Page 79 of Fractured (Not Quite a Billionaire)
She laughed. “That’s why. Because she’s sixteen.”
I went to her, took the sponge from her hand and chucked it into the sink, then pulled her in for a cuddle. “Rough, eh,” I said against her hair when I felt her sigh.
“Oh, a bit,” she said, going for airy and not quite succeeding. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this.”
“Mm. We’ll have to manage it together, then. Why didn’t you come say good morning to me?”
“I didn’t want to bother you.” Her voice sounded a bit choked, or maybe that was my imagination. “You looked so busy.”
“I was.” I stepped back and gave her a kiss on her soft mouth. “But a kiss doesn’t take long, eh. And hang on a tick, will you? I’ve got something to show you, since we’re on the subject. You could make another cup of tea, maybe, sit a bit longer.”
“Do you want one?” she asked. “Or actually—I wondered if you’d have time to take a little walk for an hour or so.”
“Warm out there,” I said dubiously. Late July, to be exact, and the mercury was rising fast this morning. I had too much to do, and Eugene coming in the afternoon.
“I’d like to anyway, though. We could…I don’t know. Walk in the park. Get an iced coffee or something. A half hour, even, if that’s all you have.”
I started to say no, but she was looking tense again. Why?
Oh. “Am I meant to…” I began cautiously. “Be doing something more with you than we’ve been doing?” Which, come to think of it, had been…what? Dinner out once a week, a few workouts in the same gym, and, yes, sex.
Huh. That had suitedme, but maybe…“Am I not paying enough attention to you?” I asked.
“What?” she said. “No. I know you’re busy, and we’re not…courting anymore, or whatever. I get that.”
“Rules of negotiation again,” I told her. “If you want something, ask for it. Don’t tell me it’s all right that I’m not giving you what you need.”
She looked confused, as well she might. Once again, I was ceding territory I didn’t have to, breaking all my own rules. She finally said, “I don’t know what’s reasonable, I suppose. I’ve never lived with anybody. But OK, I do want to go for a walk and have a talk. If you can.”
I sighed. “Don’t say ‘if you can.’ Just ask.”
“I just did,” she pointed out, and I had to laugh and give her one more cuddle.
“Then we will,” I said. “In a few minutes. First, I’ve got something to show you.”
Perfect timing, actually, while she was softened up. I hadn’t broken my rulesthatmuch. Strategy was in my blood, after all.
I came back a few minutes later to the slammed door that was Karen leaving the apartment in a huff but without black stockings. There were two cups of tea on the counter, and Hope was back on her stool. I sat down myself, put one of the documents in front of her, and said, “Here you are.”
Deed of Trust,it read at the top, followed by two pages of legalese.
She began to read through it. “Hemi,” she said, flipping to the second page and scanning it. “This is…”
“Karen’s educational trust. Signed by me, as you see, with the two of us listed as trustees. Done and dusted.”
“But this is two hundred fiftythousanddollars. And we aren’t even married.” Her hand was shaking some, and the paper was rattling.
“Yeh.” I put my hand over hers, because I couldn’t stand to see Hope shake. “You forgot to add ‘yet.’ Not even two more months, baby. We’re going to get there. Meanwhile, private universities aren’t getting any cheaper, and if I’m responsible for Karen, she’s not going to get financial aid unless it’s purely on merit. And then there’s whatever’s beyond that degree, because I reckon that girl’s going to be a lawyer. It’d be a pity to waste all that verbal ability, eh, or that gift for an argument. Her dad must’ve been part pit bull, I’m thinking. It can’t have been your mum.”
“How do you know?”
I smiled, put my hand behind her head, leaned over, and kissed her once more, just because she looked so worried, and maybe because kissing Hope was one of my very favorite things. “I’m not saying you’re not strong, but you don’t exactly have a burning need to win, do you? Could be that you even enjoy losing at times.”
I brushed a curl back from her cheek, and she turned the same delicious shade of pink she’d been the night before when I’d been pushing her, bit by irresistible bit, ever further out of her comfort zone. I did love playing with toys, especially when I was playing with Hope.
“Nice try,” she said after a moment, “to distract me and keep me from noticing that “if I’m responsible for her’ part. I’m not saying I’m not grateful,” she hurried on to say. “I’m incredibly grateful, and you know it. This is beyond generous, even though it makes me really uncomfortable.”
I wasn’t quite as happy to hear that, but then, it was only what I’d expected. I said, “It’s not generosity. It’s what I want to do for Karen, and most of all, it’s what I want to do for you. I want you to lose the worry, because you don’t need it anymore. Which brings us to the second half of the program.” I slid the second document across the counter.
