One White Lie: Barrington Billionaire's Series: Book One (16 page)

Gary and Tyler both stood looking him over in the
don’t fuck with my sister or nephew
way. He would like to reassure them he wasn’t going to hurt either of them, but that was yet to be seen.

“Boys, give your sister some space. Go home.”

They both went over and kissed Lena on the top of the head before heading out.

Once the three of them were alone he said, “I’m sorry. That probably wasn’t the way it should have been handled.”

“There really isn’t a good way to say it. Showing your natural instinct of caring for our son probably was the best way possible.”

“I’ve no idea what made me do that. I can’t even remember holding a child, never mind one who was crying.”

Lena laughed. “Welcome to being a father.”

Brice looked at the now sleeping child in his arms. Was she right? Was it some paternal instinct that kicked in? If so, why didn’t his father have it? Many times he had fallen and was injured and no one came.

“We don’t have to stay if you don’t want to. I understand if you feel uncomfortable.”

He didn’t want to be here overnight. It didn’t have to do with comfort level as much as with wanting to get his son home and settled in where he belonged.
God . . . home. I can’t let them go back to the hell house of an apartment they were living in. It’s not safe.
There was only one place for them now and that was with him in Cambridge.

“Tell your parents thank you for the offer, but tonight, I think we need to be home.”

Lena nodded and left him in the kitchen with Nicholas. For once in his life he didn’t have a solid plan. He needed to make a rational decision and not be swayed by emotions. He hadn’t made any promises yet, not to them or to himself. Here in this house it was going to be nearly impossible to do so.

For now, he would take them home with him. Thank goodness he had a spare bedroom for them to sleep in. Did Nicholas need a crib? He didn’t have the first clue. Tomorrow he and Lena would talk about a more permanent situation.
Don’t worry, Nicholas, your mother and I will figure something out.

T
he ride back to Cambridge was peaceful. Nicholas slept and so did Lena. Brice on the other hand had no such luxury. His home was far from ready for a child. He wasn’t worried about things being broken, that was bound to happen, but he didn’t want Nicholas to get hurt. His mind was racing with a list of things he normally would have assigned to his assistant to handle. Nancy wouldn’t be back for a few days, and he couldn’t ask Lena to do it. He wasn’t even sure what he needed.
What does a two-and-a-half-year-old like? Books? Blocks?
Probably an iPad by now. Times were changing so fast and he had no clue what to do.

A boy was a boy, surely they were all pretty much the same. While they slept he searched the Internet for as much information as he could get. Hopefully this would give him a good starting point as to what to expect. After twenty minutes he had his answer.
They’re all different. Everyone has different advice. Doesn’t anyone know what the hell to do?

He put his phone back in his pocket and decided he was going to have to learn the old-fashioned way: trial and error.

He had his mother’s olive skin and dark hair.
But you look like me, kiddo.
Thank God her parents had a car seat they could use. He had learned that much from Google. Nicholas stirred in his sleep and turned toward him. Brice reached over and touched his fingers. They seemed so small and fragile. He had no idea what he had been like as a baby, but Nicholas was definitely the cutest toddler around. He laughed silently to himself.
Bragging already, Brice, and you’ve only known about him for a few hours.

“What are you thinking?”

He hadn’t noticed that Lena was awake. She must have been watching him as he had studied Nicholas. “Planning.”

“Can you be more specific?”

Sharing with her meant opening up. He wasn’t ready to do that with her again.
Not sure I ever will be.
There was a level of discussion that would need to take place because they shared a child. “You can’t go back to your apartment.”

“Why? I thought you said the threat was over.”

Because I said so.
“I don’t want my son living in a place like that.”

He could tell by her expression that he’d hurt her. She had been providing for Nicholas the best she could without his help. He was sure, if given another option, she wouldn’t have chosen that place either. It must have been very difficult for her financially.

“It’s all I can afford right now. It won’t be forever. You said you would give me a letter of recommendation. That will help me find full-time employment with a good salary quickly.”

“What do you mean employment? Who is going to be taking care of my son while you are running around working all hours of the day and night?” His voice was louder than he meant, and Nicholas began to wake.

“Shh. You need to be calm and quiet. You can’t be so angry and loud or he will pick up on that, and it will upset him.”

Lena was right. Even though Nicholas didn’t understand, he would still sense the tone of the conversation. He had grown up in such an unhappy home, his father yelling all the time, he refused to do this to his son. “I’m sorry. Guess I have a lot to learn.”

Lena reached over and touched his hand. “We both do.”

You seem to have it all together.
“What I was asking before is how do you believe you will be able to work and be there for Nicholas?”

“Brice, women work and raise children every day. What do you think I’ve been doing all this time?”

He wasn’t sure. Her family wasn’t close by.

“I take him to daycare before work and pick him up at six each night. That’s why I couldn’t stay late and have dinner with you.”

There were a few times he had tried to get her to stay, and she’d always replied she had plans. Now he knew what they were. “If you had told me before then—”

“Then what? You wouldn’t have asked me to dinner? Slept with me? Taken me to your house by force?”

No. I still would have done all those things. I’m an asshole by nature.
“Honestly, Lena, I don’t know what I would have done. Probably the same thing I am doing right now.”

“Which is what exactly?”

“Taking you and Nicholas to stay with me.”

“I can’t. I—”

“This is not up for discussion. My son is staying with me. You are welcome to stay as well. If you don’t want to, that is your choice, Lena, but my son isn’t going back to that apartment or any place like it. Do you understand?”

Lena gave him a brief nod then turned away. She wasn’t happy, and he knew it. But right now, it wasn’t about them. It was all about Nicholas.

There was no arguing with him on the way back to his house. He held all the cards now. She still worked for him and needed that letter of recommendation or this was all for nothing.
Well, not really nothing. I’ve been paid well.

So for right now, she had no choice but to stay at his home. That didn’t mean she’d stay in his room. It was a huge house. They should be able to live under one roof and not get in each other’s way. Of course seeing him in the office during the day and at home every night was going to make it more difficult, but it was only for a few more days. Once Nancy was back things would go back to normal.

Normal? My whole life is messed up. Any less normal and I’m going to end up on a daytime TV talk show.

“Does he usually sleep in a crib?”

“No. We didn’t have room for one at the apartment so he slept with me.”

“I read that’s not healthy for the child or the parents.”

The last thing she needed was Brice telling her what she should do with her own child. She had managed on her own for over two years and didn’t need advice now. If she did, she would ask for it. “He has had enough disruption in his life this past week; he doesn’t need any more changes. Your home will be a strange place to him, so he will sleep with me in the guest room.”

He wasn’t the only one who could be demanding and stubborn.
I can be too, for special occasions, and this is one of them.

“For tonight, but tomorrow we will discuss other arrangements.”

Brice took Nicholas from her arms and carried him upstairs to her room. He laid him gently on the bed. Lena watched as he took off one shoe then the other. Before he left, Brice gave him a kiss on the forehead.

When he turned to leave he looked at her and said, “Sleep well.”

No hug. No kiss. Well, I know how he feels about me now.
Lena walked over and closed the bedroom door. Earlier that night they had been snuggled up on a couch planning a night of romance. Now they . . . now she wasn’t sure what they were to each other.
He is back to being cold and aloof. I doubt I’ll ever have his affection again, which hurts. I’m not sure I’ll survive his dismissal again. But I won’t break yet. I can’t. For Nicholas, I’ll be stronger than ever before. For him.

Lena went to the bed and pulled up the blanket, tucking Nicholas in. He had rolled over, and she could see he was dreaming happy thoughts as his lips curled into a smile. She was happy he didn’t seem to be experiencing the stress of the day. He was too little to understand.
Damn, I don’t even understand it.

What she had feared was now over. Brice knew everything. What that meant for them as a couple wasn’t important any longer. Somehow they had been able to overcome the past, but moving forward into the unknown future scared her. The only thing she was positive of was that Nicholas was the best part of them both, and she and Brice would somehow work together to ensure his happiness. She lay down next to him and closed her eyes.
Good night, Nicholas. Mommy and Daddy love . . .I love you and I know Daddy wants you.
Part of her heart was breaking; her son was never going to have the relationship her brothers had experienced with their father. Was his wanting Nicholas enough? Would he ever be able to love him?
Does he even have that in him?
She didn’t know, and she wasn’t sure he did either.

L
ena had set her alarm on her cell phone as usual but she had been up for hours before it went off. Brice’s words replayed in her head throughout the night. He didn’t seem to regret knowing about his son, but he hadn’t liked how she’d delivered the news.
Neither had I.
That had been all within her control whether she wanted to admit it or not. By delaying it, she’d increased the hurt he must have felt by not knowing three years ago.

You’ve missed so much, and I’m sorry for doing that to you and Nicholas.
She thought back on his first step, his first word, and even his first haircut. They were all treasured memories for her, yet Brice had none.
I have robbed you of something so precious. How can I make up for that?

There had to be some way for her to give him some piece of the time he’d missed. She had a few videos on her phone she could show him and a scrapbook of Nicholas’s first year.

A smile crossed her lips as the plan developed. She knew what she could do to make up for lost time. It would mean stopping back at her apartment, but as long as she didn’t take Nicholas with her, he shouldn’t have any objection. Brice was correct, it wasn’t a great location.
Actually far from it, but all I can afford right now.

She showered and dressed before waking Nicholas and getting him ready for the day.
Back to our routine. No more sleeping in for you, young man
.

Timing was different, as they weren’t hopping on a bus then the subway to get him to daycare. It felt odd running around in Brice’s limo, but she had no other mode of transportation at this point. And that made the morning routine so much easier.
Let’s not get used to this. Soon we will be back on our own.

It felt refreshing to be back in the office. She wasn’t exactly sure why. Maybe without the secret hanging over her, she was free from worry.
Well, some at least.

Brice knowing about Nicholas resolved one major issue. The other was what was going to happen in the next few days. Was he still going to give her the letter of recommendation that he had promised? Her future required it.
If I want to continue supporting Nicholas how I have been at least.

For someone like Brice, money was no object and never had been. He’d been born into one of the richest families in New England. He didn’t know what it felt like to worry whether you were able to pay the heating bill or the electric bill that month, and some months neither happened. For her, it was all she could think about every time she went to the grocery store or if Nicholas needed something. At that age, it seemed like he wore an outfit once then out grew it. She was positive Brice had never entered, never mind shopped at, a secondhand store.
We couldn’t have made it this far without one.
A secure position wouldn’t fix everything but it would be a life-changer for them financially at least. With coffee in hand she headed to Brice’s door and knocked even though it was open.

“Come in.”

Feeling confident, she entered his office and approached his desk. When she went to hand him the coffee, he snapped.

“What the hell are you doing here? You should be home,” he yelled as though she were in another room instead of only feet away.

“Excuse me? I work here, remember?” She wasn’t going to let him bully her. Not here or anywhere. He might be rich and powerful, but she should still be treated with respect.
Don’t push too hard. You don’t have the letter yet.

Brice came around the desk and took the coffee from her. “Not anymore.”

Surprised by his words, she asked, “Why? Was there something I did wrong? Did Nancy return?”

“Where is Nicholas?”

“At daycare.”

Brice shook his head. “My son is not being raised by a bunch of strangers.”

She wanted to ease his mind, tell him that this was only for the short-term, but that wouldn’t be the truth. She worked and was going to for many years, which meant daycare while he’s young and then after-school programs as he grew up. “Brice, he is fine. He’s with a great staff, and he is happily playing with other children his age.”

“Do I need to repeat it again? My son is not being raised by strangers.”

It was such a common occurrence that he shouldn’t have been surprised or opposed to it. Something didn’t feel right. Was there more to it than Nicholas? If so, what?

There’s only one way to find out.
“Brice, we are two grown adults who should be able to sit and discuss things in a mature manner. No yelling, demanding, or threatening each other.”

He didn’t respond, only stood there waiting for her answer.
Damn you’re stubborn. But so am I.

“So what do you know about daycare?”
Probably nothing.

Brice arched a brow. “I don’t need to know anything about daycare to make a decision about my son.”

“Funny. You always make your decisions based on facts and research. Yet when it comes to Nicholas you’ve decided to guess what is best opposed to
knowing
what is?”
That should do it.
Lena felt proud of herself for pulling that one out. How could he dispute logic? He lived by it.

“Well played, Lena. You’re correct. I don’t know anything about that. That doesn’t mean I don’t know what I want for my son. So let me ask you a few questions.”

Oh shit. Here it comes.
She should have guessed he wouldn’t bend to her without a fight, and the odds of her winning one were slim to none. “Ask away.”

“Who was there for you when you fell and got hurt? Who put you down for your nap? Who read you a bedtime story? Who—?”

“I get the point. My mother.” Lena’s voice became soft. “She was always there whenever I needed her.”
And still is.

Brice stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a smug look as though claiming victory. This was far from over. She wasn’t her mother, and she didn’t have a man providing for her so she could be home with her child either. Saying it that way was only going to stir the pot. No, she needed to think of something he would understand.
Money? No. Success? Maybe. Come on Lena, think.

“My mother taught me something very valuable. Although she was home with us, she had yearned to be out growing as a person. She didn’t regret being with us, but she missed out on so much, and so did we. My brother Gary was so shy with strangers that he used to cry if my mother needed to leave him for five minutes. There is good and bad in both options. As long as the time you have with your children is quality time, it doesn’t have to be twenty-four/seven.”

“I’m glad you see it that way. There are, however, children who are left to be cared for by many different people and never get the feeling of family, or belonging.”

There was something in his eyes when he spoke that said they were no longer speaking of Nicholas. She knew he had a difficult relationship with his father, but he’d never spoken of a mother, a home life. Like he had said before, sharing was not his strength.
But it can be learned. Maybe I could teach him.

“Whether raised by someone else or a parent, sometimes the scars are visible, sometimes not. The ones hidden are usually the worst because we not only hide them from others, but we hide them from ourselves. Healing and growth only happens when you acknowledge the scars.”
When did I start talking so deeply and philosophically?

Brice laughed. “You really think you’re going to win? I have no problem listening to your beautiful voice all day, but don’t try getting all philosophical on me. It won’t work. Why don’t you face the fact that I believe he needs his mother home with him.”

Lena didn’t want to say it, but the truth was all she had left. “Your reality and mine are different, Brice. I don’t have the luxury of staying home. I have bills to pay, food to buy, and rent to worry about. None of these are going to magically disappear.”

“Is that what you’re worried about? Money? I have every intention of supporting my son. Money is not an issue.”

It felt like a slap in her face.
How dare he?
He thought he could open his wallet and buy her son? Prior to having Nicholas, she had lived in a better apartment, but had been frugal. Her small savings from working fulltime in the years after college had been stretched to pay the hospital bills when she had Nicholas, and to set them up in their current apartment. She had been working hard for the last three years and had been wise with her money. Childcare wasn’t cheap, but she was keeping her head above water. Just.
How dare he waltz into our lives and minimalize all I have achieved on my own?
With Brice in the picture, was all her hard work for nothing?
No way.
“Brice, it might not be what you think is best for Nicholas but I have been doing a great job of providing for him so far. Granted it might not meet your almighty standards, but he is loved, healthy, and happy. Which one of those do you think your money can buy?”

Lena didn’t wait for his answer. Whatever putdown he was about to make about her provisions thus far could be said to the dead air.
He’s only wanted me for sex. Other than that I mean nothing to him. That is all too clear now. I have always been beneath him in his eyes and always will be.
She had work to do to finish off her week.
Whether he gives me that damn recommendation or not.

You are one
spunky one.
He was not used to anyone speaking to him in such a way. If it was anyone else he would have thrown them out on their ass. But Lena only said what was from her heart. Not that it made it any better.

He had been tempted to follow her and let her know that last little speech didn’t change a thing, but it had. She was right. Who was he to come into their lives now and tell them what needed to change? He didn’t want strangers raising Nicholas. He had more nannies than he could remember. Those women brought him up, not his father. If she was warm and friendly to them, she was gone. If she coddled them in any way, she was gone. Any acts of kindness or love and—
I’m not my father.

Brice grabbed his coffee and left the office. Lena was sitting at her desk. By the look on her face she was ready for something rude or demeaning to come out of his mouth.
She knows me well.

“I’ll be in the lab for a few hours if anyone is looking for me. We can pick up Nicholas together on our way home tonight. There are a few necessities I thought we could stop and check out.”

Lena blinked in surprise and only nodded.

Ah, I think I finally got in the last word.
He held back his laugh. He knew if he didn’t somehow she would make him pay for it later.

The compound was ready to go. All he needed was Asher’s final decision on location. Right now he should be returning calls to the list of names and numbers Lena had given him, some he already knew he had no interest in speaking with. There was only one he wanted to speak to.
Sophie Barrington.
It had been a long time since they’d spoken.
Too long.
For years it had seemed as if he lived there, not with his father.
How I wish we were there, all six of us.

Dialing the number that hadn’t changed over all these years, he waited to hear a familiar voice.

“Barrington residence, this is Emily.”

Who the hell is Emily?
That name didn’t sound like anyone in the family that he remembered. “Is Sophie available?”

“Sorry, she is on her cell phone right now, would you like to leave a message?”

Sounds more like calling an office than a home.
“Sure. Tell her Brice Henderson will be attending the art auction and will be bringing a guest, Lena Razzi.”

“Wonderful. Thank you so much for your support. I look forward to meeting you and Ms. Razzi at that time. I will pass along your message.”

The woman hung up so quickly he didn’t get a chance to ask who she was.
Emily. Why does that name sound familiar?
Then he recalled Lena informing him it was Emily Harris who was building the museum for the blind.
Talk about a woman who thinks outside the box. Way outside.

Looking through the list, he didn’t see anyone else he wanted to speak to.
Not at the moment at least.
Opening his computer he did something he had never done before and never thought he would do: search for a boy’s bedroom set.