The Billionaire & The Barfly (Coming Home) (21 page)

“
I hate the fact that I see my parent’s point about Mackenna. She is not the person I thought she was. On the up side, Ben is really showing me that he can grow up. He is proving his responsibility a lot faster than I ever would have been able to.”

“
That’s a good thing then. Is there a way to sit them down and talk to them about her behavior?”

“
Without sounding like their mother? I don’t know. I have no idea where to go from here. I told them in the beginning that they would both need to get jobs to help with bills and such. I wasn’t asking for a lot, but I was hoping it would get them started with realizing their life won’t ever be all about fun again. They won’t be handed anything just because they ask for it anymore. They will be the ones doing the handing from now on. They can’t be kids anymore. They will have their own to take care of. I think Ben really gets that, or is trying to at least. Mackenna just sees the pregnancy as another reason to get her way.”

“
I don’t know what to tell you except that maybe you need to be the parent. They are still fifteen, right? I know you don’t want to, but you might have to.”

Aubrey sat silently for a moment, taking another bite. Henry was right, even though she didn
’t want him to be. She didn’t want to be the one to lay down rules and enforce them. She didn’t want to reprimand them or ‘punish’ the poor behavior. But if Mackenna didn’t get it together and do her part, and that was a stipulation of living there, she would have to find a way to live somewhere else. The whole idea of being just like their parents and kicking her out made Aubrey feel like the worst person in the world. She knew it wasn’t because they were stupid and had unprotected sex, but that didn’t make it any easier. Not wanting to sour the mood for the rest of the night, Aubrey switched gears and changed the conversation.

“
So, what happened after high school?” Henry looked up from his own plate of food in confusion for just a moment before evening out his expression. She hoped he understood that she didn’t want to talk about Ben and Mackenna any longer.

“
Well, during high school I was doing online college courses, so when we did graduate it only took me another year to get my degree. If you hadn’t noticed, I didn’t have much of a social life, so I could bulk up on classes and get it done fast. Most people thought I loved school because I got good grades. Truth is I just wanted it over faster. The more classes I took at once, and passed, the sooner I got to say goodbye to the whole thing.”

She should probably have known that. She knew how badly he was treated. But like the self centered girl she was back then, she thought he liked school anyway. He was the geek after all
, and to her seventeen year old brain, school work outweighed the bullshit her friends put him through. Thinking back on it, it made much more sense for him to despise it.

“
I had no idea.”

“
Most people didn’t. It’s a geek thing, I guess. We are all supposed to like school and learning and all that. I must be an enigma.” He laughed a little, but Aubrey could see the slight hurt in his eyes.

“
Let’s see, an extremely sexy man with a thing for superheroes and not spending money when he is probably one of the few people in the country who could do so without worry. Not to mention turning down hordes of women practically salivating at the idea of getting naked with you. Enigma is probably a good word.” She smiled hoping he would see the lightness in her statement. It was meant as a compliment. She hoped he took it that way.

“
I didn’t turn you down,” he said and moved closer.

“
Oh, but you did. Quite a few times, I might add. I thought I had lost my touch.”

“
No, telling you no was the hardest thing I had ever done. You were like a dream come true, but I knew I couldn’t just sleep with you. I knew my heart was involved. It’s always been you, Aubrey. I never really knew you in high school, but you were the one girl I always knew I wanted to know. Every girl that passed through my bed after I made my business profitable, I compared to the idea of you. I had my fair share of women, but it was always just sex, and that got so lonely. I needed more, but the more that those women needed was money. I tried to actually date a few times, but it wasn’t me they cared about. They cared about my wallet. It was easier to just turn them all down then be fooled again. Then I saw you in that bar in New York City. It was like it was meant to be.

“
I had just been told about two more companies we landed, and I told my acquisition’s guy I would take him out in thanks. The minute he let my name past his lips, the girls surrounded us. I had just enough liquor in me that I didn’t care if they were money hungry. I could pretend they weren’t. I could pretend it was actually me they wanted. Then you walked by.

“
Those girls paled in comparison to you. When you took the drink but then ignored me, I thought for sure you knew who I was but were still too good for me. And then you left with that guy. I hadn’t been so jealous since high school.”

“
Tall Hottie,” she said with a grimace. It was the first time she had felt bad for taking a guy home. Not because she had sex with him, but because even though she didn’t know him then, it hurt Henry.

“
Tall Hottie?” he asked.

“
Yeah, that’s what I called him. No names. I don’t do names with hook ups. It’s easier to keep it completely physical.” Henry’s face contorted with his lip curling up and his brows scrunching together. It made her want to crawl into a hole. He was disgusted by her. She never understood why it was okay for a man to sleep around to get what he needed but so horrible for a woman? “What? You can have a past of sleeping around to get your rocks off but I can’t? What kind of bullshit is that?”

“
That’s not what I was thinking.”

“
Bullshit. Tell me, Henry. At what point is it acceptable for me to sleep with a man?”

“
No, really. I hate the thought of you with anyone else. I know you have a past. So do I. I hate that you thought you could only have the physical when you are worth everything. You deserve to have it all, Aubrey. You are one of those special women who don’t need a man in her life, but deserves one. You can take care of yourself, and your brother, and your career, without the help of anyone.”

“
You think I like hearing my old boss tell me she slept with you years ago? This is why I don’t like relationships, Henry. Feelings suck. You feel all happy and giddy inside until you don’t. Eventually, the times you don’t out number the times you do. What’s the point?”

“
The point is finding that person and working at a relationship to keep it from getting that way. Look at your parents. They love each and are still together after how many years? Look at your grandparents. And I hate to ask, but what’s your boss’ name?”

He had a point. But her family was the exception to the rule. She had never been exceptional at anything. Why would she suddenly start just because Henry
had come along?

“
Jenna. She said it was a few years ago. Trying to get secrets from you about your company but you wouldn’t talk work.”

“
I am ashamed to say that I have no idea who she is. The name doesn’t ring a bell. This is what I mean. I shared something intimate with this woman that I don’t even remember. I hate that. The girls I attempted to date, I know who they are, but the others? I hope I would be able to pick them out of a lineup, but I can’t promise you I could. You and I aren’t much different, Aubrey.”

“
I guess not.”

The room they sat in filled with silence. When their plates were empty, Henry stood and took their dishes to the sink. Aubrey hated that she felt so distant to him. Had they really just argued? They were barely in a relationship
. At least they never had a conversation stating they were. But was it a deep conversation or an argument?

Standing, she walked over to him and stood at his back as he washed the dishes. Aubrey wrapped her arms around his waist and placed a kiss in between his shoulder blades.
“Are we okay?”

“
More than.”

~*~

The ride home was less eventful.
Aubrey held Henry’s hand in her lap the whole way, and he explained the complexity of Marvel vs. DC. She wasn’t sure she actually got it, but seeing him so excited made her happy.

Henry opened her door for her once they pulled up to her apartments. Aubrey looked up at him
hopeful. She hadn’t been so nervous for a goodnight kiss since her first date all those year ago. Henry’s eyes darted from hers to her lips and back. When his hands gripped her waist, she stepped forward, giving him permission. Slowly, he leaned in and placed his lips on hers. Soft and sweet, yet much too quick. Even though it ended sooner than she would have liked, it was perfect, and she practically floated up to her door. Aubrey fumbled for her keys, lost in her thoughts of Henry and how even though their conversations weren’t easy, she felt closer to him because of them.

The door in front of her wretched open. Mackenna stood on the other side in her pajamas
—the same ones from that morning. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were on fire, boring a hole into Aubrey’s head.

“
Where have you been? You were supposed to be home hours ago! Where’s my milk?”

Shit, she forgot all about Mackenna and her damn pregnancy craving.

“I am so sorry. I completely spaced. I had a long day at work, then a great date,” she said a little dreamy. Maybe she could share some girl talk and connect better with Mackenna. Maybe that would help them find a common ground. “I will get some first thing in the morning.”

“
I don’t care about work or your date. You told Ben you would get me milk. Are you a liar now? Ben said how great you are for everything you are doing but I just think this is a way to get us to break up. We have fought more since you convinced him to move in here than ever before. It’s you. You are doing it all. How the hell do you forget milk? You are doing this on purpose!” Mackenna was screaming, and Aubrey hadn’t even managed to get in the door.

A few neighbors had opened their curtains or doors to see what the commotion was at such a late hour
, and Aubrey gave them an apologetic look before practically pushing her way into the apartment.

“
You need to calm down. I had no intention of causing any fights between you and Ben. I just didn’t want him or my soon to be niece living on the damn street. I did forget the milk and I apologized. What more do you want?”

“
Ben and your niece, huh? What about me? Don’t care if I live on the street. I want you to get me my damn milk! I have been sitting here all day waiting for a bowl of cereal. It’s the only thing I can keep down. You say you care about the baby so much, then why are you starving it?”

“
All day? What about school?”

“
How am I supposed to go to school if I haven’t eaten? Gotta feed the brain and all that. It would be a waste of time if I didn’t eat.”

“
Are you fucking stupid?” Aubrey yelled back. She finally had enough, and Ben took that moment to open the door.

“
Whoa! Aubrey, don’t talk to her like that!” He yelled, slamming the door behind him. He had only heard part of the argument, but what he did hear didn’t paint her in the best light.

“
Ben, she didn’t buy my milk! Told me I didn’t need it, and she wouldn’t help me at all!” Mackenna cried, running to him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head, glaring at his sister.

“
I did not. Since when have I ever spoken to her that way? I apologized for forgetting and only called her stupid when she told me she skipped school. Look at her, she didn’t even get dressed today.”

“
Mackenna? I thought you said you were helping the teacher during lunch when I texted you to find out where you were. You were here the whole time?”

“
I couldn’t go in! I was nauseous. This baby makes me feel gross. I just want him to grow and be big enough to get the hell out of me, Ben. I hate being pregnant.”

“
Maybe you should have thought about that before having sex,” Aubrey mumbled, walking away from them. Ben shot her another glare, but said nothing.

“
I know, but you have to go to school and look for some kind of job. That was the deal, remember?” Ben reached into his pocket and pulled out a bill. “Here’s a five. Why don’t you ask to borrow Aubrey’s car and go get some milk.”

The look Ben gave her told her he was trying. She needed to let the little bitch borrow her car. She rolled her eyes but grabbed the keys from the hook they hung on in the kitchen and held them out
to her.

“
But I can’t go out looking like this! Can’t you go? Or she can since she promised to get it anyway.”

“
No, you can get dressed or go like that, either way. You go and get an application at the same time. The grocery store would be a good place to work. They pay well and are part of unions. Pretty soon we are going to need those benefits they provide.”