I was lost in the thoughts of my dream man when I heard my bathroom door creak open. It was Bentley.
“I just wanted to let you know I’m here,” he called in, closing the door without waiting for a response. That was odd. I expected he might have leaned against the vanity to ogle me while I showered. He couldn’t resist watching me when I was naked. The feeling was mutual.
I finished up and got out, drying myself just enough that I wouldn’t drip water all over the hardwood floors. I wanted to go out and give Bentley a proper hello.
When I got to my bedroom door, there was a sticky note just above the knob.
Don’t come out till you are completely ready for the night...
He was totally up to something!
One step at a time, I completed my routine for a fancy evening out.
Lotion— check.
Makeup— check.
My hair was the biggest project of the night. Since I’d allowed it to get so long, handling it had become a pain. But I liked it long and didn’t want to cut it. I heated up the curling iron so I could start working it through my hair. A half hour later the ends fell in beautiful curls and I worked to pin up the sides. I had seen this on a how-to web site a while back and had been dying to try it. This was my first opportunity since then for a nice up-do.
I turned to look in the mirror. It was perfect; or at least like the model on site. I thought I looked classy. I was almost sure even my mother would be pleased. I pulled out the silver and pink cocktail dress I had picked out and slid it on. My high-heels would have to wait until I was ready to walk out of my room. I hated wearing them, but heels were a necessity as far as my mom was concerned.
I slipped the gorgeous, glittery silver heels on and walked to the door. I am sure everyone within a mile’s radius could hear me coming because each step echoed against the wood floor. Everyone was staring at me as I walked down the hall. Not just Bentley, but Shay and Drew, too. I guess tonight was a big night for Shay, too. Here I thought Drew was just a one-night stand and she was bringing him to dinner with the parents. It shocked the hell out of me.
Everyone looked like movie stars. Bentley’s eyes were wide when he could see all of me, his jaw slack. I wasn’t sure whether to slap him or tease him for it. Instead, I let him look. There would be opportunities to poke fun at him later.
“Soak it in now, because this doesn’t happen often,” I sassed.
“She’s right, appreciate it tonight, because this--” Shay motioned up and then repeatedly over the length of my body, “--doesn’t happen often at all. In fact, this just may be the last time you see it!”
Without a word Bentley walked up to me and planted a tender kiss on my hand and then my cheek, being careful to not mess up my makeup.
“Shall we?” Bentley asked, opening the door for all of us.
I gave Shay an uncertain look, my stomach in knots. This was it. Hopefully, my parents would take one look at this guy and fall in love with him. He looked like a Greek god in his suit. He was the paragon of a successful, wealthy businessman. I knew that under his polished exterior, he was the rough bad boy I had grown to love. Maybe after they met him and learned to like his personality, what was under his suit wouldn’t matter so much.
It was better to find out sooner rather than later.
Shay noticed my hesitation to walk out into the breezeway. She took my hand supportively, giving it a squeeze. “Let’s go, or we’re going to be late,” she said.
“Before we go, I have something I’d like you to wear tonight. A little gift for a special occasion.”
With that, he spun me around so I faced away from him and lifted a necklace over my head and fastened it around my bare neck. In my haste to get ready, I had forgotten jewelry. My mother would have had a field day with that.
“I saw this the other day and it reminded me of you. This symbolizes my heart being yours,” he said to me. The words lit up his face. I couldn’t suppress a giant smile. Not only did I get the guy, but every chance he got, he showered me with gifts. What woman wouldn’t love that?
“It’s beautiful. You really shouldn’t have Bentley.” I was surprised I could actually get those few words out. I felt like the wind had been knocked right out of me. It was a feeling I’d often experienced since Bentley Young had come into my life.
And the feeling cemented my courage. I let go of Shay’s hand and took Bentley’s, smiling bright at her. Drew offered Shay his arm and we walked out into the night. I knew there was no turning back. I had worked hard orchestrating the plan. And whether it turned out to be stressful or relaxed, Bentley was well-worth it all.
Our party was seated at the table but my parents were running late, thanks to the traffic. Bentley was to my right, Shay was to my left and Drew was on her other side. Across from us was the jury panel for the evening. My brothers, Jonathan, Trey and Christian, all eying us, awaiting Bentley’s first offense. I was positive they didn’t give a rat’s ass about Andrew, because everyone knew Shay could handle him herself. If only they trusted me as much.
Just as I was starting to relax, I spotted my parents walking through the old, mahogany-framed doorway into the lavish dining room. Shay stood and waved them over. Christian whistled to them.
Whistling? Really? We aren’t at the ball park! My mom was going to be pissed by that.
The queen-mother parked right next to Christian. “Christian, really! We can dress you up, but can’t take you out, huh?” Just as I thought!
A moment later Bentley stood, walking around the table and extended his hand in greeting.
“Mom, this is Bentley Young. Bentley, this is my mother, Elizabeth.”
He took my mother’s hand and brought it to his lips. “The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Windsor.” He turned to my father, dialing up the charm. “You’re a very lucky man, Mr. Windsor. Now I can see where your beautiful daughter gets her amazing looks from.”
I turned beet red, knowing he just made a slam dunk in their book. He had pulled it off and I could see it all over their faces. I completely missed Drew’s introduction because I’m pretty sure I was drifting off to heaven with Bentley by my side. I leaned over and whispered into his ear “Where did you learn charm like that?”
“I am not a complete Neanderthal, love,” he replied with a grin on his face. His grin had the ability to send my body into over-drive.
Conversation flowed and dinner was delicious as always. I felt like I hadn’t eaten in days. I probably looked like a pig, given the ten-ounce sirloin I devoured. Just when I thought we were all in the clear, the classic question came...
“So Bentley, what do you do for work?” My father questioned with a straight face. It was a question I had been wondering myself, so I paid close attention to the reply.
“Well, Mr. Windsor, I am a student at Boston University with Charlotte, in my last year of the Pre-Law program. Right now I run a web site called Renter’s Space. Have you heard of it?” The confidence with which he spoke was far-removed from his normal relaxed demeanor. He was clearly in business-mode.
My dad nodded and Bentley continued. “Drew and I founded that site about three years ago, during our freshman year. We sold it this spring for record-breaking numbers and have started to work on a new internet-based company. Its uses are similar, but it’s centered around corporate and commercial properties.”
“So you mean to tell me you two boys are the masterminds behind that multi-billion dollar deal on the front page of every area newspaper back in March?” My father questioned again. “Morgan-Young Enterprises?” Andrew Morgan and Bentley Young.
I had no idea what he was talking about. March had been a rough month for me, one in which I spent most days in a drunken stupor. I wasn’t paying attention to the newspapers. I never really did. But did I just hear the word billion?
“Yes, sir. That would be us.” Shay excused herself from the table and all I could hear while chasing her to the ladies room was her classic, “Oh LAWD! Dear LAWD! What h
ave I gotten myself into?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction. I knew what kind of meltdown I would find when I walked into the ladies room. I couldn’t blame her because I was fighting a meltdown of my own.
“Did he just say the word billion? Please tell me he didn’t just say the world billion. I can deal with million, I can’t deal with billion.” Her words came out so fast I could barely make out what she was saying.
“Shay, calm down and we’ll figure this out later, you cannot do this here! We need to get back out to the table. Who knows what’s going on now?” I barked. We needed to get back to the table. Not only to protect the guys, but because my own nosy nature prevented me from staying away.
“Okay, we will hash this out at home.” Shay said as she calmed down.
“Charlie, you wouldn’t believe what your parents just invited us to,” Bentley laughed. “Apparently we’re all heading to the Cape this weekend!” I couldn’t help but giggle because that was the plan anyway. We both knew this, but I wanted to humor everyone at the table.
“Will Drew be joining us as well?” I asked.
“Oh, you bet I will be! I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Drew announced to everyone. Shay looked like she wanted to die right then and there.
I really don’t think she was up for all this, at least not yet. She always kept men at an arm’s length and now her protective barrier was virtually gone. And our parents had her all but betrothed to Drew.
Chapter 11
Is This What Love Feels Like?
(Bentley)
Seeing the confusion on my beautiful girlfriend’s face stung. I’m not sure if it was because I had hidden how much money I had, or if it was because she looked like I had lied to her. I knew I needed to make it right before the end of the night. As for Drew, handling whatever it was he had going on with Shay – he was on his own. I could tell that was going to be a battle.
I hadn’t told Charlie about it all because I didn’t want her to look at me like I was just another rich asshole. I was a frugal yet lucky fool.
I leaned into Charlie, kissing her on the cheek as I whispered, “I’m sorry, we’ll talk about this after dinner. Okay?” Her body eased. She was still tense, but I knew I was going in the right direction.
I had to play everything so differently with her. I knew I couldn’t lose her. It sounded pathetic, but it was the truth.
On the car ride home, I started trying to explain myself. “Charlotte, I know you’re upset. I just didn’t want you to look at me like everyone does once they find out about the money. It’s only money, it’s not who I am. Drew and I... we just... we got lucky.”
The stern look on her face didn’t budge. I was pretty sure this was her way of trying to process everything while staying guarded. That was my goal too.
“Everyone looks at me differently when they find out, which is why I try and live the simplest lifestyle I can. I’m sick of the gold-diggers coming around.”
She finally spoke. “It’s okay, Bentley. I understand it all too well. I went through the same when I was growing up. I hate the money. I hate the status. I hate it all. I just want a simple life.”
My heart sank. She didn’t want to be with me anymore because I come with too much baggage. I should have expected this. Nothing is forever in my life and now the one thing I did want to be forever was about to walk away from me. I couldn’t even bring myself to speak.
“So, you don’t want to be with me anymore?” I barely squeaked out. I’m not sure how the words even formed to come out of my mouth, but I somehow got them out. The look of horror on her face when I said it was not the one I expected. I thanked God that she wasn’t thinking of breaking up with me.
“No Bentley! That’s not what I’m saying at all. It’s just not every day that you find out your boyfriend is a billionaire!”
Silence fell around us. I absorbed her words, but I didn’t know if I actually registered them. I was relieved. I knew I had more to repair, but I had no idea how.
“Charlotte, I think I’m falling in love with you. I mean, I’ve never been in love before, but this feeling I have for you is intense. It’s... You’re everything to me... I think about you all day and night. When I’m not with you, I want to be. I want you as a constant in my life.”
We had just pulled into the parking garage. I was expressing some serious emotion and it made sense to pull over to let it all absorb. I knew she was shocked.
“I’m not sure what to say, Bentley. I honestly feel like I can’t live without you. I always want to be with you. I-- ”
After those words, my instincts took over. I had to kiss her. I wanted to feel her lips on mine, so gorgeous and pink under her shimmery lip gloss which made her face look angelic. The kiss was a conduit for the electricity which had become so natural between us. It traveled through me and threatened to make me pull her into the back seat.
The two short months we’d spent together felt like years.
As Charlotte unlocked the door to the apartment all I heard was a huge crash followed by, “Oh SHIT!” out of Drew’s mouth and a shriek from Shay. Both of them were half naked, in a compromising position on the kitchen counter.
Don’t think I’ll be eating here anytime soon!
Charlotte slammed the door shut quicker than she opened it. A look of disgust crossed her face. I am sure my face looked just about the same.
“Ugh, not in the place where I make cookies...” Charlie lamented.
“Looks like Shay and Drew were “making cookies” all over the place.” She gagged at the euphemism then we both turned around and burst out laughing.
We opened the door a crack again, the room was empty. I didn’t want to put anymore thought into the situation, I had too much to repair with Charlie.
“That was gross guys! Seriously gross!” Charlie yelled through the apartment.
We walked down the hall to her bedroom and sat by the window in the white leather chairs on either side of a green-printed area rug. Her taste in decor was impeccable. The rooms were predominantly modern with classic touches and were not overly-feminine, as some single women preferred. Before I’d come over for the first time, I imagined an apartment strewn in pink fuzzy shit and I couldn’t have been more wrong. I was relieved I had been wrong.
I waited for her to speak and when she finally did, her tone was not immediately reassuring. “Bentley...”
Our gazes met. Tears welled up in her eyes and her voice shook. I could sense whatever was coming was going to be bad.
“I grew up with money. It’s never been an issue for our family, as you can see.”
She motioned around her room. The view of the baseball stadium was bright with the lights of a game in progress, the artwork on the walls and a clear view of her lavish bathroom.
“I didn’t want to grow up and date guys for money, or status. I wanted to stay out of the limelight and become a local historian like my mom. I don’t want fame or fortune. I don’t want fancy cars or presents. I just want to live out of the public eye.”
“Before you go on, Charlotte, you have to know that I want that too. Why do you think I live in a crappy apartment? Drew and I: we’re just simple guys. We don’t want to live the billionaire bachelor lifestyle, we just want to build our company without our faces being plastered everywhere; which is why I never told you about the money and I’m sorry for that.”
I was relieved to see some of the austerity evaporate from her face. I immediately took her in my arms. I wanted to take her to bed, but for now I just held her. We both needed to feel the comfort of the embrace we shared. Now, because she knew my secret and didn’t appear upset with me for hiding it, I couldn’t have felt better.
Chapter 12
An Episode from the Kennedy’s
(Charlotte)
We finished loading our suitcases into the trunk of my car. With the familiarity generated between the four of us, the trip was feeling even more like a family vacation than usual. I was rel
ieved because my parents’ approval was no longer an obstacle.
I was looking forward to relaxing over the holiday with this man who had confessed his love to me. He loves me. No one other than my family had ever told me they loved me. It was such an amazing feeling, knowing my feelings were reciprocated.
The speed with which our feelings had developed might have unsettled most, but for some reason, I didn’t mind. I trusted that it had to be fate.
I pushed it all to the back of my head as we jumped into the car for the hour drive to Orleans, to a little waterfront town on the Cape where my parents had rented three vacation homes for the weekend. Not only would the four of us be going, but Trey, Jon and Christian would be joining us. The question was, if any of them would bring dates. Typically they came without, but since most things with us were a pissing competition, and both Shay and I had dates, it could be a game changer.
There would be at least one party in which I would have to face my father’s snobby hospital associates. It was yet another part of my life I absolutely hated. Thinking of the events to come caused me to be more than usually quiet.
“A penny for your thoughts?” Shay asked.
“Nothing good Shay, just dreading all those stuffy assholes we’re going to have to mingle with for the party.”
Shay laughed because we were both on the same page when it came to those people. But unlike me, Shay was trying to become one of them. Not because she wanted to be a cocky asshole, but because she knew she had to use her status to get a good job in the medical field once she graduated.
Bentley couldn’t help but chuckle from the driver’s seat. He hated the same types but was forced to be around them when it came to business.
“They really aren’t so bad, ladies. Actually, most of them are just lonely old men looking for some kind of conversation or gold-diggers who will fuck them while their wives are off porking their personal trainers.”
I burst out laughing. It was like an episode of one of those “Real Housewives” shows on TV.
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