Page 93 of Chasing Xander
“Well, c’mon in.”
“Thank you.” She stepped into the office. The room was much bigger than she expected, decorated with plush furniture and a huge mahogany desk. Bookshelves lined the walls, and the only light came from an overhead fixture. There wasn’t even a window.
“Please, have a seat.” Ethan nodded toward one of the armchairs.
She sat and rubbed her palms on her jeans.
“So, Xander filled me in on some of your situation. Why don’t you tell me everything?”
Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “I will, but first I feel like I need to apologize. Xander told me about his classes last year and the trouble he was in for failing. I tried to convince him to stay on campus, but he wouldn’t listen, and well…” She paused to take a breath. “I don’t want him to get into more trouble because of me.”
Ethan smiled warmly, and she relaxed a little. “Xander is definitely the most stubborn child I’ve ever known. But we raised those boys to always help others, and I know he wouldn’t have missed classes if it weren’t important.”
“I’m very smart,” she blurted and then cringed. “I mean, I’m on an academic scholarship, and even though we’re in different programs, I can help him study. Actually, we have been studying together two or three times a week, and he’s been going to open study almost every night. I’ll do what I can to make sure he passes.”
He patted her hand. “That’s very kind of you. Xander knows what’s at stake, and I’m confident he’ll do the right thing. He usually does.”
“Thank you.”
He sat back in his chair and folded his hands on his lap. “Now, tell me about you.”
After spending almost an hour talking with Mr. Collins, Kylie felt much better about her inheritance and how to handle it. He’d explained everything in terms she could understand, and he laid out a plan to help her manage her new wealth.
“You know you don’t have to do this.” Ethan handed her a client agreement and a pen. “I’m happy to help you as a favor to my son.”
“I know, and I appreciate that.” She smiled, took the pen, and signed her name on the agreement. “I want to do this. You’ve been so helpful. Besides, I’m sure I’ll mess something up. It makes me feel better to know I can call on you for help when that happens.”
Ethan nodded and signed his name above hers. “Okay, then. As soon as I get all the information I need from Mr. Stanton, I’ll get to work setting up a trust and a high-interest–bearing account for your stock dividends.”
“Thank you.”
He set the signed client agreement on top of his keyboard, then folded his hands on his stomach. “Before you go, there’s something else I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Oh, uh, okay.” She glanced around, wondering what else he could possibly want to talk about. Hadn’t they covered everything? Her stomach knotted, and she clutched the arms of the chair.
“I’m probably overstepping my bounds here, but Xander mentioned the situation with your father.”
Bile rose hot and thick in her throat, and she swallowed hard against the nausea warring inside her. “With all due respect, sir, I don’t want to talk about my father, and I really don’t see what he has to do with any of this.”
Ethan stood and came around the other side of his desk, taking the seat beside her. “He specifically has nothing to do with this, but people like him do.”
She tilted her head in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m sure Xander has told you about his trust fund.”
“Yeah, he said he had one, but he didn’t tell me how much. And I didn’t ask. I don’t care.” Her face heated with embarrassment. “I mean, I care. About Xander. I’m glad he has a trust fund. I just don’t care how much. It’s none of my business.”Shut up already.She sighed.
His eyes crinkled with a bright smile, and he patted her hand. “Let me give you the same advice I gave my boys. Be careful who you tell about your wealth. Money has the potential to bring out the worst in people, and even though you might not want to believe it, there are far too many people out there who will try to get close to you for that reason alone.”
Kylie nodded, and her stomach settled enough that she didn’t feel like she was going to throw up all over the office floor. That would suck. She’d bet this carpet was worth more than one year’s tuition.
“Now, I don’t know what’s going on with you and Xander, but—”
“Oh, we’re just friends,” she said quickly.
He smiled knowingly, like he didn’t believe her. “Well, regardless of what’s going on with you and Xander, be careful. I’ve always told my boys to find the woman who doesn’t care about the money and hold onto her. And now I’m telling you the same: find that one man who doesn’t care and don’t let him go.”
She had no idea what to say. Her throat burned with the threat of tears, and she inhaled sharply. He not only gave her his professional help, but he also gave her fatherly advice, which was something she’d never had growing up. Xander had no idea how lucky he was. She fought against the tears and nodded.
