A Miami Affair

by Sherelle Green

“I know you did.” Becca hadn’t liked seeing him so stressed out when she’d arrived earlier. Especially since she was hoping they could talk.

  “How was your day?” she asked.

  “It didn’t go exactly how I’d planned.”

  “More issues with one of your companies?”

  Josh played with her still-damp hair. “No, it’s something with the Moguls. Do you remember meeting the president of our chapter, Ashton Rollins?”

  “Yes, I believe he introduced himself right before our presentation.” Becca also recalled how tense Josh had gotten when Ashton had approached them.

  “Well, right after college, Ashton’s girlfriend was killed in a car accident and it was reported that she was under the influence while driving. But I’ve heard from a source that Ashton was actually the one driving, which means the Rollins family could have paid off the police for their silence.”

  Becca shot up from the bed. “So he’s possibly responsible for her death, yet it’s been hidden this entire time?”

  “That’s what I suspect based on what my source says. Maybe I haven’t told you everything, but a few of the Moguls and I are trying to transform Prescott George by bringing them out of the Dark Ages and into the twenty-first century. Daniel and I are leading this initiative and the first line of business is to dethrone Ashton. Revealing this news will only help our case.”

  “But there’s a possibility that it’s not true, right?”

  “Right, but there’s an even bigger possibility that it is.”

  Becca’s mind was reeling. “If the Moguls are rocked with this scandal, what would this mean for the foundation?”

  “The foundation doesn’t have anything to do with this.”

  “Not directly, but indirectly we do. If Ashton is relieved of his position and a criminal investigation takes place, there’s no way that Prescott George’s charitable activities will continue. Everything will probably be put on hold. The Aunt Penny Foundation needs the donations from the gala as well as future support from the organization.”

  “You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Josh said, sitting upright, as well. “The foundation will be fine.”

  Becca shook her head. “You don’t know that. Besides, you don’t even know if the information is true, yet you’re willing to risk destroying a man’s life?”

  She suddenly recalled the conversation they’d had in Purity Haven. “Is this truly about clearing his late girlfriend’s reputation and gaining control of Prescott George to better the organization? Or is this some attempt to win the support of your mother’s father by whatever means necessary?”

  Josh got out of bed and walked to the window. Becca could tell he was angry, but she was angry, too.

  “How dare you take something that personal and turn it against me?” he said when he turned to face her.

  “I’m trying to make you see reason,” Becca said, getting out of the bed. “I don’t want you to be so blinded by the way your grandfather treated you and your family that you assume ruining the life of another man and taking his place in the organization is going to make you feel better and give you the acknowledgment and power you deserve.”

  “This isn’t about power,” Josh said. “This is about the truth. In today’s society, a poor man who commits a crime will get sentenced to years in prison. Yet if a man who comes from money pays off the right people, he gets off free of any charges.”

  “That’s assuming that he did it,” Becca exclaimed. “I agree that the system isn’t fair. But you are not God and I’m only trying to get you to ask yourself some serious questions, to consider how this news will affect everyone around you. This is not as simple as turning Ashton in. There’s a strong possibility that something like this could open up a can of worms and hurt more Prescott George members than just Ashton. What does that mean for the other members like you? Or organizations that benefit from the Moguls?”

  Josh was already shaking his head. “I may be a millionaire, but I know I’m not above the law. For years, people with money haven’t been held accountable for their actions and haven’t had to face the same consequences as those from the lower and middle classes. It sickens me to see how society treats people differently based on their social standing.”

  “What about people like me?” Becca yelled. “My family is from money and so are a lot of their friends. I can only speak for my parents, but they didn’t raise my sister and me to believe we’re above the law. Nor did they raise us to treat people differently based on social standing.”

  “Your family is an exception, not the average upper-class family.”

  “Wow,” Becca said, shaking her head. “The air must be thick on that high horse you’ve placed yourself on. So screw Ashton and the Rollinses. It doesn’t matter who gets caught in the cross fire, right?”

  Josh stiffened. “I’ve never kept the type of man I am a secret from you. You know what I do for a living and in my profession, blunt honesty is sometimes the only way someone can see what they have done wrong. I live an honest life and it isn’t my fault if others don’t.”

  “You know what’s funny?” Becca walked closer to him. “I grew up in an upper-class family and I spend night and day trying to help less fortunate students get to college so that they can get the same kind of education that I never questioned I would have. But I’m not special. I don’t think I belong on a pedestal. I don’t think anyone who does charity work should get a daily badge of honor. Yet here you are—a boy from humble beginnings who grew up to be a millionaire in a cutthroat industry, who day in and day out wants an award for going through what he had to face in life. And yet, at the end of the day, according to you, I’m the one who feels entitled.” She held his gaze. “But you’re the one throwing a whole lot of entitlement around.”

  “Like I said, you knew who I was from the beginning.”

  The look of determination in his eyes made Becca stop arguing. He wasn’t looking at her. He was looking through her. Of course, she’d always known what Josh did for a living, but seeing him blatantly disregard how his decisions may affect the foundation and other charities was beyond her comprehension. You always knew there was a chance he’d be like the others.

  “I have to go,” she said, throwing back on her wet clothes as quickly as possible. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”

  Becca walked to her car without looking back. Once again, she’d allowed a man to get close enough to her to cause her to take her eyes off the prize. In this case, the prize was solidifying enough support for the foundation so that she and Haley wouldn’t have to worry year after year that they’d be shut down.

  Becca waited until she was in the confines of her car to release the shaky breath she’d been holding. “Good job, Becca. Way to pick another winner.”

  You will not cry over this man. You will not cry over this man.

  Becca was still chanting the words to herself as she tried to call Haley.

  Chapter 19

  “Do you want to play another round?” Logan asked.

  Josh glanced at the time. After three hours of playing video games at Logan’s house, Josh was finally starting to see the reasoning behind his own frustration.

  “Naw, I think I’ve played enough games for one night.” When Josh had told Logan about his argument with Becca, it hadn’t taken long for his brother to tell him that he was in the wrong. Seeing her leave his yacht earlier that night so hurt and disappointed by him had crushed him more than he’d ever thought possible.

  “She’s the one, isn’t she?” Logan asked, breaking into his thoughts.

  “Yes, she is. In the back of my mind, I always knew she was. But the idea has really slapped me in the face these last couple weeks. And tonight just proved it even more. She put me in my place, and although she left upset and ready to cut my tongue out of my mouth, I sti
ll can’t help but see my future when I look at her.”

  “I figured,” Logan said with a laugh. “Otherwise you wouldn’t still be sitting here looking sorry for yourself.”

  “I don’t look that bad.”

  Logan laughed. “Yes, you do, man. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this. But we all think Becca is perfect for you and, secretly, I don’t think Mom could ever stop talking to Becca even if the two of you did break up.”

  “I wouldn’t want them to stop talking. Mom’s elated when she talks to Becca. But Becca just has that effect on people. She’s the type of woman who brings folks from different walks of life together in the same room in perfect harmony. You should have seen her at the animal shelter. All the families who came in loved her.”

  “Dude.” Logan put up his hand to stop him. “We’ve talked about Becca for hours. And you keep repeating the same stories.”

  Josh smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I guess she’s really on my mind.”

  “Which is why you should be at her place and not mine.”

  “What am I supposed to say?”

  Logan stood from his chair and pretended to knock on a fake door. Then he dropped down on his knees and clasped his hands in a praying position. “Hi, my name is Joshua DeLong and I’m a huge idiot. Is there any way you can find it in your heart to forgive me?”

  “Bro, I can’t say that to her. I said some terrible things and now in hindsight, I realize she was right about everything she said about me. I don’t want to lose her, but I’m sure we can think of something better to say than that.”

  “Fine.” Logan sat back down on the couch. “Let’s brainstorm.”

  * * *

  “She said you can go on up.”

  “Thank you,” Becca said to the doorman of Aunt Penny’s Miami Beach apartment. When Becca exited the elevator to Aunt Penny’s floor, the older woman was already waiting in the doorway.

  “Aunt Penny, you shouldn’t be walking around.”

  “How else am I supposed to answer the door? Besides, my doctor said I should be fine as long as I take my blood pressure medicine and eat healthy. You know I’m a tough old bird.”

  “I know,” Becca said as she hugged Aunt Penny. Becca followed her into the apartment. “Thank you for letting me visit you so late. Haley wasn’t answering the phone and I really need someone to talk to.”

  “No worries, sweetie. What’s wrong?”

  Becca told Aunt Penny the entire story. After she finished, she expected Aunt Penny to read her the riot act and tell her to kick Josh to the curb, but the woman did neither.

  “Well, do you have any advice?”

  Aunt Penny smiled. “My dear, there are two sides to every story, so although I’m sure you believe you were right, you probably haven’t considered Josh’s side in this matter.”

  “He could possibly be condemning an innocent man and he doesn’t care who he hurts in the process.”

  “I don’t think Josh would ever purposely hurt you,” Aunt Penny said. “The man I saw at the hospital couldn’t get enough of you.”

  Becca smiled for the first time in hours. “But what about his determination to dethrone Ashton?”

  Aunt Penny shrugged. “What about it? Josh could easily run Prescott George, and whether you understand his view or not, he has had to fight hard to get where he is today and there are many people who will always hope that he fails. The power struggle between old money and new money has been going on for centuries. Josh will continuously have to prove himself worthy of being a millionaire. You should understand that. You’ve spent years trying to prove that you didn’t need to be someone’s wife to succeed.”

  Becca put her head down. “I never thought about it that way.”

  “Becca, I’m not taking sides. But you may not be one-hundred-percent right and Josh may not be one-hundred-percent wrong. Life is never black-and-white. It’s filled with a lot of gray, and the gray stuff is the hardest to work through sometimes. You love this man. I can see it in your eyes. I can see his love for you in his, as well. You have nothing to gain by walking away. I’ve always told you that avoiding a problem is not solving one. Don’t let your stubbornness stand in the way of your happiness.”

  Becca reflected on Aunt Penny’s advice, seeing the fault in her actions for the first time tonight. She didn’t want to admit that Josh could be right. What was even more shocking was her revelation that she actually liked the ruthless, take-no-prisoners side of him. It was sexy even.

  “I think I need to talk to Josh. I’ll head back to my condo and figure out what I’m going to say.”

  Aunt Penny smiled. “That’s my girl. I plan on going to the gala next month and your wedding next year, so you and Josh better work this out.”

  “Working this out doesn’t mean we’re getting married.”

  Aunt Penny patted her arm. “Yes, it does, dear.”

  Becca tried to think of different ways to apologize to Josh the entire way home. She came up with only one. I’m sorry for not considering how you felt. I thought I saw life in color only to realize I see life in black and white, and I failed to consider all shades of gray.

  “If you say that, he won’t know what you’re talking about,” she said to herself. She parked her car and walked to her building. At the sight of Josh standing in front of her complex, her steps faltered but she managed to maintain her balance.

  The minute she reached him, he dropped to his knees and put his hands up, as if in prayer.

  “Hi, my name is Joshua DeLong and I’m a huge idiot. Is there any way you can find it in your heart to forgive me?”

  Becca blinked a few times before bursting out into laughter. “Oh my goodness, I needed that laugh. I’ve been trying to figure out ways to apologize to you all night.”

  “Me too,” Josh said. “I’m sorry for what I said and how I said it. You mean so much to me and our relationship is too important to let this argument come between us.”

  “I agree,” Becca said. She tugged on Josh’s arm until he stood up. “I was only viewing the situation through my eyes when I should have been viewing the situation through your eyes, as well. I’m so used to being right that I sometimes don’t know how to accept that I’m wrong.” She had to admit that was a much better apology than what she’d rehearsed in the car.

  “I’m no longer going to ambush Ashton with the information I was given. I’m going to do some more research and then I’ll approach him man-to-man and see if his story has any merit. Prescott George is a brotherhood and despite the fact that Ashton and I don’t get along, I can’t do this to a fellow brother.”

  Becca searched his eyes. “Even if it means you’ll probably never become president of Prescott George?”

  “You’ve changed me. I used to think winning was everything, but now I realize there are more important things than winning.” Josh took Becca’s hands in his. “Don’t get me wrong, winning is still very important to me, but not when it means losing the woman I love.”

  If Josh hadn’t been holding Becca’s hands, she was sure she would have stumbled to the ground. “You love me?”

  Josh’s lips grazed her cheek. “More than I ever thought I could love anyone.”

  Becca grinned as she leaned her forehead to his. “I love you, too...but I thought I might be in this alone.”

  Josh smiled wider than Becca had ever seen him smile before. “For the record, my entire family loves you too, so I may have some competition.”

  Becca laughed. “Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure my mom and sister love you more than they love me, so we’re even.”

  For a couple minutes, neither of them said anything. When Josh did speak, his voice was serious. “I knew from the minute I met you that you would impact my life in ways I hadn’t yet figured out. You challenge me. You motivate me. You underst
and me. Your support and love mean more to me than you’ll ever know. Now that I’ve found the woman who’s perfect for me, I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

  Becca was filled with so much emotion, she couldn’t string together the words to respond to such a beautiful sentiment.

  “I know,” Josh said, pulling her closer. “I know.” When his lips touched hers, Becca poured all her heart and soul into their passionate kiss.

  Epilogue

  It had been a week since Josh professed his love to Becca, but it felt like it had been so much longer. He hadn’t wasted any time asking her to move into his yacht, but being the independent woman she was, Becca had insisted on Josh giving his request some time. She didn’t want to impose on his personal space so quickly. But if he had his way, she’d never go a day without knowing he thought no space was good space when it didn’t include Becca Wright.

  He was glad that he’d listened to Becca and thought more about the situation with Ashton. When he’d contacted Daniel and told him about his plans to not ambush Ashton, but instead get more information and approach him man-to-man, Daniel had seemed relieved—and impressed—by the decision. Josh was still skeptical about Ashton, but overall he was confident he was making the right choice.

  “So, are you finally going to tell me the meaning behind ‘Soul’s First Kiss’?” Becca asked, breaking his thoughts.

  Josh grinned. “This yacht was my first huge purchase after my business took off. I had always thought my first big purchase would be a house for my mom, but she wanted to remain in the house that she and my father raised us in, so instead we just did renovations, updated the bathroom and kitchen, that sort of thing. My family thought I was crazy for wanting to live on the water, but I knew what I wanted. When I saw this beauty, it spoke to my soul.”

  Becca kissed him on the cheek. “That’s beautiful, baby.”

  A goofy grin erupted on his face. He loved how she called him “baby.” In fact, there were so many things that he loved about Becca. And the list seemed to get longer every day.