Cougar Boss

by Kerry Belchambers

  “I wish I could say the same about you,” I said, pointing at him from top to bottom.

  “Come on, chicks dig this messed up, artistic look. They find it deep,” he said.

  I couldn’t help laughing. “It’s deep when you’re working. Not so much when you stop for a chat, which by the way I should be apologizing for. I’m sorry for interrupting your flow. If you want I could come by later.”

  “Are you kidding me, sit down.”

  I went and took a seat.

  “You want something to drink. I’ve got water and a couple of beers.”

  “No, I’m good.”

  “How’re you holding up between work and studies?” he asked.

  “Would you believe me if I told you that I actually like it?”

  He came and sat beside me. “Knowing you the way I do? I would believe it.”

  “It’s challenging and exhausting, but when I get home really late in the evening, I love knowing I’m doing something meaningful with my life. I finally have direction and zero baggage.”

  “I can imagine. The last few years you’ve struggled so much. It’s refreshing to know there’s nothing trying to get in the way of that.”

  I was about to agree when the thought of my brother’s unexpected and unwelcome appearance crossed my mind.

  “What?” Rex said.

  I groaned and leaned back against the couch. He knew all about my brother so I knew what his reaction would be even before I told him. “Remember how last time we talked, I said I’d send money home to start helping out?”

  He nodded.

  “My brother found out and showed up at my apartment a couple of days ago.”

  “You gotta be kidding me!”

  “He claimed he only came to check up on me but I know him better, so I told him he couldn’t stay with me and gave him some money to go live in a motel or something.”

  “When is he leaving?”

  “He said he wanted to stay in New York for a while, try out his luck.”

  “I hope he doesn’t cause you any trouble.”

  “Me too,” I said, recalling Amelia’s words. I’d hate to see you show weakness when it comes to your brother, someone you know will hurt you at any opportunity he gets. “I don’t want Amelia to think I’m weak after everything that’s happened.”

  “Amelia?”

  I turned to face Rex, realizing I’d slipped because he was still unaware of the progress I’d made with Mrs. Gallagher. “Uhm, there’s something you need to know.”

  I took a deep breath and watched his anxious expression, wondering how he’d take the news.

  “Ame—. Mrs. Gallagher and I, are sort of involved,” I said, and bit into my lower lip.

  “What!” The shock was evident on his face and his voice.

  “That whole speech you made after you got back from your cruise gave me the courage to go after her.”

  “Wow, how long has it been going on?”

  “Since the corporate gala party.”

  He had a thoughtful look on his face. “Didn’t we spend the following afternoon together?”

  I slowly nodded.

  “Why didn’t you tell me then?”

  “It all happened so fast. I wanted to absorb it, to really believe it. I mean, before then we’d only flirt, touch, and sometimes kiss. I showed up at her penthouse unannounced and I swear I thought she’d turn me away. I’d wanted her for so long there was an excruciating ache inside of me.”

  “I can’t believe you’re telling me this just now.”

  “I’ve wanted to tell you but I’ve been so preoccupied since then.”

  He exhaled and went silent for a moment.

  “I’m sorry, Rex. I didn’t intentionally keep it from you.”

  “So what exactly do you mean when you say you’re sort of involved?”

  “We’re sleeping together,” I said, wishing there was more to it.

  He watched me for a couple of seconds then smiled widely at me. “How’s it like? I mean, how do you feel? You must be ecstatic!”

  “It’s mind-blowing and I wish I could say I couldn’t be happier but it’s a complicated situation. But I can’t complain. She has started to open up to me and I’m getting to know her. She’s letting me into her world.”

  “Oh, my God. Liv, you’re in love with her.”

  His statement caught me off guard because I didn’t expect him to confront me with feelings that were only known to me. “I am,” I said.

  “Does she feel the same way?” he asked.

  The question made me think about everything Amelia had ever said to me regarding our situation and it felt like a nail had been forcefully jammed into my heart. The impact was so powerful, I involuntarily tore up.

  “Oh, Livvy.” Rex reached for my hand and gently massaged it.

  “The situation is complicated,” I said as I wiped away the tears. “She’s married, so her family comes first.”

  “She cares about you though, right?”

  I nodded. “That’s what she said, but I can’t help wanting more.” I knew what I’d been getting myself into when it had all started, so I didn’t know why I was getting all emotional. “I feel so stupid.” I reached for a tissue in my purse to dab the tears and got to my feet in an attempt to compose myself.

  “You shouldn’t, Liv. Who knows, things could change.” He said as he stood up and approached me.

  “Change would require her to reciprocate my feelings for her. It would require her to leave her husband, tell her kids, her friends and probably even the public; a public that greatly loves and respects her for her high family values. Does that sound like something that could happen in this lifetime?” I asked, trying to swallow the painful ball that had settled in my throat.

  “You never know.”

  “I think what makes it worse is the thought that I may not be the first person she’s done this with, which means I’m disposable to her.”

  Rex closed his hand over mine and slowly turned me to face him. I tried to keep it together but the pitiful look in his eyes broke me and tears streamed down my cheeks.

  He took me in his arms and I momentarily forgot his clothes were full of paint. Since I was already in his arms, I relaxed and held him back, letting him console me the best way he knew how.

  “You met in a world where you two would never naturally have met. You got to be in a position many people have envied, and you’ve gotten to know her in a way that most people can only dream of. You two were destined to meet and in this lifetime Livvy, if you ask me, anything is possible.”

  I tightened my hold on him at his comforting words and let the calm settle back in. When we pulled apart, he took the tissue in my hand and dabbed it over my tears.

  I was a little surprised to see my outfit was still in good condition. I touched his overalls and realized the paint had dried up. When he noticed, he smiled at me and gently ran the back of his hand over my cheek.

  “She’ll fall in love with you. She’d be crazy not to,” he said.

  I took a deep relaxing breath and exhaled. Rex took my hand and led me back to the couch. “Tell me more about your time together,” he said.

  “Well, the sex is amazing!” I said and we both broke into laughter as we settled back down on the seat.

  I didn’t go much into detail about our sexual encounters. I only told him mostly about the experiences I’d left out in the period of time Amelia and I had started getting close.

  When we were done and he was back on track on everything that had happened in my life, I felt guilty for having kept him in the dark for so long because he was such a wonderful and supportive friend.

  “Someday some lucky girl is going to snatch you up. I hope it’ll never change our relationship,” I said.

  “Never,” he said.

  He’d never been in a serious relationship and whenever he tried dating, for some reason it never worked out. I hoped there was a special girl out there for him who’d be able to appreciate
him for the amazing person that he was.

  I went back to my apartment later on in the evening, leaving Rex to continue with his painting. Spending time with him, opening up to him and sharing my feelings made me feel a whole lot better.

  He hadn’t been up to much since the last time we’d met so he didn’t have much to fill me in on.

  After I ordered some take out for dinner, I hit the books. Healthcare, I’d come to learn, wasn’t that much different from Business Administration. It was the languages I was having a little trouble with but I knew with extra effort and a little bit of time, I’d come to excel.

  Halfway through, I heard a knock on the door and went to open, expecting my food delivery but was met by my brother. He stared back at me with that smug look on his face and I tightened my jaw, wondering what he was there for.

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he asked.

  “What do you want?” I asked.

  He pushed the door open and walked in right past me. His arrogance irritated me.

  “You need a little attitude adjustment towards me or I may not be so nice to you,” he said.

  “When I asked you to leave, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to see you again quite so soon.”

  “That’s a mean thing to say,” he said as he walked over to the coffee table where my laptop and some of my books were laid out. He picked up one of the books, scanned through it and deliberately closed the page I’d been studying.

  I gritted my teeth, trying not to appear upset because I knew he derived joy from the cruelty. “Why are you here?” I asked.

  “To let you know that I discovered your dirty little secret,” he said.

  I tried not to react but my heart palpitated. “I really don’t have time for this.”

  “You don’t have time for your family but you have time to go screw your rich old boyfriend?” he said accusingly.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Come on, Livvy. I followed you to work yesterday. I followed you to that huge mansion. I know who lives there. That penthouse you spent the night at, it belongs to the guy who owns the house, doesn’t it? What’s his name? Gallagher? Patrick Gallagher?”

  My heart almost stopped. He thought I was having an affair with Mr. Gallagher? I didn’t know what worried me more, that he’d gotten so close to discovering the truth, or that he could use the inaccurate knowledge to manipulate me.

  “Greg, you don’t know what you’re saying.”

  “It all makes sense now; this apartment, the fancy clothes, jewelry, and the job. Do you even work or does he just pay you to screw him?”

  I was so insulted by his remark, I walked right up to him and smacked him hard across the face. “Do not disrespect me,” I said.

  He ran his hand over his cheek and gave me a menacing look. “I hit a nerve there, huh?” he said. “I told you I’d figure out this mysterious little life you lead.”

  “Whatever you think you know, it’s wrong.”

  “It can’t be, I can tell by the look in your eyes.”

  “What do you expect to gain from this? What is your goal? Are you trying to find something that you can use to hurt me? Is that why you’re still here? Is that why you’re taunting me right now?”

  “This mightier than thou attitude you’ve got going is not a good look on you,” he said, cupping my chin in his hand.

  I knocked it away and created distance between us. “You’re my older brother. You’re supposed to set an example and be my role model but all you’ve ever done was take, take, take without regard for anything or anyone else.”

  “Is that what you think?” he asked.

  “It’s what I know.”

  “Yeah, well while you’ve been in New York for the past four years, dad has had two heart attacks and a mild stroke. What have you done to help him? What have you done to be there for the family?”

  I was stunned into silence.

  “You’ve been shacking up with your boss, living this fancy little life, forgetting you left your family behind. And what, you thought some money would help bridge the distance? You thought it’d help make it feel like you care?”

  I sat down on the couch, deaf to everything he was saying because I was still stuck at the first statement he had delivered about my father. “Why didn’t you tell me this when you first got here? You said he had a cold, that there was nothing to worry about.”

  “Mom didn’t have the heart to tell you. She didn’t want you to worry.”

  “She didn’t want me to worry? Its two heart attacks and a stroke! You had every right to tell me.” I got back to my feet, oblivious to the fact that I had raised my voice.

  “What difference would it have made?” he asked in nonchalance.

  I wanted to smack him again. “I would’ve come home.”

  “And done what?”

  “Something,” I said hopelessly.

  I was almost certain he’d kept that piece of information to himself in order to use it at the appropriate time when it’d cause the most damage.

  “Get out,” I said.

  “What?”

  “Get the fuck out of my house!” I screamed.

  He walked past me and left the apartment. A minute later when I was pacing back and forth fuming in rage, I heard another knock on the door. Thinking it was Greg again, I yanked the door open and was met by a surprised expression of the delivery guy.

  I paid him, tossed the food on the table and after calming myself, I called home. When I heard my mother’s voice, the anger flew out of me and tears of sadness engulfed me.

  “I’m so sorry I haven’t been a good daughter,” I said.

  “Oh, honey, what’s going on?” she asked.

  “Greg just told me about dad’s heart attacks and stroke. Why didn’t you tell me? And don’t say it’s because you didn’t want me to worry.”

  “They were minor heart attacks and a mild stroke. He’s doing much better now.”

  “It doesn’t matter, Mom. He’s my dad. I love him. I care about every single thing that happens to both of you.”

  “Honey, I’m sorry. I know how hard you work. I just didn’t want to add any more stress onto that.”

  Tears fell freely from my eyes now that there was no one around to see me express myself. “Is he there? Can I talk to him?”

  “Sure,” she said.

  A moment later, his voice came on the phone. “Hi honey,” he said.

  “Hi Dad.”

  “How are you?” He asked.

  “I’m fine, Dad. How about you?”

  “I’m alright. I couldn’t help overhear some of the conversation with your mother. I don’t want you to worry yourself over this whole thing now, you hear? I’m strong, and I’m not going anywhere.”

  I tried hard not to sob as I held onto my mouth to silence myself. “I love you, Dad,” I said weakly.

  “Your mother and I love you too, very much.”

  “I’ll try and see if I can get some time off from work and come see you.”

  “That would be nice, we’d really like that.”

  I took a deep shaky breath. “Can you put Mom back on?”

  “Sure sweetheart.”

  “Livvy?” Mom said.

  “Mom, promise me you’ll tell me first thing if anything else happens. Please promise me,” I pleaded.

  “I will, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”

  “I’m sorry too,” I said.

  “Are you and Greg getting along?”

  I couldn’t tell her the truth. “We’re trying.”

  “Good, that’s good to hear.”

  “I have to go now. I’ll call soon, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “I love you, Mom.”

  “I love you too, sweetheart.”

  I curled up into a ball on the couch long after we’d hang up thinking about them both. I was terrified to think it might have taken a tragedy for mom to tell me about dad. I felt guilty because I didn’t call home as often as I shou
ld have and the fact that it had taken Greg to make me realize it made me feel sick.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  During the following couple of days, I tried to keep myself focused but I couldn’t stop thinking about my dad. I was extremely concerned for his health and knew I wouldn’t be able to relax until I saw him.

  I was hoping I could talk to Mrs. Gallagher and ask her to give me the weekend off so that I could fly home and go spend some time with my parents, but I was too busy and the timing was always lousy because whenever we saw each other one of us was always rushing off.

  She called me to her office on Wednesday afternoon when I got back from a meeting. I was emotionally drained and a bit tired because of the worry and stress.

  I tried not to think about what Greg had said about me sleeping with Patrick Gallagher, but I couldn’t help worrying about how he’d use it against me. I wanted to tell Mrs. Gallagher but something told me not to, because of the impact it would have on our relationship.

  “You wanted to see me,” I said when I walked into her office.

  “Yes, please take a seat.”

  I approached her desk and took a seat across from her.

  “You want to tell me what’s been going on? You seem distracted lately,” she said.

  I couldn’t believe she’d noticed. I guess I hadn’t done a very good job of hiding it. “It’s just family related problems,” I said.

  “Is it Greg?” she asked.

  I quickly shook my head. “It’s my parents.” I took a breath “I recently found out that my dad has been sick and no one told me. He’s suffered two minor heart attacks and a mild stroke.”

  “What? How come no one told you?”

  I groaned at my parents’ poor reasons. “They said they didn’t want me to worry but now I can’t seem to do anything but worry.”

  “How did you find out?”

  My conversation with my brother passed through my mind. “My brother and I were arguing and he told me out of spite.”

  “Shouldn’t you have gone back home by now to check up on your dad? I’m sure that would worry you less,” she said.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you if I could, but we’ve both been so busy.”

  “Olivia, you should always put your family above everything else. You can take my private jet and leave first thing tomorrow morning. How long do you need to stay?”