by Parker, Ali
“Excuse me?”
“You said you are going to lunch. I have not eaten. We’ll have lunch together.”
I wrinkled my nose. “That is very presumptuous of you.”
He shrugged. “I’m a presumptuous man.”
I really wasn’t going to lunch but it felt like I had to go now. It was my excuse to get away from him. I didn’t want to be near him. He was too tempting and made me think things that I probably shouldn’t. Even now, I could feel my heart racing. Being in close proximity to him was wreaking havoc on my libido. I felt completely out of sorts.
“I’ve got things to do here,” I said.
“You just said you are going to lunch.”
“I am. I will. I didn’t mean right this very minute.”
“Didn’t you?”
He was toying with me. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
I closed my eyes. “You’re impossible.”
“Are we going to lunch or not? You practically begged me to go with you and now you are making excuses.”
I blinked, my mouth dropping open and then snapping shut. “What?”
“Fine, I’ll buy, but you really are a very pushy woman.”
I stared at him. I was so confused. I looked left and right and then turned to look over my shoulder to see if he was talking to someone else. We were clearly not in the same conversation. I looked at him again and saw the silly smile on his face. He was teasing me. Tyson, the always serious man that had the consummate poker face and revealed nothing, was joking.
Two could play at that game. “I’m not a cheap lunch date.”
“I would expect nothing less.”
“This changes nothing. You don’t get to play with my statue.”
He grinned. “Not even a little?”
“Not even if you beg.”
“I guess I’ll just have to ask again after you have been fed. You are usually much more amiable after you have eaten.”
“What? That is not true! And it is more than just a little rude!”
He chuckled. “But it’s true.”
It was true. I could admit it. He would know better than anyone. The little time we’d spent together had left me starving because we always found ourselves in a sex marathon. I did get snappish and a little cranky, but it was born out of starvation and exhaustion.
“Whatever. How much time do you have?”
He quirked one dark, bushy brow. “Should I call my pilot and have the jet fueled?”
I rolled my eyes. “No, but I want food. You don’t get to run me through a drive-thru and throw a hamburger at me like I’m a zoo animal.”
He laughed. “When have I ever done that?”
“Um, let’s see. It was after you and Patrick picked me up from a football game. I said I was hungry. You guys were pissed Mom and Dad made you come and get me. Both of you were supposed to be going to some party and picking me up was some horrible chore. You literally threw a cheeseburger at me.”
He looked ashamed. “I don’t remember that, but I’m sorry.”
“You should be.”
“I promise I will take you to lunch and make up for those past sins.”
“I’m sure it will be a small drop in the bucket of the many grievances I have against you.”
He nodded. “Noted. It will be the first of many kind deeds I will do to make up for all the horrible things I have done to you.”
I scoffed. “I don’t think you have that much time left on this earth.”
“Is that a threat?” he joked.
“No, but let’s be honest. You only have one life and you’ve burned through a lot of it. You would need three lifetimes to make up for all you have done.” I didn’t mean it to sound so serious, but it came across that way.
He looked as if I had slapped him. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice sounding as if he was in pain.
“I was joking,” I told him. “Really. I don’t need you to make up for anything. Our history is just that. It’s old news. It should be buried and never dug up again.”
“I really am sorry for all the wrongs I have done to you. I know this sounds cliché, but I would like to start over.”
I smiled. “Why don’t we start with lunch? Like you said, I might be more amiable after I have eaten. And maybe I’ll let you see my statue.”
His sweet smile warmed my heart. “That sounds like an excellent beginning.”
Chapter 34
Tyson
I was going to take advantage of every minute I got with her. I was trying a new approach, something that seemed to be working. I abandoned my stick-in-the-mud persona and tried something fresh. It felt good to be lighthearted. I was going to try to be that way more often.
“Uh, I said expensive, but this seems to be a little more than I bargained for,” she said when my car came to a halt outside the five-star restaurant.
“I told you I was going to treat you to the best lunch in town. I think this place should provide.”
“I can honestly say I have never eaten here. It’s a bit pretentious.”
I smiled. “It is, but I have eaten here many times, and they can boast they have the best food. It is good.”
“We’ll see,” she said with a lighthearted tone.
I was immediately recognized and shown to a table. Sometimes, it was good to be me. Sometimes, my wealth kicked open doors I wouldn’t have been able to get through as the man I was ten years ago. I didn’t want to flaunt my privilege, but I wasn’t ashamed to use it once in a while.
“I recommend the shrimp scampi,” I told her after our waiter left to get our drinks.
“I think I’m going to take your word for it,” she said with a bright smile.
We ordered and then there was an influx of nervous tension. “How have you been?” I asked her, feeling a little dorky.
“Good. Busy.”
“How long have you been working at the museum?”
“Working at?” she asked.
“Owning? I’m not sure what the situation is.”
“I own. Operate. All of it.”
“Good for you,” I told her, meaning every word. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks. That means something coming from you.”
That made me feel good. “How is Hayden?”
“She is doing very well.”
“Good to hear. Have your parents given you any more trouble?”
She shook her head. “No, which is strange. I have no idea what Patrick said to them but it’s like they fell off the face of the planet.”
“That’s probably a good thing, right?”
She sighed. “Yes and no.”
“What do you mean?”
She hesitated. I knew it was a very personal situation. I didn’t want to press. “I don’t hate my parents. Patrick does. Hayden doesn’t either. I don’t like them most days, but I don’t hate them. I keep hoping there is a chance that one day they will get their shit together. I would like to have Christmas dinner together as a family one year. I would like to have kids and have my parents in their lives.”
“You’re not ready to let go,” I stated.
“Yes. Exactly. They are alive. How can I just abandon them? Isn’t there supposed to be unconditional love?”
I was not the man to ask. “I think you have to make sure you are not being hurt by a toxic relationship.”
“I suppose. I feel immune to their toxicity now though. It certainly used to be a real problem, but now, I just accept it as who they are. I don’t listen to much of what they say. Their words don’t hurt me. Not anymore.”
I hated to think they used to. “I think it’s a good thing you are an independent woman who can take care of herself. You have Patrick and you have Hayden. You’ll be okay.”
“You do it on your own,” she said. “I can’t imagine how hard that must be.”
I shrugged. “I don’t even think about it anymore. I’ve been alone a long time. It isn’t terrible.”
&nb
sp; I didn’t want our lunch to turn into some therapy session. I didn’t want to open up old wounds and let the sadness and despair ruin what was my one chance to get her to talk to me again.
“Not terrible, but not great,” she commented.
“Tell me more about this museum,” I said. I wanted to switch gears, steer the conversation away from darkness.
“What would you like to know?” she coyly asked. “You have seen it.”
“I have seen it. I have been in it before. Some people say your museum is the only one in the entire area that could compete with mine.”
Her bright smile told me she knew that. “Hmm, interesting.”
“I am surprised you were able to buy it so easily. From what I understand, the owner is an old eccentric who refused to even consider offers.”
“Sounds like you’ve been checking me out.”
“I’ve been checking you out since I first laid eyes on you.”
Her eyes flashed. It was that same look that usually came right before I kissed her or plunged inside her. “Did you find anything interesting?” she asked.
“I did,” I answered. “I would like to look a little closer, but I like that the museum is focused on Roman history. I think there is room in this world for the both of us. I have a fondness for Egyptian history and it is clear the curator of that museum liked the old Roman times.”
“I love Roman history. I feel like it’s a little easier to follow because we have the Bible to reference, kind of like a tour guide. I knew the moment the opportunity came up that I wanted it.”
“I’m surprised the owner was willing to sell,” I said with the hopes she would tell me how she managed to make that happen. Not to mention the cost. I knew it couldn’t have been cheap, and with her buying that statue, she was likely stretched beyond her means. Her financial situation was none of my business, but I was curious.
“I don’t think he was willing to sell,” she answered.
“No?” The waiter delivered our plates of food, asked us if we needed anything else, and then hurried away. I was dying of curiosity and had to know. “He didn’t want to sell but you persuaded him?”
She looked down at her plate, pushing her fork around. I knew her well enough to know she was hesitant to tell me. I should have told her not to worry about it or apologized for being so nosy. I couldn’t do either of those things because I really wanted to know.
“I inherited it,” she finally said, lifting her gaze to mine. “He gifted it to me.”
I didn’t bother trying to hide the shocked expression on my face. “He gave it to you? Like he just signed over his entire business to you? Do you know this man? Is he a relative?”
“Yes, he gave it to me. We are in the process of transferring ownership. No, he is not a relative and I do not know him.”
“You’re jerking me around,” I said with a laugh.
“No, I’m not. I own the museum.”
“I’m sure you do, but no one would just give a complete stranger a museum.”
Her slow grin made my cock jerk to attention. It was that same slow grin she did before she lunged at me or moved in a way that made me feel as if my head would explode. “But he did. I didn’t buy it. I own the museum. Sometimes, people do crazy things.”
“But why? Why you? Why wouldn’t he sell the museum and make a handsome profit? Who is this guy?”
She softly laughed. “Sometimes, it isn’t always about money. Sometimes, it is about something far more important.”
“And what would that be?”
“Integrity.”
I raised an eyebrow. “The man gave you his museum because he has integrity?”
“Because I do. Because he wanted to make sure his treasures were left in the hands of someone who would respect the collection and see it for more than a quick paycheck. He wanted the museum to be more than a business transaction that yielded some big windfall of cash.”
“He found the right person,” I agreed, much to her surprise.
“Really?”
“Mae, you have always been all about doing the right thing. You have never been driven by money, fame, or popularity. I remember you always being the person who wanted things that cost almost nothing.”
“Like?”
I shrugged. “You used to tell me a night under the stars was worth more than a fancy dinner. I remember a specific occasion I wanted to take you out. Patrick was out of town for some debate team thing and it was our one chance to go on a date without him seeing us. I saved for weeks to take you out and then you told me you just wanted to go somewhere quiet, just the two of us. Even back then, you were more focused on the memories over the tangible things in this world.”
“Maybe it’s because of my long history with antiquities,” she reasoned. “I see all the precious treasures that have been left behind. I’ve read the stories. People put so much energy into things that don’t mean shit when you are taking your last breaths. I love the memories. Even when I am at my loneliest, I have memories to keep me company.”
I was in awe of her. She was so beautiful and unique. “Good point.”
“What about you?” she questioned.
“What about me?”
“Are your museums the most important thing in this world to you?”
It was a loaded question. One I needed to carefully navigate. The problem was, I wasn’t sure how to answer. “Many things are important to me, but there is just one person that really matters.”
Her gaze held mine. I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. My pride got in the way, but I hoped she knew I was talking about her. I didn’t think I even knew how important she was to me until that very moment.
“Hayden’s school sent out a notice to parents asking if there were any suggestions for an end of the year field trip. It needs to be something educational but fun. I was thinking about offering my museum for her class.”
“That’s generous,” I said.
She smiled. “Teaching kids about history is important. I think they can learn and absorb so much better when they can touch and see with their own two eyes rather than read about it.”
I nodded. “True.”
“It would be a free day,” she proceeded to explain. “I wouldn’t want to use class funds to pay an admission fee, even a discounted fee. My museum is nice, but it isn’t all that big. They would be through the museum in an hour or two.”
Again, I got the feeling she was going somewhere with her story. “True,” I agreed without saying anything. This was her show and I was going to let her run it, even if I had a pretty good idea where it was headed.
“I was wondering if you would be interested in joining me in offering the class a free admission day. A lot of these kids are from homes that are not able to afford the regular admission fee. They will never get the chance to visit one of our museums. I hate the idea of these kids missing out on the chance to see history up close and personal because of a lack of money.”
“I agree.”
“We could work together on this. Have half the kids start at your place while the other half is at mine and then switch. It would keep the numbers small and allow everyone the chance to see everything. With your interactive displays, the kids would get a turn if there was a small group instead of a large one. I know there are the pushy kids that will squeeze out the quiet ones. I want each of them to get a chance to see and learn.”
I smiled as I watched her talk. She was very animated, and it was clear she was passionate about sharing the gift of history. “I will be in touch. I need to talk with the director. I think it’s a great idea and a little free advertisement.”
“Thank you. Seriously, thank you. It could end up being a thing for a lot of the schools.”
I grimaced. “I don’t know if I’m on board with that. Teenagers everywhere.”
She burst into laughter. “You make them sound like cockroaches.”
I grinned but said nothing.
Chapter 35
&n
bsp; Mae
I left work just after four, anxious to pick up Hayden. I spoke with the director at my museum and ironed out a plan for the tour. The woman was a little cranky and seemed to take her role as director a little too seriously. She only worked part-time but seemed to think she was the boss of all things. Benjamin told me he hired her back in the nineties. The woman was as much of a fixture in the place as some of the antiques.
She argued long and hard that a rush of screaming children would be bad for business. I reminded her these were teenagers on the verge of adulthood—not toddlers. It came down to me telling her it was going to happen and her begrudgingly agreeing to host. It wasn’t like I needed her to do anything except stand around. I would personally be handling the tour.
I pulled into the pickup line, waiting my turn to make it to the front of the school where the kids were milling about in small groups. I spotted Hayden talking with another girl. She immediately spotted my car and rushed toward it.
“Hi!” she said with a great deal of enthusiasm.
“You’re in a good mood,” I commented.
She shrugged. “I had a good day.”
I pulled out of line and drove around to park my car in the visitor’s parking area. “I wanted to chat with you about something really quick.”
She looked around. “Here?”
“Yes. I read the note from the school about the end of the year field trip. I have an idea.”
“Oh?”
“I was thinking you guys could visit the museum. Is that totally lame or do you think the other kids might appreciate it? I haven’t talked with the principal yet. If you think it’s lame and the other kids might make fun of you for being a nerd or something, tell me. I don’t want to do anything that isn’t cool.”
She laughed. “Like I care about that stuff. I think the museum would be cool. It’s better than some of the other ideas, like visiting the Liberty Bell again. Who hasn’t been there?”
I smiled. “Then you are okay with me offering the museum?”
“Yes.”
“Good, because I am going to go in now and talk with the principal. Do you want to go with me or hang out in the car? I don’t want my uncoolness to reflect badly on you.”
