Page 24 of Size King

“I grew up in Brooklyn,” Kate answers. “I’ve lived in New York my whole life. I was really close to my family growing up, and still am. I’m really close with my parents.”

“You have any brothers or sisters?” I ask.

“Nope, I’m an only child,” she replies. “I’m glad, though. I think my parents were happier more because they only had one kid. They’ve been happily married for thirty years now.”

“Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Harly,” I say, raising my glass.

“Yeah, they’re a really cute couple,” she says. “I think my dad’s about to retire here soon.”

“What does he do?”

“He’s a teacher,” she says. “Both of my parents are. They taught so that we could all have weekends together and have the same stretches of time off to be a family together. I really liked my home life. I’m one of the only people alive that had a good home life, if you ask all my friends.”

“Do they still live in Brooklyn?” I ask.

“They sure do,” she says. “What about your parents? What do they do? Do they live off their wealthy son’s massive riches?”

I realize that she is being light and has no idea, but I regret the tonal shift that is going to come with my next revelation.

I clear my throat. “Actually, my parents both died in a car accident when I was young. I barely even remember them hardly.”

Her hand goes to her heart, and her demeanor instantly changes.

“It’s okay,” I assure her with a laugh. “They died over twenty years ago. I’m not sad about it anymore.”

“That’s terrible, Aiden. I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, it’s made me glad that I have the best drivers in the industry to take me around,” I comment. “People drive like lunatics, and people die.”

“I hate driving in New York,” says Kate. “So, if your parents passed away when you were a little kid, who raised you?”

“I was raised by my mom’s parents,” I explain. “My grandparents took me in right away, and I lived with them right until the day I made my first million. They’re basically my parents, though. They’re the only family I’ve ever had. My grandparents took me and my older sister in at the same time, but she was already sixteen and almost out of high school, so she never hung around for long.”

“I don’t know what I’d do if I lost both of my parents,” says Kate. “I don’t blame her for not sticking around.”

“I worry about her sometimes,” I say. “Greta, my older sister, bounced right out of here after high school graduation. She only talks to our grandparents once or twice a year. No one in the family really sees or hears from her that much. Her friends from around here don’t see or hear from her, either.”

“Okay, new topic,” says Kate. “One less sad—”

“I’m not sad, I promise.”

“Still,” she says. “Let’s talk about something less personal. Who’s the richest person you’ve fucked?”

I’m taken aback. “Uh, what?”

She laughs. “Come on now. You’re a billionaire! You must have scored with many high-profile ladies. You’re young, too. Come on, spill the beans.”

“Now, come on, Kate. I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Right,” she says sarcastically. “You just wait for them to go and say shit about it in the press.”

“Something like that.” I laugh. “Tell you what—you tell me about someone you’ve slept with, and I’ll tell you about the most famous woman I’ve ever had.”

I have no intention of going through with my end of the agreement. I just want to steer away from my sexual history with Kate. As far as I’m concerned, the history she and I are making together is the only one that matters, and I don’t want to put images in her head of me with other girls.

“Well, I’ll tell you about the first guy I ever slept with,” says Kate. “Mike. He was my boyfriend in high school that basically helped shape who I was for years, and how I viewed myself in general. I thought he and I were going to end up together. He is pretty much the only guy who ever paid me any attention.”

“That’s a crime against humanity,” I say.