Page 44 of Interning For A Billionaire

I shrugged. “Michael says I would probably stay in the company, maybe I can move to L.A.”

“LA!” Ty’s eyes were shining. “Imagine that…”

“I don’t want to leave though,” I said. “I love it here. And it’s not like we want to get caught, it’s just… in case you know…”

“Yup,” he said. “Definitely a relationship.”

I didn’t know how to feel about that. On the one hand it was nice to know that Michael cared enough about me to keep wanting to see me, but I also didn’t know if we were that suited to each other. It was not only the big age gap, but also our different backgrounds. He came from wealth and privilege, and I came from small town America. I was used to working hard, sometimes skipping meals if I wanted to save money. He only skipped meals if it was part of his diet plan.

We were incredibly attracted to each other, and the sex was fantastic. But I knew that wouldn’t last.

The spark would fade.

I was prepared for that. Guys like Michael didn’t get serious about girls like me. Did I even want him to get serious about me? These were the kinds of discussions Sven was always having with me and I wanted a break from all that. I wanted to have fun, not worry about where I was going to work a year from now.

I didn’t care. I’d make a plan.

I would worry about tomorrow… tomorrow.

Chapter 18

Michael

My father called me to tell me he was coming to town.

He asked if I would meet him and Crystal for dinner.

“Can I bring a date?” I asked, thinking it would help break the tension. Dinners with my father tended to be hard work. Having Belle around would make it all so much more pleasant.

“Of course,” my father said, sounding interested. “Who’s the girl?”

“Just someone I’ve been seeing,” I said, keeping it light.

“I’ll make a booking,” my father said, even though I knew he wouldn’t make it himself. He’d tell Crystal to do it and she would be the one to pick the restaurant, no doubt something incredibly expensive where the portions were teensy-weensy tiny and full of strange combinations.

“Would you come to dinner with my father and his wife?” I casually asked Belle one evening as we were hanging out at my place.

I watched her face freeze.

“It’s no big deal, he’s coming for a few days, and he said he wanted to have dinner.”

She looked at me, her brown eyes big.

“You want me to meet your parents.”

“It’s not like that,” I shook my head. “But, yes, okay, if you want to put it like that. It’s my father and his wife. I don’t call her my stepmother, but that is essentially what she is. They are horrible people, and you will hate them.”

Belle laughed, “You’re not selling this very well.”

I sighed. “I’m being honest. I hate talking to my father. But he is a little angel compared to Crystal. Still, if you’re there it will make the whole night go by so much faster and it might even be a little fun. The food will be good. Crystal only does fine dining.”

I knew Belle liked fancy restaurants and saw her eyes light up at the thought of a swanky place.

It was probably unfair to expect Belle to meet my parents already. We were only just getting to know each other. But I liked her company and when I was with her, time always went by faster. She knew how to make conversation, how to engage others in small talk and I honestly thought the evening would pass faster. I had not really thought about the fact that she came from a different background and might feel out of place. I didn’t care about things like that, but my father did. Crystaleven more. I had not thought of how Belle was more sensitive than I was and how my father and Crystal were masters of the subtle jab, the cutting remark that stung long after the words had been said. Belle had by now admitted that her email to me had not been true. She had not been seeing a therapist and had never wanted me to come to therapy with her.

“You little minx!” I said, delighted. “I knew it!”

“It was my neighbor’s suggestion,” she admitted. “But it worked, didn’t it?! It got you off my case!”

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