Faking It(18)

“Well, I’ll make sure we get it right next time,” I said companionably.

Ada kissed Tyler’s cheek, working her way slowly down his neck. I looked out to sea, trying to give them some privacy. It was full nighttime now and the moon must have been hiding behind the remains of those earlier storm clouds. Nothing but the blackest darkness surrounded the boat.

I heard Ada whispering. “I don’t think I can wait much longer, darling...” she purred, before getting up and stalking off. She watched to make sure Tyler’s eyes followed the movement of her body as she slowly reached the stairs, then laughed to herself as she descended.

“I’ll be right there, darling,” he called after her. “I’ll just finish this drink.” He turned back to me. He let out what sounded like a nervous laugh. “Alone at last,” he stammered.

I gave him a warm smile back. Yup, and now you’re mine, I thought to myself, and was actually surprised by the anger I felt welling up inside me. Sure, he seems nice on the surface, but people like him and his gorgeous lady barely notice the rest of us struggling to get by. Paul and D Cash, they’ve made the most of their talents. They’ve capitalized on being able to do something few others can and reaped their rewards. All Tyler had to do was be born. That’s luck, not talent.

On the outside, though, I kept it as cool as can be. “She’s amazingly beautiful,” I said, nodding to the stairs Ada had disappeared down, “and you guys seem very happy together.”

“We do?” he replied. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so... it’s just, we’ve only been seeing each other for about three weeks.”

“I see,” I smiled. “Well, in that case, I’ll say I’m sure you will be very happy together.” I was trying to stay mad at him, but I was starting to find his odd nervousness around me charming.

“Yes, that’s what everyone says,” Tyler looked back at up at me. He looked straight into my eyes and I felt my heart beat a little faster.

What the hell…? I kept my expression even.

“The truth is, her position is right, her age is right, her fortune is right,” the word ‘fortune’ caused me to grind my teeth. “For me, she just seems to be so... right,” he almost seemed to spit out that last word. He looked back down at his drink, “Sorry, Misty. I must be making you uncomfortable, talking this way.”

I leaned in until my eyes were level with his again. “Not at all,” I smiled. “I told you; when I’m behind the bar, it’s part of the job. Anyway, if I can’t listen to someone who’s saved my life, twice now…”

“Please, will people stop talking about that,” Tyler chuckled.

He drained his glass and I refilled it. After a few seconds of silence, I decided to ask him about his work.

“Do we have to? Really, it’s just another thing that I have to do, because of my father.”

Poor little whiny rich boy, I thought, my resentment quickly welling back up. “He must have been a great man,” I said. Nearly time. Just waiting for the exact moment to hit him with what happened to me.

I saw Tyler’s jaw clench. “He was great at business,” he allowed. “He made billions. But the more I find out about how he made that money, the more I want to do it differently.”

I felt my stomach flip a little. “What are you talking about?” I asked.

“It’s like the deal we finalized before this trip. Henry and I,” he said. “The board, my board, wanted to buy and dismantle this yacht building business.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Flashback images of my father ran through my head. “Would have made us a billion dollars, with a little gray area maneuvering…”

“Like leaking the failing company’s financials to devalue it,” I said, without even realizing I’d spoken.

“Exactly,” he smiled. Then he seemed to really hear what I’d just said. “Wow, there’s really no end to your talents is there?” I didn’t respond, just gave him and enigmatic smile. I was fuming inside. Precisely like your father did to us, ending his life and ruining mine.

“Anyway. Henry and I had to fight them every step. I mean, that would have been three thousand people out of work. I couldn’t sleep knowing I’d done that,” he continued, sorrowfully. “So, I made the board invest in them instead. Way smaller return, but the yacht company survives and all those people keep their jobs.”

I froze for a second, astonished, making sure I had heard what I’d just heard. I’ve had him all wrong. I can’t hold him responsible for the sins of his father, I realized. I reached out and touched his cheek. “That’s the right thing to do,” was all I could say. “And Ada?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is she…” I was struggling to find a delicate way to put it. I gave up. “Is she another thing you have to do, because of your father?”

Tyler snorted, suddenly choking on his scotch. He waved away my concern and recovered quickly. “Ah, Ada. Yes, he’d totally approve of her,” he laughed quietly. “No doubt he would’ve tried to steal her from me. Want to know a secret?” He sniffed, gave an embarrassed smile, drained his glass again, and whispered, “I think she wouldn’t have thought twice about jumping him, either.”