Hollywood Heir (Westerly Billionaire #4)(41)

He thought about Sage and the kind of man she belonged with. He’d told her he wanted to fly with her—not clip her wings. Those hadn’t just been words designed to impress her. He’d meant them.

Still, Delinda didn’t do things halfway. He didn’t want to go back to when she’d felt she could comment on every aspect of his life. So where did that leave them?

Could he—as Brett had suggested he should—establish boundaries? Was she capable of respecting them?

A memory of sitting beside her in her garden in Massachusetts came back to him. He’d been doing an impression of his headmaster, and she was laughing right along with him. Where had that part of their relationship gone?

“Would you like to accompany me to Vandorra?” Really, there was no better test of this softer side of her than standing beside her while dressed in his superhero costume. The grandmother he missed would see the humor and value in it. If she could put aside her pride and stand beside him for the benefit of the children, Eric could see a real chance for them working things out. If she couldn’t, he’d have his answer.

“I would like that very much, Eric. Very much. Would you be comfortable with Tadeas accompanying us? It would mean a lot to him to see you bring joy to his people.”

Not only did she say yes, but she’s asking me what I want? Asking? Who is this person? “It would be an honor.”

“Thank you, Eric. Do you have a set plan yet for your arrival, or would you like to travel with us and the royal guard?”

Eric hesitated. In general he preferred to leave himself an escape route, especially when it came to family, but he took a deep breath and told himself that was no longer how he operated. This was about breaking old habits and replacing them with healthier ones. No drugs. No withdrawing. He was stronger than that. “I’d love to fly over with you and King Tadeas. Tell me where and when to join you, and we’ll make the trip together.”

Something caught in Delinda’s voice. “I’ll do that. Would you like me to text the information to you?”

“You text now?”

“Spencer assures me it’s the way of the world. I don’t understand half the technology he has filled my home with, but I humor him because it seems to make him happy. Everything in my home is now either talking, listening, or attempting to entertain me. To me it’s like an overeager houseguest, but Spencer is convinced I’ll grow to love it.”

“I’ll have to keep Reggie away from Spencer or my house will be the same.”

“You rely on your friend Reggie for quite a bit, don’t you? Are you sure you can trust him with the level of responsibility you’ve put upon him?”

Eric tensed. In the past he would have felt he needed to defend his decisions to her. He wouldn’t have changed her opinion, but the conversation would have been heated and frustrating for both. It was time for that to change as well. Like Sage, it was time to forge his own path. “What I do with my friends and the decisions I make for my household are my business. I would appreciate it if you respect that I don’t want to discuss them.”

Delinda was quiet for a moment before adding, “Of course.” She wasn’t happy, but she didn’t say it. Even that was an improvement.

“So, I’ll watch for your text and meet up with you day after tomorrow.”

“Yes. Good night, Eric.”

“Good night, Grandmother.”

Eric wandered through the halls of his large home for quite some time in thought after he hung up with Delinda. The jury was still out on whether inviting her to join him in Vandorra was a good idea, but he was glad he’d suggested it. Regardless of how it turned out, he felt good about how he was moving forward.

He wished he could share these successes with Sage. He would have loved to call her and tell her about his conversation with Brett and the possible insanity looming ahead of him that week.

He thought back to the last time he’d seen Sage. Their last kiss had almost been his undoing. He’d wanted nothing more than to slam her door and carry her off to her bedroom. The man he’d been would have done just that. He’d been a selfish bastard, not caring about anyone else’s happiness because he himself had been miserable.

It was different with Sage. He didn’t want to sleep with her before she knew the truth about him. The problem was, he wanted the truth to be a little bit better before he shared it with her. He didn’t want his confession to be that he was a constant fuckup with no clue how to be any different. He wanted to be able to tell her the worst was over.

I should have called her today.

She probably thinks I don’t care, when the truth is the polar opposite.

I’m falling for a woman who may want nothing to do with me when she discovers who I really am.

He took out his smartphone and wrote: Hey. He was about to send it when he realized it was the wrong phone. Shit. He deleted the message and took his flip phone out of his pocket.

He decided to call rather than painstakingly try to input the letters on the older keypad. She picked up on the first ring.

“Wayne?” she asked breathlessly.

“It’s me,” he answered in a pathetic attempt not to lie to her more than he had. God, it was good to hear her voice. “I would have called you earlier, but it was a busy day. How was yours?”

“Confusing. I honestly had no idea if I’d ever hear from you again.”