Chapter 43
Chapter Forty-Three
Sebastian
I didn’t stop walking until we reached the rooms I had remodeled. I was pretty impressed with the finished product, which must’ve happened while Darcy and I were in Mexico.
The rotten, exposed wood ceiling beams had been restored instead of replaced, which I knew the Burkes would appreciate since keeping with the Spanish style and heritage of the home was so important to them. New terracotta floors had been laid, which was why this remodel had taken so long to complete. I’d sent off for the floors and had them specially designed for this wing in the hope that Tina would want to replace the remaining broken and cracked original floors throughout her home.
I know now I’d seemed like a complete dick for insisting all this be done for my personal comfort. Still, I justified my actions by spending the money from one of my accounts used to donate to various charities. In that way, I turned it into an act of benevolence in my mind.
Until I witnessed and experienced my parents’ audacious behavior tonight, I didn’t realize how rude and pretentious I’d been. No wonder Darcy hated me and referred to me as the devil.
“I can see all your wasted money on this home,” my mother said, scowling at the rooms. “I do not know how we plan to stay in this, Sebastian,” she scolded my father.
My father ignored her disgust with the rooms and looked directly at me, “The pressing question is not about surviving a short stay in this home with these ridiculous people, but that our son has chosen to unite us with his ludicrous thoughts of matrimony.”
I rolled my eyes at my parents’ dramatics, shocked that my mother hadn’t gone into hysterics at the thought of staying on this property.
“You believe this is all a game?” my mother nearly questioned with a shriek. “Because, my dear boy, I assure you this is far from that .”
“Do not speak at me like a child,” I snapped. “I’m a grown man who can make decisions independently.”
“Dear God,” my father growled. “I had to endure this bullshit from both of your brothers. I refuse to deal with it with you.”
“Which do you prefer, father?” I retorted. “Would you rather I end up in the early grave I found myself in while grieving?—”
“There will be no more using Melissa’s death as an excuse to avoid your familial duties. That was over a year ago, and it is no excuse to do…” he paused, flustered, then pointed back toward the newly refurbished original wooden door of the bedroom. “It’s no excuse to do anything you’ve been doing with that woman. This is absurd, childish behavior, and you know it.”
“No, what is childish is sending me out here to build up a vineyard, which makes no sense for you to have bought in the first place,” I snapped, “and then expecting me to hold onto our family values when you’re not even doing that yourself after making this investment with James Mitchell.”
“Are you insulting your beloved fiancée’s home?” my mother said with a smirk.
“I already did that when I first arrived, and you are both doing a fine job of picking up where I left off,” I returned. “All I’m trying to say is that the rules only apply to me and not you,” I looked back at my dad. “How can you fall out of line and purchase this, yet I cannot date or marry whomever I please?”
“Because you know your marital aspirations are far more important than a mediocre investment with Mr. Mitchell that was made to build a rapport. I only sent you here to get you back on track with your life, not to find the first available woman and propose marriage to her.”
“And the bachelor auction? Why is a childish event suddenly on your agenda? Wouldn’t placing your son on a stage to be sold to the highest bidder make the biggest mockery of us all?”
“I was unaware of this,” my mother said with horror, looking at my dad.
“It was nothing, and Sebastian was not going to be auctioned off for a date. It was merely an event I approved of because it was a fantastic idea to replenish the funds you’ve wasted on remodeling this wasteful place and space,” my father said, answering my mother and then looking at me.
“How lovely to know that now ,” I exhaled.
“Did you honestly believe I would allow my flesh and blood to partake in such a foolish event?” my dad seethed, which was something he hadn’t stopped doing since he arrived.
“I had no idea what you were thinking,” I returned. “The fact that you sent me out here was enough to make me believe anything.”
“Well, you weren’t going up on anything. Your presence alone at that event would have drawn in every wealthy person in the country. Now, please tell me this is all the joke I believe it to be and that this arrangement you’ve made with that woman is merely to avoid embarrassment,” my dad said.
“It was,” I answered him, knowing the easy way out was to assure him that I had no feelings for Darcy, and I did all this to get out of that Bachelor auction; in other words, tell him the original truth. However, I suddenly felt a sense of loyalty to her and my feelings for her. “The engagement is a farce, but my feelings for her are another story. I believe I’ve fallen in love with the woman while attempting to be in a fake relationship to avoid this ridiculous auction.”
“What in God’s name has happened to you?” my father questioned, looking at me like he discovered I was a changeling. He looked at my mom with half a glimmer of relief, “At least he’s not engaged.”
“For now,” my mother said, her eyes narrowing at me. “You will leave this place tomorrow after your father meets with Mr. Mitchell, and then you will return home to your daughter, your life, and your responsibilities in New York.” She looked at my father, “I will notify the family that we will stay elsewhere tonight. There is no reason for them to?—”
“You and Dad are more than welcome to leave at once,” I said, irritated as hell that my parents dared to speak to me like this. “I will remain here. I will also have my daughter and her nanny flown out to join me while I search for housing and explore the possibilities of living here as we continue to invest in West Coast ventures. I will not be controlled by you or Dad,” I looked between the two of them, “like you have tried to control both my brothers unsuccessfully. You are both extremely foolish if you believe that I do not have a voice in this family and that you are able to speak on my behalf as if I were still an immature teenager.”
“You have lost your damn mind,” my father said.
“I think I’ve found it,” I chuckled, “and all in the process of losing it. Funny how that works.”
“How do you plan on taking over for your father by establishing roots in California ,” my mother mocked.
They both truly believed I’d lost it, and I was okay with that. I was standing my fucking ground because I was tired of them treating my brothers and me this way.
“The same way my father runs our businesses all over the globe from New York.”
“So, you believe you have it all figured out?” my dad stated coldly. “You plan to pack up and move your mother’s only grandchild to California and start a new life out here?”
“It’s better than the alternative, isn’t it?”
“The alternative being you walking around the house like a depressed zombie?” my dad tried to insult me but failed. He was probably confused because I wasn’t crumbling under the pressure of him and my mother.
“Precisely that,” I said. “Now, you can either be on board with the decisions I make for Charlotte and me and the business deals I manage under our corporate umbrella, or you can choose to sever our family ties. At this rate, from how all three of your sons have chosen not to comply with your wishes for our lives , you will have no one left to bequeath our family legacy and wealth to.”
“I would just as soon have our fortune given away after we die. Dear God, I fear the day it all ends like this,” my mother chose to take the hysterical route now.
“You may fear the day, but I don’t give a shit anymore. Both of you have a decision to make. I would hope our ancestral wealth would mean less to you than losing yet another son and your only grandchild. However, that is not up to me to decide or to live with; it is up to you two. I will leave you to determine your course of action.” I turned to leave but stopped before I reached the door. “Oh, and if I hear that either one of you has spoken to Darcy outside of my presence,” I arched my brow at my mother, remembering the damage she’d done to John’s wife, Mickie, while they were still dating, “you will never see me or Charlotte again. You are best to find your place in my life; that place is to support whatever decisions I make, not attempt to make them for me.”
“I will see you at the meeting tomorrow with James Mitchell,” my father said.
“Very well.”
This wasn’t over. I was no fool, and neither were my parents. They were merely giving me time to cool off after seeing that I didn’t cower to them, but I certainly hoped they didn’t think giving me time or space would change my mind.
I knew my worth and place in this family. They needed me more than I needed them. They also weren’t stupid and probably thought that my feelings for Darcy would fizzle out sooner rather than later.
Either way, right or wrong, I was thankful my father didn’t press me any further. In fact, shouldn’t they have been grateful that I’d returned to the land of the living?
All I currently cared about was getting back to Darcy. Taking a walk through the vineyards and up the hillside to watch the sunset sounded like a marvelous idea.
“Hey, gorgeous,” I said, seeing that Darcy had found privacy by the pool. “Care to take a walk?”
“I’m really not in the mood,” she said, curled up with a light blanket on the overstuffed sofa that faced the illuminated pool waterfall.
“What’s wrong?” I questioned, knowing her mood was off.
“Your parents are assholes,” she said without hesitation.
“You already knew that,” I chuckled as I sat beside her.
She sighed, “I’m honestly not sure I want to go through all this.”
I became concerned but not overly stressed because I understood her fears. “Listen,” I said, rubbing her arm, and smiled when she relaxed and looked at me with eyes that needed reassurance. “I’ve already spoken to them, and they threw their fits. I also informed them there is no need to worry about the engagement, as that part was a farce.”
“Did you tell them about us fake dating, too?”
I nodded, “I did, but I also made them aware that the idea of fake dating led me to develop stronger feelings for you. Feelings that I never expected to develop.”
She exhaled, “Sebastian, I know you love that this seems to be going somewhere between you and me, but can we both call it what it was and leave everything back in Mexico?”
“I’d love to do that,” I grinned and ran my hand over her thigh, “but I can’t just turn off my feelings for you, or I probably would. It would surely make my life a hell of a lot easier.”
“It would make my life easier, too,” she finally broke her sad countenance and softly laughed. “I just don’t want to feel…” she paused, then sat up. “I don’t want to get hurt,” she looked intently into my eyes. “I have been perfectly fine, living single without any attachments. I’ve been happy and very fulfilled. I’m terrified I’m going to lose all of that and have your parents torment me on top of it.”
“As I said even before things got serious,” I ran my hand over her soft cheek, “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“You say that now, and you’ve said that before, yes,” she affirmed, “but we haven’t done much on the relationship front. We’ve just been screwing each other’s brains out, and hell, maybe missing out on sex for so long has just made you want to?—”
“It’s my turn to start interrupting you,” I said, chuckling. “Again, I will not hurt you, and I’m not entering a relationship because I only want sex. Regarding my parents, I’ve made it clear that they are to stay out of my personal life and are forbidden to speak to you if I’m not around to protect you from them.”
“What a fucking task. Do you realize how insane it is that your parents need to be monitored so as not to hurt me?” she exhaled and shook her head. “Did they tell you why they invited my parents to San Francisco?”
“That discussion didn’t come up when I spoke with them moments ago, so no.”
“Well, they decided to educate my parents on how they’re completely out of their league running a winery, and they offered my parents fifteen million to sign everything over to them and leave their home.”
I rolled my eyes at the predictable nature of my parents. They were trying to exact some kind of petty revenge on the parents of the woman who their son had fallen blindly in love with. My parents could blow their nose with fifteen million; it wasn’t even a drop in the bucket for us, but they knew most people wouldn’t be able to turn away from that amount of money.
“You roll your eyes,” Darcy said, “but that’s not something I want in my life. If they act like this with my parents, can you imagine them with me if shit got real?”
“Instead of asking the what-if questions, because we can do that all day long when it comes to my parents, let’s stick to facts. Did your parents accept their offer?”
“God, no,” she said. “I told you when we first met that my parents and I don’t put a price tag on our happiness. No amount of money can bring real joy. My parents have proven that by rejecting your parents’ bullshit offer because my mom and dad find an immense amount of happiness living here and growing grapes.”
“Then there is nothing to worry about,” I said. “I must tell you that I could never have understood that sentiment until I developed feelings for you , ” I said, smiling at her. “Since I met you, I’ve learned this new and very foreign way of living in a happier moment not fueled by money. It is a very liberating feeling to appreciate life in this way.”
She softly laughed and shook her head, “I had no idea feeding you bugs and fungus would turn you into a man who sees the true value of life.”
“And yet here we are,” I smiled and brought her into my arms to hold her. “I’ve never felt like this before,” I said, kissing the top of her head where she leaned against my chest. “I can’t explain how much I love it. You are a rare treasure I don’t plan on allowing out of my life until I’m dead.”
I felt her laughing in my arms and was thankful we were managing to get through this little hiccup of a problem together, “Are you proposing marriage now, Sebastian Aster?”
“The way you say my name like that sends a tiny shiver of disgust throughout my entire body.”
“Because it’s your father’s name?”
“Precisely,” I answered. “If only I were named after an orphaned monkey, I wouldn’t have to feel this way.”
She pulled out of my arms and nudged me playfully in my chest, “You really see this going somewhere between you and me?”
“I hope it does,” I said. “I am not lying when I say I have a whole new chance to live a more rewarding and fulfilling life. I never felt this happy before, and even while I was married.”
“I’m thankful for that, but you know placing your happiness in someone else is dangerous, correct?”
I couldn’t help but sigh and kiss her soft, full lips. “Yes, I understand, Martina Burke,” I teased. “I swear, you have a psychological answer to everything I say.”
“Well, you need to know that,” she said, more serious. “If you only have feelings for me because I make you happy, what happens when I can’t make you happy anymore?”
“I don’t think that’s possible,” I answered.
“I do. Your parents can easily snap me, and then I’ll be a moody bitch at every turn,” she countered with an arched eyebrow. “Then what are you gonna do?”
“You don’t need to worry about that,” I said. “I know you are not responsible for my happiness, and I would never put that burden on you or anyone. I’m just grateful that you have brought me back to life, that’s all.”
She sat quietly, and I could tell she was still scared and hesitant.
“Do not allow my parents’ opinions, words, or actions to dictate your feelings for me or having a relationship. I am not them, and after our conversation, they know I am my own person, and my personal life and values are determined by me, not them.”
“Well, let’s just play it by ear,” she said. “We still have an auction to attend, and you still have your business meeting with your father and Jim tomorrow.”
“I would not be surprised if my parents are on their jet and gone before daybreak tomorrow,” I told her.
“That’s how they operate? They don’t get their way, so they run home to cry in their—” she stopped. “See, it’s already happening. This is turning me into the worst version of myself, insulting people I don’t even know.”
“Oh, you know them well enough,” I teased. “And yes, they’re going home because they didn’t get their way. They will eventually learn to leave their sons alone, or they will both be very lonely.”
“Somehow, I think this will worsen before it gets better.”
“Isn’t that how relationships grow and flourish?”
“By arguing and fighting over stupid, senseless bullshit?”
“Yes, you get through it and find in the end that the senseless bullshit isn’t worth the time or energy.”
“Look at you,” she smiled at me, “educating me on shit I already know.”
I kissed her forehead and took her hand, bringing her to stand with me, “Let’s go take that walk. Work will consume me soon enough, and I think I’d like to move the meeting from here to Jim’s office. That will give you a break from my parents’ bullshit, and it’ll save Jim a trip. It’ll also give you time and space to prepare for that ridiculous auction in two weeks.”
“Now that your mother knows all about it,” she said, stepping out of my embrace, “she’s probably got a plan to fly out a charming debutant ex-girlfriend from Manhattan to steal you away from the wretched floozy who stole her son from his high position in society.”
“Well, try as she may,” I said with a smile, “no amount of money will steal me away from the happiness I found with you. I’m sorry, but I believe you’ll be stuck with me for life.”
“We’ll see about that, smart guy.”