That One Time by Aja Foxx

Chapter Seven

~ Frank ~

 

I woke to my cell phone ringing. I reached over to grab it, hoping to turn it off before it woke Henry. "Hello?" I whispered.

"Hey, Frank, it's Martino."

"What do you want?" Didn't he realize how early it was?

"I dropped Henry off at his apartment and he—"

"Wait, you what?" I glanced to the other side of the mattress, but it was empty. I was the only one in the room. I sat up and then rubbed my hand over my face. "Okay, one more time."

"I dropped Henry off at his apartment. He said he needed to study."

Even though I wished Henry had woken me before leaving, I understood. "Yeah, he has exams coming up next week."

"Some guy was waiting for him. Henry said his name was Ryan?"

I'd heard of Ryan before, of course. "They're study buddies."

"Is business all they are studying? Because they looked pretty friendly. Henry even gave him a hug."

"That's just Henry. He hugs all of his friends." It had taken me awhile to get used to that, but eventually I'd figured out that Henry was a friendly person, especially to those he cared about.

"Okay, I just wanted to check."

I knew why Martino was worried. Before he met Stewart, he'd become involved with someone who had put him through the ringer. He'd only been with Martino because of the money and had even started sleeping around behind Martino's back.

The man had been a gold digger right down to his little black soul, and the basis for every precaution my family now took. We were all cautious now.

I smiled even though Martino couldn't see it. "It’s fine, Martino. I promise."

"Okay."

I hung up my phone and tossed it onto the bed in front of me. I was thankful that my brother was looking out for me, but I was sure of Henry. I wouldn't have asked him to marry me if I wasn't.

Speaking of Henry... I picked up my phone again and dialed Henry's number.

"Hello?"

"Morning, baby."

"Frank." I could hear the happiness in his voice. "When did you wake up?"

"Apparently, not early enough to see my fiancé leave."

"Sorry about that. You looked like you needed your sleep. I did leave a message with your grandmother when we had coffee this morning. I couldn't find a piece of paper to leave you a note."

My eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You had coffee with my grandmother?"

"Yes, and she's wonderful. I even got to meet Mrs. Rovito."

My eyebrows lifted a little bit more. "You were allowed in the kitchen?"

"Was I not supposed to be?"

"We're never allowed in the kitchen."

"Oh, well, I had to drop off the tray so your grandmother wouldn't have to carry it. I guess I should apologize to Mrs. Rovito."

"No, no." I chuckled. "If she didn't chase you out with one of her wooden spoons, you're good."

"A wooden spoon?"

"Oh yes." I shuddered. I'd been on the receiving end of that wooden spoon more than once. "How's studying going?"

"Slowly," Henry groaned. "Neither Ryan or I get this acquisitions thing one of our professors was talking about. We've been going over our notes and what we've read in the text book, but it just doesn't make sense."

"I might know a thing or two about that. Why don't I get in the fancy new metallic blue BMW convertible sitting in the garage and come help you out?"

Henry snickered. "Oh, so you get to drive my new car before me?"

"I already drove your new car. How do you think it got to the garage?"

"Hey, could you bring food? I'm starving and my kitchen is a little bare."

"I can probably do that."

"Are you going to stay here tonight or go back to your place?"

I frowned. "You don't want to come back to the house?"

"I have school tomorrow, Frank."

"You also have a car now, Henry."

"Oh, right. Huh."

I chuckled. "Pack a bag and you can drive your car back here after we study so that you are used to it and can take it to school tomorrow."

"I'll have to leave early. I'll need to stop by the school and get a parking pass."

"Already done, babe."

"You got me a parking pass?"

"Of course, I did. You're a student. You have to have one to park in the student parking lot."

"That's why I'm marrying you Frank, not because you bought me a fancy blue car."

I smiled. "I know, and that's why I'm marrying you, because you care more about me getting you a parking pass than a fancy blue car."

"See you soon, yeah?"

"Yeah, I need to jump in the shower and grab some food and then I'll be on my way."

"Okay, see you when you get here."

I still had a smile on my face when I hung up. Henry was proving to me over and over again why he was the right choice. My money really meant nothing to him. My thinking about him and putting him first did.

I tossed my phone on the bed and then went to go take a shower. I might have been a little quicker than I should have been, but I wanted to get to Henry's apartment. When I walked out of the bathroom, I was thankful I had a towel wrapped around my waist.

"What are you doing?"

Stewart jumped dropping my phone back onto the bed. "Oh, nothing. I came to see if you and Henry wanted to have lunch, but I couldn't find you and then your phone started ringing."

"Henry already left for his place and I'm joining him there for lunch," I said as I walked over to the bed to pick up my phone. "Maybe another time."

I was not thrilled that the man was in my bedroom. I didn't like him in my suite, but the bedroom was worse. This was my private space. No one should be in here except Henry. I didn't even let the maid come in here to clean. I did that myself.

"You need to go, Stewart."

Stewart smiled and sauntered toward me, looking me up and down before he licked his lips. I stepped back when he tried to stroke his finger down my chest. "I could stay."

I immediately lifted my phone and dialed Martino. "Tell your husband to get out of my bedroom before I have him arrested for sexual assault."

I hung up and pointed toward the door. I knew what kind of man Stewart was, and this just proved it. I wasn't going to be put in a position where Stewart could make me seem as if I was being unfaithful to Henry, and it had nothing to do with the ten million dollars stated in the pre-nup. I simply wouldn't hurt Henry like that.

Stewart gasped as turned pale white before his face flushed red when his phone started ringing. He pulled out his phone and answered it. "What?" he shouted as he stormed toward the door. "You're being ridiculous. I would never do that."

I shook my head as Stewart's voice faded, but didn't move from my spot until I heard the door to my suite open and then slam shut. I wish there was something I could do to get Martino out of that marriage. It had been fucked up since before they said their vows.

Unfortunately, the only one who could do something about it was Martino, and he didn't seem to be there yet. I suspected he was trying to save his marriage and that maybe he did care about Stewart on some level. I just wished Stewart cared about him.

I walked over to my dresser and pulled out clean underwear, a T-shirt, socks, and a pair of jeans. I'd gotten used to wearing jeans while I'd been on my hiatus. I didn't relish the idea of going back to suits, but I knew I'd need to once I went back to work at the company.

Today, I was going to study with Henry, so I could get away with jeans.

I stuck my phone in my pocket, made sure I had my wallet, keys, and sunglasses, and then headed out of the bedroom. I made a quick stop in my study to grab the file I'd started for Henry. It had the deed for his cottage and the registration and ownership paperwork for his car.

I needed the car paperwork, and I was pretty sure the deed would help me explain acquisitions to him. It's how my father explained it to me, although it had been a bicycle and not a cottage, but the idea was the same.

Once I had everything, I grabbed my jacket and headed downstairs. I could hear crying coming from Martino and Stewart's suite as I passed it. I felt a little bad for the guy, but not enough to stop and offer comfort. Who knew how he'd take that?

“Bertram, good," I said when I spotted the guy just as I reached the bottom of the stairs. "Could you ask Mrs. Rovito if she could make up some sandwiches for three? I'm driving into town to help Henry and his study partner out with some stuff for one of their classes and none of us have eaten."

"Of course, sir."

After Bertram walked away, I headed down the hallway to my father's office. I'd never known him not to be in his office by eight o'clock in the morning unless it was the weekend or a holiday. And he might be semi-retired, but he still worked almost as hard as me and Martino did.

I knocked on the door when I reached it because I had learned my lesson about barging into rooms when I was a kid and those were memories I wished I could bleach out of my mind. Needless to say, my parents had a very healthy marriage.

"Come."

I opened the door and walked in. I took a seat in the chair in front of my father's desk. "Good morning, Papa."

"Good morning, son." Bellino glanced behind me. "No fiancé?"

"Henry left with Martino this morning so he could start studying. He has exams next week and needs all the study time he can get."

"Ah." My father smiled. "So, when can I expect you back at work?"

"I'd like to give it another week. I want to get Henry moved in here first, but that might take a little convincing." I held up the manila envelope in my hand. "I'm taking his car to him today to sweeten the deal."

"You need to buy him a car to sweeten the deal?"

"No, and he's actually a little upset with me that I did buy him a car, but he needs a way to get to and from school and his job. Taking a taxi everyday is too damn expensive."

"I could see that."

"Henry tried to talk me into something cheaper, but this car has a really good safety rating and I think he'll really like it once he drives it."

"I'm beginning to suspect that you cannot buy your fiancé."

"Nope." I chuckled. "He was more excited that I took the time to get him a student parking pass than he was that I got him a car."

"Sounds like a good man."

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "How do you deal with that? I mean, you and Mama raised us to appreciate money, but to know it is not what binds people together. Henry never had anything he didn't work his fingers to the bone for. How do I spoil him and give him the world when he gets mad at me for buying him gifts?"

"You do it carefully," Bellino replied. "Your mother is much the same way. Yes, she lives in a fancy house with a butler, a cook, and a couple of maids, but that is all window dressing, things we needed to keep the status quo when our business became so profitable. These are not the things that make your mother happy."

"So, what do you suggest?"

"Take him flowers, go for a drive, have lunch with him, and spend time with him. That is the most precious commodity you have. Your time. Make sure you always have time for him."

Maybe I was doing this right. "I'm waiting for Mrs. Rovito to make us some sandwiches and then I'm driving into town to help Henry and his study partner with some of their school work that they are having issues with."

"That's a good start."

I smiled. I could do this.

"Was that what you wanted to see me about, son?"

"No." My happiness fled. "This needs to stay between us, although Martino knows because I called him. When I came out of the shower, I found Stewart in my bedroom looking through my phone. I told him to leave and he made a pass at me. I immediately called Martino and told him to tell Stewart to get out, but you know how Stewart is. I don't want any of this falling back on Henry."

Bellino's lips twisted into a grimace. "I do not know why that idiot brother of yours doesn't cut Stewart loose. That man is no good for him. Martino is miserable, and it gets worse if he denies Stewart whatever new shiny bauble he wants."

"He wants Grandfather's ring." I had no doubt he was going to try and find a way to get it, too. Just because it was mine and I had given it to Henry did not mean Stewart had given up on getting it. It might not be as shiny as the other jewelry Martino had given him, but he wanted it, probably even more so now that Henry had it.

"I will speak with your brother tonight when he gets home from work."

"I'm sorry you're getting dragged into this, Papa. I have a really bad feeling about this, especially after what he did in my bedroom."

"What exactly did he do?"

I quickly explained to my father exactly what had gone on since the moment I walked out of the bathroom until the door slammed shut behind Stewart. I even added the part about hearing Stewart crying when I was coming downstairs.

"All right, son, you go spend the afternoon with Henry. I'll take care of your brother and his husband."

"Thank you, Papa." I got up and hurried out of the room.

I so didn't want to be around for that conversation.