Sterling #2
“I don’t need a car, Aldrich.” I crossed my arms so that he understood I wasn’t budging on this.
When the time came for me to drive I would do it, but that was so far in the future it didn’t matter.
We hadn’t discussed my taking Ami to games since she was so young.
I wasn’t sure how he felt about her being in the public eye especially with that number of people around.
“My baby is not getting in and out of rideshares, Ling. That’s a hell no. I don’t even want you hopping in one so why the hell would you think my tiny baby would be good?”
I swear I was doing my best not to psychoanalyze this man but I couldn’t help it.
I would have to chalk it up to the childhood I spent on somebody’s couch that meant I was always searching out other people’s why.
I was happy he was really looking out for Ami’s interest even if I thought he was going overboard.
“I’m not saying that. I’m just…” I had nothing to say against what he was pointing out.
Yes, she was an infant now, but there would be times I needed to take her out.
Being around other people was helpful and I knew I would go stir crazy if I was just sitting in the house like this all day.
Right now it felt like a reprieve but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t get old soon.
“Nothing to say?” When I looked up I saw the smug look on his face he didn’t bother to hide. The same way I was too eager to prove my point was now being thrown back in my face. I kind of deserved it though.
“I think that we can just wait until she’s older.” I shifted and leaned against the counter behind me, trying not to appear as stubborn as I knew I was being.
Aldrich glanced down at Ami before shaking his head making it clear he wasn’t about to let this go.
“I won’t have time to get it squared away then.
The idea is to get you what you need before you need it.
That way, you aren’t waiting around for it.
Things get intense around here when the season is on and I don’t want you pissed with me because I haven’t given you the tools you need to do your job correctly. ”
Again, he was making sense but it was only the end of May, surely I wouldn’t need something before the next few months. And if it became that serious I could just buy a car. “I understand but it doesn’t need to be something—”
“Are you telling me what I can buy?” The look of playful offense on his face was comical.
“No, I just don’t want—”
“Think of it as something for the baby then. I’m not about to have you in something that’s not safe and not large enough for you to move around comfortably.
So please don’t think I’m gone put you in something that’s gone have the neighbors calling the police every time you drive it into the neighborhood.
What do you drive back at home?” I had to bite back my smile because he probably wouldn’t believe me if I told him.
“Do you really want me to answer that?”
His eyes flickered over me again before he gave me a half-smile. “That nice, huh? Not mad at you at all. You work hard for your money, so you definitely deserve to live it up. It’s gonna be an SUV since you won’t let me take you out to pick something.”
I fought my smile as I crossed my arms in front of me. “I thought it was for Ami.”
He shrugged easily, his bronze shoulders raising up in the tank top he wore like he didn’t care how I felt about the car. “You’re her spokesperson right now since you are with her all the time. So, SUV. Black cool?”
He waited me out to see if I was going to argue, but his logic was too sound.
I couldn’t get in and out of random cars with strangers.
Especially not with a baby. Even if it was just me, it wasn’t safe to have a bunch of different cars pulling up to his house especially since he was a professional athlete.
“Black is fine. Just make it something full size if you decide to go with a car instead.” I drove an S-Class at home but only because it was part of the family fleet.
Another perk of the bloodline that I didn’t necessarily want but I wasn’t going to turn down.
Truthfully, I’d driven just about every car under the sun because on assignment I had a rental.
And there would be far too many questions to answer and potentially jealousy to overcome if I pulled up in a hundred thousand dollar car as a travel nurse.
He frowned up looking at me again and I had to wonder what foolishness he was going to say next. “Full sized? You ain’t that damn tall.”
“I’m saying full-size because kids grow.
They have stuff. A baby seat, bags, strollers, playpens…
the list goes on. You understand that when people come to visit they’ll need to use the car as well.
Your truck isn’t going to hold everyone so it’s a good idea to have more. You have a brother and sister, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then there you go. They might need to be run around with your mom and if you add one more person a third row will be needed. So it’s better to plan now than to regret the purchase later and waste your money.”
“That’s pretty solid advice. I appreciate you thinking of my pockets but I promise I got it.
” It seemed a point of pride that he said that and I was sure that although he grew up middle class from what I could tell, Aldrich wasn’t a silver-spoon kid.
I knew a few people went foolish when they got professional player money but besides his house, which I’m sure he got a deal on given his status in this city, he didn’t seem all that wasteful.
The truck he drove wasn’t flashy and it was nice but it wasn’t brand new.
I had no idea what kind of car he had but unless he pulled out a Bentley from his garage it was well below what he could afford.
“I’m sure you do, but I hate waste and wasteful people. So, be smart with it so that Ami has enough for her trust fund.”
“It’s already making her rich like it should. By the time she’s grown she’ll be wealthy so trust me, I've got her. Now, what about you?” His attention being back on me as strong as it was had me shifting again despite me no longer being in the hot seat.
“Whatever you pick out just make sure that it is highly rated for safety. I don’t care about labels or driving something expensive. Just make sure it’s safe, okay?”
“So I can’t get it armored?”
My head tilted and it was my turn to study him because I knew he was famous but I didn’t think the groupies were coming at him like that. “Armored? Who the hell you got after you, Aldrich?”
He grinned at my joke but he was truly doing too much. “I’m saying you're carrying precious cargo and you said you wanted it to be safe. That’s the easiest way to keep you safe.”
“Nobody needs an extra hundred grand on an armored car kit unless they’ve part of the government, a monarchy or they do illegal shit.”
“How you just know the price of how much it is to armor a car just off the dome like that?” His eyes were narrowed as he tried to get a hint at whatever he felt like I was hiding just by looking at me.
“That number is technically on the high side but you have to remember I grew up in New York. You run in the right circles that are adjacent to the rich circles and you learn some shit.” Not the whole truth but not technically a lie.
“And here I thought going out to a party in Laguna Beach and the Palisades was doing something big.” Aldrich shook his head like he’d been slumming it and I for damn sure wasn’t going to confirm how I lived now.
“Stop playing.”
“Not playing but since you’re not going to make this the fun excursion I thought it would be, you hungry?”
My eyes narrowed suspiciously because he would be crazy enough to suggest buying me a restaurant. “Potentially, why?”
“I got a place we can go eat and it’s private. Just to kick it.”
I looked at Ami indecision warning within me. I’d only been out of the house twice since I’d gotten here and once was to pick her up. Despite wanting to feel slightly alive again, I didn’t want to jeopardize her to do it. “She’s so small—”
“Private room and all. And the owner takes privacy seriously. You eat steak, right?”
I’d never seen somebody get treated like a celebrity and part of the family all at once until I saw Aldrich interact with the owner of the Chisholm-Love steakhouse, a man who looked like an African God by the name of Sampson, did just that.
He hyped Aldrich up but was talking cash shit to him too like they were old friends.
I was trying to stop from grinning but this was probably the first time I’d seen Aldrich be this…
playful. He’d relaxed more around me but not to this extent.
“Forgive us, Pretty Lady, it’s been a few months since I’ve seen my guy. Had to make sure his spirit was still good but now I see why he’s been MIA.” His smile was warm so I didn’t take his words as anything more than the compliment I knew he meant them to be.
“He’s got his hands full.” I nodded toward the stroller and I swore this man’s eyes lit up.
“Y’all gotta let me see the little one. I’m trying to drop my lil soldiers off in Yzabel during the reception so my lil girl can be baking and old enough to join us in the suite next year.”
Aldrich moved to the stroller like a proud daddy and unbuckled Ami before carefully handing her off to Sampson. I shouldn’t have been as nervous for her to be passed to this man, but I was overly protective of her like she was mine.
The way he cooed and damn near acted like he wasn’t going to give Ami back had me wanting to find his fiancée and let her know how much danger she was in. But again, if I were coming home to him I doubt I would be too worried about catching whatever soldiers wanted to march.
I must have a kink for men with hair because both of them were rocking what looked like some juicy 3C curls and although one was bronze and the other was a deep almost mahogany they were both fine as hell.