Page 72 of Billionaire Romance

“So my way seems to be working just fine,” she grins. “Tell me about her.”

“Her name is Sally Landing,” I say, scrubbing my hands over my face. “She’s very nice. I like her.”

“That’s good!” my mom says. “How long have you been seeing each other. Is it serious?”

“Not that long. Listen, Mom, what do you need help with? I do need to spend some time at the office today before I come back.” I feel bad for being so brusque, but I can’t do this. I can’t sit and pretend that everything is fine like we both don’t remember what happened in this room on this day. I don’t want to brush it aside like she seems to want to do, and I’m already going to have to spend enough time here tonight.

She sighs dramatically. “Fine.” Standing, she leads me into the main foyer where there’s a stack of boxes that are very obviously not storing party decorations. “These are the last of the boxes,” she says. “I don’t want them here. Can you please take them and get rid of them? I don’t want them in the house for the party.”

“Why haven’t you had someone throw them away?” This isn’t an accusation, it’s actual curiosity.

“Because,” she says, “it has to be someone I know.”

She doesn’t trust anyone else with this, is what she’s telling me. On the one hand it’s sweet, and I’m glad that my mother trusts me and wants me to help. On the other hand, I don’t want to touch those boxes with a ten-foot-pole.

“Okay,” I say. “I’ll take care of them, and I’ll see you tonight.”

She steps in front of me and puts her hand up to my cheek. “I really do have your best interest at heart, Eric. I just want you to be happy.”

“I know, Mom. I’ll see you later.”

She quickly retreats, calling for the ladder boys to climb to their places again so they can adjust the drapes. I work on getting the boxes into the back of my car. It seems a little strange going against the grain of so many people bringing things into the house, but after a few trips I get it done.

I really don’t want things to be strained with Mom. I don’t. But I don’t want to be pushed. I don’t want to be forced. And she’s going to force me to remember tonight by having a party on fucking Valentine’s Day.

I don’t know how to talk to her anymore. Ever since it all happened, it’s been falling apart between us. There are things that we need to say to each other that can’t be said, and it’s stifling. She needs to back off and realize that I need space, and I need to own up to the fact that I’m still dwelling on it. Neither of us are perfect.

But I also know that today is not the day that things are going to be solved between us. So I’ll take these boxes and go to the office and I’ll get through the party tonight, and maybe tomorrow I can talk with Bianca about how the hell I can actually start to fix this. Because it does need to be fixed. Mom isn’t getting younger, and I don’t want things to get worse. If there’s anything that all of this has taught me it’s that anything can happen. Even the things that you least expect in the world.

I get in the car and watch for a minute as the unloading of the decorations continues. I see special dishes and flowers and plates. This is going to be so much fun. And by fun, I mean I’m dreading every second.

But Sally will be with me, and for her sake I’m going to try to not be in a miserable funk the whole evening. But if I had my way, we’d spend it alone, doing other, much sexier things. But that’s going to have to wait.

I start the car and head back toward the city and the office.

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