More Than Lies (More Than #1)(52)

“You have no idea.”

“So tell me.” I wasn’t intending on asking about her mother, but since seeing her so obviously distraught when she arrived a few hours ago, it’s bothering me. I’m curious, so I probe.

Tara looks to the ceiling briefly before sighing dramatically.

“She gave me an ultimatum.” The fuck for? Her head falls forward and she looks me in the eyes. “Stop writing. Marry a douche bag. Pop out a kid or two and be the perfect doting little wife that she is, or lose my family privileges.” She smiles sarcastically as my jaw locks. Tara married to some lame shit-fuck doesn’t sit well with me. In fact, it pisses me off.

“Someone needs to cunt punch that bitch.” I’m dead serious, too. Tara snickers, waving my comment off.

“I don’t want to talk about her any more. Tell me about today. How do you think the team is going to take the news?” We don’t have so much as a team currently, but I hope to make that a welcomed change. No business or organization can thrive without a solid team. I will demand loyalty, and those that won’t give it to me can leave.

“Kenny knows,” I tell her, and she looks surprised. I’m sure she is. I hadn’t intended on anyone here knowing except Adam and Tara. I wanted to know where his head was and where others stood. Kenny’s a people person and I know everyone talks to him. He’s a lot like Adam really. “He and I talked about it last week. He thinks a couple of the guys will be supportive, and others will buck it. I think the same. We’ll know here in a few minutes.”

“What do you mean? I thought you were telling everyone late this afternoon?”

“Adam wanted it over and done with, so he managed to sync everyone’s schedule up for a meeting. It worked out this way, but I have something I want to discuss with you beforehand.”

“You want to hire an official payroll clerk, don’t you?” She looks a little disappointed; at least I think she does. It could be me reading into this.

“I do.”

“I figured. I didn’t think this would be a long-term thing anyway.” She laughs. Her mother now appears to be the last thing on her mind. “It’s lasted a heck of a lot longer than I ever thought.”

“Women,” I state. “Y’all assume too damn much.”

“What? But you just said—”

“I want you.” I mean that in more ways than one, but I can’t tell her that. I’ve thought about this since I bought the place. Graduation is only six months away. If she takes my offer, I can ensure she stays in Oxford and possibly in my house, or my soon to be house when I buy it from my grandparents. I’m going all in here. I’m not ready for Tara to exit my life. She won’t ever fully leave, and I know that. She is too ingrained into my family, but I’m not ready for her to move back home, or anywhere else for that matter.

“Shawn, I’m not even qualified for that position.”

“You’ve been doing a fine job of it so far.” I know she wants to be a writer. Hell, she is a writer, and I don’t want to take that from her. I’m nothing like her parents. I’d never crush her dreams. Well, except for one—me and she just needs to trust that I know what’s best for her, because it isn’t me.

“I don’t know. I think you would be better to find someone that can do it long-term. I don’t know what’s going to happen after graduation, and—” I cut her off.

“Then what’s stopping you? You just said you don’t know what’s going to happen six months from now. It’s not going to stop you from writing. You can do this job, which pays, finish school, and write, too.” Shit, I have to convince her, and I will one way or another. I need Tara. Fuck, I don’t know what I’m doing here. Sure, I want to own my own business and turn this studio into a success, but I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. I’m bullshitting my way through. “I’m buying the house from my grandparents. You can stay; there is plenty of room.”

“Come on, Shawn. I’m only there now because you felt obligated.” She throws her hands up.

“What the fuck is that supposed mean?”

“You know exactly what it means.”

“I’m not obligated to anyone, and if I didn’t want you there, you wouldn’t be.” Maybe that’s a stretch—I do owe her big time. Even without her brother on my ass, I knew that four years ago. “I need you, Tara. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing.”

“You don’t need anyone. Isn’t that what you’ve always said?” She looks away from me, but not before I catch a glimpse of the pain reflecting in her dark eyes.

I recline into the back of the chair, hitting the back of my head against the wall in frustration.

“That’s a low blow, don’t ya think.” I pull my head forward to look back at her. She shrugs. “Look, I’m telling you now that I need you. Please, Tara. Help me make this place the success I know it can be.” I’ve never begged or pleaded to anyone in my life, but that’s exactly the way I feel in this moment.

She is silent for close to a minute.

Tara continues to stare at me. I know she is thinking, but I’m not sure what. I’m hoping it’s in my favor.

“How about for now we say I’ll continue on until graduation. By then I’m sure I’ll have a plan for my future.”