“But the rest, Kate, the money, the name, I don’t have any of that. I can’t compete with that.”
“Way, listen to me. I obviously don’t know Walker as well as you do, but what I see is a man who wants for nothing financially, who was forced to take over an entire company, then worked his ass off to make it bigger and better. Women have been throwing themselves at him for years right, but he hasn’t ever done anything other than one-night hook ups. The guy has everything, but, he doesn’t have a lot of friends, he seems kind of lonely, even unhappy, until you became part of his life. You, this shining, brilliant light, beautiful, loads of fun, caring, loyal. Walker doesn’t want a cold, society girl, that wouldn’t make him happy. You make him happy. Waverly, he may not know it himself, but, he’s in love with you.”
“Kate” she breathed, “I want to believe you, I really do, and I want to trust him, I just don’t know if I can. How do you explain what she said to me in the ladies room, how do you explain the charity thing? If he really felt that way about me then why would he keep working with her?”
“Talk to him about it Way. Try to trust him, communicate,” Kate urged.
She shook her head.
“I can’t. I don’t know if I really want to know the answer. I can’t get it out of my mind, the doubt, you know, the worry, that he’s just using me again,” she confessed.
“Have you tried? What would it take for you to truly forgive him? Obviously what Walker did was wrong, but he did apologize, for the engagement and the accident. Waverly, you know how hard he worked to get you back. If you really can’t get past it then you should tell him and get out. You can’t just keep holding this against him. It’s not fair to either of you - although it would absolutely crush him.”
“You’re right Kate, it’s not fair to him,” she sighed. “I don’t think that he would be crushed, though, he would run right back to Cece.”
“Way, she’s a crazy bitch. Walker confessed to Benn that it was childish, that he was lashing out to hurt you. Fucked up, I know, but think of how hurt he must have been to do something so drastic, right? Benn agrees with me that Walker is in love with you. Do you honestly think he would -,”
Benn wandered into her office, his eyes going directly to Kate questioningly.
“He, who? And, he would what, Kate?”
Benn asked, stepping over a couple of her haphazardly stacked piles on the floor moving to get to Kate. Kate beamed up at him, then stood up to kiss his cheek.
“Was this about me, should I leave? I sense an air of man hate in the room.”
Benn smiled adoringly down at Kate, Waverly felt like a child watching her parents kiss. Happy for them but quite hard to watch.
Waverly checked her texts, answered a few, then finally cleared her throat, “Helloooo.”
Benn finally dragged his eyes - and lips, away from Kate to look over at her.
“Hey Way, proofs look good?”
“Yes, they’re all signed off, we can go to press on them,” she assured him.
“Walker’s very happy with the results, Way. Great work on your part. First quarter returns are really up he says, so he’s got positive financial proof. Should take some of the sting out of that huge donation he’s making to the VanderCrest foundation. Big chunk of cash to cough up, even if it is great PR. Hey, maybe we should make a contribution? Whatshername just hit me up wanting to know if we were interested...”
Waverly groaned, hurling her pen at Benn as Kate smacked him in the back of the head.
“Shhh, Bean,” Kate hissed at him.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
It had been two weeks since the dinner from hell. Since their disagreement about the dinner from hell. Walker himself was still pissed that his parents had upset Waverly, and, still unhappy that she had walked out on him so easily. For the most part, she had moved beyond her hurt and anger with him over the engagement debacle. Although she was working hard to convince him otherwise, he was aware that her mood had shifted, thankfully deceit was not her strong suit. It was clear to him that there was now a part of her that she held back from him, he wanted her to remain as open with him as she had always been, he didn’t want her to hold anything back. Her anger, tears, happiness, he felt all that, the good and the bad, belonged to him.
She often teased him about how aloof he could be, and that was true, it had always been his way, but it had never been hers, not until that night with his parents. Waverly approached life with transparent emotions, her heart on her sleeve, it was one of the things he enjoyed most about her. She was a constant breath of fresh air, especially compared to the women from his prior social circle. Now, , Waverly had her own version of aloof before she was constantly rattling on about what seemed to him like every thought she had, the book she was reading, the day’s political news, the latest office romance. Now, there was a cautious shielding before she spoke.
He missed the openness from her, the silliness, Waverly was a stunningly beautiful woman, but that wasn’t what kept him panting after her like a schoolboy. Was he pussy whipped, fuck yes. He would willingly do or her, give anything to her. For years he had watched men give each other, shit about being whipped, now he understand why when accused, the men would just laugh and shrug it off. Having Waverly in his life wasn’t merely a good thing, it was everything.
So it was fine with him that Waverly pretty much consumed his thoughts, that he had no interest in any other woman. He wondered if she ever felt the same possessive jealousy about him - if she got jealous at all. He thought that she would hit the roof when he informed her of his necessary meeting with Cece, that she would be inflamed with jealousy. Was that what upset her about Cece. Was she concerned about him having sex with Cece or anyone else? Or was it something else, something she hadn’t ever told him? Something that maybe still bothered her?
He felt that whatever had rattled her was more than just dinner with his parents and her obsession with the blue blood issue, but he was still unable to pry a confession out of her. Her tears reduced him to putty every fucking time, and every time he touched her with the intention of consoling her they ended up having sex. Phenomenal sex of course. Typically he was happy not talking or doing the required talking with his hands and mouth, but it had come to his attention that successful relationships involved talking things out. He sighed heavily.
“Anne, do you have a minute?”
Anne appeared in front of his office desk, tossing a large heavy paperback textbook in front of him. He took one look at the bright yellow book cover then with one finger pushed the book back towards Anne.
“That’s a gift Walker, you can’t give it back,” she informed him, smiling victoriously.
“I don’t need a goddamn Relationships for Dummies book, Anne, but you might need a Finding a New Job book.”
“Walker that’s rude,” she huffed, “What did you need?”
She gathered the book into her arms.
“Have you talked to Waverly recently?”
“Yes we were both spinning during lunch yesterday, she was right next to me. Why?”
“Did she seem okay?”
THWUMP
The book was back in front of him. Other than maybe Waverly, Anne was the only other person he could think of who wasn’t afraid of him - unfortunately. He really should fire her and find a meek, fearful, young thing, right out of college who would quake in his or her boots whenever she, or he, was in his presence. Or, he could ship Anne off to work for the Defense Departments Counter Terrorism program interrogating prisoners...he wondered if she owned a gun. Fuck, he was letting his mind run off just like Waverly, next he would be crying at pet food commercials.
“What did you do now Walker?
“Anne I didn’t do anything. I simply asked you a question,” he answered trying to present a more threatening appearance.
“Have you considered that maybe, I just want to make sure that she’s happy.”
“Maybe,” Anne answered quietly, sitting cautiously in one of the chairs
across from his desk.
”Walker, you’re a very good man, I don’t think I tell you that enough.”
Walker stopped drumming his fingers on his desk.
“Thank you, Anne.”
Relaxing slightly she leaned back in the seat, then promptly leaned forward again.
“I thought she seemed irritated about something and maybe a bit sad. Usually, she’s so bubbly, but now sort of subdued, like she has something on her mind. I asked if she wanted to talk, but she said she was going out with Kate. I have to say that I was a little surprised, she always likes to hear the stories I tell her about you when you were young, so she doesn’t usually turn me down.”
“Fucking hell Anne, I think you’re working against me. Are my parents paying you?”
“You parents should be removed from this planet,” Anne huffed, “How you turned out to be such a fine man I’ll never know.”
“I had you, Anne,” Walker responded giving her a warm look.
Her eyes watered slightly and then she continued.
“You have to realize that it may take a while for her to fully trust you again. Try to be patient, she may keep some things to herself until the trust is back. And, you need to make very sure that you are completely honest with her.” Anne answered.
“She told you that she didn’t trust me?”
Anne shook her head slowly, “No, I just know that she doesn’t.”
“How? How do you just know that?”
“Walker, remember, I was hurt badly by a guy once myself. And...I’m a woman, and we know these things,” Anne replied gently.
Fuck. She had him there.
“Maybe it’s just PMS?” Walker suggested.
“Maybe she’s pregnant?” Anne countered, not able to contain her glee at the idea.
Walker choked on his coffee.
“Glad to know I’ve still got the touch.”
Anne smiled at him, lifting herself out of the chair, returning to her desk, chuckling the entire way.
Walker set his coffee down and grabbed his cell phone pulling up the Code Red period tracker App. Nope, no Walker Junior in sight. He gingerly pulled the book towards him and flipped to page one.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Waverly blew on her hands, enjoying the cold as she made her way on foot to Walker’s apartment, his place seemed as much like home to her now as her own apartment. A neurotically neat and organized home, though, Walker had even organized the things that she kept at his place, her hairbrush, toothbrush, and toothpaste were perfectly aligned in the drawer. He had informed her the drawer was specifically hers, to place her specific things in, not on the sink or counters.
A night out of drinks with friends was exactly what she had needed. After regaling all of the women with the story of dinner with Walker’s parents, Kate had blabbed to everyone about the almost nightly texts from Walker, then Lydia had stolen her phone and proceeded to read a number of them out loud to the group. They all swooned and oohed and ahhed, Becca had even cried, drunk tears but still. Listening to them try to convince her that Walker had no interest in Cece, after a drink or two of her own, Waverly had allowed herself to believe them.
The streets were showing early signs of Christmas, many businesses already decorated with lights and decorations. Christmas was just a little over a month away and she was looking forward to spending it with him. He wanted them to go away to some tropical island, but she didn’t want to leave Chicago this Christmas, she was one of the few who enjoyed the Chicago cold and snow. Looking up finding that she was only a block away from his place, from him, she walked a little faster.
The broken engagement with Cece would always bother her. Walker had admitted doing it for the sole purpose of hurting her, and clearly, that was wrong, but even though he didn’t think of himself as human, he was and had admitted it was a mistake. There was still no official declaration of how he felt about her emotionally, and because it wasn’t brought up she had avoided admitting her feelings to him. Sure, he wanted her physically, wanted to keep her to himself and not share her. A typical, alpha male, viewpoint certainly. But did he believe that they were soul mates, or that his feeling were growing toward something more permanent? As much as she wanted to she didn’t think so.
As she pushed the button at the front door, her emotions wavered, although she did feel better about ‘them’ a little more time to sort out her thoughts was what she needed, because, one more wrong move by either of them and things would end.
Before the front door closed, she was snatched up. Walker lifted her into his arms and strode down the hall carrying her.
“Where the fuck have you been!?”
He was walking so fast that her head was bouncing against his chest.
“I told you I was going out with friends. Stop, what are you doing!?” She demanded.
Was he truly angry? She had informed him of her plans, he wasn’t happy about her being out for the night but then he was never happy when she was away from him.
“Well that’s the end of that,” Walker stated.
“Stop. What are you doing! What is your problem!??”
Laughing and yelling, she struggled in his arms. The door banged loudly against the wall when he kicked it open with his foot.
“I texted you four times and called you twice,” he growled.
Walker had reached the bed and tossed her onto it, she bounced once, then settled, pushing her hair out of her face.
“You can’t tell me what to do and you can’t just carry me around putting me wherever you want,” she huffed at him.
“You and that goddamn cell phone. You look at it or answer it every time it fucking chimes, beeps or chirps. Am I the only person in the whole goddamn world that you don’t answer?”
His hands rested on his hips defiantly, his expression unreadable, hanging out at home for the night he was dressed casually in worn jeans, and a black thermal, with the sleeves, pushed up. The forearms she loved to run her fingers over were bulged. His dark hair cut close on the sides with the top slightly longer was rumpled. Studying him, his powerful body poised before her, she started to feel warm all over, he looked really good when he was...
“Waverly!”
He snapped at her, putting his foot up on the bed and shoving it up and down to recapture her attention.
“It was loud, everybody was talking, I was having fun and I just forgot about my phone,” she confessed.
“Oh, you were having fun? You didn’t think that I would be sitting here wondering if you were okay? Wondering whether you were drunk and needed a ride home. Or if you had been attacked and were lying in a ditch.”
This was unusually dramatic for him, if she told him that he sounded like somebody’s mother right now, he wouldn’t take it well.
“I was worried about you. You have been brooding and aloof lately. The least you can do is answer your goddamn phone when I call.”
“So you’re mad at me and shouting at me because you were worried about me? You’re always brooding and aloof, but I don’t shout at you,” she responded thoughtfully.
“Fuck me, I cannot win,” he muttered, rubbing both of his hands over his face wearily.
Her lip quivered, tears threatening, Walker frowned looking confused, exasperated and worried all at the same time.
“Aww dammit, I made you cry again.”
He sat down and opened his arms for her.
“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad, I won’t shout anymore, I was worried, though when you didn’t answer.”
Waverly scooted herself over to him climbing onto his lap.
“You were worried about me?”
“And, I wanted you here...with me” he replied sliding his arms around her waist.
“You are so sweet,” she whispered into his neck, her voice breaking.
“I’m a man, baby, don’t call me sweet.”
Still holding her tightly to him, Walker leaned over and grabbed the entire tissue box from the nightstand sile
ntly handing it to her, “Here.”
Waverly leaned her head down to rest on his shoulder, they lay there quietly until she had finished and was only sniffling. Gently shifting her off of him and making sure that she was comfortable he rose and left the room, she would have worried that he was leaving for good but it was his apartment. She had reached over to steal his pillow to tuck under her when he walked back in holding a scotch. Slowly pacing back in forth, with an occasional sip of his scotch concentrating on whatever was on his mind. He was not a restless man, he wasn’t lazy by any stretch of the imagination, he was decisive, came to a decision then acted. Cautiously optimistic she waited to see whether he would share what was troubling him
“Have I driven you to drink,” she joked halfheartedly.
“No more than usual,” he stated calmly, taking a drink of his scotch with his eyebrows raised at her.
“I’m going to ask you a question but, I’m warning you now if you throw anything at me I’m going to turn you over my knee and spank you.”
“I’m sure you’d like that,” she answered, her body tingling at his casual warning.
“I’d fucking love it,” he nodded flashing a quick grin at her, “And so would you,” he continued with a heated look in his eyes.
Setting down his empty scotch glass he moved back to the bed leaning over her to drop a kiss on top of her head.
“Back to my question. Wave, are you or could you be pregnant?”
“Pregnant? No, I’m not pregnant! Why would you ask me that? ”
She gaped at him. Astonished that he stood there so casually, untroubled unclasping and removing his watch while discussing possible fatherhood. He thought she was pregnant? And, he wasn’t upset, or angry or freaked out, she was freaked out and she knew that she wasn’t pregnant.
“Okay, stay calm, don’t freak the fuck out, I’m not angry or upset. I just wondered because you’ve been more...emotional recently. Just thought I’d check, to make sure.”
He leaned over to place his watch on the nightstand.
The Dumbf*ck - Part Two of The DumbFuck Series: A Billionaire Bad Boy Humorous New Adult Romance (The DumbF*ck Part Two Book 2) Page 9