“You failed to mention that it’s a huge conglomerate, or that you’re a freaking heir to an empire.”
“Hold up.” I hold my hand up and have to take a deep breath so I don’t slap him across his handsome face. “You’re mad because I have a trust fund you didn’t know about? When was I supposed to say that? When I met you? Hi, my name is Charly, and I have a sizeable trust fund.”
“That’s not—”
“I’m not done. I haven’t touched that trust fund since college. My business, my home, my car…it’s all mine. I work my ass off for what I have. It made sense to put the building that Head Over Heels is in in the company name for tax purposes, but because it’s not in my name, I pay fucking rent. Because it’s technically not mine.
“And yes, that pisses my family off, but they can just deal with it. So if you’re pissed because I didn’t tell you that my family is wealthy, well, that’s your problem, Simon. Because it’s not even something that I think about on a daily basis. And let’s not forget that you, my friend, are fucking rich.”
“Which you knew from the minute you met me,” he says. “It’s not like I can hide that. I’m a public figure, for bugger sake.”
“I refuse to apologize for not telling you that my family has money. Especially when I wasn’t being deliberately dishonest. I told you all about my business, and you’ve been freaking living in my home. Everything you know about me is real.”
He shakes his head.
“You don’t believe me?”
“I do believe you, and I’m still fucking pissed.”
“Well, so am I.”
“I should have known the scope of your family’s business before I walked into that lunch today. I was thrown off guard. Now I know why they wanted to know if I’m with you for your money.”
“I’m successful on my own, damn it, and I will continue to be.”
“I know you will. But come on, Charly, at some point you could have elaborated on what your family does and what they have.”
“I showed you the inn. My family owns that, and I told you that it had been in the family for generations. I was never hiding anything from you.”
He takes a deep breath and shoves his hands through his hair. “It never occurred to me.”
“And it never occurred to me to spell it all out for you.” I cross my arms over my chest. “And while I’m mad, why were you rude to George?”
“Because he wants to fuck you,” he replies immediately. I feel my mouth fall open.
“No, he doesn’t.”
“Trust me, darling, I’m a man. He wants you.”
“I went out with him,” I reply and feel like a bitch when Simon’s eyes ice over. “Eli set us up on a date after I got home from Montana.”
“So you’ve already fucked him, then.”
I stop moving, stop breathing as I stare at Simon in shock.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” He closes his eyes and drops his head to his chest.
“I’m sorry.”
“No. You assume that if I’ve gone out on one motherfucking date with a man that I must have fucked him? Why, because I let you in my pants so easily?”
“Charly—”
“Not that I need to explain myself to you, given that I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again, I went on one damn date with George. He was kind and funny and a perfect gentleman. But I couldn’t stop comparing him to you. There was no chemistry there, and we decided that we would be friends.
“How dare you assume that I’d slept with him. I’m not a whore.”
“Of course not.”
“And if that’s what you think of me, you can just go get on a fucking plane back to London.”
“Charly.”
“I will not be treated like a piece of trash!” I can’t stop talking. I can’t stop pacing and railing and throwing this fit. All I know is, he’s fucking pissed me off in a way that I haven’t been since I was a child.
Suddenly, I’m wrapped in Simon’s arms and held close to his chest.
“I’m sorry, Charly.” I fight him at first, but then I collapse against him, and I’m even angrier to discover tears rolling down my cheeks.
“You don’t get to judge me like that.”
“I’m so sorry, darling. It was a heartless, horrible thing to say and I didn’t mean it.” He kisses my head and rubs his hand down my back. “I was already reeling from the information about your family’s business, and then George was there, and whether I was right or wrong, it looked like he wanted you.
“I don’t like feeling jealous. This is new to me, and I clearly don’t handle it very well.”
“No. You don’t.” I pull away, not willing to look him in the eyes. “All you ever have to do is ask, Simon. I’ll answer any questions you have. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to be alone for a while.”
I turn and leave the room, jogging up to my bedroom. If I stay in the house, I’ll have to talk to him, and I just don’t want to do that right now. But I can’t go to the shop looking like this. And if I go to any of the family, they’ll immediately hate Simon.
Which he deserves.
It’s begun to rain outside, cooling the warm afternoon air. So I pull on my running outfit and shoes and leave the house.
I need to run and think and clear my head. Simon is still standing in the living room when I pass by.