The Billionaire's Sextape: An Adult Billionaire Romance (17 page)

But for that day and that night, she was grateful to have Melissa by her side. Grateful to have something else to think about to keep her as preoccupied as possible. They spent the day eating pizza and watching movies. The same pizza man came, and Melissa boldly gave him her number.

When the evening rolled around, they realized that it was one of the first nights where they didn’t have to stand onstage and take their clothes off. In fact, they did the very opposite. They put on extra sweaters and wrapped more blankets around themselves. They felt safe and happy for the first time in years.

But later that night, when they finally closed their eyes to fall asleep, Delilah couldn’t stop the thoughts from coming. She’d fought the thoughts for as long as possible, but as she drifted off to sleep, the last thing she saw was James. James walking out to a table of smiling people as he proudly held his cake in his hands.

The Final Chapter

“You are in love with her!”

              “What? No I’m not.” There was a defiance in his voice that was betrayed by a strange, high-pitched tone that wasn’t normally there. It was obvious that he was lying, even to himself.

              “You are. You’re in love with her. I know you better than you know yourself.”

James didn’t say anything. He knew that if he did, his words might betray him. He was sitting in his childhood kitchen, drinking orange juice with Martha.

She’d actually offered him wine but he’d said no. He wanted orange juice. He’d gone over the night before to confess to his father and Martha, and the three of them had sat up until the early hours of the morning talking. He hadn’t been so honest with himself or with other people in a very long time, and it had been strangely cathartic.

Martha hadn’t seemed all that surprised when he had shown up. She’d heated up some leftover food for him and told him that she would let his father know that he was there. Then, just as she was about to leave so that the two of them could talk, he had asked her to stay with them.

              “I don’t mind if you two need some alone time, James.”

              “No, Martha, I want you here too. It’s been the three of us for a long time.” So she followed them into the living room and sat with them. Martha. Dependable Martha. James couldn’t imagine a life without her. She had never taken the place of his mother, and it helped that her and his father had never gotten together.

That would’ve been strange. Martha saw both James and his father as her children – even though she was very close to his father’s age. She’d actually met someone when she had been working as James’s nanny and his father had said that he was welcome to come and live with them too.

He did for a while, and it had been quite nice for James. He was a kind man, but also a very funny man, and he loved playing with James. When he suddenly left one day, James had been confused. Martha had told him that he had to go overseas. But James later found out that he had died in a freak accident at work. She had never quite gotten over that. Her one true love. After that, she’d put all her attention into looking after James.

              “I’m sorry, dad. I haven’t been the best son. Not at all. And I’m sorry Martha – I know that I have disappointed you too.”

              “Are you crazy, James? You’ve been the best son,” his father said. It wasn’t true at all, but he knew that his father actually believed his words.

              “No, I haven’t. We both know it. You have given me so much, and what have I done? I’ve wasted it all away. I’ve been going out and partying and making a fool of myself. I’ve been pretending that it’s okay – but it’s not. It’s not even my money. I don’t deserve it.

I’ve been using it to try and get a better reputation for myself, which is ridiculous. Do you know that the only real friends I have are my school friends? And I could easily have lost them too. Thankfully, they’ve stuck by me. But all those other people that I hang out with – they’re only friends with me because of my money. Not one of them have phoned to see if I was doing okay. Not one.”

              “I’m glad you still have your school friends. They’re good guys. And if they’ve stuck with you through all of this – well, then you know they’ll stick with you forever. You’re not the only one to blame though, James. I shouldn’t have been so lenient on you. And I shouldn’t have given you so much money. Martha warned me, and I didn’t listen to her.”

              “You did?” James asked Martha.

              “Of course I did. I’m not stupid. Your father might not have been aware of all the gallivanting you were doing around town, but I was. And I’ve seen enough young celebrities wash their lives away, all because they had too much money. I told him not to. I told him you needed to work for that money.

But your dad loves you, and he could never believe all the things that I said would happen. He had a lot of faith in you. Now, I had faith in you too, don’t get me wrong – but not in the blind way that your father had.”

              “But you were right,” James said to Martha.

              “James, I’m not happy about everything,” his father said. “But I was silly to think that I could buy your happiness. I’ve been worried about you ever since your mother died. I didn’t know if I would be enough for you. Your mother… she was perfect. It was a lot to live up to. I’ve always been too afraid to do something wrong. I never wanted to lose you too.”

              “You would never lose me. I may have been an idiot these past few years, and I may have not appreciated everything the way that I should have, but you could never lose me. I’m sorry about everything -- the tape, the media, the lies.”

              “That’s okay. You’re here now and you’re telling me the truth. That’s all that matters. And if anything – this has just taught me that I need to man up with a few things in my life, and I need to own up to my own faults. Also, I need to let go of that tight grip I have on you. I used money to keep you by my side. But I’m not going to do that anymore. I have a lot of faith in you, James.”

And in that moment, sitting in the living room that he had sat in so many times in his life, everything suddenly became clear.

              “Dad, I need to ask you a favor.”

              “Of course, James. Anything.”

              “Will you take that money back? The money that I got when I turned twenty-five? I want you to take it back.”

              “What? No way. James… that is yours.”

              “It’s not, though, dad. It’s yours. I need to find my own way now.” James was completely sure that he was doing the right thing. For once, he knew that this was what he wanted.

              “But that money was always supposed to be for you.”               “Well, okay then, you can pay for me to study. That would be great, dad. That would help so much.” It was strange – but things were just starting to get clearer and clearer in his mind. It was as if he were emerging from a fog that he had been in for far too long.

              “Study?” Martha asked, leaning forward. “What do you want to study?”

              “I’m not completely sure yet – but I’m thinking of going to culinary school.”

Her eyes widened and then she clapped her hands. “My boy – a chef. Will it be a chef? Or do you want to bake?”

James threw his hands up in the air. Her guess was as good as his. “I honestly have no idea. I still need to figure it all out. It’s just an idea that came to me. But it feels right. Just saying it out loud makes it feel right.

I’ve never been one to go with my gut instinct before, but now that I’m actually listening to myself, it all seems quite clear. I didn’t realize how happy it would make me. Like I actually lose time when I’m in the kitchen. I might study it all and then see where it leads me.”

James looked at his father. “I’ve got to say – you’re the only one in the family that has gone that route,” commented his father. “And I know we owe it all to Martha. Of course I’ll pay for your studies. But are you sure you want me to take all that money away from you? Are you sure you won’t regret it?”

              “Oh Jason! The boy has asked you to take away his money. So do it! Don’t argue.” Martha slapped his father on the arm, and they all laughed.

              “Yes, ma’am!” he said to Martha. Then he looked at James, “Well James, I don’t need the money. So what would you like to do with it?”

              “Really? I’d love to give it to a charity. But I don’t want a big song and dance around it. I hate it when celebrities do that. We can just give it anonymously. I’ll do some research and let you know which one! But that is definitely the route I want to take. I’ve been far too selfish.” Martha was looking at him in a completely new way. For once she didn’t look disappointed in him -- she looked proud.

They spoke some more and eventually retired to bed. In the morning, while his father was working, James spent time with Martha in the kitchen. Watching her work – just as he always had growing up. Talk had soon changed to Delilah.

              “You are. You’re in love with her. I know you better than you know yourself,” Martha was saying. “I can see it in your eyes. I can hear it in your voice. Heck, I could see the way you were looking at her. And I can see why – she seems like a very easy person to love. I certainly approve of her, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

              “I’ve never been in love,” James said.

              “Well, you have now. And isn’t it a wonderful feeling? So… what are you going to do about it?”

              “What do you mean? I’m not going to do anything about it. She told me that she doesn’t want anything to do with me. Look, I’ve already done enough damage to her. If it wasn’t for me, she wouldn’t have the whole world thinking that she’s just a money-digging floozy. Which I know she’s not. But it doesn’t stop those vultures from saying it. She deserves better.”

              “Oh, come on, James – really? Are you seriously going to give up that easily?”

              “I’m not going to force her to be with me.”

              “Can I ask you a question, James?”

              “It hasn’t stopped you before,” he said audaciously and she laughed.

              “Cheeky boy. But you’re right. It hasn’t. Are you in love with her? Think about it and answer me honestly.”

James thought about it. He thought about Delilah -- the way she made him feel about himself; the easy banter between them; her beautiful, kind eyes; her body; the way she always stood up for what she believed in; the way she had been there for him. He looked up at Martha, who was regarding him with a smile. “I guess I do.”

              “Well then… what are you waiting for? Go on… get out of here and go after her.”

              “Are you kicking me out?” he asked her.

              “I sure am. It’s not your house anymore. Go on… scram.”

James laughed and did as he was told. Just as he were leaving, he saw a journalist and a photographer hiding behind a car and taking photos. He gave them a big smile and a thumbs up and then walked away – snickering at their confused faces.

An idea was brewing in his mind. He called Melissa and spent the next hour detailing his plan and telling her what an idiot he had been. She agreed with him about the idiot part, but she also agreed to help him.

James wasn’t sure if his plan was going to work – he wasn’t even sure if Delilah felt the same way about him as he did about her. But he didn’t care anymore. For once in his life, he was going to go out and get what he wanted. Then he spent the rest of the day getting ready.

*

“Hey, sleepy head,” came the voice on the other side of the phone. Melissa.

              “What? I’m not sleeping. It’s midday.” Delilah was absolutely lying. She had taken her book to read in bed and had fallen asleep after only a few pages. She hadn’t felt this relaxed in a long time – or was she more exhausted than relaxed? Either way, she had fallen into a deep sleep very quickly and had jumped up in fright when the phone rang.

              “I know you well enough to know what your voice sounds like when you’ve been sleeping. This is unlike you to be sleeping in the middle of the day! Not that I’m condemning it. In fact, on the contrary, I’m applauding it.”

              “Fine. You got me! I’m basking in these last few days before starting work on Monday. Starting work on Monday – that sounds so cool.” Delilah had said the words to herself over and over again and still didn’t tire of it. She was incredibly nervous, but she decided to put the nerves aside for the actual day and just be excited up until then.

              “I know. I’m so excited. Which is why I called, actually. I want to invite you over for dinner tonight!”

              “Only if you’re ordering in.”

              “What? Are you trying to say that I can’t cook?”

              “Well, you’ve said it yourself on many occasions.”

              “So rude. But you’ll be pleased to know that I am NOT cooking. Like I would really do that to you. You know how bad that has turned out in the past.” Melissa laughed, and so did Delilah. It was a running joke between them because the only time that Melissa had ever tried to cook for the two of them, it had ended in disaster. Delilah had never seen a chicken so roasted before.

              “Then I’ll be there.”

Melissa laughed. “Great! Come early, around five should be good. I have wine.”

              “Then I am definitely there.”

It wasn’t often that Delilah went to Melissa’s house. Her apartment was small, and Melissa generally preferred to hang out at Delilah’s. But Delilah was glad for the change. And she didn’t mind that the apartment was small.

Melissa was very minimalistic and hadn’t cluttered her home at all. But the things that she did have inside had given the house a very homely and comforting feel.

She arrived at Melissa’s just before five and held up a bottle of champagne.

              “Ooh, very nice,” Melissa said.

              “Yeah. I figured we needed both the champagne and the wine tonight. I think we should just celebrate these jobs the whole weekend. What do you think?”