The only friend I trusted without question had been Stone. Simply because he was honest, even if it hurt. He didn’t hold back punches. Neither had his father. Figuratively and literally. It was part of the reason Stone was so dark and hard to get close to.
Beulah was the first female I had ever trusted. She made it so damn easy to trust her. Watching her walk away, I never wondered if it was her sister she was going to see. I knew without a doubt that was where she’d be. It was a relief, knowing I could trust someone. Like a heavy burden had been taken away. Just another reason to make me love her more.
Coming home had sounded like living in the pits of hell. But I’d done it to see if I could even take the place my father had left for me. It had been time to try. He had left me more work than he knew. I came back for him, for the corporation he’d left me, and I’d found her. I would be forever thankful I did.
The door to my office opened without a knock. I knew before Stone stepped inside who it was. He was the only one who did that—came in unannounced. Even the woman I loved more than life would knock. I couldn’t get her not to. She was determined it was the polite thing to do. Which made me smile more.
Stone would never be someone she liked or understood. I was okay with that.
He was wearing a white button down today which was rare. He still wore jeans though. He hated dressing like his father—the shoes he’d fill one day. If my father had beaten me until I was old enough to stop him, I’d feel the same.
“It’s official then. You’re in a relationship with her.”
I nodded. “Yes. You knew it was headed that direction.”
He looked annoyed. “I thought you’d be smarter. But it’s your life. I can’t live it.”
“No, you can’t.”
He walked over and sat down on one of the leather chairs across from my desk. “Got any coffee?”
“I can have some sent up.”
“Where’s your secretary?”
“She’s visiting her sister for a few hours because I thought it would be good for her.”
Stone looked like he winced. “I should have seen that coming too.”
I walked over to the phone and called Brandy Jo to have coffee sent up for the two of us. Then I turned my attention back to Stone. “How were things in Manhattan? As thrilling as ever?” I was being sarcastic. He hated it there.
He sighed. “Yeah. We managed not to kill each other. That’s always a positive.”
He was talking about his father of course. They were both tall, well-built men. His dad worked out regularly, and his newest wife was only three years older than Stone. The wife before her had been thirty. He was choosing them younger and younger the older he got.
“Assuming you know about me and Beulah from either Sterling or Tate, I guess you also know that Maisie showed up at the house.”
He sneered as if her name disgusted him. “Yes, I know. And it was Sterling who called me. He’s coming into the city next week and wanted to have drinks at Rauls one night.”
A knock at the door stopped the conversation. “Come in,” I called out.
Brandy Jo stepped inside carrying two coffee mugs and a smile that was never going to go away. I shouldn’t have slept with her. She always looked at me like she was ready for round two. Even after I’d made it clear it was a one-time thing.
“Here you go gentleman. Can I get you anything else?” The tone of her voice had Stone rolling his eyes.
“No, that will be all. Thank you.”
She ran her fingers over my hand as I took the cup. I quickly moved it away and turned my attention back to Stone. “Are you going to Spain next month?” I asked him.
He looked at her with his normal scowl, and she got the message that her flirting wasn’t appreciated and left. “No. I don’t think I am. Too much shit I have to handle. Moving into the flat in Manhattan from our house in New England is going to take some time. When are you going to pack your shit up and move it home?”
We’d shared a three-story house three miles from campus since our freshman year at Cuthdart. None of us had moved a thing. Tate was still living there when he wasn’t traveling. He had one year left since he traveled for a year in Europe our freshman year.
“When there is time for me to leave here. I was going to hire someone to pack it up though. I don’t want to leave . . .”
“Her,” he finished.
“Yes, I don’t want to be away from Beulah.”
He drank his coffee and didn’t say more about that. Which I could take as a step in the right direction. He was accepting our relationship, finally. I knew he would. He was just stubborn as hell.
“She’s different. If you’d give her a chance you’d like her. You’d see why I love her. She’s not a mistake. She’s perfect. I can trust her. That’s rare and you know it.”
I expected a snide remark. Something very Stone-like. Instead, he stared out the window behind my desk a moment. Pensive. I let him think it through. At least he wasn’t arguing with me. He’d let that go.
“I don’t doubt what you are saying. I just don’t think your world and hers will ever completely meld. That’s all. You are in the honeymoon phase of the relationship. But when shit slowly starts to unpack itself from the baggage you both have, it won’t be so damn pretty or easy,” he paused then looked at me. “And are you sure you won’t be the one to hurt her?”
It was rare that Stone pissed me off. Normally, I took his know-it-all attitude with a laugh. But this . . . He’d gone too far. I sat my coffee down and glared at him. Not looking away. Not giving him a pass because he was my best friend. “Are you questioning my love for her?”
He didn’t back down. “Yes.”
We sat there in silence, neither of us speaking. I was furious, but there were too many words to explain exactly how wrong he was, and I was calming myself before I started yelling.
The knock on the door stopped me, and as it opened, Beulah walked in.
Beulah
STONE WAS BACK. MY GAZE went from Jasper to Stone, then back to Jasper. Maybe I should have waited until he said to come in. I didn’t walk in any further. “I’m sorry. I can work somewhere else. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Jasper stood up from where he was perched on the edge of his desk facing Stone. They both looked serious but his face immediately softened as he walked toward me.
“You can walk in whenever you want. I’ve told you that,” he said.
Yes, he had, but I also knew Stone didn’t like me. “Okay,” was all I said in return. Stone made me nervous. His presence just brought tension. I couldn’t figure out why Jasper liked him so much. Sterling and Tate were much easier and enjoyable to be around.
“We were talking business and we’re finished. Stone was leaving.”
Stone didn’t move from the chair. I didn’t think he planned on leaving. I didn’t mention it or look directly at him.
“I need to get to the filing. I’ll be out of the way. Y’all can keep talking business.”
“How was your visit?” Jasper asked.
“Great. Heidi was so excited to see me. She wasn’t expecting me, so it was a treat. Thank you.”
He cupped the back of my head and kissed me. It was deeper than I was comfortable with Stone in the room, but I kissed back.
“Don’t thank me for that,” he whispered against my lips then pressed one more kiss to my mouth before letting me go.