A Moment Like You (The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers #2) - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,16
knowing if she’s allowed to travel?” Hayes asks with shock reflected in his face.
“What happened to her mom?” Blaire gives me that concerned look that says, I need to save my friend.
I find this refreshing. She doesn’t know about Sophia’s mom. Which means my theory that Sophia keeps her family apart from her daily life is true.
Why is that? Not the point, Aldridge. Focus on convincing the doctors that they need to help you.
“As I said, I know she’s under medical care twenty-four-seven,” I respond.
“Which is why you assume you need a bed?” she asks confused.
“No,” Hayes rectifies. “He needs medical equipment and wants us to figure out what he needs. Am I wrong?”
This feels like a trap. Whatever I answer will be used against me. I choose to nod once, and it was the wrong movement because Blaire is fuming.
“In what reality do you live?” She asks, more like growls. “You are out of touch with the world. It’s like you grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth and everyone did everything for you. Wait, that’s exactly how it happened. Well, this is the real world. Here, in Baker’s Creek, you are on your own.”
“Dude, at least give this poor man a hand,” Pierce interjects. “He’s just trying to bring his woman home.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I order.
Blaire narrows her gaze and studies me and then Pierce. She shakes her head and says, “I’ll hand you over the list of my providers, but you are the one who has to figure out what you need.”
“If I need therapists?” I ask, terrified at the prospect of getting everything all wrong and screwing up Sophia’s family.
Look, I know where to find appliances for an industrial kitchen. The best furniture at a cheap price for my hotels, but doctors… How do I do that?
“Blaire, you know more people in the medical field than I do,” I remind her. “You can assemble a team just by snapping your fingers. Don’t do this for me. Do it for your friend.”
Hayes rolls his eyes. “You can’t expect him to do this on his own, babe.”
She looks at me suspiciously.
Hayes glances at me and says, “I’ll give you a hand, Henry, but you’re the one making the calls.”
“No, what he needs to do is leave Sophia alone,” Blaire protests. “This is wrong, and we shouldn’t support it. Why do you want her to move here?”
“I need her help?” I answer but it comes out like a question.
She probably doesn’t know what happened between Sophia and me last Saturday. What has been happening since my father died. This move would be easier if I didn’t need Sophia right beside me because fuck if I don’t miss her.
“She can do everything from home,” she counteracts.
“The factory is here, The Lodge is here,” I argue with what I can. “We need to figure out how to ensure that this town and Happy Springs are prolific and can stand on their own.”
As if this freaking show isn’t enough, Leyla enters the kitchen and gives me a cold glare. Her nostrils flare and her fists clench.
Usually, I’m not intimidated by women. Yet, there’s something about her that makes me feel uncomfortable, even bashful when she’s upset or angry. She doesn’t need to raise her voice to chide us. Just a look and a disappointed voice is plenty to make us feel like we failed her.
She sets a basket with eggs on the counter and takes a deep breath. “Usually, when animals bark or growl loudly it is to scare those around them away—because they are afraid.”
“Arden isn’t around for your nonsense,” I try to shut her up because when she brings up her Animal Planet lectures, I want to shove a finger into my ear.
She crosses her arms and exhales. “What are you afraid of, Henry? I understand that you didn’t ask for this living situation. None of us did.”
She glances around the room and gives me another disappointed look. Her green eyes have the same anger as Blaire’s, but as I said, she doesn’t raise her voice.
“I need you to understand that we are all equal,” she explains. “Not only that, but there’s a kid living in this house. He doesn’t deserve to grow up in a household where everyone is yelling to show the rest of the males that they are bigger, better, or more virile. So do us all a favor and start treating everyone the same way you want to be treated.”