Page 21 of Don’t Fall for the Billionaire

Chapter Twenty-One

Ashton

I lifted my fork, and it felt like heaven in my mouth. This was the best damn pie I’d ever had.

“Charlotte, this is amazing,” my father said. “You have a real talent.”

“Thank you, Cameron.” She smiled.

“It’s delicious, Charlotte.”

“Thanks, Ashton.”

“I have an idea,” Charlotte said. “Margo, I know it’s dark out, but the porch is so well lit. How about we go out front, and I can take some videos of you with the porch serving as a fall backdrop in New York City?”

“Oh my God! What a fabulous idea. Let’s do it.”

I glanced at Charlotte and smiled. “Thank you.” I mouthed. “Can I pour you a scotch, Dad?”

“That would be great, son.”

We went into the living room, and I poured each of us a drink.

“How could you get her pregnant, Dad?”

“It happened, son.”

“Do you even love her?”

“I do.”

“Enough to marry her? Because I was there for your marriage to Mom, remember?”

“Really, Ashton?”

“Did she get pregnant on purpose to trap you?”

“No. It just happened. We were both shocked. Listen, I’m not crazy about the idea of starting over as a father. But Margo is young and can handle it.”

“What about you?” I asked.

“Well, I have a company to run and don’t plan on retiring anytime soon. You know my work is my life, just as work is yours. You don’t spend time with Eloise, and don’t pretend that you do. It’s our job to provide a secure future for our children. I’ll do right by this child.”

The laugh that escaped me was humorless. “Right by this child? You mean the way you did right by me? The missed birthdays, Little League games, and school functions? By letting me grow up in a war zone of cheating and screaming until you and Mom finally came to your senses and split up?”

“That was different,” he said, tipping the glass to his lips.

“Different? You think because Margo is young enough to be your daughter, it’s going to magically turn you into Father of the Year at your age?”

“I have a chance to start over as a father,” he said.

“That’s the problem, Dad. You don’t get to start over, as if the last thirty years didn’t happen. You don’t get to erase the damage you left behind by bringing another kid into the world, you’ll be too old to raise. You weren’t there for me. You won’t be there for that kid.”

Brutal silence filled the room.

“I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes. But look at you. You turned out to be a fine young man, and you’ve made me very proud. Accept the fact that you’re going to have a sibling and move on.”

I wasn’t wasting any more time on the conversation with him. I said my piece, and that was all I could do. I was just happy he lived on the other side of the country, so I didn’t have to deal with him and his new family.

I heard the front door open. Charlotte walked into the living room with Margo following behind, a wide grin on her face.

“We got some epic videos.” Margo sat next to my father on the couch and hooked her arm around him.

“That’s great, baby.” He kissed the side of her head. “We should get going. Charlotte, thank you for a wonderful dinner.” He hugged her.

“You’re welcome, Cameron. It was a pleasure to meet you.”

“Son.” He hugged me and whispered in my ear. “I see the way you look at Charlotte. I hope you’re tapping that.”

I inhaled a sharp breath. “It was good to see you, Dad. Margo.” I hugged her.

Charlotte and I walked them to the door, and then I helped her clean up the kitchen.

“What an eventful night,” Charlotte said.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Go put your bathing suit on. We’re going down for a swim and sit in the hot tub.”

“We are?” She stared at me.

“Yes. I need to calm down.” I walked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs.

After changing into my swim trunks, I went downstairs to the pool and dove in, doing several laps before looking up and seeing Charlotte standing there looking sexy as hell in her bikini.

“Are you rage swimming?” A smirk crossed her lips.

“Something like that.” I smiled.

She climbed into the pool and swam over to where I stood.

“You have a great life here, Mr. Cross. Don’t let the actions of your father ruin that.”

“You just don’t understand, Charlotte.”

“You’re wrong, Ashton. I do understand. I understand that your own wounds are resurfacing. The betrayal, abandonment, the hypocrisy of your father starting over with another child. I get it. But that’s his life, and you’re not responsible for him.”

“I know that. It just pisses me off. I feel sorry for that kid because they will grow up with the same feelings about them as I did. He even told me that he has his company and isn’t planning on retiring anytime soon. And Margo is too much of a flake to raise a kid.”

Charlotte laughed. “She certainly is a character.”

I brought my hand up and softly stroked her cheek. “I want you, right now, right here.”

She reached up and untied her bikini top, letting it fall into the water. “Then have me.”

The following morning, I awoke a little later than usual, as I had been tossing and turning all night.

After showering and getting dressed, I walked down to Eloise’s room and quietly opened the door.

Carefully walking over to her bed, I placed the back of my hand across her forehead.

She felt cool and not fever-like. She stirred and opened her eyes.

“Dad?”

“Sorry, sweetheart. I was just checking to see if you felt warm. I have to head to work. Go back to sleep.” I kissed her forehead.

“Okay. Have a good day,” she softly spoke.

“You too, sweetheart.”

I went down to the kitchen, where I found Sylvia and Charlotte.

“Coffee, Ashton?” Sylvia asked.

“No time, Sylvia. I have to get out of here. Have a good day, you two.”

“You too, Ashton.” Charlotte smiled.

When I arrived at the office, I told Lila to tell Charlie I needed to see him.

“How was your weekend?” Charlie grinned, stepping into my office and sitting across from my desk.

“Eventful. I took Charlotte and Eloise to a farm on Saturday to pick apples and pumpkins.”

“I’m sorry. I thought I just heard you say you went pumpkin and apple picking.” He chuckled.

“I did.”

“Who are you?”

“Then we had to take Eloise to urgent care yesterday. She’s sick with tonsillitis again. And my father is in town and announced he and Margo are having a baby.”

“WHAT! Are you serious?”

“One hundred percent.” I leaned back in my leather chair.

“Damn. It’s a good thing he lives on the other side of the country. Shit, Ashton. How do you feel about that?”

“How do you think?”

“What did Charlotte say?”

“She basically told me to calm the fuck down and not let my own wounds take over.”

“She’s smart, and I agree. So, back to this farm you went to.” A grin crossed his face. “I can’t believe you, Ashton Cross, went apple and pumpkin picking. I’m literally stunned right now.”

“Don’t make a big deal about it. It was kind of fun.”

“Charlotte is changing you.” He pointed at me.

“Knock it off. She is not.”

My office door opened, and Lila stuck her head inside.

“Charlie, your appointment is waiting in your office.”

Charlie glanced at his watch. “Thanks, Lila. I have to run. But I’m telling you. Charlotte is changing you for the better. Accept it.” He walked out of my office.

Sighing, I picked up my phone and called Charlotte.

“Hello.”

“It’s me. Did you call Eloise’s doctor?”

“I just got off the phone with them. I have an appointment to bring her in at three o’clock.”

“Okay. I’ll send Dominic to pick you up, and I’ll meet you there.”

“You don’t have to, Ashton. I know how busy you are.”

“She’s my daughter, Charlotte. I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay.”

I ended the call and tossed my phone on my desk.

Waking up my computer, I brought up the Henderson deal.

As I stared at the numbers, they blurred together, becoming meaningless to me because all I could think about was one thing: Charlotte.

She slipped into my thoughts too easily, uninvited, like she belonged there.

I’d built walls for a reason. A wall made of brick and stone, whatever it took to keep the world at arm’s length.

To keep me safe and in control at all times.

But Charlotte seemed to be slipping past all of it because when she looked at me, really looked at me, I felt seen in a way I hadn’t since… hell, maybe ever.

I turned my chair around and faced the sprawling city before me while tugging on my tie that had suddenly seemed too tight.

This wasn’t me. I didn’t do soft edges. I didn’t want to crave her.

She was just the nanny, nothing more, and I needed to remember that.

But what if she were the only thing in the world that could undo me or possibly save me from myself?