Opposite Attraction

by Bernadette Marie

  "I 've been trying to call you all day long. Why don 't you answer your phone? "

  She swallowed hard. "I do not have a phone. "

  "And why is that? Not once in your life have you not had that phone within an inch of your hand. "

  She crossed her arms over her chest. "What is your problem? "

  "My problem? " Zach paced the room then ran his fingers through his hair. "I had a very heated discussion with your father today. That is my problem. "

  He moved to the window as if he were going to open it, but then thought better about it knowing it was only going to let in the humidity and make the air in the room even thicker, for which she was thankful. Instead, he turned around and stared at her. "You 're cut off? You 've been cut off from Pierpont Oil? "

  The air in her lungs and the pride that had swelled in her chest deflated. She shut the door and turned to him.

  "My father has said I am no longer his daughter. "

  Zach rubbed his forehead. "What the hell did you do? "

  She stood there speechless, her mouth open. How could she possibly answer him?

  Instead she pushed back her shoulders and jaunted out her chin. "How dare you talk to me like that. "

  "Oh, you 're his princess. You know it. You 'd have had to do something pretty bad to get him to be that mad so that he 's actually cut you off. "

  "He did not tell you? He did not want to share with you why he thinks I am so unfit to represent his name? "

  "God, Simone. " He threw his hands in the air. "What did you do? "

  She pursed her lips, and then let her arms fall. She sure as hell wasn 't going to let Zachary Benson bully her into giving up her secrets. They weren 't for him to hear -not yet.

  "My father is just an obstinate ass. He thinks he can push people around with his money and his power. Well I for one am done with how he treats people. "

  "But, Simone, he loves you. "

  She shook her head. "He loves his money and his power. He has never loved me. " And having seen the inner dynamics of the Keller family she knew that statement was true. Never, in her entire life, had her father looked at her the way Zach looked at Tyler, or Carlos looked at his children.

  Zach took a step toward her. "Why did he do this? "

  "He 's hateful. "

  "No, he 's a father. " He reached for her. "What about your mother? She has no opinion on this? "

  Simone jerked back. "Oh, what would she care? She is married and being spoiled by her new young husband. They are God knows where on an extended honeymoon and then she has purchased a house in France to spend all her new husband 's money in. She has no time for me. "

  His eyes softened. "I haven 't h1eard him this mad since Alexander Hamilton walked away from our business deal. "

  "Oh, well that tells you where his priorities are. He almost stopped doing business with you over that, and the man beat and nearly killed your wife. Why would anything I did be different? I have hurt his pride. I 've embarrassed him. "

  "But what did you do? "

  She bit the inside of her cheek. "I cannot believe he did not tell you. "

  "Does this have to do with leaving Curtis on the yacht? "

  Now she turned from him. It had everything to do with leaving Curtis on the yacht.

  "Oh, Simone. " He turned her toward him, took hands in his and held them. "I will help you no matter what you need. But you have to tell me what happened. You have to tell me why you left him and then chose here to come. Your father wouldn 't say more than he didn 't want to speak of you. If you 're in some kind of trouble you need to tell me. "

  Simone pulled her hands back. "You would step in to save me? Poor Simone cannot take care of herself. "

  Zach held his hands up defensively. "I didn 't say that. "

  "No one thinks I can take care of myself. I am just some rich girl who needs her daddy. But I do not need his money. "

  Zach scrubbed his hand over his face. "Honey, something happened. Your father has been mad before, but this is "

  "This is nothing. You need to not worry. " She sucked in a deep breath and pushed her shoulders back. "I will pay you back for flying me here. I appreciate your generosity. I have a job and I will be finding myself a place to live. "

  "Oh, that 's just silly. You live here. "

  She shook her head. "I am intruding here. And if you are going to be yelling at me like a child I do not belong here. "

  "Simone. " Zach moved to her and pulled her into his arms. "You 're like my sister. I would do anything for you. "

  Simone stepped back. "Then trust me. I have done what I need to do and when it is time I will tell you why my father has pushed me away. But until then I need you to love me, trust me, and support my decisions. "

  Zach kissed her on the forehead. "Okay. I 'll let you be. But Regan and I are here for you. Open up to us. "

  "I will, in time. "

  Her first week of work had been successful. Simone had quickly learned the quickest route to work to avoid traffic. She knew she needed to pack a few snacks to keep her stomach calm, and she hated to admit that she thoroughly enjoyed Cynthia 's company.

  They sat together at the picnic table behind the clinic on Cynthia 's dinner break from the hospital. She 'd confided in Simone that if you didn 't leave on your break you 'd never get to eat.

  "How do you juggle two jobs? " Simone asked as she bit into her apple.

  "You manage. I suppose if I had a family it would be harder, but it 's just me. "

  "Do you ever want to get married? "

  Cynthia shrugged her shoulder. "I don 't know. Seems like a lot of work. "

  They 'd forged quite a friendship in the past week. Or at least that 's what Simone thought it was. Her only true friend had been Zach, so she wasn 't quite sure this was an honest friendship. But there was a nagging question that needed to be addressed and she figured now was as good a time as any to dive into Cynthia 's life with Curtis.

  "Don 't you and Curtis ever plan to get married? "

  Cynthia had just taken a drink of her green Naked juice when Simone asked. That had been a mistake. A moment later Cynthia was spitting it out on the ground as she laughed.

  "Curtis? Me? Oh you have to be kidding. "

  "But that night at his parents ' house you were kissing him on the porch. He showed up to your house for dinner. It seems to me you are very close. "

  Cynthia wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "We are close. As close as two people can be, but I don 't have any plans to spend my life with Curtis Keller. "

  "Why not? " It had almost come out as an accusation. Wasn 't he good enough for her?

  "Are you serious? "

  Simone didn 't like being played. Of course she was serious. What could possibly be wrong with the man that would make Cynthia not want to spend her life with him?

  Not knowing what else to say Simone simply nodded hoping Cynthia would elaborate.

  "Curtis works too many hours. His job is more important than anything else in his life. He 's not married to a woman, he 's married to the hospital. Next comes his family. But beyond that, he doesn 't want me. He wants you. "

  This time it was Simone that choked on her apple. "Me? "

  "Oh, you broke his heart into a million pieces, and he isn 't going to forget that. And I 'll admit, it might have cost you a chance with him forever. " That phrase alone stabbed Simone right in the heart. Cynthia continued. "He doesn 't forgive. If you do him wrong you might as well know you 're going to pay for it forever. But you have his heart, darlin '. The poor man is smitten with you. "

  Well what was she supposed to say to that? Perhaps she could just tell him about the baby and he 'd be welcoming and drop on one knee. But Cynthia did make it a point to tell her he didn 't forgive. And what she 'd done to him was unforgivable.

  She needed to keep working to prove to him -and the rest of the world -that she was able to change.

  Sitting there with her hair pulled up, in another pair of sc
rubs that Cynthia had given her, a pair of comfortable walking shoes on her feet, and a lunch packed in a bag, she knew she was doing the right thing. Her posh life was surly missed, but she was enjoying the freedom of having nothing.

  As Cynthia gathered her trash Sam opened the door and walked out of the clinic. Simone watched as Cynthia 's eyes lit up.

  "Hey, tall and handsome, " Cynthia cranked her neck to look up at him.

  "Hey. "

  Simone smiled. He was a man of very few words, but she 'd seen him with his patients, his compassion and understanding was unrivaled.

  Cynthia stood. Next to the man she gazed upon she was dwarfed by his enormous size, but that didn 't seem to bother her. Simone liked men to be eye to eye with her. It kept the playing field even.

  "So, you taking me out this weekend? " Cynthia asked as she walked toward the trashcan and tossed in her trash.

  "Sure. "

  "I want to go dancing. " She turned and looked at Simone. "Want to go dancing? "

  "Me? " Simone 's voice shot up. "Oh, I don 't suppose I can dance the way you do. "

  "C 'mon, it 'd be fun. " Cynthia shifted her eyes back to Sam. "We 'll get her a date and boot-scoot-boogy. " She nudged him with her elbow, but Simone didn 't miss the glance she 'd taken at his butt. "Gotta get back. See you two around. "

  They watched as Cynthia jogged back toward the hospital and then Sam sat down.

  It was silent between them, but it wasn 't awkward. Simone appreciated that. She 'd been forced small talk her entire life, but she 'd never taken the time to enjoy silence.

  Sam pulled a soda from the front pocket of his scrubs and pulled the top open. He took a long, loud sip and set it back on the table.

  "You still looking for a place to live? " he asked.

  Simone hadn 't been prepared for him to speak to her and she couldn 't help but answer his question with an unintelligent, "Huh? " Oh, her mother would have choked and her father would have given her an evil look.

  "My roommate moved out and I 'm lookin ' for a new one. "

  "Me? "

  He picked up his soda and took another sip as he nodded.

  It hadn 't been something she 'd considered, sharing an apartment with someone else, let alone a man she didn 't know. But the thought wa1s intriguing, and it would help her save money.

  Sam seemed safe, kind, and it was sure generous of him to think of her when he 'd told her about the opening. It might be just the right move. Besides, Cynthia was comfortable with him, and she 'd been plenty comfortable with Curtis, so Sam must be a good guy.

  "You know, I think that sounds lovely. "

  "Lovely? " He hit his chest as he let out a silent burp, which had Simone on the edge of laughter. The people she spent time with now certainly were different than the people she 'd been surrounded by her entire life. Sam nodded again. "You sure talk fancy. "

  "I am sorry. "

  "Sorry? For something like talking pretty? " He huffed. "That 's silly. "

  Simone stared at him dumbfounded by his comment and then she relaxed back and watched him. He was right. It was silly. In fact, everything she 'd ever held dear suddenly seemed silly.

  How was it that she 'd been taught every fancy manner there was and yet she thought his silent burp had been almost endearing?

  She wanted to laugh, skip, run through the yard and just scream. Things were different and she loved it. Thank goodness Curtis Keller happened into her life and made her face life outside the box in which she 'd been shut into. She felt free.

  "Sam, I think I would love to be your roommate. When can I move in? "

  "As soon as you want to. "

  "Wonderful. " She stood and gathered her trash. "I will plan to move in this weekend. You do not by chance have an extra bed do you? "

  He shook his head. "I have a blow up mattress if that 'll help. "

  This time she did laugh. How ridiculous was that? Wonderful and ridiculous. "That should be fine. "

  As she passed by him she stopped and kissed his unshaven cheek. "Thank you. "

  "Sure. "

  Everything was wonderful. Life was plentiful, even without money. Time was hers to make of it as she wanted. Could it get any better?

  Well, sure it could. If Curtis Keller would sweep her off her feet and ask her to marry him and live happily ever after, that would make it better. However, nothing could stop her from being giddy with happiness.

  As she opened the door to the clinic she saw the woman she 'd seen the first day Cynthia had brought her in to meet Marsha. She thought quickly for a name. Regina. This time she had a black eye and her arm was in a sling.

  The air of happiness whooshed out of her lungs and she was quickly reminded that life wasn 't just some grand yacht ride in the sun. People were hurt, sad, miserable, and abused. Simone slid her hand over her stomach. What was she thinking bringing a baby into such a cruel world?

  Chapter Seven

  Simone walked through the clinic and to the restroom. She shut the door to the stall and pressed her fingers to her eyes. Seeing Regina battered and abused, again, had her emotions on a roller coaster ride. No woman deserved that.

  She thought about Regan. Zach had been very candid when he told her about her father 's business associate Alexander Hamilton, whom had nearly beaten Regan to death when he 'd tried to rid himself of her and marry another woman. What made men do such things? Certainly, Curtis couldn 't find it in his heart to be so horrible, could he? She rested her hands on her stomach feeling the energy from her child.

  Regan had another child, she 'd given that child up for adoption when she 'd been attacked. When Zach had learned of the baby he 'd called Simone and as a best friend would do, he 'd confided in her. She couldn 't help but wonder why Regina didn 't run.

  Not all men were so evil. Zachary, of course, would never hurt a woman. And having been around Regan 's brother 's and father, Simone knew she 'd be safe if she could just stay among them. When Curtis learned of the baby he 'd protect them, that part she was sure of.

  She thought about Sam. She was about to put her life in his hands as well. They 'd be living in the same place, sharing an address, having access to each other all the time. Could he become violent?

  She certainly didn 't want to think he could.

  When sh1e 'd composed herself, she washed her hands and wiped her eyes. Working in an environment where people had to care for others was going to be a challenge. Never in her life, no matter how many large checks she 'd seen her father pass to organizations, had she seen the need that was out there. Only humanity could save some of the people who walked through the doors of the clinic.

  Regina was near the water cooler when Simone walked toward her office. She had the baby she 'd carried the other day on her hip and tried to juggle the glass of water while her other arm was in a sling.

  Simone hurried to her. "Let me get that for you. "

  "Thanks. " Her voice was soft.

  "Regina, correct? "

  "I like your accent. " Regina smiled. "How 'd you know my name? "

  "My friend Cynthia is one of the nurses here. I remember her talking to you. "

  Regina nodded. "Yeah, she 's nice to us. "

  "Where would you like me to take this? " She held the glass of water in her hand.

  "Over there. " Regina pointed to a bed behind a curtain. "They 're making me stay. The cops arrested Darius 's ass, but I think Sam is making excuses to keep me here. "

  "Sam? "

  "Yeah, that big nurse. He always tells me if Darius lays a hand on me again he 'll kill him. "

  Simone looked out the window where the giant of a man sipped his soda. She smiled, he 'd be safe to live with.

  She followed Regina to the curtained off area and set the water on the nightstand next to the bed.

  "Thanks. Would you mind holding him for a minute? " Regina turned toward Simone with the baby asleep against her shoulder. "He 's getting so heavy. "

  Simone reached her arms out a
nd took the baby, but it was the most awkward of feelings. It was completely unnatural.

  "How old is he? "1

  "Six months. " Regina sat down on the bed and kicked her feet up. "It 's hard to take care of him and try and find work. I can 't leave him with Darius obviously. " She nodded to her arm.

  "What kind of work do you do? "

  "Nothing fancy. My last job I cleaned hotel rooms. "