His Needs:Billionaire(10)

"Hey." Philip stood and moved around to offer her a friendly hug. His  hair was back to being the length it was when they first met, before  Damon had him cut it off. He looked good, almost too good. Broad  shoulders and tanned skin, the man was every bit of California, and yet  he was from Down Under. His accent left her heart fluttering, though it  was nothing more than a silly infatuation like most women had for  foreign accents.         

     



 

"Hi. You look great. Seems like your new job is allowing you to work  less and play more?" She smiled and took her seat across from him as the  server approached. She ordered a Coke and pulled the menu toward her  face, but kept her eyes on him.

"I actually quit." He shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "I know  it's only been a week or so, but honestly, I worked as hard as I did in  school to work for Mr. Bryant. I took the week off to lay by the beach  and think through things."

"Kent or Damon?" The confession surprised her a little.

"Both, but originally Damon. He visited UT and gave a speech on being a  young leader my freshman year, and something about the way he presented  himself coupled with his success? I don't know. He intimidates the fuck  out of me, and he's a total asshole, no offense if you guys are still  dating, but I still want to learn from him."

"I get that." She played with the straw in her drink. "You don't have to  love the people you learn to respect. Maybe you should ask for your job  back. He offered it just before I left, right?"

"He did, but I'm not sure he was serious about it. He had an odd vibe to  him that day. I guess it was because I was having lunch with the  beautiful woman he was dating, but still..." Philip smirked.

"He got over it fast." She glanced up as the server approached.

"What can I get you guys today?" The girl looked between Bethany and Philip, an odd smile on her face.

"I'll take a turkey sandwich with fruit." Bethany handed the girl the  menu, trying to determine if she was trying to hold back a knowing grin.

"Burger and fries, hold the onions." Philip handed her the menu and  turned back to Bethany as he let out a short sigh. "So how do I go about  this with Damon?"

"Wait a minute." Bethany held up her hand and kept her attention on the girl. "Do we know each other?"

"No. I was in the coffee shop yesterday. You're Dr. Tarrington's TA, right?"

Oh... that's why she's holding back her smile. She saw me and Kendal together.

"Yeah, he's a great guy. Crazy strict, but a good accounting teacher.  Are you majoring in business?" Bethany hated to carry on the useless  conversation, but didn't want to look like an ass.

"No, I'm theater, but we all know about Dr. Tarrington. We're just  hoping we're his next slip up." She snorted. "Don't tell him I said  that."

"I don't even know your name." Bethany smiled and turned back toward Philip as the girl left in a hurry.

"Next slip up? What the hell was that?" Philip took a drink of his Coke and leaned in as if she were about to share a secret.

"Kendal dated one of his students six years ago." Bethany glanced over  at the girl who couldn't be more than a freshman. "How she knows about  that is beyond me."

"Rumors that juicy last forever." Philip shrugged. "Back to me. What do I need to do?"

"Just stop by the office and tell Linda you're there to see him. I would  offer to get involved, but something tells me that he wouldn't  appreciate me interfering. He's already leery of something happening  between me and you."

"Why is that? Did you make something up to make him jealous? Full  disclosure here. I'm walking into the hornet's nest. Don't cover me in  honey." He chuckled, and she did as well.

"No, it was a misunderstanding that's too embarrassing to rehash. Just  stop by and talk to him. He owes you the job after he fired you for  being a good employee. He overreacted. Take advantage of it."

"Are you guys not together anymore?" He lifted his eyebrow.

"We are, I'm just saying. This isn't too difficult of a situation. Own  it." She shrugged and turned to let her eyes move across the girl again.  Why in the world would people still be talking about Kendal's  indiscretions six years later?

Why did she care?



*



Another night without Damon in her bed made it harder to fight against  the nagging sensation that he was battling far more than he should have  been where they were concerned. She tried to remain positive and  convince herself that everything was fine. Matt had been a good  cheerleader during the latter part of the week, but nothing was going to  fully set her right but Damon.

She needed him to say that he was sorry, that he loved her and they  would work through things. The nagging need to be constantly reminded of  his feelings was a pain in his ass from what she'd overheard in  Jamaica, but it was what it was. He was a dick half the time, and  therefore could make it up to her by being the kind of guy she deserved  the rest of the time, which he was completely capable of.

After packing for their flight later that day, she drove over to Kent's  house to pick up Matt and have breakfast with her parents. They'd gotten  home late the night before, and yet still found the energy to text her  that they were safe. She needed to remind Damon that a text took seconds  and yet would mean the world to her.         

     



 

The smell of bacon filled her senses as she walked into the large ornate  mansion. The sound of laughter from the kitchen caused her to exhale in  relief. Normal people with no agendas or chips on their shoulders. Just  what she needed.

"And then I told Karen that calamari was squid, but she kept fighting me  over it." Kent laughed loudly as Bethany's mom swatted him.

Bethany stopped by the entrance to the dining room and leaned against the frame, not wanting to disturb the story.

"I thought they were just little fish rings." She shrugged. "They make  fish sticks. I thought the fried rings Kent likes to order were fish."

Kent laughed loudly again as Matt's smile widened. "So we get the  platter, and the Jamaicans don't use the tentacles for the dish, but  baby-"

"Octopus. With baby feelers and little heads." Her mom squealed and  glanced over toward Bethany as her cheeks turned pink. "Oh my gosh. It  was so disturbing."

"Did you eat them?" Bethany asked as she took the seat beside Matt.

He reached over and pulled her into a tight hug, shaking her a little. "You ready for this trip?"

"I didn't eat them. I just couldn't." Bethany's mom shook her head and snuggled up against Kent.

"I'm as ready as I'm going to be. I feel like we just got back from  traveling." Bethany pulled out of Matt's hold and reached for the big  platter of breakfast meats and scrambled eggs that sat on the table  between them.

"We got back on Sunday. It's been a whole week back here, silly woman.  Time to hit the road again. Besides, my future is riding on this one."  Matt wagged his eyebrows and picked up his fork.

"Your future isn't riding on anything. It's in your control to do or be anything you want to," Kent threw in his two cents.

"I agree with that," Bethany added. "But, this is an important trip.  Have you packed up your portfolio, or can I see it before we head to the  airport?"

"It's in the bedroom down the hall. I'll show you and then we'll bubble  wrap it together. It's a bitch to pack up." Matt shoved half a pancake  into his mouth. "Bring your running shoes. We're going to keep in shape  while we're up there."

"This from the guy with syrup running down his chin and a full pancake  in his mouth." Bethany tossed her napkin to him and smiled.

"Half. It was only half. I can fit a whole one. You wanna see?" He  smiled and licked at his chin, trying to get his tongue to lap up the  syrup.

"Matt. Jeez, son," Kent barked and tossed his napkin across the table.

"You guys are prudes. Except you, Karen." He got up and ran another  pancake through the lake of syrup on his plate before leaning over and  folding it up. "Dare me?"

She shouldn't have, but she couldn't help it. He brought out the kid inside of her. "Yep. Double dog dare you."

"Oh brother. Not you too." Kent laughed as Matt forced the whole pancake in his mouth and motioned for Bethany to join him.

She contemplated doing it too, but the look on her mom's face said - just no.

Laughter bubbled out of her as she moved down the hall to find her brother.

"My brother," she whispered, letting the truth of her statement sink in.  Her and Damon had a fucked up situation to face, but her and Matt had  nothing but good, clean times ahead of them. Both relationships were  worth every ounce of effort she planned to put into them, but the one  with Matt was just so much more straightforward.

"In here, Miss Thang." He reached out of one of the bedrooms and grabbed  her arm as she yelped and lost her footing. He caught her and turned  her to face the bed.