Page 36 of Boyfriend Maintenance

“Really?”

“Really. It’s always been hard for me to make friends. To even date for that matter.”

“Why’s that?”

“Silly boy. Because of the stupid money.” I dig a finger into his side. He reacts by twitching and grabbing my hand. Someone’s ticklish.

“If money buys happiness, doesn’t it buy friends?” He doesn’t let go of my hand, but plasters it to his chest, covering it with his own.

I snort. “Money absolutely doesn’t buy happiness if you're already lonely. When you live the high-society lifestyle, it’s hard to find friends that are the real deal. I was lucky to find Bex at such a young age, but usually the friends you make in those kinds of social circles are really only friends by association.”

“Uh.” I can tell he’s trying to wrap his head around my explanation.

“Remember that show from several years ago,Gossip Girl?” I hated the show, mostly because it was way too close to the life I was living and hated. No, I obsessed over shows likeSmallvilleandGilmore Girls. Shows from small towns that featured loving parents and supportive friends. Not absent parents and backstabbing socialites.

“Yeah, caught my brother, Kevin, watching it a few times.” He chuckles.

“I bet you had fun with that.” I smile, this conversation is so easy with him despite the topic.

“Hell yeah, I did.”

“Well, that show … that was what real life was like for me. Having a group of friends but knowing in a heartbeat that they’d all turn their back on you at any moment. You never know who your true friends are until the shit hits the fan.”

“That doesn’t sound like a great life.”

“It isn’t when you don’t spend your days gossiping and spending Mommy and Daddy’s money. Neither of those things interested me. Don’t get me wrong, I love shopping. And I didn’t mind having unlimited funds, but I also knew that I would give it up in a second if that meant that I could start making my own life decisions. What extracurricular activities to be involved in, what colleges I would apply to, even though one had already been chosen for me.”

“I get it. You had the world at your fingertips, but it wasn’t yours to do with how you pleased.”

Yes, he finally does get it.

“Exactly. Once I hit eighteen, I started defying my dad’s decisions. He was not happy with me going to Cornell, but I told him I’d find a way to pay for it myself or I wasn’t going to any college. He couldn’t have that. Whichever son of some high-profile businessman I ended up marrying someday would expect a well-educated housewife. So, I got my college of choice. When I graduated, I told my dad I was done living by his rules. It didn’t go over well. It has been several years now and, as you can tell, things between my family and me aren’t easy. But I’m happy and not having a lot of money suits me. I’ve come to appreciate things. I still love to shop, but I’m on a strict budget.”

I chuckle to myself about how I’d really love a bigger clothes budget.

“You said dating is hard. Why?”

“I never know if a guy is into me because of my name and the money they think I have, or if they are into just me.” Craig was the last guy I had a relationship with, but I’ve attempted to date since then. People recognize the King name and unless I change my name, I won’t ever be able to escape the legacy.

“So, the fact that I clearly wasn’t interested in you because you had money made things easy for you?” His tone is light, but I know I need to tread carefully.

I look up at him, to get a read on his expression. “My reputation couldn’t be worse in the world I come from. If you weren’t into me because of my money, then I knew you were safe.” It’s honest, and I hope it doesn’t piss him off. He nods once, staring up at the ceiling, taking it all in.

After a few quiet moments, he asks, “Why didn’t it work out with Craig?”

I sigh. Craig, oh Craig. “Craig’s dad and mine were college roommates. To be clear, my father lived in the dorms only about six months before my grandfather bought him his first apartment. But Jerry and my dad stayed friends. I grew up with Craig. He’s two years older than me, and we got along fine as kids. We weren't friends, yet we didn't dislike each other. Right before I graduated, my parents started pushing me to start dating, to get serious. Craig seemed like a well-adjusted adult, so if I had to date someone, I thought the fact that I already knew him was a good place to start.

“We dated for two years. We were together when I walked away from my family’s money. He wasn’t happy but I suspected that he didn’t really care all that much. We never really loved each other. When he started pushing me to quit my job and start using my trust, I realized that he’d never support my need for independence, and that we were just wasting each other’s time if we stayed together.”

“He’s a tool,” Jake grumbles, sounding mad.

Suddenly I wonder if we’ve exceeded our after-sex cuddle and chat time. But he doesn’t move away, his arm is still firmly wrapped around me. I stare off across the room unsure of what to say next. Until he speaks first.

“I think I needed you to be some rich trust-fund brat.”

I suck in a breath, whispering my reply. “Why?”

“So, I wouldn’t fall for you.” His voice is low and gravelly.

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