A Moment Like You (The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers #2) - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,89

your own, but is it so bad that I want to be a part of your success and therefore made a lot of mistakes along the way?”

“You’re fucking infuriating, Henry Aldridge,” I state and set the folder on the desk. “That’s not normal. You can’t just buy a girl a company and say, hey, I just thought of you. Same with the penthouse. I…why? I mean, is that stupid dress policy even real?”

He smirks. “I heard you complaining about your outfits, how everyone was dressed in the latest, and you couldn’t afford to buy anything from the second-hand store. Maybe I’ve been in love with you since I learned of your existence.”

“Money is not the way to tell me you love me,” I argue. “I don’t know how to feel about all this. It is overwhelming.”

“I did it with the best of intentions and just to push you to the top,” he insists. “My therapist and I are working on learning how to show people I love them without the exchange of material things. You know, our kids might benefit from it.”

“Stop saying our children,” I warn him. “It’d be best if you leave. We can hash this out later. Just remember, I’m being lenient with this.”

He narrows his gaze and says, “Am I going to hate it?”

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” I say innocently.

“Babe, we know each other too well,” he states, his upper body leaning closer to me. Those green eyes studying me. “You’ve been too quiet. Something is coming, and I want to be ready.”

“We’ll see,” I say, opening the main door. “Close it on your way out. I’m heading to visit my parents. I’m not in the mood to deal with any Aldridge.”

Thirty-Six

Henry

It’s Friday, right after our couple’s therapy session, and Martina asks, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“About?” I ask puzzled by the question, more like the lack of context.

“Sophia,” she answers. “You never mentioned that you and she were…”

“It’s a sore subject,” I explain. “She’s the one that might get away because why would she wait for someone broken like me?”

“Do you want to break this up to be with her or because you and I can never be together?”

“Both,” I answer. “Listen, I’m sure you have some amazing qualities underneath the attitude you like to use as a shield. In another life, I might’ve just married you because I had nothing going on for me. Now, even if I didn’t have Sophia, I’m aware that there’s a lot more than what I was told while growing up. I’d be looking for someone who I want to hold close forever. A woman who makes me feel alive, seen, and heard. Someone who loves me truly even when I fuck up because, while I pretend to be perfect, I’m anything but. Lucky for me, I found her. She’s my best friend, my partner, and the love of my life.”

She gives me a sad smile, “I wish someone would say at least a few good things about me, like you just did about her.”

“Listen, I know you think you have it rough, but I think that if you look outside the box there are great things waiting for you.”

“There are,” she assures me. “If you don’t mind, can we go to Sophia’s house? Everyone is there, waiting for us.”

My stomach sinks because this is it. Whatever Sophia has been working on is going to be unveiled today. I agree to go. During our walk, I try to run a few scenarios of what’s waiting for me, but nothing makes sense. I have the feeling that my brothers are involved in this too because Vance and Pierce have been absent the past couple of days working on a special project.

When we arrive at Sophia’s place, I find Pierce, Mr. Parrish, Sophia, and Owen Edelstein, who is pacing around the living room area. When he sees me, he says loudly, “Aldridge, I expect you to control my daughter.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are to yell at me?”

“I am Owen Edelstein, your future father-in-law,” he states.

“Listen, if you want to continue this conversation you need to moderate your voice because I’m not going to tolerate your tone. Now, I don’t have any control over anyone, including your daughter. She can control herself if she thinks she needs to. If not, well, she can do whatever the fuck she wants.”

“Your grandfather and I agreed that it’d be best if you marry her. If you don’t do it,