Page 47 of Interning For A Billionaire

“He’s fine,” I said.

“When was the last time you saw him?” he asked. I was surprised by the line of questioning. I might have been forgiven for thinking that he cared. I told him we went sailing.

“On the Chrysanthemum?” I saw my father perk up like he hadn’t all dinner. He actually seemed a head taller.

“Yes.”

“Remember how we used to go sailing?” The yearning in his voice was unmistakable. “You boys used to love it.”

I didn’t know what to say.

Crystal filled the silence, “I always got so seasick.”

Nobody said anything. My father started folding his used serviette and Belle tidied her cutlery next to her plate.

“Good to see you, son,” my father said as we left.

I felt I owed Belle an apology for the evening. “I knew it would be bad, but this was really terrible. I think I owe you, big time.”

She looked at me. “Yes, I think you do.”

“How can I make it up to you?” I asked.

She shrugged. Looked away.

“How about we fly down to Kansas for the weekend, you can go see your father.”

Her head snapped around. “What?!”

“Sure, we get a small plane to fly us down. I’ve actually looked into that. We get a small charter plane, it’ll be a few hours.”

“You’d do that?” she asked, staring intently at me. “Even though it’s shabby and dirty and full of people as fat as cows?”

“I’m not like them, Belle,” I said. “I don’t care about any of that. I just care about you.”

Now she smiled. “You care about me? I thought I was just a pretty little thing to amuse you?”

“Well, yes, you are a pretty little thing, but I also care about you.”

“Then let’s rather go somewhere else this weekend,” she said with a sly smile. “Don’t tell Crystal, but I find Kansas rather shabby too. I’m sure we can think up a nicer place to fly to, don’t you?”

I sure could. “Out of interest's sake, do you have a valid passport?” I asked casually.

Belle said, “Yes, why?”

“Do you have it with you?”

“Well, not on me, right now…”

I could hear excitement building in her voice. “Why?”

I winked at her. “You’ll see.”

Chapter 19

Belle

“What are you doing?” Brianna asked me as she saw me throwing out drawers on my bed and rummaging through my cupboards.

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