The Billionaire From San Diego

by Susan Westwood

  “Already?”

  “Are you still moping around your apartment like a wounded puppy?”

  “No,” she lied.

  “Kelissa.”

  “Yes, fine. Yes. I have. But I feel better today. I just needed some time.”

  “It’s been a month.”

  “I know.”

  “How much more time could you need?”

  “I don’t know.” She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I just needed to sort things out.”

  “And?”

  “I’m starting to feel like my old self again.”

  “Good. How is David?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Haven’t you talked to him?”

  “He texted me to see how I was doing.”

  “And you told him?”

  “That I was fine.”

  “Seriously? Kelissa, you’re killing me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean. What are you doing? Don’t you love him?”

  “I do.”

  “And he came clean and you accepted his apology and understand where he was coming from, right?”

  “I did, I mean, I do. Of course, I do. None of what happened was his doing, and he admitted that he should have told me.”

  “Do you forgive him?”

  “I do.”

  “Then, what’s the problem?”

  She wanted to argue with him, to dance around his question and avoid the painful answer, but she knew her father, and he wasn’t going to leave this alone until he got the truth out of her. She groaned, then sighed, then took a deep breath.

  “There it is,” Demetrius laughed.

  “What?”

  “The truth about to be set free.”

  Kelissa laughed, shaking her head at the man who’d raised her, who knew her better than she knew herself. Demetrius Knight didn’t play around, and Kelissa had come to appreciate the straightforward, no-nonsense man he was. Except when she was the one on the hot seat.

  “I do forgive him, and I love him, Daddy. I really do. I even understand that he did what he thought was right, and he thought he was protecting me. I don’t agree with how he went about it, but—” she trailed off.

  “But his heart was in the right place, and he did it because he cares about you.”

  “Exactly. And when I needed him, he was there. He needed to go to a hospital and he pushed through and he was there for me. If he hadn’t showed up when he had—” her voice caught and she pushed away the tears that threatened.

  “But he did come when you needed him. Through everything, he was there when you needed him. And even though you didn’t really agree with how he went about it, he did everything in his power to keep you safe, and his foresight paid off.”

  “It did.”

  “So, what’s the problem? Did you like living in San Diego?”

  “I did. It was perfect.”

  “Did you like living with him?”

  “I did. There were some things I would change, but I was happy.”

  “Moving in with someone is a pretty big step. There are bound to be some challenges and room for improvement.”

  “That’s true. But it worked for us, and things were changing as we got to know each other better.”

  “As long as he was a gentleman.”

  “Daddy,” she laughed. “Don’t be a prude.”

  “So, what are you afraid of? And be honest. Don’t feed me some line of crap, because you know your old man is smarter than you think.”

  “I’m afraid of being hurt.”

  There, I said it, she thought.

  “Hurt by Chacon’s men, because they’re not going to hurt you again.”

  “No, I’m not afraid of him. Because when it came down to it, he was just as mortal and pathetic as the rest of us. There was nothing special about him, and seeing him grovel made him human.”

  “So, you’re afraid of getting hurt because you’re in love with David.”

  It wasn’t a question.

  “Yes,” she admitted. “You told me I would know when I really loved a man, and when he loved me back, and you were right. David is the perfect man for me. He’s strong, but he doesn’t have to act like an ass to prove it. He gets me, and he’s not threatened by my strength. He treats me like an equal even though he’s six years older than me and much more worldly, and he cares about my hopes and dreams.”

  “Is being with him easy?”

  “Yes. It feels so natural, and I can just be myself. He pushes me to do better than my best.”

  “Sounds like you two are good for each other.”

  “We are.”

  “And that can be scary.”

  “Were you ever scared with Mom?”

  “Are you kidding me? All the time. I was this washed up, wannabe street thug, and your mom was a straight A student, winner of the Science Fair, gorgeous woman who didn’t put up with my nonsense and wasn’t scared of me at all. I knew I wasn’t good enough for her, but she loved me anyway.”

  “I wish she was here right now,” Kelissa said.

  “I wish she was, too.”

  “I just want to ask her what she thinks. Is this how she felt about you? Was she scared? Or did she just know?”

  “She would say yes.”

  “But I asked two questions.”

  “I know you did,” Demetrius laughed, voice thick with emotion and happy memories. “And when you asked her if she just knew that I was the one, or if she was scared, her answer would have been ‘yes.’ Because she knew she loved me and she was scared out of her mind. But she loved me anyway.”

  Demetrius sighed.

  “You don’t have to ask your mom, Kelissa. You are so much like her that I know she’s in you, somewhere. Listen to what your heart is telling you. That’s what your mom would do, and that’s what you need to do. If you love that man, then love him. It doesn’t have to be so complicated.”

  “Except I’ve spent the last month ignoring him, and trying to hide from everything I’ve felt.”

  “So?”

  “I don’t know how to fix that. I should have stayed and worked through it, but I ran away instead.”

  “He understands.”

  “I know he does, and that makes it harder.”

  Her father sighed.

  “Look, Kelissa, just come to dinner Thursday and we’ll figure this out.”

  “Do you need me to come early to help?”

  “No. I have it all covered. You bring yourself and I’ll take care of the rest.”

  The Final Chapter

  Kelissa pulled up to her father’s house, parking down the street and grumbling that his neighbors had taken up most of the parking with all their Thanksgiving guests. It wasn’t the first time they’d done it, but it was the first time they’d allowed their guests to park in his space. She didn’t recognize the cars as she squeezed past them, careful not to slip on the little bit of snow that was accumulating in little drifts as it floated silently from the sky.

  The one car looked like a rental, so they must have had some out of town family come in for the occasion. She couldn’t really be mad about that, and she made a conscious effort to check her temper and let it go. It didn’t matter where they were parked, there was enough room for everyone, and Kelissa had a lot to be thankful for.

  She’d received a notice from her bank the day before, offering to schedule an appointment to talk about financial planning. At first, she’d been confused, but then she realized that she hadn’t checked her bank account since she left California. Panicked, she thought that she’d overdrawn her account, even though she should have had plenty with the money she’d made modeling, the money David had paid her for the bonus and the month of October, even though she hadn’t completed the contract.

  Was it possible that he had changed his mind and taken the money back out? Could he remove a deposit he’d made from his account? He couldn’t, right?

  Hands shak
ing, she signed onto her account, grumbling at herself for not downloading the app since Instagram and all her photos took up so much memory. If she had the app, she would know what was going on instead of relying on the register she kept somewhat up to date in her checkbook.

  To her surprise, there was much more in her account than she had thought, and David had made another deposit in addition to the ones promised. David had deposited fifty thousand dollars in addition to the twenty he’d paid for her escort services, and the five thousand she’d made modeling for the billboards. In total, she had a little over seventy-two thousand dollars in her account after her sponsors had paid her for her endorsements on her Instagram account, and her bills were paid up until April.

  She was shocked when she saw her balance, and she immediately called David.

  “Hi,” he’d said softly, answering on the first ring, his voice excited.

  “What’s the money for?” she asked without greeting him in return.

  “Breach of contract,” he said simply.

  “I didn’t breach the contract and why would—”

  “I did. Part of the contract stipulated that I would provide security and be responsible for your safety either by hiring a bodyguard or site security. I failed to do that.”

  “I told you I didn’t want a bodyguard,” she argued.

  “And I listened to you.”

  “Funny,” she shot back, but that familiar flutter was inside her again.

  She’d missed the sound of his voice more than she had realized. She’d tried to talk him into taking the money back, but he couldn’t be convinced, and she’d given up trying. He was a billionaire, so the money was a drop in the bucket to him, if that. But he knew that it was money she could use, and now that she had enough to manage her bills for the rest of the year and then some, she could afford to get new headshots and hire an agent without making much of a dent in the money. It also gave her a chance to get her career going without having to worry about money.

  “Thank you,” she finally said.

  “It’s the least I could do.”

  “You have to stop beating yourself up over that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I forgive you, and I know that it wasn’t your fault.”

  “Are you sure you’re not mad?”

  “I’m not.”

  “Then why aren’t you here?”

  She didn’t have an answer for him, at least, not one she was willing to share. Kelissa had always struggled to admit when she was wrong, and this was no different. She decided to change the subject.

  “Are you doing anything special tomorrow?”

  “I’m eating with family,” he said, his voice flat and irritated. “I know what you’re doing. Someday we’re going to have to talk about this. You can’t hide from your feelings forever.”

  “I have to go.”

  “Of course, you do. I hope that you’ll change your mind. It isn’t the same here without you.”

  She sucked in a deep breath, wishing she’d had something better to say, but in the end, she had just said goodbye and wished him and his family a happy Thanksgiving. She wanted to kick herself.

  Finally at the door to her father’s side of the duplex, she opened it and was greeted by the welcome scent of good food that filled the air. Her dad was an amazing cook, and Kelissa had been looking forward to this all week.

  “We’re in the kitchen,” her father called out when he heard her.

  “We?” she mumbled, then shrugged.

  He’d probably invited someone from work who had nowhere else to go to come to dinner. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d done that, but he usually warned her first.

  Smiling, she took her coat off and hung it up in the hall closet with her scarf and gloves. She went through the living room on the way to the kitchen, a soft, female voice floating through the open door that separated the two rooms.

  Did her dad have a girlfriend?

  Now she was excited, hoping that her dad had some news for her. It had been a long time since he had dated.

  It’s about time, she thought.

  When she crossed the threshold into the kitchen, she stopped in her tracks, staring at the woman sitting at the table. The other two guests had their backs to the door, but she knew who they were when she saw Marta.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, shocked to see Bill, David and Marta at her kitchen table, the Thanksgiving feast laid out on the counter and just waiting for Kelissa to arrive.

  “I invited them here,” Demetrius said. “Bill and I were talking, and we decided that you two need to talk. Face to face.”

  David had turned around, and she could tell from his face that things had gone down just like her father said. Their parents were meddling; there was no other way to put it.

  Kelissa looked at her dad, treating him to a glare that he hadn’t seen since she was a teenager.

  “We’ll talk about this later,” she said, then smiled at Marta and Bill. “I appreciate you guys flying all the way out here for dinner. You didn’t have to.”

  “We wanted to,” Marta said, standing and giving her a fierce hug.

  The shorter woman hugged her so tight that Kelissa almost couldn’t breathe, and she started laughing, hugging the woman back.

  “I’m glad to see you,” Kelissa admitted. “I’ve been thinking about you guys a lot lately. I’m sorry you had to give up your life because of what Roy did.”

  Bill shook his head.

  “It wasn’t all bad. We all go through things in life; the only thing that matters is how you deal with it.”

  Bill hugged her then, holding her like her father had when she’d come home, broken hearted and licking her wounds. Tears threatened, but she bit them back and held her composure.

  David was standing there behind Bill, waiting to see what she would do. Their eyes met, and she offered a weak smile, then motioned toward the door in the back of the kitchen.

  “Can we talk for a minute?”

  “Sure,” he said.

  He followed her into her old room and she closed the door behind him.

  “Was this your room?”

  “It still is, even though I have my own place.”

  “It looks like you.”

  “What does that mean?” she laughed.

  “I can see the experiences and memories that shaped who you are today.”

  “Why are you here?” she asked, cutting to the chase.

  “Because I love you,” he said. “Is that enough?”

  “I told you I needed space.”

  “You did. And I gave you space.”

  “But you’re here now.”

  He shook his head.

  “You and I both know that what’s going on now isn’t about space.”

  “You don’t know what I’m feeling.”

  “I have an idea.”

  “Then, what’s this about? Why don’t you tell me why I still think I need space, but you think it’s something else?”

  He sat on the bed, and patted the place next to him.

  “Sit with me, please. I’ve missed you so much it hurts.”

  She wanted to argue, but she couldn’t. She wanted to be close to him, too, and the pain in his eyes was too much. He really had missed her, and her absence was tearing her up.

  “I came here to talk, Kelissa. Because I’ve done everything I know to make this right, and I can’t. I want you home with me, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

  He took her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing her knuckles like he used to. Kelissa struggled to keep her walls up. She didn’t want to be vulnerable, but his touch brought back a flood of memories she couldn’t stop. His other arm went around her and he pulled her close, inhaling the scent of her when she finally allowed herself to melt into him.

  “I’ve missed this,” he said. “I’ve missed seeing you in the morning and coming home to you in the afternoons. I’ve missed dinners, and untanglin
g myself from you in the mornings. Kelissa, I love you. More than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it. If I have to move to Iowa, I will. Just say the word and I’ll do it.

  She laughed.

  “I don’t want to stay here the rest of my life.”

  “Where do you want to live? It can be anywhere. I’ll make it happen.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I can’t live without you. My life is empty without you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I was starting to think I was the only one who had fallen head over heels in love. I’m not used to being this way.”

  “Neither am I.”

  “What can I do to make it right?”

  “I don’t know. I want to be with you, and I want to live in San Diego. I was really happy there.”

  “What’s holding you back? Do you want a guard? Your own place?”

  “No. It’s not that. David, being kidnapped made me realize I’ve been taking my father for granted. I don’t have forever with him, and I can’t stand leaving him behind again. That’s not the only reason, but that’s a big one.”

  “Would he move?”

  “No. He’s been at his company since we moved here. He has too much here to walk away.”

  “You could visit him.”

  “I know. I wish he’d come with me, but I know that no matter what, I have to live my own life.”

  “Then where does that leave us?”

  “Here. In this moment. David, I just don’t want to get hurt. I love you. I mean, really love you. I’m just scared.”

  “What if we just take it one day at a time? You don’t have to make a commitment right away.”

  “That’s worse. If we’re not committed, then you can walk away.”

  “I wouldn’t do that. Kelissa, you’re everything to me.”

  “But you could.”

  “So, do you want to get married? We could elope if you want.”

  She laughed.

  “You’re always trying to fix things,” she said, bumping him playfully with her elbow. “I’m not quite ready for marriage, but I’m not saying no later on down the road. I just need to know that you feel like I do, and that we’re in this together. But most of all, I need to know that you trust me to take care of myself. I don’t want a man that treats me like I need to be coddled. I can handle myself. You need to believe in me.”