“This is what I couldn’t understand Luke, I needed to know you cared about me like you do her.” Sarah cries again.
“You don’t need to understand, you just needed to accept she is my family.”
I hold on tighter and sob silently not caring about the scene we just caused.
Chapter 27
Ari
All week has been work as usual which makes me uneasy. I’ve been completely attentive to my clients, but I have a bad feeling. Phillip has signed off on the work remotely program but I still need to talk to him.
My gut tells me to let this play out, however, I have one idea, and plan to use it.
“Phillip? You in here?” I knock on his cracked door and hear shuffling.
“Give me a minute!” he yells and I stand back. I hear him cut off a call and I enter.
“Arianna! What are you doing here so late?” he asks uncomfortably.
“We need to talk. Seriously talk. Reed knows I’m going to be late.”
His face reddens and he starts to pack his things. “I’ll schedule a meeting next week. I need to go.”
“Phillip it’s important.” I plead with him and his eyes dim.
“Okay, Ari, but I know what’s going on. Mr. Moore called and explained there was a huge conflict of interest. He just figured out who you are. His side of the story is much different than what you shared with me.”
“What exactly did he say? Did he tell you the whole story about his crazy—”
“Stop!” he interrupts me. “There is nothing wrong with a woman wanting to hold onto her dignity and her boyfriend. I had no idea you got pregnant on purpose.”
Shock overwhelms me and I see red but I need to keep focus. “Phillip, I think you need to hear my story.”
“Ari, I’m not sure you understand the significance of Mr. Moore’s money. Your tryst has put the accounts in jeopardy and I have to figure out a way to save the relationship. I know I don’t have to tell you this, but if we lose his investments because of a college affair gone bad, you will lose your job.”
I am furious. How dare he! “Phillip, I’ll let your unprofessional and uneducated comments slide for now. But I suggest you sit down and listen before I slap you and this bank with slander, harassment, and unlawful termination. There’s a lot you don’t know, and after Monday morning, you won’t have to worry about your precious freaking accounts and me anymore.”
He sits down and I tell him my tale for an hour. He only interrupts to clarify. I purposely leave out Sarah. When I’m done, Phillip looks at me ashamed and he shakes his head and apologizes. Then I tell him my plan for Monday morning and leave. He may be sorry, but knowing he believed Mr. Moore without even talking to me cuts deep. I’ve lost all respect for him.
When I get to the beach house, Davis is already dressed in his pajamas and Reed is finishing up dinner. I kiss him quickly and then go to change. As I get Davis in bed, he talks non-stop about his day and the birthday party he’s going to tomorrow. The party is for a new child in his class and it’ll give me a chance to meet some more of the parents. This reminds me I left the gift at my house—shit. One more stop I’ll have to make on the way to the party.
Reed is waiting on me when I join him back in the kitchen with tired eyes. He is exhausted. He’s worried about us on top of going back to work this week. The heat is at a summer high and he practices for hours with the team. No one has seen or heard from Alex Moore. Trey was right that we could not get a restraining order without a visible threat. We were always on alert, but I wasn’t sure what we were looking for.
“Angel, I talked to coach and the General Manager today. I told them there’s a good chance I have a stalker. I explained Alex’s involvement in anything that has my name attached to it. They are concerned and the GM knows Alex’s dad.”
“You think that’s bad?” I ask. “Mr. Moore called Phillip today and told him Alex was your girlfriend and trying to hold on to dignity and I got pregnant on purpose.”
“How has this happened? I mean I don’t even talk to the woman and she has convinced people we’re a couple? I’m not buying it. Don’t her parents wonder why they never saw us together? Why I don’t claim her? Hell, everyone knows I was single—I’ve never been attached to anyone but you.”
“Honey, I think she’s sick. But what makes me scared is that she’s sat back in the shadows all this time. She’s never made a move on you. She’s had plenty of chances. Now we find out she potentially had something to do with your sister’s accident, she coerced my co-worker into telling her about us, and she’s had her father tell my boss I am basically a home-wrecker. Why is she doing this?”