Sleeping With The Enemy

by Parker, Ali

  He shook his head. “I don’t.”

  “Are you feeling more comfortable with the idea of selling?”

  He winced. “I don’t know. I have not given it a lot of thought. I should, but I haven’t. I don’t have all the details. I can’t really seriously consider a proposal without seeing exact numbers.”

  “I understand.”

  “There are a lot of details that would need to be hashed out. Part of me wonders if they were just throwing it out there to see what I would say. I don’t know if they are serious.”

  I smiled. “They came to Philadelphia. I think that is a pretty good sign.”

  “They were checking out my stuff,” he said with a grin.

  “I’m checking out your stuff,” I said, bouncing my eyebrows at him.

  “There will be a lot of checking out after dinner. I’m thinking dessert should be something that involves chocolate and whipped cream.”

  “Strawberries and champagne,” I added.

  He nodded. “Absolutely. We won’t need plates or utensils. I plan on eating right off you.”

  I shuddered with excitement at the thought. “You are bad. Very, very bad.”

  He smirked. “You won’t be saying that later.”

  Our first course was delivered. I had to remind myself to slow down. I was hungry, but I was hungry for something that wasn’t on the menu. The food was amazing. The wine was good. Fantastic, I supposed, but I wasn’t much of a wine expert.

  I heard the soft vibrating sound of my phone from within my purse. In the small dining room, it sounded like a gong. My eyes widened and I felt my cheeks turning red as I fumbled in my purse to quiet the thing. I hit the silent button before looking at the screen.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, speaking to the room in general.

  I checked the caller and found it was Patrick. I winced. I hadn’t told him where I was going. He was out of town and I didn’t see the need to bother him. I waited to see if he would leave a voicemail. Instead, the phone started vibrating in my hand. I quickly silenced it and adjusted my settings.

  “Who is it?” Tyson asked. “Hayden?”

  “Patrick.”

  The look on his face told me he was less than thrilled as well. Before I could say anything more, I noticed the screen flash. Now Patrick was texting. I quickly opened the text.

  EMERGENCY. CALL ME NOW!

  My heart sank as I read the message. Hayden. It had to be something wrong with Hayden. “I need to step outside,” I told Tyson.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “I don’t think so,” I murmured and got to my feet.

  He got up, but I quickly shook my head, telling him to stay. I did my best to stay calm as I walked outside to use the phone.

  “What the hell?” Patrick growled as a greeting.

  “I’m at dinner,” I told him without giving him any specifics.

  “Where are you? I went by your place.”

  “I’m out to dinner,” I said again. “What’s up? You said it was an emergency.”

  He was quiet for several seconds. The longer he waited to tell me, the more concerned I got.

  “Dad,” he said.

  “Dad?” I said, prompting him to continue. I was thinking Dad drove drunk and wrecked the car. Dad fell down the stairs and broke his leg, maybe his neck. These were things one expected to hear about a man that had similar incidents in the past.

  “Dad’s gone.”

  I was confused as to why that was my concern. “Where did he go?”

  “Mae, he’s gone. He had a massive stroke. The alcoholism and poor health in general… they couldn’t save him.”

  I felt like an ice statue. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I stood outside of the restaurant surrounded by people walking up and down the sidewalk. There was the soft sound of some orchestra music in the distance and the faint smell of the meals being served inside the restaurant. I was in a bubble stuck inside a busy street.

  “What?” I asked, finally finding my voice.

  “I’m sorry to have to tell you this over the phone. He didn’t make it. Mom is a wreck. Where is Hayden?”

  “She’s with Carrie,” I answered.

  “I’ll meet you at your place,” he said in that usual authoritative tone.

  “I’m not home,” I said.

  “I know, hon. Call a cab and go home.”

  “I’m in Paris.”

  “What the fuck are you doing in Paris?” he practically shouted.

  “I came to see the Louvre,” I whispered. The question sounded really unimportant in the moment.

  I heard him inhale deeply. I could practically see his face. He would have his eyes closed and two fingers pressed against his temple. “I’ll call the airline and get you on the first flight out of there. Do you have a roundtrip ticket?”

  “No,” I said, dreading what came next. “I am here with Tyson. We took his jet.”

  There was some cursing before he pulled himself together. “Get your ass back here.”

  He ended the call and left me feeling more bereft than ever. I held the phone in my hand, trying to process all that I’d heard. It couldn’t be real. It didn’t feel real. My dad wasn’t that old. Fifty-six. Fifty-six was middle-aged, right?

  I remembered where I was and began to move. With every step I took, the need to get home took hold. I was on the verge of panic. Hayden! She was going to take it very hard. I had to get back to her. I was cursing myself for leaving her in the first place.

  Tyson took one look at me and got to his feet. “Mae, are you okay?”

  “I have to go home,” I said and grabbed my purse.

  “Mae, woah, slow down,” he said and grabbed my arm. I was already on my way to the door. “Mae, wait!”

  I didn’t wait. The dining room was too small. I needed to get outside and take a deep breath. I heard him say something about paying the bill. I kept going, only stopping when I found myself standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

  “Baby, are you okay?” Tyson was standing in front of me and gently pushing me back against the wall and out of the flow of the foot traffic.

  “My dad died,” I whispered. Saying the words felt wrong. I wasn’t going to pretend I had a close relationship with my father, but he was still my dad. He was Hayden’s dad.

  “Fuck,” Tyson breathed. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I have to go home,” I told him, looking into his eyes.

  He nodded. “I will call the pilot and tell him we are leaving first thing in the morning.”

  I frowned. “No. I have to go right now. Hayden is all alone.”

  “Mae, I have to talk with Gino. I need to get this situation handled.”

  My mouth fell open. “You have to get this situation handled?” I seethed. “I just told you my father died, and you are worried about your fucking museum? My little sister is at home alone. She has no one except for me. Patrick isn’t going to know how to handle this. I need to be home right now. I am not waiting until tomorrow.”

  “I can’t just up and leave,” he protested.

  I glared at him, on the verge of clawing his eyes out. “Fine. Stay.”

  I walked back to the curb and thrust my hand into the air to hail a cab. “Wait!” he shouted, pulling me away from the curb. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to the airport and catching the first flight out of here.”

  “Just wait, please,” he insisted.

  “No. I’m leaving. Period.”

  “You can take the jet back. You’ll get there faster.”

  I frowned, still very pissed but I needed to get home. A commercial flight would take too long. “Fine.”

  The ride back to the hotel and then to the airport was silent on my part. He was on the phone making the travel arrangements and then tried to talk to me. I had nothing to say to the man. Zero.

  Chapter 62

  Tyson

  I barely slept a wink. All night long, I thought about Mae. I should ha
ve gone with her. I felt like an asshole that I didn’t.

  I hoped she would understand how important this was to me. Her father was gone and there was very little I could do to change that. I couldn’t change it. This was a time for her to be with her family. I was sure I would not be welcome.

  Gino was meeting me in thirty minutes. I was early to the museum with nothing better to do with my time. I couldn’t believe how empty I felt without her. I was used to traveling alone. That was all different now. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to share my life with her.

  I checked the time again. I had been checking the time every five minutes. She didn’t call me or text me to tell me she landed. I knew she landed safely because I had been in contact with the pilot. I was a little hurt she didn’t check in with me. She did it for Carrie.

  My phone rang just as I slid it back into my pocket. I quickly pulled it out, anxious to hear from Mae. “Hello?” I answered without looking at the caller ID.

  “Tyson.” Patrick’s voice came through loud and clear.

  I inwardly groaned. I could only imagine what he had to say. “Hey, Patrick.”

  “I know she was with you,” he said in a voice that revealed just how unhappy that made him.

  “Yes, she was.”

  “I’m not sure what you think you are doing, but this is bullshit.”

  “I’m not doing anything,” I said. I wasn’t going to let him run roughshod over me. Mae and I had both agreed we wanted to be together.

  “Bullshit!” he shouted.

  I tried to remember he was grieving. He didn’t have a great relationship with his father, but it was still his dad. “Patrick, Mae is a big girl. She knows what she is doing.”

  “I don’t think she does,” he spat. “Do you know why?”

  “Because you don’t think I’m good enough for her. I get it. You are wrong. I am good enough for her. I make her happy. She makes me happy.”

  “If you make her so happy, why the fuck did she come home alone and crushed?”

  I winced. “Her father passed away. I don’t expect her to be doing cartwheels.”

  “She isn’t crushed because he died. She is crushed that you abandoned her. What kind of asshole puts his girlfriend on a plane and sends her home alone at a time like this? You. You are that asshole. This is exactly why I didn’t want her to have anything to do with you.”

  “She understands why I sent her on without me,” I explained, doing my best to stay calm. “I had business here I couldn’t walk away from. She understood that.”

  “That’s what she told you. Trust me. She’s pissed. You may as well lose her number. There is nothing more she needs to say to you.”

  “I will let her make that decision.”

  “I’m telling you right fucking now, leave her the fuck alone. I will not let you use her. You do not get to hurt my little sister. Things are tough enough as it is. Leave her be. She does not need this bullshit. Be honest with yourself. The two of you are never going to be a couple.”

  I looked down at my feet and shook my head. Now was not the time to have the conversation. I wasn’t ready to walk away but I would let them grieve. They needed some time. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt her or upset her any more than she already was.”

  “That’s the problem, Tyson. Your sorry is too late. You already did the damage. I’m the guy that gets to pick up the pieces. Stay away from her. Stay away from her museum and don’t fucking call me again. We’re done. You are done fucking with my family.”

  It hurt. I wasn’t going to lie. It hurt to be kicked out of a family I did care about. I didn’t get a chance to say anything else before he hung up on me. I felt like shit. I looked up at the museum and asked myself what I was doing there. Why in the hell was I in France when I should be in Philly? I pushed away the self-deprecating thoughts and went inside the museum in search of Gino. I needed to finish what I started.

  Gino appeared out of nowhere. “Hello,” he said as he shook my hand. “Will the lovely Mae be joining us?”

  I appreciated he remembered her name. “No, she had a family emergency back home.”

  “Ah, I see. Shall we get started?”

  “Yes, please,” I replied. I tried to force some enthusiasm, but it couldn’t be done. I felt empty. We walked past the Mona Lisa and I thought about our conversation yesterday. The museum was magical, absolutely awe inspiring, but it felt hollow. She added life to the place. She made me see things differently.

  “Did you have a chance to check out the Egyptian rooms?” Gino asked.

  “I did. They are awesome.”

  His smile brightened. “Indeed, they are. I will take you to my office and show you the plans we have that would include your pieces. Your collection is very good. Combined with what we have here, it will rival any museum in the world.”

  “I think you are already pretty close to doing that.”

  He led me through a door marked employees only. I was taken down a long hall and into his expansive office. “We have some ideas that I think you will be very impressed with. As I said, my bosses have been keeping a close eye on your museums. They watch your moves. They have learned a great deal from you.”

  “From me?”

  Gino smiled. “We know when Tyson Helms is interested, we should be as well.”

  He was flattering me. I didn’t mind, but I wasn’t going to be swayed to give up my life’s work with a few pretty words. “I have gone up against your buyers on occasion.”

  “Ah, yes, but you have the means to bid it up. We are restricted by our owners, the government.”

  I chuckled. “And I have only myself to answer to.”

  “Yes. There are several pieces we have been very interested in. We considered offering you a loan program, but we feel it would be in the best interest to purchase the museums.”

  “Would you be closing them in the United States?”

  He made a face. “I believe that was the initial plan, but I am not so sure now after touring them. Your museums are quite beautiful. They do the artifacts proud.”

  “Thank you. I have learned from the best.”

  He smiled and opened his laptop. I waited while he got his proposal ready, which was exactly what it was. He was trying to buy me. He needed to make it a sweet deal. “This is our vision for some of the pieces in your collection,” he started.

  I stared at the screen, stepping closer to really see it. It was pretty cool. I immediately identified the items that were a part of my collection. They did look really good sitting atop large pillars with lights that enhanced the smallest details. I found myself studying the mock-up and thinking about how I could bring it home to my museum.

  “This is nice,” I told him.

  “Wait until you see the next image,” he teased and flipped to a new page.

  I was blown away. “Wow,” I said with genuine surprise. “You guys go all out.”

  “We have the space. We have the designers. We have the security. Our museum is ready to roll out the red carpet for your collection. This isn’t something we generally do, but in this situation, it is too good to pass up the chance to bolster our museum. We pride ourselves on being the best of the best and your items are the best.”

  Again, more flattery. “I appreciate your high praise. It means a lot coming from someone like you.”

  He continued with the presentation, showering me with compliments and praising my good hunting. It was all very impressive. The visual aid was definitely working. I was torn. I loved history and wanted the stories from ancient people to be told but I was also selfish. I liked what I owned. I liked my company. I knew the museum had an audience that was ten times what I could ever hope to have.

  It was tempting.

  “Of course, we would include a plaque with credit going to you for some of the more magnificent finds,” he added.

  “I don’t need the credit.”

  “Ah, but you do. These are things that have to be searched and found and unders
tood. You have done that.”

  “Thank you.”

  He closed the laptop and shut off the screen. “Have I convinced you?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

  “You certainly know how to sell a deal,” I said with a laugh.

  “When I want something and my bosses want something, you can say I go after it with every bit of energy I have. I am excited to see these items here. I can already see historians and other lovers of art and history clamoring to get in here. We are at the top for a reason. We only select the best and as I said, we find you have the best.”

  “I am truly flattered by your interest. Really. Never in a million years would I have thought to be noticed by someone of your caliber.”

  Gino shrugged. “You have. This is your moment.”

  I smiled and nodded. “It is, which is why I stayed behind and sent my girlfriend home.”

  He clapped his hands together. “That is very good to hear. Shall we sit down and discuss the details?”

  “Please,” I answered.

  He gestured to a very comfortable-looking chair. I moved to take a seat, crossing one leg over the other and drawing in a deep breath. I tried to think about what Mae would do. What would Mae say? What would she ask for?

  I was on my own. The sooner I handled the matter, the sooner I could get my ass back home and grovel at her feet again. I would apologize and beg for forgiveness. I was a shitty boyfriend. I knew it and I wanted to be better. I could be better. I needed a little guidance. She could slap me upside the head if I kept up my stupid shit.

  I would do anything she asked of me, even if it meant groveling to Patrick.

  Chapter 63

  Mae

  I cracked an egg in the pan and stared at the yellow yolk spreading out, mingling with the white. I watched for too long and realized I fried the damn thing instead of scrambling it. I tossed it in the trash and started over. I was tired. Exhausted. I was completely spent. I had tried like hell to sleep on the way back, but it was impossible. It was like being forced to sit in a movie theater with your life playing before your eyes that were taped open.