Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 82

*Shelby*

Eventually, Michael convinced me to sit down and talk about everything. However, I was so angry I didn’t want to sit at dinner with him; I didn’t want people or the media to watch us fight in public. Michael promised he had someplace more private we could talk. He led me back down to his car, and we pulled away from his office building.

The ride could not have been more awkward.

We both sat in the backseat, not speaking, the middle seat creating a gap between us that felt nearly a mile wide. We pulled up to a townhouse that had obviously been recently renovated. The old red brick was softly whitewashed and accented with black shutters. A wrought iron fence enclosed the front yard with an intricate gate opening to the front pathway.

Michael held the door open for me as I walked inside. Plastic tarps were draped over cabinetry to protect them from the painting that was currently underway. New appliances sat waiting to be installed. The townhouse obviously belonged to Michael, but I’d never seen it before, and I couldn’t help but wonder why he’d never brought me here.

“It looks like you’re having some work done,” was the only thing I could manage.

“Yes, it’s been a lot of work, but it’s finally coming along,” Michael answered, his response giving nothing away.

“It’s a bit of a mess in here. Why don’t we step into my study? There’s a little less dust in there,” Michael said, turning his back and walking away.

I followed him down the hall, where a set of double mahogany doors sat closed at the end. Michael grabbed the handles and exposed the room. Tall bookcases touched the ceiling; a soft leather sofa sat pushed up against one wall, and against the other, a large desk sat scattered with papers. The room felt comfortable. A few months ago, I would’ve been able to see myself spending a lot of time there.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” I asked bluntly.

I couldn’t stand the awkwardness between us and just wanted to get this over with.

“I feel like I need to explain what happened between us on Christmas Eve,” Michael said softly.

The way he spoke to me was slightly frustrating. I felt like he was treating me like a caged animal that might try to escape if he spooked me.

“I don’t think we need to talk about that. I’m pretty sure I’ve got things figured out on my own. You were trying to be valiant; you ended things with me to try to protect me. You thought the further away you got from me, the less likely it was for Blaine to hurt me. You guessed wrong, though. Blaine is still using me to try to hurt you because it doesn’t matter whether or not we’re together. He knows the best way to get to you is through me.”

Michael sat there looking dumbfounded. I don’t think he expected me to be so calm about the situation. Had he pressed to keep having this conversation back in the conference room, I probably wouldn’t have been so calm, but I had time during the ride to figure out exactly what I wanted to say.

“Shelby, I’m so sorry. I had no idea that Blaine was still trying to blackmail you. If I’d known, I would have….” Michael trailed off, clearly not knowing what to say.

*Shelby*

Eventually, Michael convinced me to sit down and talk about everything. However, I was so angry I didn’t want to sit at dinner with him; I didn’t want people or the media to watch us fight in public. Michael promised he had someplace more private we could talk. He led me back down to his car, and we pulled away from his office building.

“You would have done what? Let’s face the facts. There’s nothing either one of us can do to stop Blaine. We tried once but look at where we are now; exactly where we started, but even worse off. I don’t need you to explain anything about Blaine. What I need you to explain is why Lauren is at Harvard,” I said with a slight bite in my tone.

“What are you talking about?” Michael said, clearly taken aback by my question.

“Lauren showed up at Harvard. She just strolled into class one day as if she’d earned her place. But I know the truth; she never even finished her bachelor’s degree, so how on Earth did she get into the Harvard law program? How much money did it cost you?” I said accusingly.

“Are you insinuating that I paid her way into the program? Shelby, that’s why I had to come home early from Hawaii. Lauren was blackmailing me using those photos of us in the cove. She wanted me to pay her way into Harvard. I don’t know where she got the notion that she needed to be a lawyer, but I sent her off telling her if that was what she wanted, she needed to earn it herself,” Michael said.

“If that’s true, where is she getting all this money from? Because not only did she buy her way into the program, she also bought her internship at Brunnings and Hawthorne,” I snipped at him, placing all of my anger about the situation on him.

“Shelby, I can’t believe you think I would do that to you. I know how much that internship meant to you. I’m so sorry that Lauren got it instead, but I had nothing to do with that,” Michael said with true remorse in his eyes.

He took a step toward me, but I shook my head, and he stopped.

“I can get you an internship in my legal department, or I could put in a good word for you anywhere you want,” Michael said, and my temper flared.

“I don’t need you to pave my way for me. No, I didn’t get the internship that I wanted because I don’t have enough money to compete with people willing to buy their way through life, but that doesn’t mean that I need a handout. I’m fully capable of making my own way,” I yelled.

“I’m not giving you a handout. I just know how things work in this world better than you do. Unfortunately, people with money often get what they want, and those that don’t have it…well, they don’t. You’ll understand when you’re older. I’m just trying to help you.”

“You’re just trying to help me? Just like how you were trying to help me by crushing my heart with no warning and then sending me out into a snowstorm so I could get hit head-on by your deranged brother? I don’t need your help. It only hurts,” I snapped at him.

I hadn’t meant for those words to come out, but the hurt I was feeling finally won out. The words hung in the silence between us. I didn’t know what to say to make it better, so instead, I just stayed quiet.

“So what are you going to do for your internship then? You have to have so many hours at an internship before they’ll let you graduate,” Michael said, the hurt clear in his eyes.

“I know how important internships are. That’s why I was so upset when I found out your daughter stole my spot. You’re not my dad. I don’t need a lecture about this from you! Besides, it’s not like I don’t have any other options. I just sent out a resume today for a different opportunity.”

“I’m not trying to be your dad, Shelby. I’m also not trying to lecture you either. I don’t know how Lauren got that internship, but I know enough about the world to tell you that it’s full of rich people who are all out to get each other in one way or another. You’re just too naive to see it that way. Life is full of disappointments because other people got to skip the line, and you didn’t. This is just your first lesson in that,” Michael said bluntly.

“I’m not trying to be your dad, Shelby. I’m also not trying to lecture you either. I don’t know how Lauren got that internship, but I know enough about the world to tell you that it’s full of rich people who are all out to get each other in one way or another. You’re just too naive to see it that way. Life is full of disappointments because other people got to skip the line, and you didn’t. This is just your first lesson in that,” Michael said bluntly.

“Thank you for the life lesson,” I spit back.

Michael sighed and took a step closer to me again.

“I’m sorry. That was harsh, and I shouldn’t have made this about money. I’m glad you’ve taken the initiative to apply somewhere else. Who did you send your resume to?”

“Hastings Engineering,” I responded, and I watched the irritation return to Michael’s face.

“Oh, did your new boyfriend set that up for you? So you won’t accept my help, but you will accept help from a rich frat boy?” Michael said, his temper flaring.

“Jerrick is not my boyfriend. Jerrick mentioned that his dad might have a place for me, but it was Stewart who offered me the position. I talked to him about it the night you abandoned me in Hawaii. He was impressed by my drive, not how much money I had in my wallet.”

“So you aren’t dating the Hastings boy?” Michael asked firmly.

“Why would you even care if I was? It was easy enough for you to end things with me. It didn’t take you more than an hour to decide to do it. Let’s just face the truth, Michael. I was nothing more than a fling to you. Just the girl naive enough to fall for a man twice my age when I had no business doing so. I was just the girl you picked up at the beach, a way for you to have some fun, before moving on with your life,” I yelled at him, tears streaming down my cheeks.

The look of disbelief on Michael’s face surprised me. He stepped closer to me, so we were less than an arm’s length away from each other.

“Is that how you really think I feel about you? Shelby, I didn’t just pick you up. I never thought you were naive. We had a connection on that trip, and I did everything I could to get to know you better because you were the only thing I could think about. I ended things with you because I thought it was the only possible way to keep you safe. I could never forgive myself if I let anything happen to you. You are the most important person in my life. I love you, Shelby.”

I felt like I was going to lose my balance, as I held my breath through his speech. My anger flooded out of me with all of my angry words, and all I was left with was my longing for Michael. I wanted to be in his arms again more than anything. To feel safe, wanted, and loved.

“I love you too,” I whispered.

Michael didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around my waist and pull me in for a knee-weakening k**s.

As soon as his lips touched mine, everything else melted away.