I drove slowly, looking at house numbers. Thom lived in an unassuming neighborhood of modest homes. The houses weren’t small, but they weren’t something I’d imagine someone as rich as him living in either. I wondered if his neighbors realized they had a billionaire living among them. I suspected they didn’t.

I found his house and turned into the drive. Like its neighbors, the house was faced with brick, in this case a ruddy red, with a tidy, well-maintained lawn. It wouldn’t surprise me if Thom did the yard work himself. I sat for a moment, gathering myself.

Thom was unlike any man I’d ever been with. He called me a couple of times over the past week, just to talk, and I got at least a good night text from him every day. It made me feel all warm and squishy inside that he was thinking about me. No man had ever been so considerate, and I wasn’t sure how that made me feel. His attention made me realize how I’d been treated like property my whole life, and that left me evaluating my life choices. Where had someone like Thom been my entire life?

I shook it off and walked to the front door, listening for the rolling thunder of a hog. Now that I knew the Ravens were keeping tabs on me, I sometimes noticed them hanging around my apartment. They hadn’t bothered me, but just having them there was upsetting. They used to be my friends, but now they were treating me like an outsider. I rang the bell.

“She’s here!” I heard Bailey call from inside, then the thumping of running feet. “Hi! Come in,” he said as he opened the door. “Dad and Bláithín are in the kitchen.”

“Thanks.”

I stepped into a typical new construction house, with high ceilings, hardwood floors, and neutral walls. I glanced around. The house wasn’t huge, but it was far larger than my apartment. It was decorated with saddle brown leather furniture arranged on a deep red and brown area rug, with several large prints on the wall. It was tasteful and masculine, without being a cave.

“Hey! Glad you could make it,” Thom said as he appeared, wiping his hands on a towel. He gave me a quick kiss. “Come on into the kitchen.”

I followed him, stepping into a bright, airy kitchen with composite counter tops and a beige tile floor. A young woman was standing at the sink, tearing lettuce.

“We’re having spaghetti. Dad makes the best spaghetti sauce, ever!” Bailey said as we stepped into the kitchen.

“Bláithín Byrne, Carolyn McDowell. Carolyn, Bláithín,” Thom said, making the introductions.

I held out my hand, being polite. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Bláithín said, her Irish burr very pronounced.

I didn’t know what to think. Bláithín couldn’t be much over nineteen or twenty, far too old to be Thom’s daughter or Bailey’s friend. She seemed very comfortable, like a longtime friend or family member. She was a pretty girl with large eyes, long blonde hair, and a slim build that made me think of an elf. I didn’t know if Bláithín was a live-in girlfriend or what, but I didn’t like the situation at all. I knew Thom was too good to be true.

“I didn’t know you were having other guests,” I commented. I tried really, really hard to not sound bitchy, but I wasn’t sure I was able to completely pull it off.

Thom grinned. “She’s not a guest. She lives here.” As I frosted over, his smile spread. He was having me on. “Bláithín is Bailey’s au pair.”

I’d heard the term, but I wasn’t sure what it meant. “Au pair?”

He nodded. “Like a nanny, except she lives with us.”

“I see,” I replied, my voice cool. At least Bláithín had the decency to look embarrassed.

He chuckled. “She runs Bailey to school, helps him with homework, stuff like that.” He could tell I wasn’t completely buying what he was selling. “I travel, so I need someone here to watch Bailey while I’m gone.” He held my eyes a moment, his face serious. “Bláithín, will you and Bailey excuse us for a moment?”

“Come on, Bailey,” Bláithín said, herding the child from the room.

He took me by the shoulders and turned me to fully face him. “Look, I didn’t realize this was going to be a problem. I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not. She’s an employee, nothing more. If you want to leave, I’ll understand, or we can go out if you prefer.”

I looked down, feeling guilty. Even if he was fucking her, it was none of my concern, except I wasn’t going to play second fiddle to her. I looked up and met his eyes. “Sorry. I was just caught off-guard.”

“No worries. You’re not the first person to think I’m sleeping with her. I know the neighbors think I am, but I’m not. She has her own room and I absolutely do not go in there. Sometimes I want to because it’s such a mess, but it’s her room.”

“Maybe if you’d warned me.”

“Why? If she were babysitting Bailey, would you think I was sleeping with her?”

“That’s a little different than her living here.”

“Did you know she was living with me until just now?”

I looked down again. “No.”

“There you go. We okay?”

“I guess. Yeah.”

“Think of her as my daughter if it makes it easier.”

“Kind of old to be your daughter.”

He rolled his eyes. “Then pretend.”

“I guess I should apologize, huh?”

“Don’t worry about it. We’re used to it. Just know that we’re not sleeping together, and I have no interest in taking her to bed.”

“Why? She’s very pretty.” What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I accept what he was saying and let it go?

“Because she’s too young, she trusts me, and it would be wrong. I’m not that kind of guy.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay. Sorry for being the bitch.”

His lips quirked as he tipped my face up. “I’m flattered you were jealous.”

“I was not!” He didn’t say anything, holding my gaze, that small smile still on his lips. “I wasn’t!” I insisted. “Not really. I was just…I don’t know…surprised, I guess. Surprised, and I wasn’t going to be two-timed.”

“Well, I’m going to pretend you were jealous anyway because it makes me feel good about myself.”

I snickered. “You’re awful.”

He slowly shook his head, his eyes merry but his face twisted into woeful misery. “I am. I really am.”

“Oh, stop it!”

He searched my eyes for a moment. “If the situation makes you uncomfortable, we can go out.”

He was so damned reasonable! I sucked it up. Even if he was lying, it wasn’t like I hadn’t shared a lover before. If I found out he was lying, I’d be out of there before he had time to unzip, but until then, I’d be damned if I was going to act like some insecure snowflake. “And miss this fantastic spaghetti sauce I’ve heard about? Not a chance.”

He smiled, nodded, and smooched me on the lips. “Bláithín!” he called before he turned away and started buttering bread. “Want a glass of wine?”

“No thanks.” Bláithín and Bailey appeared. Her eyes were down, unable to meet mine. I couldn’t easily apologize with Bailey standing around, so I tried something else. “I love your accent, Bláithín. Where are you from?”

“Kilkeeny, Ireland,” she said, brightening a little.

“Can I help you with anything?”

She brightened a bit more. “No, but thank you for offering. I’m just shredding lettuce for our salads.” She went back to her task.

“Is his spaghetti sauce as good as Bailey said?” I asked.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled as I tried to draw her out. “It’s made differently than what we get in Ireland, but yeah, it’s fierce stuff.”

I looked first at Bailey then Thom. I knew what fierce meant, but it’s usage was all wrong in this context. “It means it’s good,” Bailey said.

“Oh!”

“Bláithín uses funny words sometimes, like banjaxed, fair play, and knackered.”

“Which means…?”

“Broken, good, and tired,” Bailey explained.

“Ah. Banjaxed. I’m going to remember that. ‘I’m sorry, sir, your motorcycle is banjaxed.’” I turned when Thom snickered. He was pulling a huge Dutch oven out of the range. “What’s that?”

“Awesome sauce!” Bailey cheered.

“Is that what you call the spaghetti sauce?”

“Yeah, because it is.”

I stepped to the stove and Thom opened the lid. Inside was a thick, bubbling, red concoction that smelled wonderful. “Chri…Criminy, that’s enough to feed an army!” I said, censoring myself for Bailey’s benefit.

“Yeah, but it freezes well for later.”

I felt useless as Bailey set our salads on the table, Bláithín poured three glasses of wine and a glass of pop for Bailey, and Thom put the noodles on to cook and slid the bread into the oven.

We sat down and munched through our salads. Bláithín had relaxed considerably since our misunderstanding, and she was fascinated that I worked in the service department of a Harley-Davidson dealership. She was just like me at her age, enamored by the biker lifestyle. I wanted to warn her off, but she didn’t ask my opinion and it was none of my business. After the salads, we served our plates in the kitchen. Bailey was right, it was ‘awesome sauce.’

“This is amazing! This is your recipe?” I asked between bites.

“My mother’s actually, modified.” He winked at me. “When I first started to make a little money, I stepped up to this from Ramen noodles because it makes a lot, spaghetti noodles are cheap, and Bailey likes it.” He glanced at his son, and I could see the love in the faint smile that played on his lips. “Don’t you?”

“It’s awesome!”

It was hard to believe it was as bad as he said it was, but he didn’t say it like he was trying to impress me or illicit sympathy. He said it like I’d say I had a hamburger for lunch. “I agree. It is awesome.”

Dinner was nearly over when my phone rang. Everyone looked at me. “Let it ring,” I said. If it was Rock, I didn’t want to answer, and if it wasn’t, they could leave a message.

I was stuffed, again, by the time dinner was over, but Thom brought out some doughnut-looking things with melted chocolate. They looked and smelled wonderful, and I decided I had just enough room left to try one.

“What are those?” I asked as he placed the plate and small container of chocolate on the table. He left without answering but returned a moment later with two cups of coffee in his hands.

“Zeppole.” I didn’t know any more after he answered my question than I did before I asked, and he must have seen it on my face. “Italian doughnuts. You dip or drizzle them with the chocolate,” he explained as he placed a cup in front of me and at Bláithín’s place-setting. Bailey brought a glass of milk for himself with Bláithín on his heels carrying another cup for Thom, along with small saucers and clean forks.

“Did you make those, too?”

“No. There’s a bakery where I get them. I did warm them in the oven and melt the chocolate, if that counts.”

I picked one of the warm dough balls off the plate, drizzled a bit of chocolate over the top, and took a tentative bite. “Delicious.”

If I wasn’t so full already, I’d eat the whole plate. I took a sip of the espresso, and it was just as good as I remembered and went especially well with the zeppelins, or whatever it was he called them.

“You know, for a guy who claims to have survived on Ramen noodles, you seem to have refined taste.”

He stared into his coffee for a moment. “I think it’s because I couldn’t afford anything before. I used to go to McDonalds with a coupon and get two burgers for a dollar. I’d eat one and save the other until the next day.” He looked up at me, and I no longer doubted he’d had it tough. I could see the pain of memory in his eyes. “I got so tired of worrying how I would afford to buy milk for Bailey or having to choose between food or rent. If I never eat potted meat or boxed macaroni and cheese again, it’ll be too soon. It kept us alive, but I never want to have to live like that again.” His gaze returned to his cup, as if seeking answers, then he looked up at me and forced a smile. “Because I never really had any money, I don’t spend a lot. I buy what I need, and I live comfortably, but I don’t feel the need to have a big house, expensive cars, or extravagant vacations.” He paused and seemed to shake off the dark thoughts. “Having said all that, since we have to eat, and because we eat mostly at home, it doesn’t cost that much to eat well. I enjoy cooking, and now I get to enjoy all the stuff I couldn’t afford before, like espressos, and steak, and zeppole,” he said as he gestured at the dessert.

“Why didn’t you get some help?” I asked softly.

“I didn’t qualify. It wasn’t that I didn’t have income, it was that I had to spend everything I made to keep the business afloat.”

I felt a little sorry for him, and the irony that I felt sorry for a man as wealthy as he was didn’t escape me. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that now.”

“No, and I’m investing carefully to make sure I never do.”

My phone rang again, and since dinner was over, I checked to make sure it wasn’t important. It wasn’t. Rock was calling again. I silenced the phone and dropped it back into my purse. No letting him upset me, and no running home tonight.

I felt like a fourth wheel. I offered to help, but Thom and Bláithín both poo-pooed the idea. They were a well-choreographed operation. Bailey cleared the table, Bláithín loaded the dish washer, Thom put away leftovers, and I tried to stay out of the way.

After the kitchen was tidied, Bailey and Bláithín disappeared into their rooms. “Want to go for a walk?” Thom asked.

“I’d love to.”

He made a stop to tell Bláithín we were stepping out, and then we strolled through the neighborhood. There was a bit of chill in the night air, so I snuggled in close. He took my hand and we walked in a comfortable silence.

The more I got to know Thom, the more I liked him. I liked that he was self-made, and that having a lot of money didn’t suddenly change him. He obviously loved his son a great deal, and I liked that he respected Bláithín. I’d watched them, and there wasn’t a hint of anything beyond what he’d said. He clearly cared for Bláithín, but I could see he looked at her more like, if not a daughter, then perhaps a niece.

“I had a lovely evening. Thank you for inviting me to dinner,” I said, feeling very relaxed and comfortable.

He squeezed my hand gently. “I enjoyed having you.”

“Is there anything you can’t do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re a self-made billionaire before the age of thirty, you’re a great cook, a coffee connoisseur, and you run marathons.”

He snickered. “I don’t run marathons. Those guys are machines. As for the rest, I learned to cook because I had to. I put in a lot of work, but there was some luck involved in getting to where I am now. The coffee thing… I don’t know if I’d call myself a connoisseur, but I know what I like.”

“And you’re modest, too.”

He bobbed his head, his face twisting comically as if he were thinking about it. “Yeah, you’re right, and now that I have modesty, I have everything.”

I giggled. “I left out funny.”

“Hmmm,” he hummed. “Maybe I am perfect.”

“You have a line for everything, don’t you?”

“Maybe. Is being a smart-ass considered a positive?”

“I don’t know, but you’re doing fine so far.”

We walked for almost an hour, talking some, other times enjoying the quiet. The neighborhood was well lit with street lights, and though I was still a bit nervous walking in the dark, I drew comfort from Thom being completely at ease. I was completely turned around as he led us through the development and we were only two houses away when I recognized my car. He’d led me in a big circle that brought us back to his house. I was chilled from the night air, but there was a warmth inside me I hadn’t felt in a long, long time.

“I probably should go,” I murmured as we turned and sauntered up the drive. I almost hoped he’d ask me to stay the night. He opened the door and I stepped into the welcomed warmth of the house.

“Okay, but I hope you’ll join us for dinner again sometime.”

“I’d like that.”

I said goodbye to Bláithín and Bailey before he walked me to my car. I was a little disappointed he hadn’t asked me to stay. I could understand why with Bláithín and Bailey there, and this was technically only our second date. If he wasn’t going to ask me to stay, I wanted a proper good night kiss. I paused at my car, which was all the encouragement he needed. His hands cupped my face as his lips closed over mine. He didn’t slobber all over me or try to slip me the tongue, but the caress of his lips was deep and earnest, causing a very pleasant warmth to spread through me.

He slowly pulled back and we smiled at the same time. I sighed. “That was nice.”

“Very,” he agreed.

I thought he was going to kiss me again, something I wouldn’t have objected too, but he opened my car door instead. I didn’t want to go, but I was cold.

“I had a great time,” I said as I lowered myself into my car.

“I did too.”

“Call me tomorrow?”

His lips twitched. “Count on it. Be safe.”

He shut the door and I started my car. He stood, watching as I backed out of the drive. I was uncertain how to get back to the main road in the dark, but through luck managed it. As I drove I thought about his kiss. Desire was there, but he was the perfect gentleman. That was something new for me too, and I liked it. I liked it a lot.

I was still thinking about Thom when I pulled into my spot at my apartment. While I could appreciate him not pressuring me, a girl had needs. I’d never been, for lack of a better word, romanced before. I was used to having a few beers and then getting down to business. I locked my car and started for the steps, wondering how long it would be before Thom asked me to his bed.

“Where have you been?” I squeaked in panic and surprise at the voice as Rock stepped out of the shadows.

“None of your business.”

“You didn’t answer my calls.”

“Huh, imagine that.” I tried to step past, but he blocked me.

“I said, where have you been?”

“None of your fucking business! Now leave me alone.” I started past again, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop

“You were with him, weren’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I told you if you started fucking anyone else, it would be bad for you.”

“What I do is none of your business. Now leave me alone before I call the cops.”

“What’s his name?” I glared at him and said nothing. Rock’s hand flashed out and clamped around my throat. He wasn’t hurting me, but I was truly scared now. “You’re going to tell me his name or I’m going to fuck you up right here.”

I pulled at his hand but it was like a vice. “All I have to do is scream,” I threatened.

“Do, and that’ll be the last sound you make before I break your fucking jaw. Now tell me his name.”

When I said nothing, Rock’s grip tightened down, cutting off my air. I began to struggle, pulling at his hand, but I was no match for his brute strength.

“What are you going to do?” I gasped, struggling to breathe, both my hands around his wrist.

“Nothing. I just want to know who the competition is.”

I didn’t want to tell him, but his grip tightened further. “Gregg!” I rasped. “Thomas Gregg!”

The grip relaxed. “Where does he live?”

“I don’t know.” His face hardened. “I swear,” I lied. “He lives in Elwood Creek, but the place is huge. I got lost just trying to get out of there.”

“How’d you find his house, then?”

“He met me at the entrance. I followed him to his house.”

“If you’re lying…” he growled.

“I’m not, I swear!”

He released me. “I want you to stop seeing him.”

I nodded. “Whatever you say, Rock.”

“Have you fucked him?”

I shook my head. “No. This was only our second date.”

“And it better be your fucking last.”

“It will be.”

He softened. “That’s more like it. How about I come up to your place and we make up?”

“I’m on the rag,” I lied, knowing he wouldn’t want me if I was.

“Fuck. Okay, but you’re my old lady, right?”

“Always.”

He reached out, grabbed my head, and pulled my lips to his. The kiss was hard and uncaring, completely unlike the soft, warm kiss Thom had given me, but I kissed him back, allowing him to probe my mouth with his tongue. Anything to get him to leave.

“How about I come up and you blow me?” he asked when he released me.

“You hurt me, Rock. You hurt my throat. I can’t.”

“What’s happened to you?” he snarled. “You’ve turned into a complete pussy!”

“Why don’t you let me choke the shit out of you, and then you see how much you want a horse cock in your mouth?” I flared. Rock was about average, but I always told him how big he was to stroke his ego.

“Fine, goddammit.” He pointed a thick finger at me. “Stay away from him.”

I nodded. “Whatever you say.”

He turned and strode away. As soon as I was sure he was leaving, I spun and ran up the stairs to my apartment. With shaking hands, I unlocked the door, slammed it behind me, and locked it.

I took a couple of deep breaths to get control of myself, then dug out my phone. I took another deep breath to steel myself. Avoiding the cops was deeply engrained from my time with the Ravens, but Rock had crossed the line. He still didn’t get that we were through, and I was going to have his ass thrown in jail for roughing me up. I dialed 9-1-1 and waited for the operator to answer.