Conklin's Foundation (Conklin's Trilogy #2)

by Brooke Page

  My raging emotions were taking over. I had never been so envious of one person. I wanted to claw Margo’s eyes out and tattoo my name all over Tyler so she wouldn’t forget he was mine, that he belonged to me, and she needed to back off. Tyler tried to reassure me she only wanted help and that he made it completely clear he didn’t want anything to do with her, but I couldn’t help but feel like a crazy possessive girlfriend whenever I thought about Tyler spending time with her.

  On my way home from our makeshift office Tuesday evening, I got an unknown number calling my phone.

  “Becca! It’s Mary! How are you?” Tyler’s mom said enthusiastically through the phone.

  She was the last person I expected to be calling.

  “Hi Mary,” I greeted.

  “I know you are super busy in Miami, Tyler didn’t want me to bother you, but I had a feeling he didn’t fill you in on my annual charity event,” she sounded semi annoyed.

  “Yeah, he hasn’t mentioned anything,” I said truthfully.

  She let out a low groan of disapproval. “Of course he didn’t. That boy always tries to find a way out of things. But now he really doesn’t have an excuse because he has you!” she exclaimed.

  I half smiled, still not sure why she was calling.

  “Every Valentine’s day RJ and I host a charity event for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Chicago. Tyler always writes a check but never comes. Now he has a date and doesn’t have an excuse to not come!” she squealed.

  “That sounds great, Mary. Of course we will go,” I promised, almost regretting my words for not asking Tyler first. Oh well, he would get over it. We still had three weeks before Valentine’s Day, and I’m sure he didn’t have anything extravagant planned yet.

  “Wonderful! We should get our nails and hair done together that morning! And let’s go shopping this weekend! Can you come to Chicago? Or I could come to Miami?”

  My face fell; I actually was really busy. Not that we slacked the past weekend, but I definitely wasn’t as focused and needed to work through the weekend. Tyler filled me in that he actually needed to stay in Chicago the upcoming weekend and would do all he could to get to Miami during the following week. Corey and I only had two weeks left, and if we worked super hard, we might be able to finish and come home on time.

  “I’d love to get my hair and nails done with you Mary, but unfortunately I have a lot I need to get done in order to complete the Miami account so I can’t go dress shopping,” I said apologetically.

  I could hear Mary’s disappointment over the phone, but she quickly recovered with how excited she was that Tyler and I would be attending her function.

  I hung up with Mary by the time I got back to the suite. Throwing my bag and keys on the counter, I went and dialed Tyler’s number to fill him in on the commitment I had just made.

  “I was just about to text you,” Tyler sighed. “I’m meeting Margo for dinner with a lawyer tonight.”

  I internally cringed at the sound of her name.

  “Just a few more weeks, baby. I will make sure to call you as soon as dinner is over,” he said apologetically.

  “Okay,” I said with annoyance. “I just got off the phone with your mother.”

  Tyler groaned. “How did she even get your number?”

  “I have no idea. But I told her we would go to her Valentine’s Day fundraiser.”

  “Becca,” he whined. “How do you know I didn’t have anything planned?”

  “Sorry, seems like a worthy cause.”

  “It is. I always donate,” he groaned into the phone. “Becs, can we please skip? I promise to donate double,” he pleaded.

  “I think… you should wear that handsome tuxedo and be my prince charming on Valentine’s Day and take me to the ball,” I pouted. “And you can still donate double,” I added, regaining my charisma.

  I sensed his grin.

  “Fine. I will take my princess to the ball,” he said amused.

  ~

  The last two weeks flew by, but I was ready to be back in Michigan. I loved being in the warmth of Miami with Jamie, but I wanted to see Tyler more often, even though he was constantly bouncing around. I had only seen him once the past two weeks, and it was short and uneventful. I took a red eye into Grand Rapids, and we ended up falling asleep from being so exhausted with work.

  Heather was constantly calling or Face Timing. Her mood was better, but she was bored and lonely. I guess Ray was still working a lot, and she was having trouble coping. I felt guilty for leaving her and my niece and nephew, but Edna Enterprise was a great contact to have. She was extremely impressed with the work that Corey and I had done, and almost guaranteed having us do plans for any of her future projects.

  Connor had called me a few more times, but never left a message. I told myself I wouldn’t call him back until he gave some indication of what the hell he wanted. I kept meaning to tell Tyler, but it always slipped my mind. It didn’t help that every other time Tyler called or texted was about Margo. He saw her a lot and way more than I thought was necessary. I didn’t like that she had him at an arm’s length. Her father was due to come into the country this coming Monday, and I was thankful to be packing my bags and heading home to be with Tyler the Thursday before. Margo would have to wait for Tyler’s help. He was going to be all mine this weekend.

  My flight was on time, and I was rudely greeted with the cold February air. I was thankful for my wool pea coat, even though all of Miami airport looked at me like I was crazy for carrying it around in the 80 degree heat.

  Tyler promised he was going to take the day off Friday, and I couldn’t wait to be tangled in his sheets this evening and throughout the morning. It felt like it had been terribly long since we really wrapped ourselves in each other. I frowned when Tyler wasn’t the one to step out of the Lexus.

  “Hey Becs, Tyler asked if I could come and pick you up. How was Miami?” Cooper said, greeting me with his big pearly smile as he grabbed my bags.

  “Much warmer,” I said, trying to sound happy. Why didn’t Tyler come to the airport?

  Cooper laughed as he put my luggage away and jumped in the car.

  “Thanks for coming to pick me up. Did Tyler say why he couldn’t come?” I asked.

  Cooper glanced at me then looked back out the window. “He said he had a last minute meeting. He wanted me to drop you off at his place. Is that what you want?”

  “No, take me to my condo, please,” I said quietly, knowing who his last minute meeting was most likely with. And I thought I would have him all to myself.

  Feeling let down and beat, I slowly walked to the elevator with my luggage. Cooper offered to help, but I told him no. I needed to be alone.

  Putting up with Tyler talking to Margo was exhausting. I couldn’t help but be jealous of the woman. It felt like he had been focusing on her more than me. It was one thing when I was in a different state. At least there was the distance excuse when he had met with her. But here we were, nearly two weeks of not seeing each other, I’m a mere 15-minute walk away, and he picks to meet with Margo. It better have been damn important.

  I showered and got myself put together for bed. It felt nice being in my old space again. I had never realized how much I thought of this condo as home.

  I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. I thought about turning the TV on, but it was no use. It wouldn’t lull me to sleep. I should have had Cooper drop me off at the Conklin building or called Tyler demanding where he was so I could interrupt.

  It was just after 11:00pm when I heard the front door open. I rolled to face away from the door, not in the mood to deal with him. Why couldn’t he have taken the hint and just gone home? What “business” meeting could possibly keep him so late? There was only one reason I could think of, and it was that red headed skank.

  I felt his presence at the door than heard his footsteps as he walked over to my bed. The bed slumped beside my legs, and I felt his hand on my hip. I didn’t want him to touch me, so I shrugged
him off the best I could. When he removed his hand, he slid next to me on the bed.

  “Becs, I’m sorry,” he said calmly, returning his unwelcome hand to my hip. “It was a last minute meeting. I had to show.”

  I spun around to look at him and was hit hard with the smell of bar smoke and liquor.

  I scrunched my nose and clenched my teeth, “And you had to meet at a bar?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “That was the location. How do you know?”

  “Because you smell awful,” I said harshly.

  “Shower with me,” he said playfully then ran his hand down my side and to my ass. I swatted his hand away and sat up on the bed. Did he not realize how pissed off I was?

  “Wow, okay. I will go shower and give you some time to cool down,” he half laughed.

  I wanted to beat him with both of my fists as he stood up and started walking to the bathroom.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t at least shower with her to cover up where you’ve been,” I mumbled under my breath.

  Tyler halted then turned around giving me a death glare. I sat back further on the bed, intimidated by his stare.

  “What? What the hell are you talking about?” he said in a deep low tone, his scowl was indented on his forehead while his fists were balled to his sides.

  Courage filling me, I sat up straighter.

  “You have some real nerve blowing me off AGAIN for her, and even when I’m in town? Real smooth, Tyler,” I bit.

  His eyes narrowed even more as he stalked over to me, leaning down so we were face to face. I kept my back straight and crossed my arms, willing myself not to crumble by his alpha male stature.

  “If you are talking about Margo, you are wrong. I have told you every second I have spent with that woman. You are being ridiculously jealous of someone you have nothing to worry about,” he spat, his jaw ticking.

  I kept my eyes on him. So maybe he was telling the truth that he wasn’t with her.

  “Who were you with then,” I said coldly.

  “I told you, clients.”

  “Named…?”

  Tyler groaned in frustration and backed away. “You wouldn’t know them. Why don’t you believe me? I’m merely helping Margo. I want NOTHING to do with her! I want you, Becca!” he practically shouted.

  This time I had the nerve to wince. I wanted to believe him, I really did, but I couldn’t shake her from my head. And the more he wouldn’t tell me who he actually met with, the more it felt like he was lying to me about not being with her.

  “Okay. Who were you with then,” I said calmly, dragging out my words. He paced the room again, his face getting madder and redder with every step.

  “A client whom I cannot name. It is a personal account, and I am not at liberty to discuss their file.”

  “I don’t give a shit about the project; I just want to know who you were with.”

  “It wasn’t Margo, all right?” he snarled, stopping in his tracks. I could see the vein that popped out of his neck when he was angry.

  I stood up, my arms still crossed. “You refusing to give me a name isn’t helping your case,” I said like a bratty little girl.

  Tyler took one large step to me, his eyes burrowing into mine. I felt his intense energy radiating off his pores.

  “Why don’t you believe me,” he questioned, his voice cracking. His body shifted from raging to vulnerable. He looked worried and concerned, even hurt.

  “I want to believe you, so badly. It just seems every time I check my phone I have a text message from you saying how you’re meeting with Margo,” I said quietly, letting my emotions get the best of me. “I was really looking forward to being with you tonight.”

  “I was too; you have no idea. Ask Nathan or even RJ. They were both with me, Becs,” he said, his words softer. “Like I said in Miami, don’t let her come between us. Don’t see red whenever you hear her name. I’m with you, and that’s all that matters. What have I done to break your trust when it comes to other women?” he simply asked.

  I looked at the ground, not sure if I were happy or annoyed with the answer to his question. “You haven’t,” I reluctantly mumbled.

  “Then stop,” he begged. “I’m going to take a shower since I smell awful,” he said, mimicking my words from minutes ago.

  I nodded my head and sat back down on the bed. “Please take the man-hating expression off your face by the time I get back,” he added while taking off his dress shirt and walking into the bathroom.

  It would be a lot easier to take the man-hating expression off my face if I didn’t feel like I was being lied to and kept in the dark. I couldn’t even collect my thoughts by the time Tyler came out of the shower.

  He was wearing those damn black Under Armour boxer briefs and his addictive Conklin grin. He slowly stalked his way to the bed, crawling on top of me with his playful smirk.

  “I still see a bit of man hate on your face,” he said, lacing his hands with mine and bringing them to the sides of my head, pinning me with all of his muscles.

  “Maybe you should have taken a longer shower,” I whispered, feigning any control over how my body was reacting to his. His freshly washed body was so damn intoxicating. Even the minty scent of his seductive breath was making me want to move my pelvis into his.

  Tyler let out a soft chuckle and ran his nose along mine. “I want all of you this weekend, Becca. No holding back, no putting up walls or fronts, just you and me getting lost in each other. I’ve needed our connection so badly these past few weeks. I’ve felt like a wedge has been between us, and I want to yank it out.”

  “As soon as the other thorn in your side is gone, I think it will make putting my walls down a lot easier,” I said intently looking into his eyes. I let out a moment of weakness in my look. I had been doing so good at being stronger lately too.

  Tyler let go of one of my hands so he could cradle my face. I had to close my eyes, his look was just too much for me at the moment when I was about to break.

  “I sure hope you are right because I can’t take your heart being guarded from me, baby doll.”

  I slowly opened my eyes to meet his. They were soft and full of love.

  “Don’t give up on me,” I whispered, my voice cracking as my eyes started to water. “I’m trying to push her out of my head.”

  “Never,” he said soothingly. “Just trust me,” he begged.

  I leaned up to kiss him, forcing myself to believe in him. Our kiss was sweet and tender and all thoughts of Margo and his late business meeting at the bar vanished.

  But then his God damn phone beeped. I shifted my head away as he sighed. He tried to kiss me again, but I shied away from him. Seeing I wasn’t going to budge until he looked at his phone, he reluctantly stood up to go take it from the top of the dresser.

  “You’re not going to spend the day with me tomorrow, are you,” I said as a statement and not a question.

  Without turning to look at me he said, “Her father’s flight was moved to tomorrow. She needs help at the airport. She said she tried to call everyone else she knows, but they can’t help her out.”

  “Tyler!” I whined. “So you have to go to Chicago tomorrow?”

  I saw him tip his head back as though he were saying a silent prayer.

  “Tyler,” I said sternly.

  He finally turned to look at me, abdomen flexing as he took in a heavy breath. “He is being examined in Grand Rapids this coming week, then going to Chicago.”

  I snorted and fluffed the covers trying to bury myself in them. The thorn in Tyler’s side was digging deeper versus becoming shallower, and I was getting antsy when it came to meeting this Margo for real. Now she was in my city, knocking on my door, and I wasn’t going to be so nice this time around.

  Chapter 27

  Tyler attempted to butter me up the rest of the night, but it was no use. I was pissed to hell and was on the verge of freaking the fuck out. His hands weren’t welcome on my skin, but he managed to sneak one on my put-o
ff body throughout the night. I knew this was hard for him too, but he was putting up with Margo’s demands. She was manipulating him again, and I was so sick of her shit.

  I pretended to sleep when Tyler awoke. He was going to head into his office for the morning then help Margo and her father in the early afternoon. He had to work on some of the fine tuning for the hospital and was going to meet with a board member before helping Margo.

  I couldn’t go back to sleep once he left, so I thought I might as well show up at work and see what I had been missing. I was due back Monday anyway; why not get a jump start? Making prints would help take my mind off of this crazy mess.

  Will was all smiles when I walked through the door. I dressed exceptionally well today, wearing the same cream dress I wore to that awful dinner with Connor and Ashlynn. It felt smoother on my body now, and I wore it with confidence, even though I thought I might trip and fall with my sky high heels. My hair was straight as I refused to curl it for my crazy nanny-hating reasons.

  “Becca! How was Miami? RJ said you and Corey did a fantastic job! Edna was super impressed and wants to stay with us for her next move!” Will was overly enthusiastic.

  I smiled at his sparkling green eyes and goofy expression. Will was a great boss, and I missed having him around.

  “It was great, but I’m happy to be home. I thought I would come in and check out what we had going on. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Of course not! Come with me and we will play catch up!” Will said, pointing towards his office.

  Will went over tons of different projects. Apparently we had almost doubled our clientele from the previous year. It was very exciting to see, and I was anxious to get started.

  The receptionist knocked on Will’s glass window, distracting us from intently looking at a plan for a marketing firm.

  “Hey, Becca. There is a gentleman here to see you, says his name is Connor Prince?”