Say You Still Love Me(71)

“So are you.” Christa frowns, muting the TV. “What’s going on? Is this about Tripp or Kyle?”

I chuckle despite my dark mood. She’s always been so adept at reading me. “Kyle. And my father.”

Ashley is slack-jawed by the time I finish relaying all that Kyle divulged today about being paid off.

“Wait a second. So Kyle is claiming that your father paid him money to basically disappear?” Christa asks slowly, doubtfully.

“Yup.”

Ashley frowns. “Do you believe him?”

“Yeah,” I admit with reluctance. “I do.” While my father has always portrayed himself to be an ethical man, I know he made a significant financial donation to Brown to help alleviate the concerns that Rhett’s grades might not get him accepted. And there was a case at CG, when an employee claimed she had been fired without cause and threatened legal action. My dad paid her a lump sum to make her go away, mainly because he didn’t want the hassle that would come with fighting her in court. So do I think he would be capable and willing to pay a boy he deemed “bad news” to get away from his only daughter?

Yes. A thousand percent, yes.

“It’s like some horribly cliché plot device in a show about rich people,” Christa mutters. “It’s crazy.”

I snort derisively. “What’s crazy is that Kyle could have gotten way more money out of my father.”

“Oh, to be filthy rich,” Ashley murmurs dreamily, her chin resting on her propped arm.

“So, when are you going to confront your father about this?” As always, Christa cuts right to the chase.

“I don’t know if I’m going to. Believe me, I want to look him straight in the eye and make sure he knows that I know what he did. But, as of right now my father doesn’t seem to remember that Kyle ever existed. He didn’t recognize him today, in the lobby. Didn’t so much as blink at him.”

“It’s probably better to keep it that way,” Ashley says.

“Right? Knowing my dad, he’d have Kyle escorted off the property. He’ll probably go after his job.” I feel the compelling urge to stop that from happening, and there is one thing I’m sure of—Dad would never want anyone to know that he basically threatened and blackmailed a seventeen-year-old boy. There must be laws against that. At the very least, it’s shady as hell and wouldn’t do well for his reputation.

“Pretty ballsy move, taking a job in the same building. If he’s telling the truth.” Christa still sounds distrustful.

“What else did Kyle say?” Ashley scuttles around the kitchen, collecting small dishes and forks, and a knife. “You know, besides the fact that he moved across the country for you thirteen years later and is still madly in love with you.”

“He’s not in love with me! And he moved as much to get away from his dad and brothers.” I feel the smile begin to stretch my lips, unbidden. “But he’s single. He’s living with his little brother.”

“Really?” Ashley squeals at the same time that Christa groans, “Here we go.”

“What!”

Christa gives me a flat look. “Forget about the fact that he accepted fifty thousand dollars to stay away from you for a minute. What’s going to happen when your dad finds out you’re dating the building security guard?”

“We’re not dating!”

“Yet,” she mutters, toying with Elton’s ears. “But we all know where this is going.”

“Who says?”

“History! We were there at camp, remember?”

“Oh, yeah.” Ashley’s eyes are star-filled as she sets a plate in front of me. “Like horny magnets. Couldn’t stay off each other.”

I cringe. “That was a long time ago. A lot has changed.” Has it, really? Kyle still commands my attention when he steps into the room and distracts my thoughts constantly. From the moment I saw him in the lobby that day, I haven’t stopped wondering about him. I’m still so wildly attracted to him, I may as well be a hormonal teenager.

“Is that why you can’t look me in the eye right now?” Ashley teases.

“No. I’m just enthralled with this delicious pie,” I mutter around a mouthful. “Mmm . . . so good. Sorry, what were we talking about?”

“How you haven’t stopped thinking about hooking up with Kyle since you found out he was single,” Christa says dryly.

“Or . . . our housewarming party.” Ashley stares at me through wide, pleading eyes. “Please, please, please, please . . . It’d be a good excuse to invite Kyle.”

My heart skitters at the thought of seeing him outside of the office. Somewhere more comfortable, more social. “Shouldn’t we have more than a couch and TV set up before we host people here?”

Ashley bites her lip in thought, her gaze skating over the cheap round table in the middle of the room, and then to the empty, white walls, and out to the barren patio behind the glass. “It’s just such a waste, to have a place like this and not throw a party.” Her shoulders sag with disappointment.

“I mean, I guess I could hire that interior decorator who did my office to fill up this place, but I don’t have time to field all those questions—”

“I’ll do it!” she bursts, putting her hand up as if in class. “I’ll take care of everything.”