Love And Money (Love Series - Book 2)

by K. L. Prince

  Their kiss is interrupted by someone clearing their throat. They both turn and find Bill Mason standing in the doorway of Caden’s condo. Immediately, Harper is overcome with panic. The wetness she felt a moment before completely dries up. She is speechless and stunned. She doesn’t know what to do and she is grateful when Caden takes over the situation.

  “Harper, I’ll see you later,” he says and gives her a final kiss on the lips before giving her a comforting look.

  “Okay,” she says and nods to Caden, wondering if the fear she feels is evident in her eyes. “Nice to see you, Mr. Mason,” she says shakily to Caden’s father and braces for his response.

  “Young lady,” Bill Mason says to her.

  She tries to read the tone of Bill Mason’s voice, but she doesn’t get any indication of how he is feeling about finding her at his son’s condo in his voice or in the expression on his face. She just wants to exit and leave the uncomfortable feeling that she feels behind her.

  “Bye,” she says, avoiding Caden’s gaze and exiting the condo.

  When she closes the door behind her, she wants to leave, but she finds herself standing in the hallway and listening at the door. She wants to know if Bill Mason is going to say anything to Caden about finding her in his condo with obvious bed-head and wearing yesterdays wrinkled clothes. She immediately gets her wish.

  “So, that’s Harper?” Bill Mason asks Caden.

  “That is Harper. What are you doing here, Dad?” Caden asks.

  “What was she doing here?” Bill Mason asks, ignoring Caden’s question.

  “If it’s any of your business, we’re back together,” Caden says calmly.

  “Caden, I told you how I feel about you seeing that woman,” Bill Mason says, sounding angry. “I told you that I don’t want you to see her anymore. I told you that I wanted you to get back together with Madison. I guess I didn’t make myself clear enough, so I’ll say it again. I don’t want you to have anything to do with that lying woman. You need to get rid of her and you need to do it as soon as possible. She’s been nothing but a problem and a nuisance as far as I’m concerned. She’s trouble and I can’t see anything good coming from you and her being together.”

  “Well, I guess I didn’t make myself clear enough either,” Caden says angrily back to his father. “This is my life. You are not going to tell me who I can and cannot be with. Harper and I are together and we are going to be together for the foreseeable. I’m not going to break up with her because you tell me to. This is one part of my life that you are going to tell me what to do. I don’t care if you don’t like it.”

  “I don’t like it and I refuse to accept it,” Bill Mason says. “That woman will be your downfall. I’m your father and I know what’s best for you. I demand that you listen to me,” Bill Mason says, his voice rising in anger.

  “You are my father and you may think that you know what’s best for me, but that is not the case this time. Being with Harper is the farthest thing away from being a mistake. She is the best thing that’s happened to me thus far. You may not see it now, but you will. If you care about me, you will at least give her a chance.” Caden replies.

  Hearing Caden’s words makes her smile. It is always nice to hear how much she means to him. She is so glad that he is not backing down from his father and sticking up for her, but it still makes her feel uneasy that she is causing a divide between father and son. She has always been under the impression that when a child finds someone that they want to be with, it should be a joyful moment for a parent. It shouldn’t be moment filled with strife and conflict. She hates being the cause of the argument she hears happening on the other side of the condo door.

  “Caden, I am not willing to give that woman a chance. I’m an old man and I’ve met many people throughout my life that are exactly like Harper. Once a liar, always a liar. You are sadly mistaken if you think that all of a sudden she is going to change her colors. People don’t change, Caden. I know that you would like to believe that, but it’s not reality. People are who they are to the core. Harper started out as a liar and she will continue to be a liar. You need to open your eyes.”

  Harper grimaces at Bill Mason’s words. She may have lied, but that is definitely not who she is to the core. She made a mistake and it is one that she will never make again. She knows in her heart that she will never lie to Caden again for as long as they remain together. She hopes that Caden knows that and believes it because it’s the truth.

  “Dad, Harper made a mistake. She is sorry and I believe her. The only reason that she lied in the first place is because of you. You made her feel like she was unworthy, and in all honestly, I blame you for what happened between us. If you hadn’t said those horrible things at that charity event about how the only woman worthy to be with me has to come from money, she would have been honest from the start.”

  “Oh, so you’re going to blame me for Harper’s lies? Unbelievable!” Bill Mason exclaims. ”You can blame me all you want, but that woman had a choice. She felt that her only choice was to lie, and to me, that says a whole lot about her character. You can’t be stupid enough to believe that I am the reason that she lied to you. The woman is conniving and God only knows what else she will do in the future, especially when her back is against the wall. What would your mother say, if she was still alive?”

  “Don’t bring my mother into this!” Caden says angrily. “You know damn well that mother would accept anyone I brought into my life, including Harper. Mother was the kindest, most accepting woman that ever lived. She would forgive Harper for what she’s done, just like I have. In fact, I would put money on it that Mom would love Harper to death. Mom and Harper are a lot alike, actually. Mom would be absolutely disgusted with the way that you are behaving. You want to know that Mom would say? I know exactly what she would say. She would tell me to follow my heart. Mother was never about money and power when it came to matters of love. She was a romantic at heart and believed that true love could be found in a multitude of places. She would never tolerate your stance on marrying only for the money and the power that it would provide. How dare you use my mother to try and make me feel guilty. I don’t feel guilty in the least. I am the happiest I have been in a long time with Harper in my life. In fact, I wish that Mom was still alive so she could meet Harper. I know for a fact that Mom and Harper would have gotten along great. Harper would be like the daughter she always wished she had. Don’t ever bring my mother up again when it comes to Harper. Sometimes I wonder if you ever knew Mom at all because if you did you wouldn’t have brought her into this conversation at all.”

  “Son, your mother was my wife. I knew everything about that woman. I knew the way that she thought and felt about things in a way that you could never possibly understand as her son, so don’t tell me that I never knew your mother,” Bill Mason replies, sounding sad.

  Harper has heard enough. She hates hearing the pain in both Caden and Bill Mason’s voices as they speak about the loss of Caden’s mother. She can’t imagine how painful and upsetting it would be for Caden’s mother to hear how her son and her husband are bickering about her memory. She knows that Caden’s mother would be devastated to know that her husband and son have come to such an impasse over her and Caden’s relationship.

  As she makes her way to her car, she feels nothing but sadness. She never thought that finding the man of her dreams would be so filled with much conflict. She had always imagined it would be filled with so much joy, laughter, and happiness. She always thought that the parents of the man she loved would accept her and love her. She didn’t think that they would hate her and want their son to have nothing to do with her. She never thought that her position in the man she loves life would be looked upon with such disdain and disgust by his parents.

  Bill Mason’s lack of trust in her is nothing short of disappointing and disheartening. How can she and Caden have a happy and prosperous relationship when his father absolutely hates her? Caden is adamant that she not worry, but ho
w can she not? How can she be comfortable knowing that she has broken up a family? Will she be able to look at herself in the mirror knowing that she has torn a family apart?

  The whole situation doesn’t sit well with her, but what is she supposed to do? Caden doesn’t want to let her go and she doesn’t want to let him go either. They want to be together and that is certain. The only thing that she can hope for is that eventually Bill Mason will back down and give her a chance. The way he speaks about her, it doesn’t seem likely, but unlike Bill Mason, she believes that people can change. Maybe he will change his opinion of her once he is able to spend some time with her and gets to know her a little bit better.

  She sighs as she starts her car. What turned out to be a wonderful day has turned into a stressful one. She woke up just a few hours before happy to be in Caden’s arms and now she feels like she is going to suffocate from the pressure of Bill Mason’s demands on Caden and his feelings towards her. What should have been a time of happiness because of her reunion with Caden has turned into a time of turmoil and uncertainty. What is Bill Mason going to do now that Caden has stood up to him and told him that he is not going to break up with her under any circumstances? She can’t help but wonder how much she should worry about Bill Mason and what he might do. She can’t put aside what Caden has said about his father when his father doesn’t get what he wants. She is worried, concerned, and scared. She can’t help but wonder what Bill Mason is capable of doing and what he might do.

  * * * * *

  “You’re back! I missed you so much!” Harper exclaims happily and runs to hug her best friend.

  “I missed you, too. You have to see what I brought back from Italy,” Olivia says, returning Harper’s hug and grabbing her by the hand to lead her to her bedroom. “You’re going to absolutely adore the outfits that I brought back. You’re going to want to borrow every single one of them.”

  “I’m sure I will and you best believe I will borrow every single one,” Harper says, glad to have her friend close by again. She’s needed her friend’s support up close and personal, and not half way across the world.

  “Check these out,” Olivia says, showing her the dresses she has laid across her bed. “Aren’t they gorgeous?” Olivia asks, gushing over the beautiful, and no doubt expensive, dresses that adorn her bed.

  “They’re beautiful,” Harper says, reaching out and touching the fabric of the dresses she could never possibly afford this lifetime.

  “So, tell me what’s been going on,” Olivia says, grabbing a dress and disappearing into her walk-in closet to hang it up.

  “Well, Caden and I are back together,” Harper says and smiles.

  “What!” Olivia exclaims, peeking her head out of her closet with a huge smile on her face. “Did I hear you right? You and Caden are back together?”

  “We’re back together,” she replies and nods.

  “Oh my gosh, I’m so glad,” Olivia says and hugs her.

  She hadn’t had a chance to fill Olivia in on the newest development between her and Caden because of the schedule of her flights home, but she knew that when her friend found out, she would be ecstatic.

  “When did this happen?” Olivia asks excitedly.

  “Last night. He showed up at the restaurant out of the blue,” Harper says, smiling ear to ear.

  “So, he forgives you, then?” Olivia asks.

  “I would say so. We went to his place and….” Harper says, grinning and looking at the floor.

  “You didn’t!” Olivia exclaims.

  “We did,” Harper says and nods her head. “And it was absolutely amazing.”

  “Well, I would say that you’re back together, then,” Olivia says, grabbing another dress to hang up in her closet. “I knew that Caden would come to his senses and realize that you just made a silly mistake.”

  “He says that he forgives me and I believe him. I don’t think that him showing up at the restaurant was a spur of the moment thing. I think that his decision to take me back was a well thought over decision. I think that he is sincere in his forgiveness and I don’t think that he’s going to change his mind about taking me back.”

  “I told you, Harp, Caden doesn’t play games. If he says that he’s forgiven you, then he has. You don’t have to second guess things. Caden isn’t a wishy-washy kind of guy. He means what he says. You can bank on it.”

  “I think so, too,” Harper says with a feeling of sureness in her heart.

  “Harper, you should be jumping up and down from happiness, but once again your demeanor is as if someone just killed your puppy. Something is obviously bothering you. What’s up?” Olivia asks, looking concerned.

  “Well, this morning when I was getting ready to leave Caden’s, his father showed up and to say he wasn’t happy would be the understatement of the year,” Harper says, recalling the conversation she eavesdropped on between Caden and his father.

  “Why do you say that?” Olivia asks. “Did he say something to you?”

  “After I left, I stayed and listened at the door to Caden and his father speaking to each other.”

  “Well, that’s never a good idea. From what I’ve found, eavesdropping never turns out well. Why didn’t you just leave?”

  “I guess I was just curious. The look on Caden’s father’s face when he saw me made he feel uncomfortable, so I wanted to see if he was going to say anything about me being there to Caden.”

  “From the look on your face, I’m going to guess that what you heard wasn’t positive.”

  “Not in the least. Caden and his father had a huge argument about me. Caden’s father knew about me lying to Caden and he doesn’t want Caden and I to be together. He said that I’m a liar and that’s all I’ll ever be. He demanded that Caden break up with me and that he do it as soon as possible. He wants Caden to break up with me and get back together with Madison.”

  Olivia groans. “He would rather Caden be with Madison, the cheater, rather than be with you? That makes sense,” Olivia says sarcastically.

  “Liv, it was sad to hear Caden arguing with his father over me. I don’t want to be the reason that Caden and his father fall out. I don’t want to tear them apart.”

  “Harper, you are not the one tearing them apart. Bill Mason and his unreasonableness is the reason that they are falling out. Bill Mason has put unreasonable expectations on Caden - pure and simple. His father can’t choose who he’s going to be with. Anyone with half a brain can see that what Bill Mason is doing isn’t right. If Bill Mason knows what’s good for him, he’ll butt out of Caden’s love life and he should do that as soon as possible.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to happen, Liv. You should have heard him. It was heartbreaking.”

  “What does Caden say about all of this?” Olivia asks from inside her walk-in closet.

  “I haven’t talked to him since the argument, but we briefly discussed his father before it happened. He told me not worry about his father and that he’ll handle it,” Harper says and fidgets. The whole thing with Caden and his father makes her incredibly uncomfortable.

  “Well, let him. That’s all you can do, Harp,” Olivia says encouragingly. “He knows his father better than anyone, so he’ll know what to do to handle things. If it’s possible, he’s the only one that will be able to make his father come around.”

  “I keep hoping that once his father gets to know me, he’ll realize that I’m not the person that he thinks that I am. I keep hoping that if he were able to spend some time with me, he would be able to see that the lies that I told are not the sum of the person that I am.”

  “Harper, you’re a good woman. Everyone that knows you knows that. Just give Caden’s father some time to get used to the idea of you being in Caden’s life. I’m sure that over time he will realize that his initial judgments and impressions of you were inaccurate. I believe that over time he will come to see you as the sweet person that you are.”

  “And if he doesn’t?” Harper asks.

 
“Then, screw him. What goes on between you and Caden isn’t really any of his business anyway. If you and Caden are happy, that’s all that matters. Who care what other people think.”

  “Liv, it’s his father we’re talking about. It means a lot to me that his father accept me,” Harper says, feeling discouraged.

  “I know, Harp, but there is nothing that you can do to make him change his mind. Not everyone in this life is going to see you for who you are and that includes Caden’s father. In an ideal world, he would like you, but this life isn’t fair. People are entitled to their opinion, even if it’s wrong. It’s sad to say, but it’s the way that it is.”

  “I know. I guess all I can do is focus on the relationship between Caden and I and keep my fingers crossed that his father will one day accept me.”

  “Exactly. Everything is going to be okay, Harp. Try not to worry about Caden’s father. Don’t let him ruin the good thing that you have going with Caden. Just put him to the side and enjoy your time with Caden. I say pretend that he doesn’t even exist. Luckily, you won’t have to see him much anyway.”

  “Easier said then done, Liv. He’s constantly in the back of my mind reminding me that I’m not good enough for his son,” Harper says and shakes her head. She wishes that she could just push Caden’s father to the back of her mind and forget that he exists, but his words keep replaying themselves in her mind.

  “I know it’s hard, but in the grand scheme of things, if you really think about it, his opinion of you isn’t really that relevant. Caden’s father is on the sidelines. You can’t really do much in the game when you’re sitting on the bench. You know what I mean?”

  “I see what you’re saying. I’m going to try and not think about it too much. You know what happens when I start to over-think things.”

  “Do I ever. Over-thinking things is how you got in trouble with Caden in the first place. Let’s start by putting Bill Mason to the back of your mind right now and stop talking about him. Come and look at the awesome jewelry that I brought back from Italy,” Olivia says, waving her over to her dressing table.