by Brynne Asher
“Oh, yeah.” I crawl under the covers to settle in. “See, I’ve learned a lot of things this weekend. You’re from this perfect family where everyone loves each other and cares about each other and wants to be together. You’re lucky to have that. I’ve never had that. You know the mess I came from and then I got myself into another mess with Preston. I didn’t know I could find an even messier mess, but I sure did. I plopped myself right into the middle of it. But what if those messes are me? What if I can never be normal? Not that your family is normal. I’ve learned this weekend they are far from normal, but you know what I mean. They’re good people. I don’t know if I can fit into that—”
“Gem, stop—”
“No, Tony. I’m not done. Do you know what I realized tonight? I want things. I want to be normal, or whatever kind of normal you Carpinos have. I want to make your favorite meal and sleep with you when we’re fighting and keep your favorite drinks around and even though I’ve never liked to sleep naked, I really want to sleep naked now because apparently you can’t after you have kids. You deserve all that, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be normal enough to be able to sleep naked for you. You could be waiting around for forever and it will all be for nothing. I can’t make you wait forever for someone to make your favorite meals and sleep naked with you before you have kids. Don’t you see? You should cut your losses now and find someone who’s guaranteed to be normal.”
There. I got it all out. I feel a lot better.
But he’s gone silent again.
“Tone?” I call out for him.
“Sweetheart.” His voice turns low and gruff. “If you want to sleep naked, I can make that happen.”
“You don’t understand,” I start, but he interrupts me instantly.
“No, you don’t understand. I don’t give a shit whether or not you fit in with my family. I agree they’re in your business. If you fit in, great, but if not, I don’t care. You fit with me. I regret more than you’ll ever know you were at the hands of that jackass for years, but last October I saw something become available I’ve wanted for a long time so I claimed it on the spot. It being you. I wasn’t going to lose another chance at you, so I stopped fucking around. But, Leigh, you aren’t seeing yourself for what you’ve already become. You’ve got to get past how you were with your mom, your sister and that jackwagon. You’re finding yourself again, you’re just conditioned to not letting yourself be happy. You might think I’m patient, but I’m not. I’m determined and when I set my mind to something, I get it. I’ve already claimed you and you promised to come back to me. I have full confidence you’ll be mine in every way, maybe sooner than later, but that’s entirely up to you. And I’ve just got to add, I’m pleased as fuck you want to make my favorite meals and sleep naked. I don’t know what in the hell went on there tonight, but I can tell you I’m pissed I’m not with you right now but I’m pleased you’re in my tee and I’m more determined than ever we’ll find a way to sleep naked after we have kids.”
Wow.
He wants to sleep naked after we have kids.
And all the other stuff he said.
I don’t know what to say, but the alcohol apparently does because when I open my mouth, I ask before I can make myself stop, “You’ve wanted me a long time?”
He lets out a breath. “Too long, gem. I was young and stupid, thought I could wait ‘til I was out of school to have you but it was too late. Because of that, you’ve been through what you’ve been through and I’ve lost years with you. I can’t go back and change the past—that’s on me and now I’m doing everything I can to make it right.”
Too long? That sounds like a long time. I don’t even know what to think about that. Now would be the perfect time to fess up about the daisies and milkshakes, but honestly, I’d have to be super drunk to do that.
“Please tell me you didn’t pass out,” Tony bites.
“I’m awake,” I whisper.
Tony softens his voice to say, “Sweetheart, I don’t know why you’re worried about being normal. You’ve only moaned for me twice and it was so far off the charts of not-normal, it was out of this world. I can’t imagine how far from normal you’ll be when I finally make you mine. I don’t want normal, Leigh. I want you. Stop worrying. From what you told me tonight, we want the exact same things. If anything, it’s a relief to finally hear this shit out loud. I know you’re drunk, but I’ve got to tell you, it really takes a load off.”
“Good, I guess.” I don’t know what else to say.
He chuckles. I can even hear him smile again. “Let me guess, you want to go to sleep now?”
Wow. He knows me really well. I confirm on a hum. “Mm-hmm.”
“All right. One more night, gem, I’ll have you back.”
“One more night.”
“Roll over to your side, like you’re facing me,” he instructs. “I’ll wait for you to go to sleep before I hang up.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
“Pull a pillow into you, sweetheart.”
I settle in with a pillow. “Mmm.”
“Close your eyes and go to sleep.”
I feel my body start to get heavy, but I call out, “Tony?”
“Right here.”
I pull in a breath and mumble into the phone, “I miss you.”
“Miss you, too, gem. I’ll see you tomorrow at the airport.”
“I really hope I don’t forget all this tomorrow,” I admit.
“No way will I let you forget any of this.”
“I know you won’t,” I mutter. It’s the last thing I remember.
Chapter Ten
The Way You Look at Her
Tony
Shit.
I hope this isn’t what I think it is. I don’t know what else it could be. I’ve been practicing law just under four years. It’s not like I have decades of experience to draw from but I’ve never seen anything like this.
McCurdy Transfers is a private trucking and transporting company of all sorts of goods. They’re headquartered here in Omaha and are the largest trucking company in the Midwest—one of the largest in the country. It’s always been a family business. Leo McCurdy started it in the sixties and grew the company, when in its prime ten years ago, was worth hundreds of millions. Old man McCurdy was known to be a wise business man who ran a tight ship with a finger in every facet of the company.
Until he died ten years ago.
And from the evidence lying before me, being a wise business man does not make you a good father.
McCurdy left the business in the hands of his son, who has proven not to be a wise business man. To the extent that it looks like Jason McCurdy is proving to be an imbecile of great magnitude. The books are a mess, audits haven’t been performed on a regular basis and profits have fallen in a huge way, especially over the last six years.
But none of this makes any sense because sales have remained steady. Sure, their costs have gone up with the price of oil, but they’ve passed that cost on to their clients. I can’t find one thing that should point to the dip in profits of thirty million over the last ten years, which is why they’re looking to sell. Jason McCurdy will still make a mint, just not the mint he would have made ten years ago. He’s still providing for his widowed mother and two sisters who are silent partners because of their inheritance. This makes his mint fractionally smaller and he realizes this, which is spurring his rash decision to sell. And not to a high bidder. An investment company from the east coast has made an offer for a quick, cash sale that will barely cover the assets of the fleet, let alone any worth of future earnings.
Because of my suspicions, I requested detailed sales reports and a meeting with the head of Sales and Marketing and, still, none of it adds up. I pick up my file, grab my laptop, and head into Gino’s office.
My dad and uncles, Gino and Luka, started this firm almost twenty-five years ago. Luka was Gabby’s dad who we lost four years back, now the firm is just the three of us. My dad and Gino are partners and they t
ook me on as an associate after law school. It should be a few more years before they bring me on as a partner, but that’s what I expected. My job won’t change much when I become a partner, just my investment in the firm.
“Hey.” I rap on his open door. “You have a minute? I need to run something past you and dad.”
“Yeah,” Gino says, getting up from his desk while looking at his watch. “I have twenty minutes before I have to leave for a dinner meeting across town. I think your dad’s still in.”
We move to my dad’s office and I lay it out. “Something isn’t right with the McCurdy acquisition. I’ve requested additional sales documents from the last ten years—documents that aren’t associated with finance and accounting. They still have the same Sales and Marketing Manager who was in place when Leo McCurdy was alive. The documents she supplied me were detailed and included projected sales for her department. She’s top-notch and could be an accountant the way she manages her job and department. I usually don’t request documents like these, but things weren’t adding up and I felt like I had to dig deeper. What I found is nothing adds up. Their books are not coinciding with her sales reports.”
After I give them the rest of the details, my dad looks up from the files I’ve laid out in front of all of us.
Gino looks up from the papers. “It’s disappearing.”
“Looks like it,” I agree.
“Shit,” my dad mutters as he sighs and leans into his chair. “I knew Leo a long time. Good man, philanthropic and generous, even sat on the board with me at church for a while. But he put all his time and energies into that company. Who knows, that son of his might have turned out to be the idiot he is anyway, but he sure could have given his son some lessons in business before he died.”
“Bring him in,” Gino states. “As soon as possible. We’ll make time early next week and the three of us will sit down with him. In the meantime, reach out to their five largest vendors and let’s see if they’ll cooperate. They shouldn’t have a reason to have anything to hide. Maybe they’ll willingly provide copies of payments and invoices for the past few years without us having to request warrants. It doesn’t sound like those records will jive, but let’s see if there’s proof before we bring Jason McCurdy in for a meeting.”
“I’ve also requested accounts payable records from the last ten years,” I say. “Basically, do an audit, make sure we know where the money’s going.”
Gino adds, “How about we reach out to Jude, maybe he can put us in touch with someone in White Collar Crimes at the FBI while you contact Jason McCurdy. Let’s get our shit together first and hopefully we can get this done by early next week.”
I nod. “It’s late. I’ll make a quick call to McCurdy and talk to Jude tonight, reach out to the clients first thing in the morning.”
“I’ve got to go.” Gino gets up to leave. Looking back at me, he adds, “Good work, Tone. Keep us up to speed.”
Gino leaves as I look back to my dad. “I’ve got to go, too. I’m meeting Leigh to help her look for an apartment.” I try to tamp it down, but even I can hear the frustration in my voice.
This is the latest thing that’s pissing me off. I have no desire for Leigh to get an apartment. She says she wants to move out of Gabby’s house by the time they get back from their honeymoon, insisting they need the house to themselves without her hanging around once they’re married.
I get that. But we still end up in the same bed every night without discussion. It’s a given. I haven’t pushed things further, but for the past couple of weeks, other than the few days she was on her period, Leigh ends her day with an orgasm I get to give her. And ever since I started ending our days making her moan for me, she melts into me in a whole new way before she finds sleep. A more intimate way, which I didn’t think was possible but it’s fucking amazing. I can’t say it’s not frustrating as hell and all this has led to me taking longer showers with my hand wrapped around my dick, thinking of nothing but Leigh moaning and quaking at my touch.
But I’m patient.
And determined.
I’m also pissed she wants an apartment because I want her with me—in my house and in my bed. I’m just at a loss of how to make that happen with it being her choice.
I’m gathering my files and laptop as I hear my dad call, “Son?”
I look up at my dad. He’s called me “son” my whole life, but never at work. When I look up to catch his eyes—my eyes with many more years of wisdom and life surrounding them—I can tell he’s morphing from my employer into my father.
“What?”
“It’s not lost on your mother and I you spend a lot of time with Leigh.” He’s studying me carefully as he leans back in his chair.
Damn. How do I handle this? I could give a shit who knows my feelings for Leigh, but my family can be overwhelming to say the least. I’ve done my best to keep what she and I have on the down-low for her sake. She’s been through enough, she doesn’t need my family in her face about us and I’ve threatened Gabby and Paige within an inch of their lives to keep their traps shut. Leigh needs time to work through whatever she needs to work through on her own without my family riding her about being with me.
“Leigh and I have always been friends and Gabby’s flying off the deep end about the wedding next week. I told her I’d go with her, it’s not a big deal.”
“Son,” he repeats as he tips his head, that one word holding great meaning.
“What?” I bite.
“I see the way you look at her, that’s all.”
“So?” I’m frustrated with myself because I sound more like a teenager than a grown fucking man.
“So, I know that look is all.” He then blows me away by adding, “It’s the way I used to look at your mother. It’s the way I still look at your mother.”
Hell. I must not be hiding it like I thought I was. It’s not lost on me I grew up with parents who adore each other. As my dad said, they still adore each other. My mom has her own brand of crazy my dad must really get off on. Her crazy is so strong, it was genetically passed down to Sophia and Paige. Charlotte and I are more even tempered like my dad. Regardless, I grew up in a family who loved each other to a fault and would support each other no matter what. I have no idea what it would be like to grow up like Leigh. No father, a drunken floosy of a mom, and a drug-addled, hood-rat sister.
“She’s been through a lot. Too much. I don’t want her overwhelmed by everyone. Not yet. Not now, that’s for sure.” I look to my dad who I know will have my back, half-grin and throw him a bone. “But she’ll get there.”
He shows me he gets me by giving me a head lift. Leaning up from his chair to lean his forearms on the desk. “Well, all right then. It’s yours, and hers, to share. I’ll do my best to be evasive with your mother, even though she can be frustratingly persistent.” That’s when he smiles big. “I guess this means you owe me.”
I shake my head and turn to leave because he’s full of shit. My dad would never make me owe him anything.
I’m about out the door when I hear him call to me again. “Tony?” I turn to look at him and he continues in a quieter voice full of meaning. “Happy for you, son.”
I give him my own head lift back. I need to get the hell out of Dodge before I’m forced to make any more heart-felt confessions.
Leigh
“What’s wrong with this one?” I bite my lip to suppress my grin because I don’t think he appreciates I find this even a little amusing.
Tony looks larger than normal because he’s standing in the middle of the very small family room slash bedroom slash dining room of this very small studio apartment looking none too happy. His stance is wide, his arms are crossed, his hair is disheveled and he’s wearing a glare. This has been his demeanor since we started my apartment search two hours ago. He’s sullen to say the least and has found something wrong with every apartment we’ve looked at. One was too old, one wasn’t secure enough, one was too far away from the parking and the last
one was too far away from his house. This is the fifth, it’s getting late, and I’m hungry.
Tony’s eyes narrow on me as I try not to smile. I’m finding this entertaining because I can tell he’s not happy I’m getting an apartment, but he’s doing his best not to be controlling. Although, his best really isn’t very good and this reminds me of car shopping all over again.
“It’s gated.” I start to tick off the reasons why it’s better than the previous apartments. “It’s brand new. No one has ever lived here before. The parking is really close to the door and it’s only ten minutes from your house.”
“This side of the complex is going fast,” the sales lady adds to my list. She continues her hard sell. “The other side of the complex faces the highway, if you want this one you’ll need to act fast.”
“Can you give us a minute?” Tony asks, in a not too friendly way, I might add.
“I’ll wait in the corridor.”
I watch her leave and turn to him. “Tone, there’s nothing wrong with this one. And it’s available. I can be moved in by the time Gabby and Jude get home from their honeymoon. Really, this one is fine.”
Tony looks around the apartment again, pulls his hand through his lush hair for the umpteenth time tonight and turns to me. He looks at me a beat before he moves. He puts one hand to my back and yanks me into his long muscular body, his other hand going into my hair. I bring my hands up to his biceps and tip my head to look up.
When he speaks, his voice is gravely. “I don’t want you to have ‘fine.’ I want you to have more than ‘fine.’ You deserve more than ‘fine.’ I want to give you more than ‘fine.’ I don’t understand why you need an apartment when we end up in the same bed every night and I have no desire for that to change. I hope you don’t either. Why can’t we just decide on one bed instead of two?”
“Tony, I can’t move in with you.”
