A Love Like This (Book 1) (58 page)

“
Shauna and I
 
both
 
own twenty-five percent of the company.
 
Our combined interest is more than my dad
’
s
 
so you have the job if you want it.

I was in shock when I found out he was a millionaire.
 
Now that I know he
’
s actually a billionaire
 
I feel a little nauseated
 
because I
’
ve always thought of rich people as pompous and entitled.
 
 
“
This whole thing is surreal,
”
 
I say.

“
What
’
s wrong?
”
 
 
I
’
m sure my uneasiness is
 
written all over my face.
 

“
You
’
re a billionaire.
”

He frowns,
 
“
I guess if I sold everything I own it would equal a billion dollars.
 
Does that make you uncomfortable?
”

“
A little,
”
 
I say.
 
He takes the documents
 
tosses them back into the car locks the
 
door and
 
grabs
 
my hand.
 

“
You
’
re more important to me than all the money in the world.
 
I
’
d give it all away if that would make you happy,
”
 
he says wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me for a kiss.
 
“
We can live on Raman noodles and juice boxes like other college students.
”

“
Would you really do that for me?
”

“
I
’
ll call my accountant now and have him choose a charity.

“
You
’
re so dramatic,
”
 
I say taking his hand and walking back towards the house.
 
 
He
’
s nuts if he thinks I
’
m giving up my new credit cards.
 
 
The room is eerily quiet
 
when we
 
step
 
inside.
 
Everyone, even the kids are staring at each other blankly.
 
 
I slide over to Sarah who is the only one in the room who appears to be amused.
 
“
What
’
s going on?
”

She is bubbling with excitement.
 
 
“
Jermaine just told everyone that he
’
s accepted a job in the Bay Area and that he will be moving in two weeks and
 
Nickie
 
just told everyone that she
’
s pregnant.
 
This is good stuff,
”
 
she says delighted by the drama of it all.
 
She leans over and whispers,
 
“
I think Riley might be the father.
 
I still can
’
t believe she slept
with my brother.
 
It
’
s all fun and games until someone gets knocked up or catches Chlamydia.
”
 
 
 
Tucker walks over to talk to Mike and I look around the room for
 
Pookie.
 
I find him in his bedroom stretched out on his bed with his hands covering his face.

“
Why didn
’
t you tell me you got a new job?
”
 
I say sitting on the bed next to him.
 

“
I wasn
’
t sure if I was going to take it.
”

“
Are you leaving because you
’
re upset with daddy?
”

“
Your dad apologized and I believe he
’
s sincere but I
’
m not ready to embrace a father son relationship as if
 
nothing
’
s
 
happened.
”
 

“
I understand,
”
 
I say
 
looking
 
around
 
Pookie
’
s
 
room.
 
It looks like the cover of an
 
interior design magazine.
 
 
 
“
So
 
Nickie
’
s
 
pregnant.
 
That
’
s crazy right?
”

“
Yeah that
’
s insane,
”
 
He says sitting up.
 
 
“
Can you imagine what it
’
s going to be like in the
 
delivery
 
room?
 
 
Picture it.
 
We
’
ll all be sitting on the edge of our seats waiting to see if the little bugger comes out black or white.
”

My eyes widen.
 
 
“
I hadn
’
t thought about that.
 
I just assumed it was Riley
’
s baby.
 
Having a baby by Damian would be the worst thing in the whole world.
”
 
 
There
’
s a knock on the bedroom door and my mother sticks her head into the room.
 

“
We
’
re going to head back to the house.
”
 
She looks over at
 
Pookie
 
with sorry eyes.
 
He gazes down at his hands for a beat
 
then stands up and walks over to hug her.
 
 
“
I hope that you
’
ll forgive me someday,
”
 
She says before turning and walking out of the room.
 
I brush away tears
 
and
 
Pookie
 
turns his head to hide his tears.

“
I should get going as well.
 
Hey listen,
 
Tucker and I might be taking a little trip.
 
How would you like to house sit while we
’
re gone.
 
You can keep the
 
stalker away from my
 
Manolo
 
Blahnik’s
.
 
Or better yet I can pay you to redecorate while we
’
re gone.
”

“
That might work.
 
I haven
’
t found a place to stay yet.
”

“
I
’
ll run it by Tucker and give you all of the details later.
”
 
 
I cross the room
 
to hug him.
 
“
I love you.
 
Please let this go so that we can be an almost normal family again.
”

*****

I am both sad and
 
relieved to leave LA.
 
The
 
trip was
 
overwhelming.
 
The hour long flight back to the Bay Area is
 
mostly quiet.
 
 
No
 
one
 
is saying much
 
except
 
for
 
Sarah. She says
 
that she and
Nogood
 
decided to just be friends.
 
She says
 
that she could see
 
herself getting serious about him and that terrified her.
 
 
“
Well at least you didn
’
t sleep with him,
”
 
I say
 
looking at her hopefully.

She rolls her eyes
 
to the ceiling.
 
“
Well of course I hit it,
”
 
She says
 
looking at me as if I
’
d
 
made a ridiculous statement.
 
How else would I know that I like him?
 
I
’
m
 
too exhausted to argue with her so I
 
rest my head on Tucker
’
s shoulder,
 
close
 
my eyes and
 
pretend to sleep
 
while she tells
 
the woman sitting
 
on her other side
 
about everything that happened this weekend.
 
 
She tells
 
her about the
cleaning stalker, about my new brother uncle, about my surprise birthday party,
 
and about
 
Nickie
 
potentially
 
being pregnant by Riley.
 
 
I listen while she tells the woman why Riley would be a terrible father.
 
She says that he is selfish and dishonest.
 
She says
that he
’
s cheated on every girl he
’
s ever dated.
 
 
I can no longer ignore her when she says that he
’
s forced the
 
last three women he
’
s
impregnated to abort the baby.

“
Don
’
t you think you should have shared this information with
 
Nickie?
”
 
I say lifting my head to face her.
 

“
I did
 
tell her.
 
 
Nickie
’
s
 
exact words were
 
he may not have to force her to abort the little bastard.
”
 
 
I shake my head and grimace.
 
I try to think of a response but what can I say.
 
I return my head to Tucker
’
s shoulder.
 
 
I can
’
t deal with
 
Nickie
’
s
 
problems.
 
I hope
 
she figure
’
s it all out because the
 
family drama has left me exhausted.