“Are you done growling?” Hayes asks. I glare at him. “What happened?”
Let me see, my vice president of operations should’ve been fired at least three years ago. My assistant is fucking with my head, and my plan to move her to Baker’s Creek with me has more holes than Swiss cheese.
I shake my head because I’m not in the mood to talk to him—or anyone for that matter. Until I remember he is a fucking doctor, and I need his expertise.
“If I need medical equipment, how long will it take for it to arrive?”
He blinks a couple of times and walks to the fridge to grab the jug of orange juice. “Any equipment?”
“Don’t be fucking obtuse. I’m not in the mood to deal with you.”
“You are never in the mood, and I need specifics to tell you how long it is going to take me to get you the equipment.”
I scratch my head and shrug. “Well, obviously I don’t know.”
“Obviously,” he repeats in a mocking tone but then, he continues sounding more like the professional I know he is, “It all depends on what we need. Most of the equipment we bought for the practice arrived one or two weeks after we ordered it. Now, the equipment I’m ordering to help Mills with his knee is going to take longer.”
He sighs. “It all depends on what you need, but you can always rush it. Do you mind me asking why you need medical equipment?”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Pierce asks, entering the kitchen. “We can hear you all the way to the barn. You’re scaring the chickens.”
I arch an eyebrow and cross my arms. “Really, the chickens are fucking complaining about me? They are animals. It’s not like they contribute to the house.”
Hayes laughs, “They pay for their share. I mean, who else is giving you fresh eggs every day?”
“Organic, fresh eggs,” Pierce reiterates, and both laugh at me.
“Assholes,” I grunt.
“You!” Blaire enters the kitchen. “You are the major asshole, Henry Lloyd Merkel Aldridge. Did you wake up today feeling like you haven’t pulled enough shit on the people around you?”
Hayes glares at me and asks, “What did you do?”
The guy is ready to punch me because he swears I must have eaten the last chocolate croissant that he saved for his fiancée or squashed a bug during my morning run. God forbid we upset her. Like she can’t defend herself. I’m sure that if I do something to her, she’ll be kicking my ass before anyone finds out that I was rude or whatever. Which is why she’s about to kick my ass.
“Well, instead of promoting Sophia, he’s making her move to Baker’s Creek with us,” she says and pokes my chest. “Fix it, now.”
“Why the fuck would I promote her?” I ask horrified. “How many times do I need to repeat that we need to set some ground rules in this house? Here’s a new one—I don’t tell you how to treat your patients, and you don’t tell me how to run my company.”
“Unless you mess with the wrong woman,” she warns me.
“Is that why you need a hospital bed?” Hayes asks hiding his fucking grin. “Because Sophia is coming to kill you and in case she misses, you might need Blaire and I to save you.”
“Listen, I only know that her mother requires a lot of medical care, and I need to make sure we have everything at her disposal in Baker’s Creek,” I explain to them.
“You are moving her mother not even knowing if she’s allowed to travel?” Hayes asks with shock reflected in his face.
“What happened to her mom?” Blaire gives me that concerned look that says, I need to save my friend.
I find this refreshing. She doesn’t know about Sophia’s mom. Which means my theory that Sophia keeps her family apart from her daily life is true.
Why is that? Not the point, Aldridge. Focus on convincing the doctors that they need to help you.
“As I said, I know she’s under medical care twenty-four-seven,” I respond.
“Which is why you assume you need a bed?” she asks confused.
“No,” Hayes rectifies. “He needs medical equipment and wants us to figure out what he needs. Am I wrong?”
This feels like a trap. Whatever I answer will be used against me. I choose to nod once, and it was the wrong movement because Blaire is fuming.
“In what reality do you live?” She asks, more like growls. “You are out of touch with the world. It’s like you grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth and everyone did everything for you. Wait, that’s exactly how it happened. Well, this is the real world. Here, in Baker’s Creek, you are on your own.”
“Dude, at least give this poor man a hand,” Pierce interjects. “He’s just trying to bring his woman home.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I order.
Blaire narrows her gaze and studies me and then Pierce. She shakes her head and says, “I’ll hand you over the list of my providers, but you are the one who has to figure out what you need.”
“If I need therapists?” I ask, terrified at the prospect of getting everything all wrong and screwing up Sophia’s family.
Look, I know where to find appliances for an industrial kitchen. The best furniture at a cheap price for my hotels, but doctors… How do I do that?
“Blaire, you know more people in the medical field than I do,” I remind her. “You can assemble a team just by snapping your fingers. Don’t do this for me. Do it for your friend.”
Hayes rolls his eyes. “You can’t expect him to do this on his own, babe.”
She looks at me suspiciously.
Hayes glances at me and says, “I’ll give you a hand, Henry, but you’re the one making the calls.”
“No, what he needs to do is leave Sophia alone,” Blaire protests. “This is wrong, and we shouldn’t support it. Why do you want her to move here?”
“I need her help?” I answer but it comes out like a question.
She probably doesn’t know what happened between Sophia and me last Saturday. What has been happening since my father died. This move would be easier if I didn’t need Sophia right beside me because fuck if I don’t miss her.
“She can do everything from home,” she counteracts.
“The factory is here, The Lodge is here,” I argue with what I can. “We need to figure out how to ensure that this town and Happy Springs are prolific and can stand on their own.”
As if this freaking show isn’t enough, Leyla enters the kitchen and gives me a cold glare. Her nostrils flare and her fists clench.
Usually, I’m not intimidated by women. Yet, there’s something about her that makes me feel uncomfortable, even bashful when she’s upset or angry. She doesn’t need to raise her voice to chide us. Just a look and a disappointed voice is plenty to make us feel like we failed her.
She sets a basket with eggs on the counter and takes a deep breath. “Usually, when animals bark or growl loudly it is to scare those around them away—because they are afraid.”
“Arden isn’t around for your nonsense,” I try to shut her up because when she brings up her Animal Planet lectures, I want to shove a finger into my ear.
She crosses her arms and exhales. “What are you afraid of, Henry? I understand that you didn’t ask for this living situation. None of us did.”
She glances around the room and gives me another disappointed look. Her green eyes have the same anger as Blaire’s, but as I said, she doesn’t raise her voice.
“I need you to understand that we are all equal,” she explains. “Not only that, but there’s a kid living in this house. He doesn’t deserve to grow up in a household where everyone is yelling to show the rest of the males that they are bigger, better, or more virile. So do us all a favor and start treating everyone the same way you want to be treated.”
I look at Pierce and give him a confused look because why is she lecturing me?
“That goes to all of you, Aldridge men,” she continues. “I don’t care about your daddy issues. You’re not a bunch of children. You are grown-ass men.”
“Leyla,” Pierce says her name softly but with a hint of warning.
“No, I’m putting my foot down. I didn’t sign up for this. If you want me to stay, know that I want to live in a place where people respect each other.”
“Or what, you leave?” I dare her.
“Yes,” she answers so sure of herself. “I don’t win anything if I stay or leave. As a matter of fact, I can pack my stuff right now and leave.”
“She has a point,” Blaire says. “It really doesn’t affect me personally because I grew up with brothers—they were either fighting or playing loudly. However, that’s not the atmosphere I want for Arden or for my baby.”
Searching around the kitchen she grins when she spots a pitcher. She walks to it, grabs it, and sets it on the middle counter. “Here. Cussing, yelling, or fighting will be grounds to set five dollars in the jar.”
“Fuck no!” Hayes, Pierce, and I protest.
I’m sure our three other brothers will agree with us.
“It’s that or I leave,” Leyla threatens. Fuck, these women are driving me insane.
“I’ll take it into consideration,” I say.
Leyla grins and walks away.
“She leaves and we’re fucked,” Pierce reminds me, then he marches out of the kitchen. “I’m going out for a run.”
“You know what those two need?” Hayes asks.
“To fuck?” I answer.
Blaire who is the sensible one of the three says, “They’re not up for discussion. Now tell me, why can’t you just leave Sophia alone?”
“I’m letting her be. I just need her to be here with me.”
She narrows her eyes, tilts her head and asks, “Why?”
“Because my silver spoon ways require me to have my right hand close by and not thousands of miles away,” I explain. “Maybe she needs to be here because she can’t possibly believe that the factory can be saved while she’s barking orders from Manhattan. I don’t know, Blaire, apparently, I’m being unrealistic. Not everyone can solve world hunger with ten dollars, an army of doctors, and hope. Like you do.”
Instead of waiting for a comeback, I leave. Everything I said is accurate, but there’s a lot more to why I need Sophia beside me. What I told her last Saturday is true. I want her, and I’m going to have her.
Sophia
“You fucking bitch,” Morrell comes out of his office at the same time security approaches him. “You’ll pay for this.”
“Don’t speak to her,” Frank, who is the head of security, orders Morrell. Then, he looks at me and says, “The car service is downstairs waiting for you.”
“I can walk,” I say, gathering my things because I can see that Henry’s instructions to call security wasn’t enough. He had to do it too.
He’s impossible. I should tell him that I don’t need a babysitter to get me to Baker’s Creek. I understand that he pretty much owns me and until I can find a way to pay for my mother’s debts, her treatments, and support myself without needing this stupid job, I have to do what he says.
“Please, just this one time, do what he asked,” Frank begs. “I don’t want to have one of my guys fired because you two are having…issues.”
I could remind him that even when Henry fires them, I never let that happen. However, I don’t have time for the nonsense. There’s a lot I have to plan, and fighting over something as stupid as a car service seems childish compared to the war I’m bringing to Baker’s Creek. Henry might think what he’s doing is just fine. Well, he’s going to learn not to mess with Sophia Aragon. I plan on making sure he regrets having me close to him. I finish clearing my desk and as I leave Tabby asks, “What is going to happen to us?”
I shrug. “You might be reporting to the new interim CEO or… Who knows what Mr. Aldridge is going to do during his absence.”
When I get to the car, I call Blaire and tell her everything that’s happened. She listens until I’m done and then says, “Wait until I finish with him. No one will recognize him.”
I laugh as we hang up because if I cry, I don’t think I’ll ever stop. I never let myself cry. There’s never time, and Mom always taught me to solve my problems, not sit down and cry while feeling defeated.
Once I arrive at the penthouse where I live, I go to my closet and stare at my clothes. This is the one perk from my job that I adore. Merkel pays for my apparel. Since I’m Henry’s assistant, I have to dress for the part. Now that I’m moving to Baker’s Creek, can I dress down? Not that I mind wearing dresses, skirts, and the occasional dress slacks. My most favorite thing about the required designer clothes are the shoes. My collection is priceless.
I’m taking all of them with me, but what about the rest? Am I losing my house? I have so many questions, but I’m not in the mood to speak to him.
Sophia: Am I moving out of the penthouse?
Henry: Temporarily.
Sophia: When am I coming back?
Henry: I don’t know.
Sophia: Six months, a year…eighteen months?
Henry: You’ll probably return with me when this is over.
Sophia: Is anyone going to occupy the penthouse now that I won’t be needing it?
Henry: No, it’s your place.
Sophia: The hotel could be making money if it’s available.
Henry: I make money regardless.
Sophia: So I can just pack what I’ll be needing?
Henry: Listen, this is a temporary move, however, I recommend you bring everything you think is necessary to make you feel at home.
Sophia: My parents would make me feel at home.
Henry: I know. Please send a list of what they’ll require to come to Baker’s Creek often to visit you.
Sophia: You’re kidding, right?
Henry: No. I want to make this as painless as possible.
“Then, don’t move me. I have a family that needs me!” I shout to the empty room.
Instead of calling him to yell at him, I call Blaire who asks, “What happened to your mom? Henry mentioned she’s sick.”
“She had a stroke that caused her to have blindness and deafness on her left side,” I explain. “I was about to graduate from high school when it happened. We thought she’d recover. I mean, she’s young and even old people tend to recover, but not her.”
“So she’s been like that for twelve years?” she concludes. “Does she have any other limitations?”
“Let see, she can barely use her left arm, hand, leg, and foot. She can’t walk without a cane,” I continue telling her the ways my poor mom can barely function. “Obviously, she can’t drive. She’s depressed and can’t sleep.”
“Can she travel?”
“She’s not coming to Baker’s Creek,” I tell her, and my voice comes so forceful I apologize, “Sorry. It’s just…”
“I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now,” she says in that sensible voice of hers. “It’s valid to be frustrated, angry, even bitter for what he’s doing to you. Quit. I’ll help you.”
“No one is going to give me a job that pays for my parents insurance or provides housing. Saving money on rent allows me to pay for my parents’ bills, my mother’s debts, her therapies, and everything that my family needs,” I inform her.
The corporate credit card pays for my expenses. The chef cooks whatever meal I want when I’m at home. The benefits are endless, but days like today I don’t think is worth the trouble. Now, Henry is meddling with my parents’ lives.
“I’m delusional when I believe that someday I’m going to get rid of Henry, when truth be told, I don’t think my mom would be alive if it wasn’t for this job. Dad is her primary caregiver because I can support them.” She’s silent for several seconds then I break the silence by saying, “Please, don’t offer to fix my life because I can’t take pity when I’m angry.”
“No, I am—what do you want to do with your parents?”
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly because I do want them close, but they shouldn’t be moving just becau
se of me. “Do we have the resources in Baker’s Creek for Mom?”
“Henry wants us to make sure they exist,” she says. “He told Hayes, ‘Money is not an issue.’”
“Well, let’s say that Henry makes it happen, but he’s shoving my parents into a place where they don’t know anyone. My brothers and sisters are here. The only reason he wants to bring them along is so I don’t travel often to New York.”
“Deep breaths, Blaire,” I hear Leyla in the background. “Murdering him might be the smartest option, but no one wants to listen to me.”
“Put me on speaker,” I request. “I take it you two have been talking about me.”
“Plus wondering if it’ll be best to hire a hitman or involve Vance to solve all our issues,” Leyla adds. “Stand your ground. Don’t let him bully you. He hired you to be his assistant, right?”
“Yes, and the contract says that I’m required to travel with him as he sees fit,” I disclose.
“Pierce could look at the contract and find a loophole,” she suggests. “If we get you the money to cover your debt, would you quit?”
“My parents’ expenses are too high. It wouldn’t be sustainable in the long run,” I explain. “He wants me there, I’ll comply. Also, I’ll make his life a living hell. He’ll regret having me with him. I should make him fly my entire family to Baker’s Creek. At least as often as twice a month. He wants to deal with the Aragons, I’ll show him how painful it could be.”
“That’s my girl,” Blaire says. “Why not have your parents stay with us every other month. I would need to check with your mother’s doctor, but I can monitor her from here and assemble a team to treat her. This might help her with her depression too.”
“Watching me torture my boss?”
She laughs, “No, the change of scenery, meeting new people, and looking forward to new experiences. I can make a plan that includes Henry flying your parents to Portland every other day to see a specialist.”
Love Me Like I Love You Page 118
