Page 62 of Only for the Season

She shuts down. The passion disappears from her eyes, and the hint of happiness is gone.

“None of your business. This relationship is only for the season. It doesn’t give you access to all of my secrets.”

“True.” Agreeing this relationship is temporary has my stomach curling but I ignore it. I don’t have more to offer Parker even if I wanted to.

“But while we’re together, I won’t allow anyone to treat you poorly. Not even your parents.”

“I have an easy solution.” If she says she wants to end this arrangement, I’m going to lose my shit. I’m not ready to end this. Not even close.

“What?” I bark.

“You can avoid going out in public with me. Easy peasy.”

She looks extremely proud of herself. She’s in for a wake-up call.

“I am not going to hide you away like you’re my dirty little secret.”

“Why not? This isn’t serious.”

My entire body rebels at the idea of us being some cheap temporary fling. I inhale a deep breath and get myself under control before I speak.

“I guess we’re doing this here,” I mutter.

She opens her mouth to argue with me but I slam a palm up. I’m done listening to her try and push me away.

“I told you I don’t have contact with my parents.” I wait for her to nod before I continue. “I didn’t tell you why.”

She places a hand on my chest. “You don’t have to tell me, Scrooge.”

I grasp her hand. “I’m telling you and then you’re going to tell me everything that happened with your parents and culinary school.”

She tries to yank her hand away but I hold fast. “I already told you everything.”

I bend over until my face is inches from hers. “You did not tell me everything.”

Surprise flashes in her bright blue eyes before she closes them.

“When I made my first million, I paid off my parents’ debt – their house, credit cards, loans, all of it.”

Her eyes fly open and she meets my gaze. “All of it? How much debt did they have?”

I snort. “Tons. Dad grew up rich. My great-grandfather founded an investment firm on Wall Street. There was money to burn. Until there wasn’t.”

Her brow wrinkles. “I don’t understand.”

“Instead of growing the business, dear old dad bled it dry. He wined and dined clients all over the world while not paying one bit of attention to their money. Once clients realized their portfolios were no longer growing, they moved to different investment firms.”

Her nose wrinkles. “That sucks.”

“No. What sucks is how my parents continued to live their lives as if their bank accounts were flush and the investment firm wasn’t bankrupt.”

“And so you paid off all of their debts.”

I nod. “I did.”

“I hear a but coming.”

I blow out a breath. “When I paid off their debts, I warned them to start living within their means.”