave me a serious look. “Conrad, you’re extremely intelligent and capable. I wouldn’t offer this position to you if I weren’t sure you could handle it. And I’m not cutting you loose immediately. You can work under me for a few years until you feel comfortable enough on your own. I would never abandon you.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to do it. Maybe if you let me work in a different department, I’ll feel differently in a few years, but I just don’t feel comfortable doing that.”
My dad backed off, realizing I wouldn’t budge. “Okay, I accept that.”
I nodded my head in gratitude.
“My offer still stands. Think about it.”
It was a lot to think about. “Thank you.”
He stood up and adjusted his tie. “Conrad, please marry her.”
I looked at him. “Why? You love her?”
“No. But you clearly do.”
Chapter Nine
Theo
“You got a minute, man?” Conrad came to the kitchen table, his hair messy like he just woke up.
“Sure.” I drank my coffee and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Alex was still asleep. If she didn’t have an alarm clock, she’d sleep until noon every day.
“This is totally hypothetical…”
“You knocked up Beatrice?” I blurted.
“What?” he asked. “No. I haven’t even slept with her.”
“Oh…” I rubbed my eye again. “Then what’s up?”
“I was talking to Beatrice the other day, and she agreed to move in with me.”
It was already cramped as it was. At least Alex cleaned up after us and did the laundry. Conrad didn’t make her pay her share of rent because he knew she was broke, and she made up for it by helping out around the apartment. But having Beatrice here too would be difficult. Four people, including two girls, and one bathroom…sounded like a disaster. “No offense, man, but we are already pretty cramped. I mean, if she had nowhere to go, we’d make it work but I’d rather avoid it if we can.”
He sighed. “Sorry, I misspoke. I meant I would be leaving this apartment to be with her.”
“Oh…” Now I understood.
“I’m not going to leave you high and dry. I’ll stay and pay my half of the rent. I would never ditch you like that. But if you were able to carry the rent on your own…I’d like to leave.”
“Well, first of all, congratulations,” I said. “If you’re going to live together that must mean you’ll be getting laid soon.”
He laughed. “Yeah, maybe.”
“But honestly…” I glanced at Alex’s room to make sure she was still asleep. Then I leaned toward Conrad. “Alex hasn’t found a job yet and I’m providing for both of us right now. I got a lot in savings, but I’m trying not to spend more than I need to, you know?”
He nodded. “I understand, man.”
“If you’re moving in with Beatrice because she’s having money problems she can come here. It’ll be cramped but we’ll manage.”
“No, it’s okay,” he said immediately.
“When the shop opens, then you can leave because we’ll probably be making something.”
“Yeah,” he said with a nod.
“I’m sorry, man. I don’t want to put you out.”
“No, you aren’t,” he said immediately. “I made a commitment to you first. We’ll just wait a few months then we’ll be fine.”
“Okay.” I still felt guilty I was keeping him from Beatrice. “I hope you get laid anyway.”
He laughed. “You’re one to talk.”
I shrugged in guilt. “We do other stuff…”
“Juicy,” he said sarcastically. He stood up then headed to the bathroom. “I need to get ready.”
“Okay.”
He shut the door then turned on the water.
I finished my coffee then went back into my bedroom. Alex was asleep, exactly in the place I left her. She was wearing my t-shirt and it bunched up around her stomach. A pink thong was on her bottom, and the sheets were kicked away like she was hot. I got a boner just from looking at her.
I lay in bed beside her, wanting to cuddle. She needed to wake up but I didn’t want to disturb her when she looked so cute. I leaned down and kissed her exposed hip, loving the curves of her body. Then I spooned her from behind. I wasn’t tired but I enjoyed lying with her.
She stirred and stretched, raising her arms above her head while she released a yawn.
I automatically kissed her exposed stomach and the skin of her bellybutton. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”
She turned toward me then blinked several times. “What time is it?” she whispered.
“Late,” I said with a laugh. “You need to go to bed at a reasonable hour.”
“I’m a night owl,” she argued.
Lying beside her like this made me wish we could do more than fool around. I wanted to crawl on top of her and have sensual morning sex. She hadn’t expressed she was ready so I hadn’t pushed it.
“What are you doing today?” she asked.
“I don’t have any plans.”
She ran her fingers through her hair and sat up. “You should be trying to talk to Thomas.” She gave me a pointed look.
I sighed. “Baby, I tried. He hates my guts. He doesn’t want a relationship with me. And you know what? I don’t blame him.”
“He’s your brother, Theo. You need to make it right.”
“You didn’t hear what he said.”
“I’m sure it was bad,” she said immediately. “And I doubt he’s very reasonable, and I don’t hold that against him. But the fact is, he’s your brother. He’s your family. You can’t give up. You need to fight for him until he cracks.”
“But—”
“Make him want a relationship with you.”
“Easier said than done…”
“I mean it.” She pointed a finger into my chest. “If you don’t figure it out, I’m going to have to get involved. Believe me, you don’t want that.”
No, I didn’t. “Okay, I’ll try again.”
She gave me a glare.
“What? Right this second?”
“Yes, right this second,” she hissed. “What else are you doing?”
“Well, I was hoping for some morning love…”
“You want morning love?” she asked incredulously. “How about this? You get him to forgive you and start a relationship with you, and when you come home, I’ll give you the best sex of your life.”
My eyes widened. “You’ll reward me with sex?”
“Yep. You clearly need motivation.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Well, I’ve given you a place to live, rent-free, for almost a year, I put food on the table, and I pay all your bills. I should be rewarded anyway.”
“Aren’t you forgetting why I moved here?” she demanded. “Oh that’s right! I moved here for you.”
She had a point. “Whatever.”
“No, whatever. Now get up and go talk to your brother.”
I was dreading going down to his office. I knew my own brother wanted to kill me, like, actually kill me.
***
I went to his office around lunchtime and took a deep breath. I knew this would crash and burn like every other time, but I couldn’t give up, and not just because Alex wouldn’t let me.
I approached his secretary’s desk. It was a different girl than last time. She was young and beautiful. “Hello.”
“Hello,” she said. “Do you have an appointment with Mr. Riley?”
“Uh, no. But I was hoping I could drop in and see him really quick.”
She eyed his office through the glass doors. “Well, he’s with a client right now. You’ll have to wait. But Mr. Riley is really strict about people just dropping by…”
I held a box of Oreos under my arm. “Well, I’m his brother.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“No, it’s not a big deal.”
“Well, take a seat.” She pointed to the chair near her desk.
I sat down.
“I didn’t know he had a brother,” she said with a smile.
“Yeah, he doesn’t talk about me much…”
“I see the similarity between you. You’re both very handsome.”
“Uh, thanks,” I said nervously.
“Did you bring him something?” She eyed the Oreos.
“Yeah…it’s our favorite cookie.” I used to take all of his and throw them in the garbage. I thought bringing him a fresh batch might make him realize my apology was sincere.
“That’s cute,” she said with a smile. “Your brother is such an amazing guy. Your parents did a wonderful job.”
“Yeah, he is.” Actually, I really didn’t know him that well. It made me sad that his secretary knew him better than I did.
“He’s one of my favorite people in the world.”
Damn, she really liked him. Did she have a thing for him? Maybe he was sleeping with her. I wasn’t sure. Thomas seemed too rigid to sleep with someone he worked with every day.
“Are you older or younger than he is?”
“Older by a year.”
“That’s adorable. Do you have any baby pictures of him on you?” she said excitedly.
“Uh, no.” Why would I?
She seemed disappointed. “Oh well.”
“Are you actually fond of my brother or only because you work for him?” I asked with a smile. “If you hate his guts, I won’t tell him.”
She chuckled. “No, I really do like him. When we first met, he was acting as a hero. He’s had my respect since that moment. And he’s always looked out for me here at the office. I doubt there’s anyone in the world who doesn’t like your brother.”
I was feeling worse by the second.
The door opened and my brother stepped out with an older man. “It’s great seeing you, Jones. Let me know if you need anything.” Thomas shook his hand.
“You too. Take care.” The man waved at the secretary as he passed.
Thomas turned his fiery gaze on me. He didn’t look happy to see me. Somehow, he looked more livid than last time. “Are you here to discuss business?” His voice was strained like he was hardly holding back. The vein in his neck was popping.
“Uh, sorta…” I held up the cookies like that would explain my presence.
Thomas turned to his secretary. “Call security and get him out of here.”
Goddammit.
His secretary looked confused. “Isn’t he your brother…?”
“Rome, I said call security.”
I stood up. “Dude, just talk to me.”
He opened his mouth to yell but clearly thought the better of it because he was in public. He buttoned his jacket then approached me, a maniacal gleam in his eye. “Get. Out. Now.”
Rome watched our interaction, confusion on her face.
“I just want a minute of your time,” I said quietly.
“You want to harass me? Fine. Do it outside of work. Wait by my car, or sit in front of my door—whatever. Not here. If you want to stop pissing me off, then knock it off.”
“I would but you always dodge me.”
He clenched his fists like he might punch me. “Rome,” he said calmly. “Call security, please.”
She didn’t grab the phone, looking torn.
“Please,” he repeated.
“It’s your brother…” She stared at him with sad eyes.
“Then I’ll call them myself.” He walked back to his office.
I chased after him and ducked inside. “I brought cookies!” I said it like it would solve everything.
“You think I look like this because I eat cookies all day long?” he snapped.
I set the box on the desk then pulled the dinosaur action figures out of my pocket. I placed them on his desk. “Sorry it took so long for me to get them back to you…” I nicked his stuff when we were younger, and I laughed while he searched the house for them. Even now, I still had his favorite toy. Maybe returning it would repair some damage.
Thomas eyed them before he picked them up. He held them in his hands and examined them, feeling the texture of their skin with his fingertips. He stared at them for a long time, seeming to be lost in thought. Childhood memories flashed before his eyes. I didn’t know what he was thinking but he seemed to be subdued. “Why
do you still have these?” he whispered.
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“As a trophy?” he said bitterly. “A reminder of when you hurt your brother?”
This was backfiring. “No…I just…I don’t know.”
He placed them in his pocket. “Well, I’m glad I got something back. I’d prefer if it were my dignity, happiness, or respect, but I guess it’s the best you can do.”
I’d never felt so hopeless. “Can we have dinner and talk?”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Theo.” He sat down behind his desk and straightened his tie.
My frustration was starting to get to me. “Look,” I hissed.
He stared at me in surprise.
“I’m not going to stop badgering you until you really believe that I’m sorry and I hate how I treated you. I want a relationship with you because you’re my brother. It’s not because I need something or I need to clear my conscious. I really want to get to know you. Your secretary has nothing but amazing things to say about you. It’s a side of you I want to know. When I have kids someday, I want them to know their uncle. So, you may as well get used to seeing me. Because I’m not going to give up until I make up for all the shit I pulled.” I rested my hand on the box of Oreos. “I understand why you don’t believe me but…I love you.”
He looked at me, but his eyes seemed incredulous, even suspicious.
“And, I know I’m going to not only get you to forgive me, but also give you a reason to love me in return. The only things you know about me are the horrible things I used to be. I’m different now, and I want you to see that.”
He rested his fingers on his bottom lip while he looked at me.
“So…you want to golf on Saturday?”
“I have plans.”
“Sunday?”
He sighed in annoyance. “You aren’t going to give up, are you?”
“No,” I said immediately. “Agree to see me or I’m going to keep showing up at your work. You decide.”
He rubbed his temple. “Sunday morning at the country club.”
I finally made some progress. I felt lighter than I had in a long time. All my hard work was paying off. If I kept it up, maybe Thomas and I would be friends. “Thank you.”