All she could do was stare. Of course, she could talk to Michael. Hell, she'd just had a heart-to-heart talk with him the night before, but in the glaring light of day, it all felt a little personal. He wasn't going to simply let her off the hook, though. He stared right back. It was warm, but it was absolutely intense and unwavering. She knew this was an opening, and as much as she wanted to go through, there was a part of her that simply couldn't.
"Thanks, but I'm good. I'll be ready in thirty. Bri said you were driving us to campus today and I don't want to make you late."
"I own the company. Whenever I get there, it's never late."
"Right. Out in a jiffy."
"Keila, I do hope you reached out to let Jack know you were home in one piece. I shouldn't have worried him, but since I did… Oh, and maybe you can ask him whatever you're too jumpy to ask me."
She nodded her head yes and took off for her room and didn't look back. Michael didn't know what had her spooked, but he decided he would get to the bottom of it. Before he and Brianna married and left her on her own, again, he had to make sure she was going to be okay.
The door didn't completely close behind him as he went in to get ready for the day.
"Morning, handsome. You didn't scare my roommate again, did you?" Brianna asked.
"Get over here." Michael pulled her into an embrace. She was still damp from her shower and he was still damp from his workout.
"I'm all clean, and you're not." Bri leaned away with her hands on his shoulders, but her resistance wasn't really that strong. "Dry my hair for me, please?"
"Why don't you jump back in the shower and help me get clean, and then I'll help with your hair."
"If I do that, there won't be time for my hair."
Michael ran his hands down her back to grab a handful of what had to still be a tender backside. He had not held back with his hand or her hairbrush. The orgasm he'd drawn out of her afterward let him know she wasn't holding a grudge. Even now, she plastered her body to his like a cat rubbing a post.
"Oh, hell, I can live with a damp ponytail."
"That mouth of yours…" He snatched the towel from her body as she headed for her bathroom, and the smack he landed on her damp ass reverberated around her room.
As she stood against the wall holding her breath, Keila listened to Michael and Brianna's exchange. She'd gotten in more trouble as a kid for eavesdropping more times than she could count, but there she was at it again. They were so vanilla around her on a daily basis. Prior to the night before, when she'd gotten a little sample of his dominant daddy side for herself, the only thing unusual about Michael and Bri was their age difference. Knowing all the things wrong with what she was doing, she couldn't pull away. Keila wanted a full picture on what life with someone like Michael might be, without asking the embarrassing questions that had just tied her tongue and brain. Bri was right; she was a Nosey Rosey.
As she pushed those memories back to the recesses of her mind, Keila looked at the ominous enter key again. Michael and Brianna were family, and if they thought this was a good idea, then she would at least try it. Brianna had been shutting her lame refutes down for weeks and she was finally in the place of acceptance. Pressing the key with her eyes firmly closed, Keila shut the cover of the laptop the minute her finger came up off the button.
"Now, we really do need to go," she said.
Bri bounced up from the floor like a world-class gymnast and plopped down next to Keila but didn't say a word. All she did was shuttle the single sling back from hand to hand while watching her best friend work through her moral issues versus her financial needs. Brianna didn't want to tell her that when she entered the sugar bowl, it was with the same idea of it being a temporary arrangement. It was supposed to be for a little cultural experience, exposure to the finer things in life, and if things went really well, an allowance. Of course, meeting Michael had changed all of that. Now, she was on her way to another fitting for her wedding dress to marry the very man, who, two years ago, was only a potential in a long line on her journey to making her perfect daddy arrangement.
Keila knew the story of how they met. It was why she'd been in the turmoil she was in over making a decision, but if Brianna reminded her of how easily Michael had swayed her from arrangement to relationship, she would be combing through the site to figure out how to delete her profile. So, instead, they took off and headed to the fitting, where Brianna was sure Madame Colette would be sure to let her fiancé know she was late once again. Well, maybe he would understand that this was something that simply couldn't wait.
"My dear, you simply must keep still so that I can get this correct. This must also be the last change if you indeed do want to walk down the aisle in this dress."
The girls did their level best to hold in the giggles. It didn't seem to matter to Madame Colette that they were adults and not little girls playing dress up. It was always how she made them feel. True to her assumptions, Brianna was informed upon their arrival that Madame had called Michael in search of the girls, ten minutes past the hour.
They managed to satisfy her by giving her no further problems. By putting on all the southern charm they'd learned over the years living in Virginia, the girls made the older woman feel like exactly whom she believed herself to be, a matronly advisor on proper comportment.
When they finally left the boutique in search of food and the guaranteed stern look they would get from Michael, both girls were on a high. The dress was finally final and they only had a few more weeks of classes, which meant no more papers or exams or group projects to get through. Michael was even taking them with him on a business trip before they came back to all the hoopla that went along with graduation and a fairytale wedding. Bri's parents were on board, now, but they—specifically her father—weren't comfortable with Michael's money and the fact that he insisted on paying for everything that his girl wanted. They'd been engaged in an emotional two-step since they had announced their plans. Keila was a blessing during those talks with Brianna's mother. Somehow, she translated both worlds with equal eloquence and understanding and kept the bloodshed to a minimum. What mattered most was that all parties were acting out of love for Bri, and once Keila brought it back around to that fact, the twenty-year-old had them all eating out of the palm of her hand.
It was remarkable that, in three short years, the girls had gone from strangers to best friends, to sisters. Neither could scarcely recall a time when one wasn't an integral part of the other's life. Keila didn't like to dwell on it, but she really didn't know what she was going to do without Brianna and Michael in her life on a daily basis.
Chapter 12
"I can't believe he's late, for once," Brianna said with more mirth than the situation called for with a late boyfriend.
"And, this is making you happy, why?"
"Keila, get serious. Michael is on my case at least four times a week about my being behind schedule or outright late. Hell, we would've been a half hour late to meet him, if he wasn't already an hour behind."
"Now, there's some convoluted logic. Change that, I mean Brianna logic."
"Logic that's getting us a little downtime with mimosas. I can't believe I'm getting married in a little more than a month. How crazy is that?"
"Pretty crazy. Actually, really crazy. Graduation in a few weeks, your wedding after that, and then a honeymoon in Paris. Most people do way less to celebrate getting their degree."
"Hopefully, you won't be one of those basic people."
The waiter dropped off the girls' frou-frou drinks and double-checked that someone else would be joining them. Brianna's confirmation came with a request to bring water for the table in a few minutes and to hold off on bringing Michael's requested drink as well.
"How do you know what he's going to want?"
"You marry a man, you learn his drink order. I don't bring a lot to the table, but that's the least I can do. Anyway, if he's in a meeting that's going unnecessarily long, trust me, the only thing soothing
him—"
"That's not you," Keila interrupted with a snicker.
"As I was saying." Brianna rolled her eyes at her friend. "The only thing that soothes him, in public, is an Ardbeg neat, with a splash of soda. A few sips of that, and he's suitable for company again."
"So, what soothes him in private?" Keila asked, doing her best to keep a straight face.
Brianna nearly choked and shot mimosa out of her nose. She was so going to miss her friend on a daily basis. The girl could ask the most personal and inappropriate questions with a straight face and just as quickly turn deep crimson when she got the answer.
"Well, he loves it when we're hardly through the door and I drop to my knees—"
"Shut your face!"
"Why do you ask? Less talking and more drinking. Forget what soothes him. What will set him off is fake ID drinking."
Being completely dismissive in her tone, Keila added, "You don't even need yours anymore."
"But, I'm not trying to explain why I have it at all, and trust me, if one of us gets busted, we are both going down. So, drink."
"Why do you still have it?"
"Because I am not changing my ID until I change my name. Any more questions? Drink."
Keila took a hearty sip and tried to relax. Intermittently, her thoughts kept going back to her decision that morning to hit send. A sugar daddy. What was she thinking? It was good that Bri had other things on her mind, or she would've had the app open checking on prospects, the moment they sat down. The thing was to keep her bestie focused on her wedding and far away from her own issues. It was decided. Keila was pulling that profile down as soon as they got home. She thought about talking it over with Jack, but the whole idea of "sugaring" and how it was the start of Brianna and Michael's relationship was an unspoken, off-limits topic.
Michael made her feel emotional and unreasonable. Everything with him was black and white. Jack, well, he was always in teacher mode and could make her see reason, on most things, sooner or later. She really did love talking with him, but it didn't seem fair to bring him in on her financial woes or the way she was considering supplementing her income. Sure, he probably knew everything from Michael, anyway, but she couldn't bring herself to bring it up without solicitation.
Her last conversation with Michael had made her feel like an irrational child. She really wasn't being obstinate on purpose. Having him foot her bills after his wedding to Bri simply didn't sit well with her.
Sitting across their dining room table from Michael, Keila was staring ahead trying to keep her face devoid of obvious emotion. Mostly, because her strongest emotion at that moment was anger. She didn't understand why he wasn't listening to her or why he wouldn't accept that she wasn't going to take his money.
"Keila, are you listening to me? More importantly, are you hearing me? You've waited too long to get into the RA program, no student work-study job is going to help you afford this place, you're not going to go to your mother or grandmother for more money, and taking out a loan is foolish. Why would you willingly create debt that you don't have to? You're not offering solutions, but you keep rejecting mine. Why?"
Still, she just stared.
"Staring off and refusing to engage in this conversation isn't going to continue to work, young lady. Should I be okay with packing up your stuff and allowing my fiancé's best friend, practically sister, to just take her suitcase and fade off into the sunset?"
"That's a little dramatic, don't you think?"
Her flat tone and complete lack of affect was making his palm itch. He was exhibiting a level of patience she clearly wasn't appreciating.
"Keila, your tone could use some work. I thought you and Brianna had a deal. According to her, it's what seventy-five percent of your late-night talks were about. I was all in because it was a solution you were committed to and I want to make sure you're safe. That was the deal. You would at least register on the website and seek an arrangement that works for you, but time is running out. The proper screening takes time. I'm not going to let you just slip anyone past me in the eleventh hour."
"I'm going to do it. I've been busy. Don't look at me like that. I am not lying."
Her hands were clenched on either side of her plate, poised to get up for a quick exit or to hurl the plate at his head. Michael's gaze went from her face to those hands, in hopes that she had more sense than to actually toss a half-eaten plate of food at him.
"May I be excused?"
"No. Finish your dinner, Keila. I'm going to talk to Brianna. Maybe she knows a better way to convince you than I do. I'm not letting this go. The clock is ticking, young lady, you decide, or I will."
Michael went to kiss her on the temple. He knew her stoicism was a facade, but there wasn't much more he could say to get through to her tonight.
"Bri loves you like a sister, Keila, and you know I care for you a great deal. Please think about everything I've said."
He hadn't cleared the living room entryway before she was running the back of hand across her eyes. To anyone looking in from the outside, she was being a recalcitrant brat for no reason. Half her classmates would jump at Michael's offer, and she kept saying no. Over the last month, she'd even come close to giving in, but something wouldn't let her. She hardly understood it, so how could she explain it to him? That left her saying no repeatedly and coming across as ungrateful and difficult without cause.
Kei snapped herself out of her depressing memory and focused on the present.
"So, when is Jack getting into town again?" she asked the bride to be, after another hearty gulp.
"I said drink, not guzzle. Geez, Kei, you'll be slurring your words before Michael even shows up. Jack is coming in late tonight/early tomorrow. We probably won't see him until tomorrow or the next night."
"After I get through with my last exam, sweet, I'll be ready for a nice dinner. I love when he comes for visits. I feel like it's been too long. He just keeps saying things in New York are busy, too. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like he's putting distance between us. He's a lot less intense than Michael but still serious enough to take sound advice from. I always feel better after one of our talks. He was a huge help with my last project this semester. Letting me interview him and everything was extremely cool."
"Well, you get to experience Mr. Less-Intense-and-Cool, only if you do well, young lady."
"You channeling your hubby-to-be now? Besides, I'm not worried. I'm going into that final with an A."
"Impressive. He's really quite funny when his special tone isn't directed at or about me."
The waiter was just putting water glasses down in place of the two flutes as Michael crossed the restaurant's outdoor patio. Both girls tossed mints in their mouths and crunched through them, before sipping their water.
Michael created space better than anyone. It wasn't just his broad six foot four frame or the grey Brooks Brothers suit that hung on his muscular body perfectly. His skillfully knotted tie, polished baroques, and cuff linked tailored shirt that just peeked past his suit jacket all completed the picture. The thing that parted people like the red sea, though, was his smile—neither too big to read insincere nor too small to appear more smirkish—and the confidence in his stride that conveyed a certainty of movement. This wasn't a man who missed a step. Brianna never tired of watching him enter a room, any room. People weren't intimidated into moving, but they wanted to. He made you want to make things easier for him, even if that meant just moving a little left or right. As he bent down, he bussed Keila's cheek with a quick kiss and then leaned over Bri for a much more intimate greeting. When she attempted to give him her cheek, he placed his hand on that cheek and turned her the slightest bit until he was in line with his target. It only took a moment for the kiss to deepen.
"Still sitting here," Keila said, after clearing her throat in feigned indignation.
Michael sat in the chair between the girls and kept a hand on Bri's upper thigh.
"How was your meeting? Sorry it ran long."
/>
"Brianna, the only problem with this long meeting was I don't like being late getting to you. But, things went well. I think we're in a good place for when Jack gets in to finalize the deal. I'm glad he was able to come in ahead of the wedding and that he can stay after. He can complete the deal, and we can enjoy our honeymoon."
"Yes, because someone promised me his undivided attention for a full two weeks. We'll have to do something nice for him, for sure." Brianna's eyes got big as she remembered the thing she'd been waiting to tell Michael since it happened. He wasn't as vocal, but she knew he was getting worried about Keila's plans after the wedding.
"So, we have news. Guess who hit the enter button, finally. Keila dove into the sugar bowl today."
"Don't. I truly hate that term." Keila became more fidgety than usual, twisting her hands in her lap to keep from smacking them onto her face in a manner that would cover her eyes from her companions. She didn't know what they were seeing there but believed that whatever it was would lead to questions she didn't want to answer. She also didn't want to tell them that she'd already made up her mind to jump back out of that proverbial bowl.
"Keila, I'm proud of you. I know you don't think it's something to be proud of, but believe me, knowing what you need and want and taking steps to get it is something that's pride-worthy. People often see their goal within reach and still don't do the one thing that could get them over the finish line. You did that, maybe not in the traditional way you thought you would, but you did it. Don't be ashamed of your path."
Michael took great pleasure in seeing the slight smile creeping up in the corners of the young girl's mouth. She might not fully believe him yet, but he would keep speaking truth into the situation until she embraced it as fact.
"Agree to disagree, but it doesn't matter because I did it, and now I'll have to live with the results. So, besides work, do you and Jack have any final bachelor fun nights planned? I mean, we'll feel less guilty about our girls' nights if yours are at least a little bit wild."
The Daddy Arrangement (Sugar 101) Page 11
