Page 22 of BillionHeir
Maybe ignoring the doctor’s recommendation wasn’t the best idea.
Chapter 8
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Chloe
“We probably had 200 people packed into this little place,” says the muscular man with golden curls atop his head.
“You can’t be serious,” I say, laughing as I look around the ‘pool house’ that is far bigger than any pool house I have ever seen. Its main function should be for changing and using the restroom, but this is clearly a guesthouse with the wrong name.
Liam, one of Maxwell's friends who came for the evening, laughs along with me. It turns out he is British aswell, so we get along pretty easily. That was a welcome surprise after the challenges I have had with Maxwell so far.
“It was wild.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call this a ‘little place’,” I say, still assessing the building’s dimensions. “It has got to be four times the size of my apartment back in Boston.”
“Well, that may be, but it felt much smaller with all those drunk college students partying in here.”
“What did Maxwell’s parents think about this party?” I ask, thinking back to our conversation about them in the car.
“They were out of town for the weekend. That is why we threw the party in the first place. But they got suspicious and came home early, discovering the carnage for themselves. They dragged us out of bed and made us clean the entire place ourselves. Gave the staff the whole day off.”
I nod. “Good. It sounds like you boys deserved it.”
“Those were the days,” Liam says, sounding a little wistful.
“Not now?”
Liam’s eyes glaze over with a thoughtful look before he responds. “Things have changed since then. We are still best mates. I would give my life for those two. But everything has become much more serious now that we are each busy with our own lives and careers. It is not the same as it was before.”
“That is the way it goes, isn’t it? One minute you are young and carefree, and the next you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
Liam looks over at me speculatively. Something in my voice must have given away how much I miss the simpler days of college when the whole world was in front of me filled with limitless opportunities.
“Everything okay?”
I give him a curious look. I don’t know this man from Adam, and he is asking me if everything is okay? I debate how much to say before finally just shaking my head.
“No, but it will all work out in the end, I suppose.”
He nods with an understanding look on his face before turning to look back toward the pool as the lights slowly blink on in the dusky sunset.
“Maybe,” he says, though the sentiment sounds a little hollow, as if he doesn’t quite believe it himself.
Silence falls between us as the last light of day fades below the horizon.
“We better get back. I need to check on Maxwell,” I say, finally.
“Right, of course,” he agrees quickly, falling into step next to me as we round the enormous pool and walk through the floor-to-ceiling pocket doors.
I still can’t believe that just this morning I had a normal job and a normal life. Now, I am 2.5 million dollars richer, with more on the way, and caring for a man whose summer home puts some castles in Europe to shame. The place is absolutely gargantuan, and I am actually a little worried that I might somehow get lost in the night. I may have to start leaving breadcrumbs behind me.
We walk into the house to find Maxwell awake and talking to Tristan who arrived with Liam about an hour ago. I really shouldn’t have left him alone, but Liam was so insistent on giving me a tour of the grounds and Tristan assured me that Maxwell would be okay without me.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, assessing him with my eyes. He seems to be doing a little better now, but for a few minutes after we arrived, I was sure he needed to go back to rehab or the nearest hospital.
“Better after resting,” he says, putting on a brave face for his friends, no doubt.
