Hollywood Heir (Westerly Billionaire #4)(34)

“Bad day?” Reggie asked as he walked toward him.

“Who the fuck am I, Reggie?” Eric growled. “I don’t want to be any of these men.”

Reggie looked at the broken door of the dresser, then at Eric’s bloodied knuckles. “I take it your date didn’t go well.”

Eric covered his face with both hands briefly. “It was fucking fantastic.”

“Okaaaay.” Reggie drew out the word. “So, what’s the problem?”

“I’m the problem. How the fuck do I tell her the truth? Which part of the real me could any woman love?” When Reggie opened his mouth to say something, Eric growled, “If you fucking say my money, I may punch you.”

Reggie held both hands up in mock surrender. “Want my opinion?”

Eric sighed and sat on the corner of the sink. “Sure.”

“I don’t think you’re ready to date. You’re still too messed up.”

Rubbing his throbbing temple, Eric said, “Thanks,” with a hefty dose of sarcasm.

“I’m just saying your moods are all over the place. This morning you were all smiles. Now”—he gestured to the broken furniture—“you’re making extra work for me. You might need a little more time to figure this out.”

“This morning I thought I could be with her as Wayne and then, I don’t know, explain everything to her when I was ready. Then we had a perfect day together and I realized how many ways this could go wrong. I don’t want to lose her. I think she’s the one, Reggie.”

“Oh, shit.”

“I’ve never felt so sure of anything—not even with Jasmine. How long did it take you to decide your wife was the one for you?”

“Not long. I still have no clue why she chose me, but I’m not buying her glasses.”

Eric looked at the three wardrobes in front of him. “How the hell do I explain this to Sage?”

“Didn’t you say she’s a plant psychologist?”

“Yes.”

Reggie made a face. “So she’s already a little—out there.”

Eric tensed. “No, she’s not. She studied botany and uses that knowledge to help people.”

“By cheering their plants up.”

“Fuck you.”

“Hey, I’m not putting her down. In your case, normal probably wouldn’t work. She’s an odd duck. You’re an odd duck. I’ve seen worse matches.”

Eric stood. He was done with the conversation. He opened the broken door of the wardrobe, pulled out a pair of slacks, and stepped into them. “Anything I should know before I head in?”

“Your grandmother came by. She’d heard you were back.”

“Of course she did.”

“I told her you’d call her tonight.”

Eric stopped midway through putting his shirt on. “Why the hell would you tell her that?”

“It’s time, Eric.”

He was right, but that didn’t make the idea of adding a conversation with Delinda to the day sound any more appealing. “I’m already in a shitty mood. I guess this is as good a time as any.”

Reggie pocketed his hands in the front of his jeans and made a face. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but go easy on her.”

Eric stepped into his shoes. “Keep talking like that and I’m going to start to think you’re on her payroll.”

“I don’t need money. Living here costs nothing, so I’ve invested my salary every year. And you pay me well. I mean, really well. You’re generous to a fault.”

“Whatever.” It was difficult to tell if Reggie was joking, and, honestly, Eric didn’t care. Reggie could have it all if he wanted. “Anything else I need to know?”

“You now officially have a searchable background story as Wayne Easton. If anyone asks, your parents disappeared during a trip to Thailand when you were a baby, and you were raised by a priest in the mountains of Connecticut.”

“Does Connecticut even have mountains?”

“I don’t know. Anyway, you dropped out of college to follow your dream of juggling in a traveling circus, which was how your face got messed up.”

“In a juggling accident?”

Reggie shrugged. “Bar fight with a clown.”

“You’re not serious.”

“Hey, next time write your own life history if you’re going to be picky. I thought a clown fight was cool. Besides, someone would have to do a background check to know any of that crap. According to you, you don’t even talk to anyone.”

“True.” He went over the life Reggie had created for him and smiled. “You’re a real ballbuster, you know that?”

Reggie smiled back. “You can take the reins back anytime you want.”

Eric nodded. One day. “On that note, what do you think about me buying the building my apartment is in?”

“Why?”

“I’d like good things to happen for the people who live there. I don’t want them to know it was me, but they work hard, and I’d like to see them have more opportunities than they do.”

“I like the idea, but don’t look at me for fairy-godmother shit. I’ve got enough on my plate here. I do know, though, someone who would love to help you with that.”