Page 21 of Tied Up in Riches

“Try me.”

Maybe I was too immature then to deal with this the right way, but I’ve grown now. And he’s exactly who he’s always been. If he’s still that same shady guy, I should take this threat seriously. Even though my mom doesn’t support the things I want for my life, she’s still my mom. I don’t want her to lose her livelihood because of me. “Fine. I’ll be there. Send me the confirmation. Are we done here?”

“Not even close. I’ll be seeing you.”

I mumble some sort of acknowledgment before hanging up and immediately calling Cam. He's my only friend who has met Mom and Beau. There's something great about people you don't have to explain details to because they just know.

He answers on the second ring. “Hey, babe.” The pet name from my best friend hits different compared to when Beau says it. “What’s up?”

“Hey.” I sigh in defeat, feeling like I’m twenty again, trapped and alone in a bed I don’t want to be in with someone I never want to see again.

“Oh no. Hold on.” I hear a scuffle, like he’s leaving the room he’s in, and then the background noise goes silent. “What happened?”

“Beau. He’s such a piece of shit.”

“Bitch, I’ve been telling you that since we were sixteen and he wouldn’t help us make a pyramid for the Bring It On dance.”

A genuine laugh leaves me. “He missed a solid opportunity to see up my skirt.”

“Always an Aaron, never a Cliff.” I imagine him shaking his head as he clicks his tongue.

The next laugh gets caught in a sigh, and there’s silence between us for a moment. “He threatened to get my mom fired if I don’t come home. Do you think he has that power?”

“What the fuck?” I echo his momentary silence before he continues. “I don’t know. The board loves your mom for all the sucking up she does, and the club would honestly fall apart without her. I’d like to think no one would let that fuck boy make a call like that. Especially when his mommy wears the pants in that family, and she’s your mom’s best friend. But…”

“But what?” I insist.

“They just put in a new fountain on the front lawn of the club. It’s so big, it’s an orange couch short from being Friends.”

“What does that have to do with Beau?”

“He paid for it–along with a ridiculously large plaque with his name and credentials carved into the gold. Yes, real gold.”

“Do you think he has any idea how tacky he is?”

“Tackier than the whale tail making a fashion comeback.”

“Cam,” I chuckle. “You’re getting off track.”

“Sorry, sorry. Look, I don’t know how much power he has over something like this. I can ask around, but I wouldn’t take his threat lightly. He’s done worse for less.”

I groan, hating this. “He bought me a flight, you know?”

“Oh, fuck. Yeah, I’d say he’s as serious as an owl trying to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.”

“I know you’re trying to lighten the mood here, but your sparkling personality is feeling a little extra right now,” I tease.

“Blame my date. That man knows how to banter. He’s got me at the top of my game.”

“God, I’m sorry! This could have waited until tomorrow. Go, go. Give me the details after you sneak out of his place in the morning.”

“I’m thinking I might stay for breakfast. Apparently he knows how to stuff French toast.”

“CAM!”

He chuckles. “Seriously, though. You might as well come home if you already have a flight.”

“Anything from Beau has strings.”

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