“I could help you out.”
“No, thank you.” She smiled, doing her best not to show how uncomfortable the offer made her. “It’s very kind of you to offer, but I don’t know that I’d be able to pay you back, and I’ve always hated owing people anything. If I’m going to do this I’ll do it my way.”
***
The house was quiet. Tyra stared at the screen in front of her, listening out for any sounds, because it was late and Kent wasn’t back. She wasn’t surprised. He did say his functions normally didn’t end until two in the morning. At some point she would need to go to bed, but the one thing she’d never been very good at was going to sleep when she was in a strange place, so she was trying to make herself tired enough to fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow… only she knew it wasn’t going to work if she went to bed then. Her mind was still going over Kent’s offer. The feelings she’d felt when he first made it had faded away and she could understand what he was doing. He wanted to help her. It seemed likely he’d do something like that for anyone who was a part of his life.
She heard a key in the front door. As the only person it could be was Kent she wasn’t worried. “What are you still doing up?”
“I was watching a film.” She lifted her laptop. “I wanted to finish it before I went to bed.”
“You could have used the T.V.”
“I prefer using the laptop. It means I can have headphones in and not disturb Eve.”
“Normally I’d use my bluetooth headphones.” She glanced over at him. “I’ll show you how to use them the next time you’re over, so you don’t have to use your laptop.” He shook his head. “I want you to be comfortable here when you’re staying.”
“At the moment I’m very comfortable.” Tyra turned her attention back to her film. “How was your function?”
“More uncomfortable than normal to begin with, but it slowly got better. No one quite seemed to know what to say to me.”
“That’s inevitable.”
“I know, which was why I’ve been putting it off, but I’m glad I went. It was good to see some people I haven’t seen in a while and I managed to talk to the two people I think would be most interested in my new idea. Do you want a drink?”
“What sort of drink?”
“A hot chocolate.” Kent laughed. “I’ve been craving one all night.”
“Really?”
“I make an epic hot chocolate.”
“In that case I’m going to have to try it.” She paused her film, took her headphone out, and stood. “Then I guess we should both go to bed.”
“Nights like this I normally stay up for a little while longer.” He looked up at the ceiling. “I just don’t know what to do for the best now. The last thing I want is to be a useless dad tomorrow, but that’s what’s going to happen if I don’t sleep tonight.”
“I’m not working tomorrow, so I can stay around in the morning if you want to sleep in a bit. I don’t mind spending more time with Eve.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t ask. I offered.”
***
“You can definitely make me hot chocolate again.” Tyra smiled as she sipped it. “Who taught you how to make this?”
“My grandmother. It was a very long time ago, when she was still alive, and I used to spend a couple of weeks with her every summer. When I make it I think of her.” Kent studied Tyra. “She definitely would have liked you more than she liked Madison.”
“I’m just the babysitter.”
“No, you’re more than that. You’ve become a friend in the time you’ve been looking after Eve and I’m so glad I met you.”
“You’ve become a friend too.”
“Good.” He took a step, their eyes meeting, and she was certain she could see something within them she wasn’t sure she wanted to see. “I really do enjoy spending time with you, and talking to you, and you’re wonderful with Eve.” Another step and he was closer than she really wanted him to be. “I want you to always be a part of our lives, Tyra.”
She knew what was coming before it happened, but that didn’t make it easy to do what she knew she had to. His lips almost touched hers before she managed to take the step away from him, shaking her head as she did so. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I…”
“I’m going to go to bed and we can talk about this when you’re sober.”
Breathing deeply Tyra turned away from him, wishing she hadn’t been able to see the pain in his eyes, and made her way up to the room she’d chosen. He had to be drunk. That was the only explanation for him doing something like that, because until then she had no idea he had any interest in her at all. Once she was in the room she sat on the bed, hot chocolate still in her hand, trying to work out what her next step was going to be - and there was a voice in the back of her head telling her she was an idiot. Kent Pierce, one of the most eligible bachelors in the state, was interested in her. He had enough money for her to be able to get out of her little apartment and move into somewhere much more comfortable, only she knew that was never going to happen. She wasn’t going to be with someone for their money. Not when he’d already been through that, because Tyra was certain Madison had only stayed with him for the money, at least in the end.
As she sat back against the wall Tyra knew the only thing she could do was act as normal as possible. Maybe he was drunk enough he wouldn’t even remember what happened. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about anything at all. Pretending it never happened would be easy enough for her. The only issue would be if he wasn’t willing to pretend it never happened, if he did remember what he’d tried to do.
***
“Daddy is still asleep.” Tyra looked at the clock. “That means we’re going to have to find something to do in order to fill the time.” She glanced at Eve. “How about we go for a walk? I’ll leave Daddy a note where I know he’s going to find it and then I’ll get everything ready.”
Fortunately all Tyra had to do was add a couple of diapers and a bottle to the bag she always had ready. Being around Eve as much as she was meant Tyra was far more organised than she ever had been before. Babies were much easier to deal with if you were organised. “What are we going to say to Daddy? We need to tell him it’s midday and he’s still in bed.” She shook her head.
“I don’t know what time he stayed up until last night, so I’m not going to wake him up. Normally I would, but this time I’m going to let him off. It was Daddy’s first function since you were born, Evie, and I think it was hard for him than he let on to me last night. I don’t doubt we’ll talk about it in the future. He seems to like talking things through and I like that about him.” She nibbled her lip. “Do we know where we’re going? I was thinking maybe a walk around the park, but the park might be busier than I’m comfortable with on a Sunday, and I don’t want people to think you’re mine.”
For a few seconds all she could do was stare at Eve. “They couldn’t possibly think you were mine. You’re far too pale to be my daughter, little one, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you very much.” Tyra smiled. “How did I end up falling in love with you?”
“She’s a baby. They do that to you, right when you least expect it.”
Tyra turned to look at Kent, who was fully dressed. “We were about to go out.”
“I can come with you.”
“Or you could go by yourself.”
“I could, but I think it would be much nicer if we both went.” He studied her. “Unless you’re uncomfortable around me after last night.”
“I’m not.” Pushing away the memory of the almost kiss was harder than she wanted it to be. “You apologised and we’re all good.”
“You’re lying to me, Tyra, but I can understand why.”
“I’m not lying, exactly. I’m just not telling the whole truth.”
“What is the whole truth.” He took a step closer to her, his eyes flitting from her eyes to her mouth. “I need to
know what you’re thinking.”
“Then you’re going to need to give me a couple of days, Kent, because I have no idea what I’m thinking. I’m going to leave. I’m going to go to work as normal tomorrow and then I’ll be here to look after Eve in the afternoon.”
“Take tomorrow off. I’ll see you Tuesday.”
“I…”
“It’s for the best.”
***
“Kent Pierce tried to kiss you?” Jessica stared at Tyra. “Wow. I just… there are so many questions I have and I don’t want to ask them all at the same time.”
“I think I have as many questions as you do.” Tyra sighed. “The last thing I expected to happen was for him to try to kiss me. We were talking after he came back from a function. He made us both hot chocolate. I don’t remember exactly what we were talking about, but then he was giving me that look.
I knew what was coming and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to stop it from happening. I didn’t know if I wanted to stop it from happening. Honestly, until he tried to kiss me, I’d never thought of him as a man I might want to be in a relationship with, but that’s changed things in ways I didn’t know were possible. I really like him, but it’s only eight months since his ex-wife died and I just don’t know if it’s a good idea. I know I’m probably the rebound.”
“Maybe you aren’t. You need to talk to him. You need to find out why he tried to kiss you and then go from there, because otherwise you aren’t going to know whether or not you are the rebound. There might have been another woman after she left him.”
“Possible.” Tyra shrugged. “He’s a good person and he seems to be doing his best with his daughter, even though it’s hard. I can’t imagine what things must be like for him. He didn’t tell me, when I first went over there, he was still in love with Madison.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s still in love with her now. You need to give him a chance to explain what he wants out of the relationship the two of you have. He could have fallen in love with you while you were helping him to look after Eve.”
“Anything might have happened. I just… Kent Pierce. Do I really want to be in a relationship with someone who has that much money?”
“In the end you’re the only one who knows what the best thing for you to do is. I really do think you need to talk to him, and then you can decide what your next step is, because I don’t think you can otherwise.”
“I know I need to talk to him. It’s just not that easy. When I see him I just… I feel guilty for taking a step back and I don’t know what he’s thinking, or feeling, so it’s just easier to keep my distance for the moment. At the same time I can’t. I’ve got this afternoon free, but then I’m back tomorrow. I’m going to have to talk to him then and I have no idea where I’m going to start the conversation.”
“Start with ‘why did you try to kiss me’, because that will get you the answer you need.”
***
“Why did you try to kiss me?”
Their eyes met. “I’m not certain you want the answer to that question.”
“Kent, I wouldn’t have asked it if I didn’t want the answer. You can say it was because you’d had too much to drink and it won’t be a problem.”
“It was partly that. If I hadn’t been drinking I know I would have had the courage to make a move.” He brushed a hand through his hair. “I really like you, Tyra. I didn’t think something like this could happen after Madison, but now… I want to give us a chance, even though I don’t think you do. That’s why I offered you the money you needed for your studies. I want to share what I have with you.”
“I can’t accept that. Not straight away. Until Saturday night I had no idea you were interested in me, so it’s going to take me some time to accept that.” She sighed. “I do like you. You haven’t done anything to make me dislike you. I just… it was really unexpected.”
“That’s what I thought.” He shook his head. “Normally I wouldn’t have done something like that, but the alcohol, and talking to people about you, it made me see how much I wanted to be with you. You’re a wonderful person and now that you’re a part of my life I don’t want to lose you. After I tried to kiss you I knew it was possible I might have lost you, but by then it was too late.” He took a step towards her. “I think I’m falling in love with you, Tyra, and I kinda wish I wasn’t.”
“Any reason why?”
“After everything that happened with Madison love and pain are intertwined in such a way I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to separate them. You, I think, are the one person who might be able to help me fix that, so if you can I really would appreciate knowing when you know.”
“I doubt I’m going to know any time soon.”
“The last thing I want to do is rush you. I know this isn’t fair on you and I really don’t like myself very much right now for doing this to you. I never would have done something so stupid normally, but, like I said, the drink convinced me it would be a good idea, and I was very wrong about that.”
“You weren’t very wrong. If it wasn’t for Jack and what happened I think things would be very different. Right now I’m still getting over things too, and it’s not easy. I need to know for certain I can trust you with my heart, because I don’t think it could deal with going through something like that again.”
Nodding, he took her hand. “I know exactly what you mean. The last thing I ever really wanted was to fall in love again, but emotions are something that make the decisions for us.”
***
“I’ve told you before I never want to see you again.”
Jack turned to look at her. “I know, but I’m worried about you, Ty.”
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m a big girl and I can look after myself.” She stepped around him. “Just go away.”
“What’s happening between you and Kent?”
“Nothing that’s any of your business.”
“Do you know why Madison decided to leave him?”
“Kent said it had something to do with the fact he wasn’t spontaneous enough.”
“He was lying to you.”
“Thank you for that fascinating piece of information.” Tyra shook her head. “I don’t need this right now.”
“Look, I know what Kent’s like and you don’t want to get into a relationship with him. Madison never wanted to leave him, but in the end she didn’t have a choice, because he was hitting her.”
“Madison told you that.”
“Yeah, she did, after I helped her to leave. She showed me the pictures.”
“How certain are you she was telling you the truth?”
“Maddie would never have lied to me about something like that. I know she was telling the truth.”
“I don’t believe you, and I don’t believe her. I think she was looking for a reason to leave him and it was easy enough to create on.” Shrugging, Tyra put her key into the lock. “The best thing you can do is leave, Jack.”
“I can’t let you get into a relationship with him.”
“It isn’t up to you.”
Before Jack could say anything more she stepped into her apartment. With the door closed behind her she couldn’t hear him speaking any longer, which gave her a chance to think about what she’d heard. She didn’t think it was possible Kent would have hurt anyone, but she had to ask the question, and considering how badly balanced their relationship was she knew that was something that could easily tip it to one side or the other. Sighing, she brushed a hand through her hair. It was a conversation they’d need to have face to face. She couldn’t bring that sort of thing up on the phone. At the same time it wasn’t something she wanted to bring up around Eve.
“Damn you, Jack.”
Slowly Tyra made her way into the kitchen, trying to work out how she was going to ask Kent about what she’d heard. Normally the last thing she’d do was assume a woman was lying about the fact they’d been suffering in a domestic violence situation, but there was som
ething about the whole thing that just felt wrong, like Madison was trying to manipulate everyone around her. If Kent was right she would have known Jack was in love with her and she would have used that to get out of a relationship she no longer wanted to be a part of. Lying about domestic violence, though… would anyone really do that?
***
“I saw Jack last night.” Tyra knew that wasn’t the right place to start, but she didn’t think there was any right place. “He was trying to convince me of something I don’t believe is true, but I can’t not talk to you about this.”
The Alpha Billionaire's Unexpected Baby: A Billionaire BWWM Pregnancy Romance Page 18