Page 40 of Beauty and her Billionaire Beast
18
Knox
“Remind me again why you think it’s such a bad idea to be single?” I ask Pops the next day after all our guests haveleft.
We’re sitting out on the balcony, looking out at the ocean. It’s back to being quiet around the house and in the neighborhood. There aren’t noises wafting in on thewind from other estates in the area either, which is normal after the longweekend.
Pops has a glass of whiskey in one hand and his pipe in the other. He makes no apologies for his frequent indulgences, and I don’t scold him for it. The man has precious little time on this earth. He may as well enjoy hisvices.
“Because, son,” he answers as though that alone explains itall.
“Becausewhat?”
He places the cigar in one side of his mouth and looks at me, and I see the glint of levity in his eyes. “Because, when you’re old and gray and weak after fighting cancer, it wouldn’t hurt to have someone special who loves you and will be there to hold your hand in theend.”
“That’s notfunny.”
“Not even a littlebit?”
“No,” I tellhim.
“Ithink it’s a little funny,” heretorts.
“You think you got jokes, but I’m trying to be serioushere.”
“All right,son.”
“And by the way, Grams passed away before Mom and Dad did, so your whole argument isshot.”
“No,” he grunts. He shakes his head and his jaw tightens. “She fought a good fight, and I was there for her in theend.”
“Okay I guess that’strue.”
“Trust me, if I didn’t get stuck with this damn cancer, I’d wait around for fifty or sixty years and I’d be there to hold your hand too. That’s what a loving family does for one another. They stick around,son.”
I feel my chest go tight at his words. I fucking love thisman.
“There’s only one person left in this world that I love,” I admit to him. “And he’s sitting right nexttome.”
He sets down his whiskey glass and puts his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t try to get me all teary-eyed, boy. Besides, that’s a lie if I ever heard one. Well, not a total lie. It’s more like anomission.”
“What are you talkingabout?”
“Don’t be a damn fool,” he tells me, and gets to his feet. He starts to head inside but turns to look at me one more time. “Answer yourphone before I throw it in the ocean. All that buzzing is driving me up awall.”
I lean to one side and pull out my phone from my back pocket. It was on silent all last night, but I turned it on vibrate a short while ago. I didn’t bother to check any messages because work emails come onto that phone too. But I also didn’t want to end up reading any from Isabelle. Not while I was still madasfuck.
Now that I’m somewhat calm, I unlock the screen and open the text app. A bunch of texts have come in, most of them fromIsabelle.
Can you come back so we can talk aboutit?
I didn’t know about your grandfather’s illness. Let me be there foryou.
I’m so sorry. You’re right. The past is in the past. I want you in myfuture.
I feel awful. Please callme.
Knox. Please. Don’t close me off again. I was wrong,okay?
