Chapter 19
Rena
On Wednesday, I met Holly for lunch. So much had happened since I’d last seen her, and Holly had been on vacation with her parents after winning three tickets in a competition, so there was a lot to talk about.
“How was it?” I asked when Holly and I sat down.
“It was great, but I’m glad I’m back,” Holly said. “It’s hard spending time with my parents when we’re together like that. They can’t help but see me as a child that has to fall under their rules again.”
“It’s hard to be a kid in the house again, huh?” I laughed. I was trying to see the light side, but I couldn’t help but think about everything that was going on in my life. Somewhere out there was a woman who’d had triplets and wasn’t able to raise them. Staying with parents for a week or so seemed so small in comparison.
“What about you?” Holly asked. “How are things between you and Brent?”
I grinned when Holly said it. Her expression changed to surprise when she saw my face. She knew what it meant.
“You didn’t,” she said.
I laughed and nodded. I told her about my trip to Boston and how things had gone for us. She listened, enthralled.
“So, you’re living your fairy tale,” Holly said when I finished my story.
I shrugged. I left out the part about the condom breaking. There was no reason to tell Holly about it when there was no reason to. I wasn’t going to fall pregnant according to my calculations, anyway.
“I’m glad you did it. I guess because he’s such a rickety old man he’ll go for someone so young,” Holly teased.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head, but I was smiling. Holly supported my decision to be with an older man, but she didn’t understand it and she forever made jokes about it.
“Is it weird dating someone who’s old enough to be your dad? Imagine what your dad would say about it.”
I shook my head. “First of all, he won’t say anything because he doesn’t need to know. It’s none of his business. Second of all, Brent is not a rickety old man. He’s more than capable of giving me the best time.”
Holly laughed. “I didn’t need to know that last part.”
We laughed together about it and ordered our food and coffee before we continued talking.
“So, what is this expedition you’re dragging me on?” Holly asked.
“I need a desk for my new office. Brent gave me his credit card so I can choose whatever I want.”
“That’s deliciously dangerous.” Holly winked.
“I’m only going to get what I need, I’m not going to go mad. But I would love some company.”
“Of course. There’s nothing as fun as spending someone else’s money. Count me in.” She smiled. “So, tell me about what’s going on with the PI you mentioned to me. What was that all about?”
I hadn’t told Holly the full story yet, so I told her about how I’d met with Morgan Taylor. When I explained to her that I had asked to meet my sister, Holly looked shocked.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Holly asked.
“Why?”
“You have so much on your plate right now. And it’s a big deal.”
“I know it is,” I agreed. “But I don’t think I can just leave it. I spoke to my mom, and she’s okay with me possibly meeting my birth family.”
“Okay,” Holly said, but she sounded skeptical.
“I’ll be all right,” I said with a chuckle. “You’re more worried about my emotions regarding the sister I never knew I had than the sex I’m having with my boss.”
“Should I worry about your emotions with your boss?” Holly asked. I realized how it had sounded, and I shook my head. There was nothing to be worried about, I told myself. I was trying to convince me and Holly of the same thing. But it wasn’t something I was willing to think about right now. I had other things to focus on, like my new job and how things were going to go when I finally met Zoe. I had no idea what to expect, and it was nerve-racking. There were some things life just couldn’t prepare me for, and this was one of those things.
“I don’t know how you deal with this,” Holly said after we had talked about Morgan Taylor for a while longer. “I wouldn’t have been able to do all of this alone.”
“I wasn’t alone,” I said. “Brent went with me.”
Holly raised her eyebrows. “Brent, your boss?” I nodded. “He went with you to a personal meeting with a private investigator about a long-lost sister.” I nodded again. “Do you want to tell me again how there’s nothing I need to worry about?”
I laughed. “It’s not like that. He was just being sweet. He knew I was panicked, so he offered to come with me. When I started out, I hadn’t known Morgan was a woman, anyway. So he was being protective and gallant.”
“Oh, gallant. Well, that changes everything, doesn’t it?” Holly smirked.
“Stop teasing,” I said, but I was smiling and blushing. I hadn’t wanted to have this reaction when Holly asked me about him, but I couldn’t help it.
“Tell me you’re not in love with him,” Holly said.
“Of course not. He’s my boss. We have no-strings-attached sex. That’s all.”
“You’re a booty call.”
I laughed, but the last comment stung. I knew Holly was only joking, but that had hit a little close to home. I wasn’t a booty call for Brent. Even though I had flown all the way to Boston at his request. Even though he had had his way with me there, just as he had wanted it. But I had wanted it, too.
That didn’t disprove that it was a booty call, but I wouldn’t take it. It was consensual, and I was under no illusions about where Brent and I stood. Even though I might have felt differently. Even though I sometimes imagined there being more. Brent had made it all very clear. It was fucking, and when we were done, we were done. I had to keep that in mind.
After lunch, Holly and I headed out to the store to pick out a desk. As soon as we found the office furniture section, I realized how big a job it was to choose a desk. There were so many to choose from, different shapes and sizes and colors.
“What are you looking for?”
“Something simple and practical,” I said. I didn’t care how much it did or didn’t cost, all I wanted was something that would work in my office.
We worked through the desks. I had a size in mind and a color scheme that would work in my office. I finally settled on a desk that was larger than the one I had at the moment, a light brown with drawers and chrome handles.
“I think this is the one,” I said, running my hand over the tabletop.
“This one? Why don’t you get something bigger and better? More expensive?” Holly asked.
“Because it’s not about the money. A more expensive desk won’t do more than this one can. I need something functional, something I like, and this is it.”
“I would have used his cash while I had it,” Holly said.
“I know. But it’s not about the cash,” I said again. “It’s about getting what I need.”
I wasn’t about to give Brent the satisfaction that I spent more money than I needed. He already wanted to pay for everything and throw money at me. I wasn’t going to let him think I might want it. I wanted to be as sensible with his money as possible to prove to him that it wasn’t about that for me. Sure, Brent was loaded. But money meant nothing. I knew of rich men that were still horrible people. Money didn’t buy goodness.
I would be as attracted to Brent even if he weren’t a billionaire. Again, it wasn’t about money to me. It was about a connection—however physical—and that was the end of it.
I found a shop assistant to help me and arranged for delivery, paying with Brent’s card. When we were done, Holly and I left the store. She headed home after she had taken the afternoon off to spend with me, I went back to the office to give Brent the slip for the desk.
Brent wasn’t in a good mood. I had asked if he wanted to come desk shopping with me before I’d left. But he’d given me his card with a scowl and dismissed me in a way he hadn’t done in a long time.
I knocked on his office door and stepped in.
“You’re back,” Brent said.
I nodded and walked toward him, slip in hand. “I found a desk.”
Brent took it from me and glanced at it.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“It’s the money I spent on the desk.”
“I know, but why didn’t you take more money and get yourself something bigger and better? You weren’t on a spending limit.”
I was starting to get irritated with everyone telling me I had to spend more of Brent’s money.
“Because I didn’t need anything bigger or better,” I said. “I found something I liked at a reasonable price, and I paid for it.”
I handed Brent his credit card.
“It’s not a sin to spend money, Rena.”
“It's not my money to spend.”
“In this case, it was. I said you could.”
I shook my head. Why was money such an issue? I was getting angry.
“I don’t want to spend your money. I don’t care about your money and how much I can have. I needed that amount”—I pointed at the slip—“and that’s it.”
Brent looked angry, too. What the hell was he so upset about? I was sick and tired of Brent assuming I was here for his money.
“If you want I’ll give it back to you,” I snapped.
Brent sighed. “That’s the opposite of what I want. Now you’re just being difficult.”
“If you’re going to keep pushing this, I can show you how difficult I can be.” I stormed out of the office. I wasn’t some kind of gold digger. I wasn’t here for Brent’s money. It had never been about that; I had more than enough. Whatever was going on between us was above materialism. Holly had never said it to my face that she thought I was there for his cash, but her comments about spending all his money today made it seem like she thought that way.
And now Brent was upset about it, too. I wasn’t here for the damn money. I was tired of it being an issue. I was glad I’d gone shopping alone, without Brent badgering me to spend more. He might have won me over with those sky-blue eyes and that charming smile of his.
I was seething. I could barely think straight. I had to take care of work, but I couldn’t concentrate through my annoyance. Holly should have known better; she was my best friend. I understood if Brent didn’t get it. But someone should have understood.