My face was on fire. “Dad!”
“Keep in mind that this is temporary.”
I leaned closer to him. “Why would you say that?”
“You two come from different worlds. He knows it. I know it.”
I was so sick of people telling me that because I had money, it made me different from other people. People were people.
Dad’s phone rang, interrupting us yet again. I sighed and leaned back from the table. I couldn’t remember the last time we had talked for more than two minutes without his phone interrupting us.
I pushed my food around my plate until my father got off the phone and signaled for the check.
* * *
Dad’s limo offered a superior view of Aaron, who sat directly across from me. We didn’t speak, and both of us listened to Dad’s one-sided conversation.
Finally, the call ended.
“I have a business dinner tonight,” Dad said, “But that doesn’t mean I forgot your birthday.”
Aaron’s eyebrows went up. Yes, tomorrow was my 26th birthday. I avoided Aaron’s gaze. I knew what was about to happen because it happened every year. Dad pulled out his checkbook. He signed a check with a flourish and handed the checkbook over to me.
His voice filled with pride. “This is how I give Femi her birthday present. She fills in the amount of money she wants.”
“Any amount?” Aaron asked.
Dad laughed. “One year she wrote ten million dollars. And I signed it.”
I flushed. That had been a low year. I had tried to get Dad’s attention through his bank account but he happily signed it and another four months went by before I saw him. This year would be different.
I carefully wrote an amount on the cheque and handed it back to Dad.
He peered at it and dropped his hands, looking at me. “Femi. What is this?”
“Twenty dollars. I want you and I to go out for dessert tonight, after your business dinner. No phones.”
Dad shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
I could feel Aaron’s piercing stare, as he observed the exchange between us. “I want to spend time with you. Let’s go to the bar of the hotel and talk.”
Dad seemed confounded by my request. “That’s all you want?”
“That’s all I want.” Dad didn’t seem to realize that once you hit a certain level in your bank account, it didn’t matter if you added or took away a couple more million. It was just a number after a certain point.
“I’m not sure if I can part with my phone. Important calls are coming in.”
“Twenty minutes, dad,” I bargained.
He nodded, slowly. “I guess we can manage that.”
I beamed a huge smile and hugged his arm. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
* * *
While I waited for Dad to return from his business dinner, I sat on the settee and observed Aaron moving in. Dad had sent his butler to assist.
Aaron had his duffle bag over his shoulder, and he gave me a once over as he passed by. Dad’s butler had been designated to carry Aaron’s jean jacket and a magazine.
I stifled a giggle as I listened to Aaron talk to the butler from the spare bedroom.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m setting out your toiletries, sir.”
“You can call me Aaron, but I can put my toothbrush away.”
“Yes, sir.”
A few moments later. “What are you doing?”
“I’m putting away your clothes, sir.”
“You think I can’t do that?”
“I’d like to help, sir.”
“Aaron.”
“Yes…Aaron, sir.”
“I think we’re good here.”
“We’re not finished.”
And then a finality to Aaron’s tone. “I think we are.”
The butler buzzed past me and disappeared out the door.
A few moments later, Aaron appeared in the sitting room. He unscrewed a bottle of water and sank into the couch across from me.
“You look nice.”
I smiled at him. “Why didn’t you want his help?”
“He touched my underwear.”
“So?”
“No guy should touch another man’s ginch.”
I giggled. “Thank you for moving up here.”
He studied me for a long moment. “I figured a Princess shouldn’t be forced to walk through the hotel in her housecoat.”
“You don’t mind?”
He spun his bottle in his hand. “Did you really write a check for ten million dollars?”
“I thought he’d say no.”
“But he signed off.”
“Yeah but I never cashed the check.”
“Why not?”
“It was never about the money.”
Blue eyes inspected me. “What time is your dad coming to pick you up?”
“He said dinner should be done by 8 PM at the latest.”
It was 8:30 PM, but Aaron was a gentleman not to mention that fact. “Okay.”
I fussed with straightening out my skirt.
“You never told me it was your birthday.”
“It’s no big deal.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I kind of like my birthday.”
I smiled. “You do?”
“The cake, the presents, the stripper.”
I threw a pillow at him.
He laughed and threw the pillow back at me. “What are you doing this year for your birthday?”
“This is it.”
“What?”
“Cake with my dad. That’s all I want.”
“Pretty humble request, Princess.”
“I’ve had the big parties and the horse-drawn carriage and the four-tiered cake.”
“Horse-drawn carriage?”
“Don’t hold my 18-year-old self against me.”
“Are you excited to talk to your dad?”
I hugged the pillow to my chest. “Yeah. Kinda.”
He sipped his water.
I studied Aaron, trying to imagine what his birthdays were like. “What about your parents?”
“What about them?”
“What are they like?”
“They’re pretty ordinary folk. My dad likes to watch hockey. My mom belongs to a quilting club. They both volunteer every Sunday morning.”
“That sounds nice.”
He smiled. “They’re good people.”
“Where are they from?”
“Seattle, Washington.”
“Any siblings?”
“I have a younger sister.”
“What’s she like?”
“She’s studying to become a dentist.”
“Are her teeth as nice as yours?”
He lips curled into one of his killer smiles. “You like my teeth?”
“They’re pretty.”
His smile widened. “Don’t you know you can’t call a Frogman pretty?”
“What’s a frogman?”
“It’s another term for a SEAL.”
A knock sounded on the door. Excited, I smoothed down my skirt again and picked up my purse.
I stopped in front of Aaron and nervously asked. “How do I look?”
“As gorgeous as ever.”
“Thanks.”
I opened the door and Dad strolled in, with his damn phone pressed to his ear. “Thanks. I have to go. I’ll call you in a bit.”
My smile slipped.
“Darling, you’re as stunning as your mother.”
I kissed him on his cheek. “Ready to go?”
“There’s been a slight hick-up. I need to head to Toronto tonight.”
“After dessert?”
His phone rang again. He glanced at it but then tucked it back in his jacket. “I have a much better idea.”
“What?”
“I’ve talked to my PA and right now, as we speak, she is planning the biggest, most fabulous party for tomorrow night for you and all your friends. No ex
penses spared. I told her to make it her most exciting event yet.”
I didn’t give a shit about a birthday party. All I wanted was time with Dad. “What about tonight’s dessert?”
“Sweetheart, I have to go.”
“Ten minutes, please?”
He bent down and kissed me on the cheek. “You have better things to do than hang out with your old pops. Now happy birthday, darling, talk to you soon.”
He waved at Aaron. “Take care of her, okay?”
Aaron stood up. “Will do, sir.”
And then the door shut behind Dad. I worked to compose myself, fighting surprising tears. I don’t know why I bothered. It’d been like this my entire life.
I forced myself to arrange my face to indifference. I turned to face Aaron and gave him a benign smile. “Well, that was my dad.”
“That’s bullshit.” Anger flashed in his eyes.
Which, of course, was my undoing. I shook my head, not wanting to cry.
“Come on,” he walked to me and rubbed my shoulders. “We’re going out for a birthday surprise.”
“No, I don’t want to.”
He lifted my chin and dropped a light kiss on my lips. “I’m not taking no for an answer from the birthday girl.”
My bottom lip trembled dangerously. “Where are we going?”
“Don’t you know that a birthday surprise is a surprise?”
Chapter 22
Femi
Aaron whispered something to my driver, and then we started to drive. The wet streets reflected the night lights. The car pulled up in front of a run-down building.
“What is this place?”
He ushered me towards the door. The smell of burnt popcorn and melted butter invaded my nostrils as we stepped inside. “This is a movie theatre!”
He tugged me to the ticket booth. The bored clerk didn’t even look up. “Welcome to the Tom Hanks mania weekend. What movie do you want?”
I covered my mouth with both of my hands. “Are you serious? Are you freaking serious?”
Aaron laughed. “What are our choices?
“Captain Philips and Forrest Gump.”
Those blue eyes smiled down at me. “Your pick, birthday girl.”
“Captain Philips. It has Navy SEALs in it.”
His eyebrows went up. “Really?”
He pulled out his wallet and bought us two tickets.
“I can’t believe this,” I practically skipped beside him.
He tugged at my hand and stopped me in front of the concession stand. We bought enough junk to last a month.
The theatre was ancient with thread-bare velvet seats and sticky floors. Aaron pulled me up to the back.
“This is the best present ever!”
He tossed popcorn in the air and caught it in his mouth. “Thought you’d like it.”
“How did you find out about this?”
“Saw it in the newspaper and thought of you.”
Aaron had thought of me.
My eyes shone with emotion. “I love this.”
* * *
When the movie ended, Aaron and I remained in our seats.
“Did you like it?” I turned to look at him.
He stared at the now black screen. “That was based on the Maersk Alabama hijacking. I work with guys who were on that mission.”
“Is that the kind of stuff you do on your job?”
He picked up my hand and squeezed it. “Sometimes.”
“Is your job dangerous?”
“This could be my most dangerous mission yet.”
Indignant. “I hope not.”
He lifted my hand and kissed the palm. “You don’t have to worry okay?”
“Okay.”
But I did worry. About so many things.
Chapter 23
Femi
My dad’s PA pulled together a dream party, and she had spared no expense. Dreading the next six hours of my life, I watched as over a hundred of my ‘friends’ milled around the glitzy room. There were ice sculptures, a champagne-tiered fountain and DJ Marshmello played music at the front of the room.
Mari rushed up to me, clasping my hands. “This is incredible. You never told me you were having a party.”
I shrugged, glancing over my shoulder at Aaron, who followed within a step behind. “It was a surprise from my dad.”
“You’re so lucky,” she gushed. “I’d kill to be you.”
I couldn’t take a step forward, without someone pulling me into a hug. Half of my guests were already stoned or drunk. The other half, I didn’t recognize.
I did my part. I greeted everyone I saw. I drank champagne. I laughed and chatted, but the night felt like a chore.
Finally, a reprieve came, and I stood alone. The lonely Princess, overlooking her fiefdom. Not a single person in this room cared about me. I meant nothing to these people, and they meant nothing to me.
When had my life become so empty?
Aaron stood off to my side and scanned the crowd.
Last night, when we returned to my suite, he’d kissed me chastely on the forehead and told me to have a good sleep. Not wanting to ruin what had been an already perfect night, I didn’t push for more. But most of the night I tossed and turned, wondering why he hadn’t wanted to spend the night with me.
I contemplated him, so strong and immovable, as he concentrated on the crowd. What did he think of my world? I watched as four people bent over a table, snorting lines of coke. Shame washed over me. At one point this has been my scene. Not the hard drugs, but I had worked to be accepted by these people. Now, as I compared them to Aaron, everyone appeared so fake and surface in their attempt to outdo everyone else.
I checked my watch. It was 11 PM. I turned to Aaron.
“How’s it going?”
“I want to go to my room.”
He frowned. “Okay. Are we escorting you up there for a quick break?”
I shook my head. “I’m done.”
“Partying?”
“Yeah. I want to go to bed.”
He seemed concerned. “Okay. Let’s go.”
We got halfway across the room when Marshmello stopped the music and asked, “Where is the birthday girl? Femi? Where are you, darling?”
I gave Aaron a regretful look.
“What?”
“I think they’re bringing out the cake.”
A spotlight showcased three chefs wheeling a huge tiered cake into the middle of the room. I sighed and with a straight back, walked to the center of the room. The spotlight blinded me, while the room drunkenly sang happy birthday to me.
I dutifully cut a piece of cake and beamed a fake smile. Then I walked through the crowd, with Aaron on my heels. Without saying goodbye to anyone, we moved towards the elevator.
Aaron asked in a low voice, “Are you okay?”
I nodded, afraid that if I tried to speak, I might burst into tears.
He slipped his big hand into mine and squeezed it.
* * *
I cried big wracking stupid sobs in the shower. I had everything a person could want. I didn’t understand why I felt like I needed more. My selfishness made me cry harder.
I climbed into bed just wanting this miserable day to come to an end. I stared at the ceiling. I wanted to make some changes in my life. What that would entail, I had no idea, but this coming year would be different. I wanted to be different.
I sat up to a soft tapping on the door.
“Come in.”
Aaron pushed open the door. He carried a plate with a giant piece of birthday cake. On the cake was a lone candle, with a flickering flame. Dumbfounded, I tucked my knees up to my chin as he carried it to the bed.
“Are you going to make a wish?” he sat on the bed.
I shut my eyes.
I wish that Aaron would hold me tonight.
I blew out the candle.
“Where did you get this?”
“I had Benny go down and get a piece. The birthday girl needs a piece of her
own cake.”
The lump in my throat was the size of China. “Thank you.”
Using the fork, he lifted a bite to my lips. I obediently opened my mouth, and sweet sensations exploded my tastebuds. “Mmmm.”
I watched as he took a bite himself. “Not bad.”
I let him feed me another bite.
“Are you okay?” the question on his face was honest and real.
I took a deep breath. “I think I want to make some big changes in my life.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Just…this isn’t working for me anymore.”
“What do you want?”
I thought about my answer. “Real friends.” I started to cry again. I covered my face with my hands. “Sorry. I’m so sorry.”
He put the cake on the nightstand. “Princess.”
I shook my head. “I know you must think I’m so silly but you’re the first real friend I’ve ever had, and I…I’m so lonely.”
He moved up the bed so he was behind me and then he pulled me back against him in a cuddle. “Shhh, it’s going to be okay.”
I wiped the tears that splashed down my cheeks. “Thank you.”
“I haven’t done anything.”
“You’ve done everything.”
I felt his big hand smooth my wet hair. “What can I do?”
“Can you hold me? Just for tonight?”
He tugged me tighter. “I think that can be arranged.”
I let out a wobble of air, but we didn’t speak. Words meant nothing right now. Aaron held me like I mattered and that was all I needed.
Chapter 24
Femi
I woke up as Aaron shifted behind me.
“Aaron?”
He put his forehead on my shoulder. “Sorry.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I should go.”
I twisted in his arms, so my face was a mere inch from his. “Why?”
He put his forehead against mine. “I’m going to do something that we both might regret if I don’t leave.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
He ground his hips against mine. I felt his huge arousal dig into my stomach.
My Donut Princess: The Navy SEAL Series, Novella Page 8
