Once again his sister directed his social life, and ignored the fact he now ran Marshall Investments. He stood and nodded at Eva as he said to his sister, "Fine. Bye."
As he approached and put his phone in his back pocket, Eva walked toward him and wrapped the blue shawl tighter around her neck. "Sandy said I could hitch a ride."
"You could have asked me yourself."
She crossed her arms. "We didn't part on the best of circumstances."
He waved her to go up the stairs on the plane. "We agreed to stay friends."
The moment she was on the top step, she turned and looked down at him. "But we haven't really talked."
He waited till he made it to the top and stared down at her. "What's to say? You started dating someone else."
"You were never open with me."
"Guess we'll never know." Then he waited for her to go inside and pick a seat. He handed his bag to his staff and followed her to take the seat across the aisle from her.
Sandy's words about liking Calliope replayed in his head. If Calliope was here, he'd have found a way to seduce her and have her join the mile-high club. Now his body felt spent as he sat near one of the most physically beautiful women in the world. As the plane ascended, he closed his eyes and once again imagined Calliope's smile.
Eva's words screeched in his ears and brought him back to the present. "Michael, I am sorry. Being pregnant has really made me reassess a lot of my life. As I can't work as an actor for the next year, I really had to buckle down and figure out what's next for me."
"You're pregnant?" His eyes widened as they opened. No wonder she took the two million dollar bribe to try to stop Jay and Penny’s wedding. Eva hadn't saved a dime.
She pushed her hair out of her face and let her shoulders relax. "Yeah. Don't worry. It's not yours, but please don't tell anyone."
"I didn't think it would be. I didn't know you were."
She patted her belly that seemed flat to him. "I won't be able to hide it much longer. I feel like I'm showing already. The only person I told was the father."
"I couldn't tell."
She lowered the blue shawl she wore. "Power of my shawl. Promise you won't say a word to anyone."
"Okay. It's your life, not mine."
"Where did you go after the wedding?"
To heaven at least for a few minutes. None of this was information that he'd share with Eva. "I helped check Calliope out of the hotel."
"You helped anyone but yourself?"
Another reason. "Don't be crass."
"I'm impressed. Michael, I think we've both grown up since the last time we talked."
She lowered her chair to lie down. "Fair enough. Why don't you get some sleep? I want to check in with work."
Soon, the plane was quiet and he used his laptop to check on the proposal from Morgan Enterprises for his investment firm. Then he remembered Calliope lived in a building he owned. If he knew she was home, he'd relax and not think more about her. So he opened the account files and checked for activity in #2412, where she lived. She must be home as the power usage fluctuated in her unit of the building he owned. He quickly closed the computer. She wouldn’t appreciate him checking on her, but he didn’t care. He had to know she was okay.
As he returned to work, his shoulders lost some of the tension. Calliope was safe at her home, safe from him. Now he could soon sleep as well.
Chapter 8
Calliope stretched and let her hand trace the tapered glass of her wonderful shower as the water fell on her. Her bathroom overlooked the Atlantic ocean from her Coconut Grove condo and with every water drop on her head, she felt her muscles were at least able to move. Finished, she stepped out.
Now she had a new lease on life. Calliope needed to get her life in order and it would start with her bank account. Michael and Brandon had both mentioned finances as the starting point. It was easy enough to open letters that were on her desk. She towel-dried her hair, dressed and went to start this whole new life, alone.
The letter opener was a brass antique and reminded her of her grandmother as she sliced open the page.
The wedding was all out of this one account, and she should know exactly how much she paid to let people see that farce. She swayed on her feet as sh read. The two hundred thousand dollar cash withdrawal two days ago made her face feel like it drained of all its blood while her fingers tingled from the papers. Chris had taken her money without mentioning it. He still had access.
She had to go online and check her balance in her checking account. She logged in and then realized she could no longer wait. Money was gone and she hadn't done it. Even if she pressed charges, she had given him access so the police would tell her to get lost. She had to get his name off everything.
She picked up her phone, unsure what to do to get his name off her accounts, and called Brandon. Her brother didn't answer.
Michael would know how to stop this. Chris had no right to continue taking money from her. The thought made her stop for a moment. Then she dialed Michael’s number. Two rings later, he said, "Hello?"
His voice alone rushed through her and she felt safe and protected. Yesterday and her 'I love you' stuff didn't matter. She clutched the phone and stared at her grandfather clock. "Where are you?"
"Home." The pendulum swung back and forth as he said, "I made it here a few hours after you did."
So he knew when she came home. She swallowed. "Can I meet you somewhere? I need your help."
"With what?"
Good. His voice told her that he was still there for her. She sat in her chair and closed her eyes "Chris has access to my accounts still and I want to get his name off my papers."
"So you want me to take you to the bank?"
The firm tone of his voice made her open her eyes and widen them as she stared out the window. "Yes. I've never gone there, but ten thousand dollars was withdrawn this morning."
"Give me ten minutes." Then he hung up the phone. She sipped her tea and knew he'd be here for her for whatever came next. Part of her wanted to kick the wall and think about Chris, but then her thoughts returned to how Michael had kissed her and she calmed. Then she stood and checked her hair, put on her lipstick, and found her shoes. Then she glanced at her phone and realized the phone call was fifteen minutes ago.
She massaged her neck as she thought about seeing Michael. Then her doorman called. She grabbed a shawl, locked her door, and took the elevator downstairs to meet him. As she breezed past her doorman, her gaze landed on Michael's black Tesla and him leaning against the door. Their gazes met, and she felt instantly protected again. Inside she felt like she melted and it wasn’t because of the sun. She lowered her head to protect herself as she went to stand in front of him. "You’re late."
"I was on the phone with Peter Morgan." He opened the passenger door of his Tesla for her, and she slipped inside. A second later, he closed her door, ran around the car and joined her on the driver's side. "We put a hold on your accounts and now I'm bringing you in to meet with one of his accountants."
He started the car. She turned toward him and stared at his handsome profile. Yesterday his muscular shoulder had held her close and today, she wanted him to put his arms around her again. She reached up to play with her pendant, but realized it wasn’t there as she said, "Thanks. I was panicked when I saw that money was gone."
He turned the car and she jerked in her seat and almost fell on him as the tires squealed. "Chris will knock on your door again if you cut him off like this."
As the ocean was behind them and the bridge allowed them to go faster, she nodded. "I'll have to be like you then and enjoy seeing his face when he sees I'm not his unending bank account."
The curve of his lips ticked upward. "Why did you call me?"
Again her body wished he held her hand. She dropped her hands to her side and tried to remind herself friends with benefits wasn’t for her. She swallowed and said, "I trust you."
"Yesterday you made me think you didn't want
me in your life."
No. The opposite was true. Adrenaline mixed with whatever had calmed her now. She needed to relax, and she hugged her waist and stared at the road toward the bank. She then chose her words "Don't be silly. It was about me, not you."
"You left my bed."
Now she glanced at him and his face was tinged red and she wondered if he was embarrassed. Her body warmed just thinking about what they had done last night, but she curled her hands together. "It wasn't your bed. It was a hotel."
"Technicality." He turned into the bank parking lot. Her head whipped from the ninety degree turn as he said, "You left me."
"I would never. Well okay I did, but that was Mexico. Sex confuses me, but I’ll always be your friend." As he parked the car and turned off the engine, she caught her breath. "Would you leave me when I need you?"
"I'm here, as always."
"Because you're my rock." Technically he had always been with everyone else, though she had Chris. For her, now, this was her first moments without Chris. She opened her car door and hopped out.
"We're here." He called out as he stood in the parking lot. He then placed his hand on the small of her back to lead her inside. "Let's get Chris off your accounts and out of your heart."
You, not him, are in my heart. She bit back the response. It made no sense. If she had replaced Michael with Chris as someone who might love her, then she might have been happy? No. There had to be something wrong with her thinking. She hugged her waist as they stepped into the cold blast of air conditioning. Michael still had his hand on the small of her back which made her tingle and made her feel he protected her, but he had no clue how she felt. He led her past a roped line of people and toward an office. He then knocked and led her inside.
A secretary waved them to sit and a banker brought forth papers. "Ms. Campbell, please read everything to ensure this is what you want."
Time to be a big girl. She picked up the pen and glanced at the papers. "Can I ask what you were told?"
The banker answered, "That you wanted to ensure Christopher Sommers no longer had access to your accounts."
"Yes." She clicked the end of the pen as she read the papers. "That's what I want. Where do I sign?"
He reached over and pointed to the spots that had an X mark already. "Here. And here."
She signed in all the places and handed the papers back. "I'm the only signatory on my account now?”
“Yes.” The banker took the papers and then typed into his computer. "Do you want to change your beneficiary?"
She was about to stand but scooted her chair back instead. "Who is that?"
"Brandon Campbell."
She waved her hands in front of her. "Keep my brother. That's fine."
A knock on the door behind her caused her to crane her neck as a nice-looking dark haired man nodded at Michael. "Is everything all right in here?"
Michael stood and his handsomeness just radiated through his skin and made her buzz "Calliope is signing the papers now. Thanks for setting this up so fast, Peter."
Peter. He must be Peter Morgan. Chris had always avoided any Morgan parties they were invited to as he claimed the family had too much drama. Calliope stood and waited next to Michael. Michael and Peter shared a joke concerning his working for Morgan Enterprises as he made them more money these days. She wrapped her arm in his and waited. Then Peter said, "It's a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Campbell. Michael, if you and Calliope would like to come to my wife's veteran's benefit gala tonight, please let my secretary know."
Her lips parted as Michael patted her hand and said, "I will let her know."
A gala as Michael's date might be fun, if he no longer expected friends with benefits. If he wanted, she’d be open to dating him, and she’d see one of the Morgan parties. She pinched her elbow to stay grounded. As the door closed and the banker left, she picked up her pocketbook and said to Michael, "So that was Peter Morgan?"
He opened the door for her and waited for her to pass. "He's nothing like his father either."
She winked at him as she passed and then waited for him to follow as she said, "Sounds like you both have more in common than you realize."
As they made their way through the bank, neither of them said anything. Once they made it to his car, he stopped in front of the passenger seat and turned toward her. "Calliope, tonight will you go to the benefit with me?"
The sun beating on her head stopped mattering. Her heart sped up as she imagined being held in Michael's arm, all dressed up in her finest. Her lips parted as she met his gaze. "As your date and not a friend?"
"Yes."
He hadn't blinked. This time, she'd not ditch their date and make another stupid decision. She reached out and brushed her hand against his. The sparks she felt in her fingers told her everything she needed to know as she said, "Good. I'll look forward to tonight then."
He let go of her touch and opened her door. As he waved her inside he said, "Then I'll drop you off and pick you up at eight."
As the door closed and he ran around to join her, she realized her hands shook her pocketbook. She put it on the floor and waited. Michael was good to her and tonight was good. This was the start of her new life.
Chapter 9
Calliope fixed her hair for this evening and glanced at it one more time. Her shiny, blonde hair was now perfect and showed off her nape. Hopefully Michael noticed her and realized as a date she was even better than a friend. Then her door opened in the other room. She walked into her living room and saw her brother putting his key in his pocket. She crossed her arms. "Brandon, why are you here?"
He pointed to the window that overlooked the street. "Where were you with Michael Marshall?"
So he saw her. She shrugged and walked closer. Brandon pointed toward the couch. She stroked her arms and thought about Michael, but then she blinked. She hoped Brandon didn't see through her as she slipped onto the edge of her sofa. "He took me to the bank. Chris withdrew money from my account today and I wanted to get him off all my accounts."
He sat next to her. "You did?"
She nodded.
His gaze narrowed. "That doesn't sound like you, to be so responsible when it comes to Chris."
“I’m different.” No. This wasn't good. Brandon had to see she was right. Her shoulders stiffened. "He left me at the altar."
He stared at her hair was that was in an updo for tonight as he said, "You've been making excuses for him for years."
She had settled for years with someone she herself hadn’t loved Her fingers tapped the edge of the chair and she refused to look at her brother. "I'm done with him now."
"Good."
Despite how her skin jittered, so she took a deep breath. Brandon knew more about Michael and what he’d done for the past year. She tugged her ear and turned to face him. "What do you think about Michael?"
Again his brow bunched and it felt like he saw straight through her. "I think he's a good guy, but not good for you."
To stop tapping, she let her fingers massaged the back of her neck. "So I don't deserve a good guy?"
He leaned closer. "Not what I said. Michael has a history of using women."
The excuse Michael made just flew out of her mouth. "Most women don't see past his dimples and bank account."
He froze and then his hand covered his chin. He must see through her. She cringed and waited as he leaned away. "Uh oh."
She hugged her waist. "What?"
"Responsibility. And now you're about to defend Michael."
Her brother’s words shouldn’t make her feel like she stood in front of an execution line. She’d made bad choices before and let herself live in her own delusions. This time with Michael she’d had her eyes opened and she was going to put her heart on the line. She lifted her chin. "I'm not defending him."
He reached out and placed his hand on her arm. "Are you falling for him now?"
If he wanted friends with benefits only, then she’d say no. Brandon saw through her. She sto
od and paced to get away. "Don't be stupid."
The second she turned to stare at him, she saw he had stood as well. He massaged his chin. "Yeah. It's written on your face, sis. Michael is not a good choice."
"Why?" Her heart shouldn't thrash in her chest. Brandon had no say in her life, so why should she let her brother's words echo through her and feel like the words caved inside her.
"I've never heard of him being faithful to any woman and you only want to be in love."
She paced again and refused to look at him. "There is nothing wrong with love."
"Here we go." She turned and then watched as her brother came toward her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Sis, I'm warning you now, don't fall for a guy who isn't open to love."
The mirror on the wall let her see how her face turned bright red. "I'm not in love with him."
He stepped away. "You're not?"
Loving Michael was like breathing if she was absolutely truthful with herself for the second, though she'd not say that. Years of settling for Chris replayed in her mind. Instead she lowered her lashes and stared at a picture of her parents on a side table. Her mother and father had loved them both and each other. She shook her head. "It's not possible to be in love with him, because if I was, then I lied to myself for years about my feelings for Chris."
Brandon turned and stared at the picture of their parents. He went to the table and picked up their mother's pendant and handed it to her. "No. You haven't been in love with Chris for a long time. That was obvious."
The necklace. She had worn this every day in college as a reminder of their mom. She fastened it around her neck again and let memories of her mother wearing it as she baked a cake with her hit her hard. She hadn't felt safe and happy like that in years. She clutched the pendant. "So it's impossible for me to feel anything for Michael. I'm not stupid."
Favorite Coffee, Favorite Sin (The Marshall Family Saga Book 3) Page 5