Beauty and the Billionaire

The obvious downside is that Chris is more whiny and demanding than ever. I know he’s just trying to get me to ease up enough so he can go out there and ruin someone’s life, but I’m not going to let him push me.

He acts up in any way and he’s out.

I’m not sure whether I feel more like a parent than a prison guard, but so far, at least, I’ve managed to keep him from doing too much damage.

Today, though, could pose a problem.

Chris’s return and the imposition of my terms of his staying with me have put new strain on my relationship with Ash. I promised her that today, we’d get out and we’d do something fun together, something neither of us has ever done before. She wasn’t very excited until I told her it was just going to be the two of us.

That means leaving Chris at home for at least a few hours.

I considered picking up an ankle monitor for him, but who has that kind of money to throw around?

Right now, he’s sitting in his normal spot on the couch, this morning’s paper half-folded next to him.

“How are you doing today?” I ask.

“Don’t worry,” he says monotone. “I’m not going to rob Fort Knox while you’re out skinny dipping with your girlfriend.”

“I’m more worried about you scamming the neighbors and me being forced to move out of my home,” I tell him.

“Whatever,” he says.

I’d rather have him mad at me

right now than spewing his usual nonsense about how I need to trust him, but I’m still nervous as I go to the kitchen to get some coffee.

My phone rings as I’m pouring and I answer it, saying, “Hey, Ash.”

“Hey,” she responds. “Are we still on for Lake Park today?”

“Yeah,” I tell her. “I’m just grabbing some coffee and I’m ready to go.”

“Okay,” she says with an audible exhale.

“You sound relieved,” I respond, smiling.

“It’s not you,” she says. “I just know how crazy things have been around there the last little bit.”

“Yeah,” I affirm. “Anyway, I should be ready to come pick you up in a minute, I’ll see you in ten.”

“Sounds great,” she says. “It’s supposed to stay pretty warm today, and I could really use some time out of the house.”

“How’s Jana’s eye?” I ask, trying to hold in my laughter, but not doing a very good job of it.

“It’s not funny,” Ash says, but from the tone in her voice, I can tell that she’s smiling. “I shouldn’t have done that. It was wrong.”

With that, I burst out laughing.

It’s not that she hurt someone or that that someone was Jana; Ash is usually such a pleasant person, though, I can’t even imagine her hauling off and punching someone in the face. It’s like if the Pope backhanded a bishop.

“Are you done?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I answer, still laughing as much as not. “I’ll see you in a few.”

* * *

Lake Park is exactly what it sounds like. I’ve been through here quite a few times throughout my life, but I’ve never approached the boat rental until today.