Inheritance With a Catch: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Billionaire Inheritance Series Book 1)

by Denise Daye

  As soon as she had followed the noise all the way to the pool, she found Barney in one of the lounge chairs puffing on a smoke. He was wearing nothing but his boxers. His truck was parked on the grass close to the pool, all four windows down to blast country music at ear-bursting volumes. He sat up and grabbed another beer from the six-pack that he had stashed in a champagne cooler next to him.

  “So, this is what living the life feels like?” he belched with happiness and popped open another can, taking a drag from his cigarette. “By the way, I will fix that.”

  “Fix what?” Lucy wondered.

  Barney nodded over to his truck to point out the deep tire tracks in the grass, muddy ruts where the carefully tended lawn had been scraped away.

  Lucy stood and watched helplessly. Her cheeks puffed out as she held her breath, her hands clenched.

  “Don’t worry about it. Have you eaten anything this morning?” she asked in her most sing-song voice, her eyes on the can of beer and cigarette in his hand.

  “Nah, but I could do with some grub, you know.” His voice was screaming over the loud music which soon slowed down with a fading guitar solo. Lucy sighed with relief when the song finally died, but another one started, this time with the musician letting out a loud screech which excited Barney and made him tap his feet on the ground, his beer spilling onto the cushion of the lounge chair.

  “Remember this song, Lucy?”

  “How could I forget?” she mumbled as she considered getting into that truck and stopping that infernal music. How could she forget her roots—growing up in trailer park and lacking everything. When she married into the Radcliff family, her fortunes had changed; from zero to hero, virtually overnight. She had fallen for Benjamin’s father before she knew how rich he was. They had meet at the coffee shop where she worked. Of course, she did not mind his enormous fortune after she found out about it. She had been both poor and rich, and rich was definitely better.

  Lucy looked at Barney’s face. He looked so carefree and happy and… definitely not suited for this environment she’d built around herself.

  But he’ll have to do, she concluded, in her head.

  Barney was staring at her now. “Why’d you keep drifting off like that, huh?” he narrowed his eyes, setting down his beer can on floor. “Wait a minute,” he resumed speaking. “You don’t remember this song!”

  Lucy crossed her arms. “Yes, I do.”

  “Ah yeah? Where were we when I played it to you?”

  She felt a headache coming on. Barney was right: she did not remember, nor did she care to.

  “Inside the trailer?” she guessed.

  Barney jumped up. “Ah! Wrong! You don’t remember, do you?” He grinned victoriously.

  “Who cares,” Lucy snapped.

  “Well, let me remind you then. Mom and dad had a real bad fight again. You cried, so I took you to dad’s truck and played this song for you. You had that stuffed animal, a cow I think.”

  “Murphy…” Lucy said.

  “Yes, Murphy. I made him dance to the song and you laughed so hard, your tears of sadness turned to tears of joy.”

  The memory of the incident flooded her like an unwanted hurricane, winds bursting open shutters long since closed tight. So many childhood memories she had repressed. Good ones and bad ones alike.

  Barney was carefully analyzing her facial expression. He suddenly stroked his moustache, his head moving in half-nods. “I’m not exactly getting the I’m-glad-you’re-here vibe.”

  Lucy sighed and formed a tight smile on her lips, reaching for words, “There has been a lot going on over here. Elijah’s death, the marriage… I am glad you are here.”

  “I get it.” Barney cut in. “Just sometimes wonder if you are embarrassed by me.”

  Where would Lucy start? The drinking and smoking, the loud music, and that lack of decorum she showed whenever her brother burst into a place; the list went on and on.

  “Don’t be absurd. You are my brother. I’m not embarrassed by you, believe me. Why would I be? We grew up together. You’ve always been there for me, made me laugh.”

  “Taught you how to fish and hunt…” He added, digging for another can of beer.

  Lucy rolled her eyes. Another unwanted memory. People in her circles did not exactly spend their time fishing and hunting, especially not as a means for food. “And that,” she agreed, nonetheless.

  “Are you happy now?”

  This caught Lucy off guard.

  “Are you kidding? Look around,” she said, opening her arms wide to demonstrate her wealth.

  Barney frowned. “There was this old pal of mine, Bill. You remember, Bill, don’t you? Anyways, we were in the Marines together, always went hunting together, drank beer, and sat around a campfire most Saturdays. You know, talking, laughing and just living life. And then Bill inherited his dad’s farm, worth a couple of mil. He suddenly wouldn't talk to me anymore.” He sighed deeply, his voice laced with sadness, his mighty hand squeezing the beer can. “You think you know someone until money comes into play, and then you realize you ain’t known shit.” His eyes were on Lucy.

  She felt the guilt trickle all over her skin. Emotional moments were a no-no. After the death of her husband, who she had loved dearly, she just hadn’t wanted to be that sort of person any longer. Barney had already stirred up enough emotional memories for today.

  She knew a hug would soothe her brother right at this moment, and maybe a word or two about how he was still important to her, but each time she tried to say something she’d think back to the reason she invited him over. Family therapy was not it.

  Barney stared at her, eagerly anticipating her next words. His head dropped when she said, “I think we should have some breakfast now.”

  “Alright. I’m starving anyway.”

  She took the beer from his hand and smiled when he turned off the blaring music and rolled up the windows to his truck.

  For a brief moment, she just stood there, staring at her brother. He had barely arrived and had already tried to bring back deeply buried childhood memories. If she was not careful, her whole plan could backfire big time, bring down the wrong woman under this roof. It would take all of the inner strength she had left to prevent that from happening, but with a billion dollars on the line, she was certain that she would find a way to come out on top one way or another.

  “It’s nice to be here, little sis,” he said as they walked back up to the house.

  “Thanks for coming,” she smiled, and this time, it almost seemed genuine to her as well.

  The week with Barney was rather uneventful. But that was most likely due to Ava working more than usual and Benjamin taking her out for dinner. She did hear the staff gossip a lot about Lucy and her struggles with Barney. Which was actually kind of nice, as it took Lucy’s focus away from her for a little while.

  The dinners with Benjamin were neither great nor terrible. They would talk about shallow things and eat. Have a glass of wine, drive home. The most disturbing fact about these dinners was how used they both got to being called Mr. and Mrs. Radcliff.

  One time, they were waiting for their table to be set up and when the waiter finally called out for the “Radcliffs,” Benjamin and Ava both turned around as if they had been married for years. To top things off, the waiter then made Benjamin a compliment about his beautiful wife, which he accepted with a grateful smile and a - “She is, isn’t she?” Ava remembered the happy, warm sensation his words had had on her, as if it had just happened a few minutes ago.

  It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and Ava sat by the pool of the mansion, deep in thought, when she heard a deep voice ask, “Hey there, Ava was it?”

  She looked up to find Barney. He pushed his bulk over onto the folding chair, but not before dragging it closer to her. The chair creaked when he balanced himself on it.

  “That’s me,” she replied.

  “I don’t think you and I have gotten to kno
w each other yet.”

  Ava braced herself. Lucy probably sent him to get under her skin. I won’t let them get to me.

  “I don’t think we have.”

  “Good thing I’m here now,” he smiled. “Last time I saw my nephew, he was going out with some dull-witted super model. Didn’t know that Russia wasn’t part of Europe.” He laughed and looked at her for a response but blurted his next set of words before she could even think.

  “But you, there’s something about you.” He narrowed his eyes and took off his baseball cap, revealing a mass of deep black hair, sprinkled with grey. He fixed his eyes on her as if trying to figure out what that something was.

  “Something about me, hmm?”

  He nodded slowly. “Yeah, yeah. Uh—what I mean is, you two seem like a good match to me.”

  Ava raised an eyebrow.

  “I said to my sister, Lucy—don’t tell her I talked to you about it,” he looked around and lowered his voice, “I said to her, what’s up with those two? Why are they still playing these games?”

  Ava was shocked, had no idea how to respond to that.

  “I-I don’t follow,” she finally stuttered.

  Barney reached behind him and took out a cigarette pack. Looks like some cartoon gag where a character whips out something from thin air, Ava thought and chuckled slightly. He noticed.

  “Wanna share the joke?” he’d already taken out a stick from the pack.

  She shrugged, “I think it’s funny how the cigarette magically appeared in your hands.”

  He smiled and looked at his hand. “Yeah? I have my ways with things, if you ask me. You mind?” he asked pointing at the cigarette. He was far enough from her that she didn’t, so she shook her head. He nodded, clamping down on the smoke with his lips when he had a thought and looked at Ava. “Want a smoke?” he held the pack to her.

  “I don’t smoke any more, but thanks anyway.”

  “Good girl, huh?” he scoffed and lit his smoke.

  She shook her head. “I don’t smoke any more. It has nothing to do with my morals.”

  “I like that reply.” He drew in sharply, his eyes dull and fixed straight ahead, and then blew out a cloud of smoke. “So, back to what I was sayin’…”

  She waited for him to continue but he kept blinking rapidly and staring ahead.

  “Yeah?”

  He grinned and took another puff, blowing the smoke away before turning to her. “So, I ask Lucy about you two, and she goes all, I don’t know, vague and stuff. Her face just blanks out or something, you follow me?”

  “I think I have a good idea what you mean.”

  He nodded and smiled. “So why does my sister look like she just took a shot of whiskey—she hates whiskey, by the way—each time I ask about you?”

  “I don’t know.” Perhaps that answer was too hasty. She looked at Barney; he was already sipping from a can of beer, and this time Ava genuinely wondered where he’d pulled it out from.

  With a casual shrug he muttered, almost to himself, “Love sure can be a crazy thing, don’t you think?”

  “Love? No way,” she scoffed. There is no love—at least not anymore. Shifting the focus from her, she asked, “How about you, are you married?”

  His eyes glazed over for just a second and he stopped half-sip, a frown on his face. “Hmm, it’s complicated, not a happy-ending story.”

  She smiled. “I work at a homeless shelter. Try me.”

  Taking a sip and running his tongue over his front teeth, he smiled. “Yeah, at some point. But I don’t think I’m ready yet, you know.”

  She leaned back and nodded. “I can respect that.”

  Barney grinned. “You’re not so bad, Ava.” He got off the chair. “Not bad at all. My Bennie is a lucky man.”

  For some reason, those very words warmed her belly just before turning to ice again. “I don’t think he would agree with you.”

  He raised an arm, already walking away, “Yes he does. It’s my sis who needs to take a Xanax. Later…”

  Gosh it felt good to hear Barney say it as it was. Ava relaxed in her chair, a real smile on her face. “I kinda like him,” she muttered as she watched Barney disappear into the house. If Lucy thought her own hatred for the lower class would extend to her and remove her from this house, than she was as far away from earth as the sun. Working with the homeless, and encountering plenty of families with different personalities, had helped Ava build up a high tolerance to all sorts of people. If this was all Lucy Radcliff had in her pocket, then Ava had already won this match.

  A

  va was rather surprised how likable Barney was. “You get to a point where you work with so many people and come in contact with different faces, and personalities, you just have to find the best part in them.”

  This was what Ava told Barney when he said, with a look of curiosity of his face, “You don’t seem as annoyed by my presence as most people here. My sis gets all pouty when I’m around, you know; she thinks she does a great job of hiding it. Makes me wonder why she invited me here in the first place.”

  I can tell you why, Ava wanted to say, but of course didn’t.

  Barney leaned back on the sofa; Ava sat next to him. A couple of beer cans and a can of soda sat on the coffee table. He sighed “It’s either I’m too loud or, well get this, all over the place.”

  “For all it’s worth I don’t think you’re all over the place. As a matter of fact,” she spoke with a smile, “you’re mostly in the right place at the right time, I’d say.”

  He chuckled and took a loud slurp of his beer.

  Ava knew he was about to ask a question, with the way his eyes narrowed. She didn’t have to wait too long.

  “What is the work at the shelter like?”

  Thank goodness, not a Benjamin-related question again. Ava pursed her lips. She straightened, “It’s hard at times. Actually, most of the time. But I enjoy it. Real people down there, if you know what I mean.”

  “I totally do,” Barney said, looking at her as if he’d just seen a rare species jump down in her place. “That’s beautiful, in all honesty, and I ain’t kidding ya.”

  She smiled.

  Relaxing and shaking his beer can close to his ear, he continued, “I think it’s great when people look out for others, you know. You are truly a wealthy person.”

  Ava shook her head. “I’ve heard that so many times. But life doesn't work that way. That sort of wealth doesn’t pay medical bills or for a new car. I’m not exactly what you would call rich.” Well, unless I survive a few more months of this or get to snatch someone’s inheritance like I’ve been accused of trying to do.

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right. But at least you have your father and Benjamin. My sister’s a good example,” he took another swig, “She’s never really wanted me around, you know. What else is there to life than family, am I right?”

  Nodding slowly, ignoring the Benjamin part, Ava agreed. “What happened between you two?”

  “That’s a weird story, really.”

  “We don’t have to get into it if you don’t want to,” she assured him and he nodded, saying nothing else.

  They sat in silence until Barney pointed at the library shelf next to the fireplace.

  “I ain’t ever picked up a book like those to read,” Barney blurted out. “It’s always some cheesy romance stuff or them self-proclaimed thrillers.”

  “Books are fun, Barney,” Ava laughed. “I’ll get you a few great ones, you’ll love them.”

  “Nah, not me.”

  “There are even some about difficult family members,” she teased, and he chuckled.

  It was his loud chuckle that attracted Benjamin into the living room.

  Uncle Barney hardly ever used his phone, so who was he laughing with? Not his mom, that’s for sure. So, when he heard the loud chuckles coming from the living room, he was curious.

  He stopped short at the sight of his uncle and
Ava talking heartily and laughing like old friends. Ava saw him first and stopped smiling, as if she had done something wrong. Uncle Barney saw the look on her face and turned around.

  “Well if it ain’t my favorite nephew, come on in here.”

  “I was just about to grab some food somewhere,” Benjamin hesitated but his uncle hissed that excuse away and asked him to come over. Benjamin did.

  “I was talking to Ava here. Such a fine-spirited lady you got on your hands, boy,” he mused, Benjamin shifted his eyes to Ava, looking to see the fine-spirited lady his uncle was talking about.

  Ava was quiet, but a distant smile was on her face. Benjamin remained standing, a hand in his jean pocket. He flicked his wrist out of habit and his watch dangled, its gold reflecting with the lights in the room.

  “Nice watch,” Ava commented. Benjamin was taken aback by it. Uncle Barney was looking at his face, and then at the said watch.

  “This? Uh, thanks. It belonged to my father.”

  “A fine man he was, just like our Ben here,” Uncle Barney said and stood, rubbing his hands.

  Ava held her breath and looked at Benjamin. They seemed to share the same fear, that Barney was about to leave the two alone, but he didn’t. Instead he flung a heavy arm over his nephew’s shoulder and blurted out, “Where’d you say you were going out to again?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  Barney turned to Ava. “I bet it’s one of those fancy places.” He winked.

  “It’s just a normal diner. Nothing fancy,” Benjamin commented casually.

  “Oh boy,” his eyes lit up. “We could tag along, Ava and I.” He moved away, swaying his arms and humming under his breath. “Go get ready, Ava,” he shouted from the hallway and then peeked in, his eyes on Benjamin. “You too, Benny boy. I’ll be right back. I’m just gonna grab my jacket from my room.”

  Ava and Benjamin were staring at each other.