Reluctantly Alpha (The Barrington Billionaires, Book 8)

by Ruth Cardello

  Later that night, Connor nursed a beer on his penthouse balcony. It still didn’t feel like his. Claire had found the apartment for him. The building had the tight security celebrities required and a helipad. Never in his life had he imagined either would be a criteria for choosing a place he’d live, but since Kade Barrington had married a woman with her own air transportation company, calling for a helicopter was often quicker than having his car brought out of valet and fighting traffic.

  One thing he’d learned about the rich—they didn’t like to be kept waiting. That was a downside to privilege. When a person’s needs were anticipated and seamlessly fulfilled, it skewed the way they looked at life. Connor hadn’t updated his family about Angelina because he doubted the Barringtons would understand his desire to take things slowly. His father once told him, “Patience is like fertilizer. You can grow something without it, but it won’t be nearly as impressive.”

  There was no one Connor admired more than his dad. He could have moved to Boston, but instead had kept his house in Upstate New York and encouraged Viviana and Grant to raise their children there.

  Missing his father, Connor pulled out his phone. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Connor? It’s late. Anything wrong?”

  “Nope. Finally right. I have a date with Angelina on Saturday.”

  “That’s fantastic. Everything I’ve heard about her has been positive.”

  “She’s amazing. You’ll really like her.”

  “I look forward to meeting her.” There was a pause in their conversation that was eventually broken by his father asking, “Why does it feel like you have a question you’re holding back?”

  Connor downed a good portion of his beer. “I do have something I want to ask you.”

  “Anything.”

  “Were you happier before we met the Barringtons?” He rushed to add, “I’m not saying I don’t like them, I’ve just been thinking about all the changes we’ve made. Is my closet back home still full of my old clothes?”

  “I haven’t thrown a thing of yours out. You looking for anything in particular?”

  Not sure how to articulate how he was feeling, Connor didn’t attempt it. “But you’re happy, right, Dad?” That mattered more to him.

  “Happy? I don’t know if I’ve been truly happy since I lost your mother. That doesn’t mean I’m unhappy. I have a good life—a good family, good friends. I can’t complain.” It didn’t surprise Connor that his father hadn’t mentioned the recent success of his construction company. Money had never mattered much to him.

  “You really loved Mom.”

  “I still do.” His father’s voice was thick with emotion.

  “Dad, if you don’t want to talk about this, it’s okay.”

  “No. Your mother would have loved the people her babies became. The more years that pass, the more I regret not talking about her. It hurts to remember, but I’m becoming more afraid she’ll be forgotten because I didn’t say her name.”

  “No one will forget her, Dad.” Connor settled himself into a chair on his balcony and propped his feet up on the railing. “Tell me something about her. Did you know right away that she was the one for you?”

  There was a smile in his father’s voice when he said, “You’ll think I’m crazy, but I did. She had a boyfriend, some guy with a flashy car and perfect teeth. You know those teeth that are so white they don’t look real? That’s what I remember most about him. Anyway, I was working at a gas station to pay for college and they pulled up—asked for full service, and I fell in love the first time she smiled at me. Her boyfriend went inside for cigarettes so I gave her my number. I told her to call me if she was looking for a good man who could imagine forever with her.”

  “Whoa. What did she say?”

  “Nothing. But she pocketed my number before he returned. I didn’t know her name or where she was from, so there wasn’t much I could do after they drove off. I told my friends about her. I said I’d met the woman I was meant to marry. They couldn’t believe I’d let her go, but I knew I’d see her again. We felt destined to be. Six months later, she called. We met for lunch, then dinner, then spent every day together after that. I’ve dated some amazing women since your mom passed away, but none have touched my heart the way she did.”

  Hearing his father talk about his mother with love warmed Connor’s heart. He’d always hoped there’d been happiness before her illness. “Do you have any regrets?”

  “Every argument we ever had where I let my pride stop me from apologizing when I was wrong. Also, we got married quick, started having kids right away. Things happened so fast my focus was on work and providing for my family more than it was on you kids. That changed when she got sick. I realized then that none of this is forever. It changed how I looked at everything. At the end of the day, the people you love and the ones who love you are all that matter.”

  “Are you missing us, Dad? Because you’re starting to sound like a Hallmark card.”

  He chuckled, but when he spoke his tone was serious. “I am missing you. When are you coming up to see me?”

  “How about tonight? I have a pilot on call and a need to kick your ass at darts. You pick the bar, I’ll pick the beer.”

  “Your own pilot on call? Fancy.”

  Connor swung his feet to the floor and joked, “Not all the changes in my life have been bad. Did you know they make helicopters with passenger sections so quiet you can make a business call from it? After you’ve ridden in one there is no going back.”

  “Oh, Lord. Yes, I know about the soundproof ones. I get flown around too, you know. I don’t want to brag, but as Viviana’s father, I bet I get better door to door service than you do.”

  “What? Oh, we will talk about this again. Hanging up now. I will need to fly back tonight, but I’ll be at the house in about an hour and a half.”

  “Sounds good. Are you coming in hungry?”

  “No. I already ate.” His stomach rumbled. “On second thought, yeah, I can always eat again.”

  “Good to see some things haven’t changed.” His father laughed. “Connor?”

  “Yeah, Dad?”

  “I know you’ve been struggling to be the brother you think Viviana needs, but all those voices telling you that there was something wrong with you—they’re just noise you need to learn to tune out. I’m not saying you can’t wear a suit now and then, but there was nothing wrong with any of the children I raised. I’m damned proud of you; I always have been.”

  And that was why Connor wasn’t intimidated by the idea of having a family of his own. He’d had the world’s best role model for how to do it right. “Thanks, Dad. I’m pretty proud of you too. I mean, at your advanced age . . . to be able to figure out how to answer your new smartphone all on your own . . .”

  “Oh, I see how tonight is going to go. Better bring some cash to lose to me at darts.”

  “Or enough to buy you a tall drink to wallow in when I win. See you in a bit.” He was just about to hang up the phone when a thought occurred to him. “Dad, did you ever think about getting another dog?” He told his father about Button.

  “How big?”

  “Crazy big and still growing. He’ll probably destroy everything in your house. He doesn’t belong in the city, but I can see him running around your backyard, digging up what you call grass.”

  “Where is he now?”

  Connor was smiling as he ended the call. His father had promised to call the rescue and meet Button. There was no chance in hell that would end with Button not leaving with his father.

  Connor texted his pilot. ETA fifteen minutes. Perfect. He turned and leaned against the railing of his balcony and chose a number he’d told himself he wouldn’t call until later that night—but he wanted to hear her voice.

  He didn’t leave a message when it went to voice mail.

  He just glared down at his phone like it had betrayed him.

  Why wouldn’t she answer?

  Was she hurt?

  B
usy?

  No longer interested?

  No, she was into him. He could have driven to his place instead of taking her out for pizza and she would have been okay with it.

  Maybe she didn’t like the pizza.

  No. She ate three slices. It’s not that.

  I can text now that she didn’t answer.

  What the hell do men write to women who don’t pick up when they call? This was a new experience for Connor.

  The excitement of his phone ringing quickly diminished when he realized it wasn’t Angelina returning his call. “Hey, Clay.”

  “You sound down for a man who had his first date with his future wife.”

  “It wasn’t really a date, and how do you know I went out with Angelina?”

  “A fairy godfather has to have his charge under constant surveillance so he’ll know when to step in.”

  “Just what kind of surveillance are we talking about? How many fingers am I holding up?” He waved his middle finger around at the room in general.

  “One and it’s your middle finger, but I don’t need to see you to know that. Trust me, I don’t want to know what goes on in your apartment.”

  Connor lowered his hand. “How do you know where I am?”

  “I track your phone and pay people to report in with what you’re up to.”

  “And that’s not creepy?”

  “Hey, I didn’t volunteer for this job. This was a special request by Sophie Barrington. I don’t take those lightly.”

  Connor walked to his bedroom to grab his phone charger. “I’d love to talk more about this but I’m flying out to see my dad.”

  “When is your next date with Angelina?”

  Shouldn’t his intel have already given him that information? “Saturday.”

  “Where are you taking her?”

  “I haven’t decided yet.”

  Clay snapped his fingers. “Two days? That’s plenty of time to set something up. Don’t put another thought into it. I’ll handle everything. All you have to do is get in the car I send for you Saturday morning.”

  “I’m good. I don’t need your help on this one.”

  “Consider it my thank you for working so hard for my foundation.”

  “No, Clay. I want to do this my way. Clay? Clay?”

  He was already gone.

  Connor attempted to call him back, but he didn’t answer. Why do people have phones if no one answers them?

  He texted: Don’t plan anything for Saturday.

  Clay responded: Cinderella never told her fairy godmother what to do.

  Connor: I’m not Cinderella.

  Clay didn’t respond.

  Out of desperation, Connor called the man he hoped could have some influence with the situation. “Dax, you have to rein in Clay. He’s out of control.”

  “What’s he up to now?” Dax asked in an impatient tone that might have intimidated another man.

  “Planning a date for me with Angelina for this weekend. A date I’m not entirely sure she still wants to go on. I mean I’m pretty sure. If she’d answer my call I’d be positive.”

  “I am no one’s babysitter,” Dax said. “Hang on. Kenzi, it’s for you. It’s Connor. Clay’s driving him nuts. Oh, no, this doesn’t involve me. It was your mother who asked for Clay’s help. You wouldn’t dare. Fine.” Dax let out an audible breath of frustration. “What would you like me to do, Connor?”

  Wow, those Barrington women sure knew how to turn their men around. “How do I get him to understand I don’t need his help?”

  “Didn’t you say Angelina wasn’t answering your calls?”

  “One call. One. Not in general.”

  “The one that would have decided if she was interested enough in you to go out with you?”

  “Maybe. Yes.”

  “Sounds like you do need his help. If there is one thing I know about Clay it’s that once he sets his mind to something it’s going to happen. You can either fight it and lose or enjoy the ride.”

  “I don’t believe that’s the philosophy you use with him.”

  “No, I’d fucking threaten to kill him, but that only works because he knows I’d do it. You on the other hand are too nice. He’s not afraid of the hug you’d withhold if he upsets you.”

  Ouch. That was low. “You can be a real dick, Dax.”

  Dax laughed. “I know. That’s why Clay doesn’t screw with me.”

  “So the only way I could stop him would be to become an asshole?”

  Dax sighed. “Listen, Clay doesn’t have many friends because he can be a little over the top. He only gets involved when he cares and he likes you. I can call him off, but he won’t understand why and his feelings will be hurt. He means well. Let him plan one date. Laugh your way through it. If Angelina doesn’t have a sense of humor she’s not the woman for you anyway.”

  Dax’s last comment was true enough. And Clay really had been good to Connor. “Okay, I’ll ride it out.” Then he smiled. “I have to ask—what did Kenzi threaten to do?”

  “You don’t want to know.”

  “I do.”

  In the background, Kenzi said, “You can’t tell him.”

  “He has a right to know.”

  “What?” Connor asked. “Just say it.”

  Dax said, “Kenzi threatened to tell Sophie I wasn’t being nice to you. Lately Sophie has been lecturing everyone in the family that we need to be kinder to you—no nicknames, no jokes about your IQ. We’re all supposed to tell you we loved you before and will love you no matter what path you choose.”

  There could have been a sting to Dax’s words, but Connor chose to focus on the good in them. “Sophie’s incredible.”

  He expected Dax to say something sarcastic, but he didn’t. Instead he said, “She is.” He cleared his throat. “I couldn’t sleep the other night and watched a special on gorillas that has really stuck with me.”

  “Okay.” That’s random.

  “The gorilla family unit is headed by one alpha male, a silverback. It’s his job to intimidate attackers while his family flees. You’d think this leader is always the strongest. Not so. Female gorillas have been known to defend a favorite silverback against younger, more fit males who would challenge him. The case they highlighted was an older silverback who was good with the young and was seen often giving the females reassuring embraces. What I’m saying is, he was an alpha gorilla, but he was also kind. That’s not a bad combination.”

  Huh? “Good talk, Dax.”

  “You know what I’m saying,” Dax said impatiently.

  He did and it was probably the nicest thing Dax had ever said to him, but that didn’t mean he would let him off the hook easily. “That I remind you of a gorilla? I’m telling Sophie what you said.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  Connor couldn’t help adding, “Dax, when it comes time to talk to your kids about the birds and the bees, try to rely less on animal channels for inspiration.”

  “Fuck you,” he said then growled to his wife, “No, that’s not too harsh. You should hear the shit that’s coming out of his mouth. Kenzi, next time you’re dealing with him.”

  Kenzi’s laughter rang out in the background. Connor loved how she didn’t take Dax seriously. Without Kenzi, Dax would have been too hard, too cold. She brought out a softer side of him.

  “Dax, you know you shouldn’t have told me that you have to be nice to me in front of Sophie. I may just test the boundaries of that.”

  “Do it. See what happens.”

  Connor laughed again then sobered. “I’m heading upstate to see my father tonight. Thanks for being absolutely no help with Clay.”

  “Anytime. Will we see you Sunday? Game night has been moved to early afternoon.”

  “I’ll be there.” As he headed out the door of his apartment and made his way to the rooftop helipad, he considered calling Angelina again. The first time they spoke shouldn’t be at the mystery date Clay was arranging for them.

  I’ll still see her at work. T
o badass or not to badass—that is the question.

  He checked his messages.

  Nothing from Angelina yet.

  He slid his phone into the breast pocket of his suit jacket.

  A kind silverback gorilla would probably wait for her to answer on her terms.

  He jokingly beat his chest with his hands and roared but stopped when the elevator opened and the helicopter pilot was there waiting for him, looking at him like he was acting crazy. I’d explain it to him, but I wouldn’t know where to start.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “I feel horrible,” Angelina said into the phone she was balancing between her neck and her shoulder as she dropped some broccoli into a steamer. “I was ten minutes late in a car Whitney didn’t recognize when I pulled up. He was sitting on the wall of the school all by himself, looking so sad. I don’t think he really likes this new school. He puts on a brave face for me, but he doesn’t know anyone yet and here I am thinking about myself and a relationship that can you really imagine going somewhere? Oh, God, am I fucking everything up?”

  “No, you’re not. Everything is going to be just fine.” Joanna’s tone was soothing, the same one she used when her mini-horse was agitated.

  “Whitney asked me if I’d been drinking. I must have reeked of beer even though I only had two. He’s at the prime age to start drinking and I am modeling that behavior.”

  “Breathe. The sky isn’t falling. Whitney will be fine. You’re allowed to be human and parent. In fact, I think it’s preferred. You’ve been holding yourself to an unfair standard. What did you say when he asked?”

  Angelina groaned. “I lied. Me. For the past thirteen years I’ve been advocating honest and open communication with Whitney. Then he asked me one hard question and what do I do? I panic and lie. You should have seen the look he gave me.”

  Joanna chuckled. “You’re too hard on yourself. If your roles were reversed, what would you want him to do?”

  “Confess, I guess.”

  “Try that. Tell him what you just told me. That is, if you really do believe in open communication.”

  “I do and you’re right. This isn’t a big deal. I’m overreacting. Whitney is in his room. I’ll lure him out with dinner and apologize for not being truthful.”