The Billionaire's Secret Love Child(65)

I sighed deeply.

“Would you prefer I sleep in my car,” I asked.

She shook her head.

“No, you sleep in your bed. I just want you to know that the toilet seat might be left up, so you should keep an eye out.”

“Goodnight, mother,” I said while rolling my eyes.

She giggled and sipped on her wine, as I made my way back upstairs.



5.

I woke to a cry in the next room over; it was Trenton in the guest bedroom. I heard Rick’s voice softly speaking in the darkness to his brother, but couldn’t make out what he was saying. I stepped from my bed and leaned against the door of my room, hoping to make out what he was saying. It was no good; there was too much between us.

I creaked open the door of my room and tip-toed down the hall. Every step made raised the volume of the voices.

“So you’re having a bad dream, buddy,” I heard Rick’s voice say.

“I swear I heard a monster under the bed, can you check again,” Trenton asked.

I heard shuffling around the bedroom.

“I saw one, but I scared it off with my ugly face. Most monsters are scared of me.”

Trenton laughed in the bedroom.

“Alright, get some sleep, pal,” Rick added.

I heard footsteps coming towards the door of the bedroom, and turned to rush back to my room, but I was unfortunately caught. The door to the guest room screeched open in the dimly lit hallway, exposing me in my pajamas.

“Casey?”

I stood still, hoping he hadn’t seen me, but my better judgment helped me realize that was impossible.

“Rick,” I stated casually, “I was on my way to the bathroom when I heard you guys talking. I didn’t hear anything, I swear.”

He exited the guest bedroom and pulled the door closed.

“Hey, when you’re done in the bathroom, do you think we can talk?”

“I don’t really need to go to the bathroom,” I said sheepishly.

He nodded and wandered down the nearby staircase, I followed. I had a lot of questions for him that I needed answered as well.

He propped himself on the couch, and I in my favorite chair.

“I don’t know what to say,” he started.

“I’m going to make some tea,” I said as I stood up and made for the kitchen.

“What happened to your dad,” he asked bluntly.

I hadn’t thought about it since it happened, and it felt odd talking about it with him. But, I think he knew loss about as well as I did. He might be one of the few people to understand.

“My dad always had a weak heart. It was a matter of time before the stress caught up with him. He passed away from a stroke a few years back. Mom’s always kept jobs for herself on the side, so it wasn’t hard for her to step up and take over the finances.

“I think about him from time to time. I miss his stupid smile and the way he’d watch hockey games.”

Rick laughed.

“So you were always a stick in the mud?” he asked.

“I was always what I am right now,” I said.

I offered him a cup of tea, and he accepted it but showed little interest in drinking it.

“Why did you pay that girl to force me into that stupid challenge?” I asked.

“Straight to business,” he replied, “very forward of you. I would have thought you’d ask about my mother first.”

“I was about to, but certain things came to mind first. What did you do with the video?”

He laughed.

“I suppose you would want to know what happened to that,” he said, “I kept it in a safe place so nobody would be able to watch it.”

“You’re not going to hold it over my head, are you?”

“I’ve no intention of doing that,” he replied.

“Then what are you going to do with it,” I asked.

“I have no idea. I haven’t even watched it at all. I felt guilty after taking it.”

“You felt guilty? Why?”

“Because, after you did it I couldn’t help but admire your adventurous spirit,” he said.

I didn’t think I had an adventurous spirit.

“Why don’t you just delete it,” I asked.

“Because it’s a masterpiece, I think. Watching you fall flat on your butt on the ice was quite a nice view,” he said with a smile.

“Well then, what did you think of the kiss,” I asked.

He pondered the answer for a moment before replying. I wondered what was turning in that ridiculous brain of his.

“I think that’s why I felt so guilty after taping you,” he said, “thinking of the kiss makes me think the video was a mistake.”

I thought about the kiss again, that moment was etched in my brain as though a splinter that had taken root. I actually fell asleep thinking about it earlier, and thinking about it now was making me more than a little aroused.

“It’s wrong to think about that now. We’ll be siblings soon,” I said.

“Yeah, we’ll be siblings really soon. Too bad, too. I was going to ask you out after the break was over,” he quipped.

I had to take a moment and sip at my tea before saying much more. This guy was gorgeous, and he wanted to ask me out. Why did our parents have to be getting married?