Page 31 of Let It Burn (The Barrington Billionaires 4)
“Yes, Sophie Barrington. Helene and Andrew are at our home having dinner with my other children.” There was another pause while Sophie listened, then she said, “Six. Five boys and one girl. Your daughter is absolutely lovely.” Sophie’s eyebrows arched. “No, I hadn’t realized he’d been staying with you. An exotic animal rescue? How fabulous. I would love to talk more about what you do, as connecting good causes with donors is one of my passions.” A moment or so passed as Sophie listened again. “Absolutely. Thank you for the invitation. Of course I’ll speak to Andrew about it first. I don’t want to intrude. The same for you. You’re welcome to visit anytime. I’d love to show you Boston.”
Sophie held out the phone to Helene. As soon as she had it back, Helene held it to her ear. Her mother was already speaking.
“. . . wonderful. Your father and I were sure things were fine, but we feel so much better now that we’re sure. Now, go, have fun and don’t give us another thought.”
Her father said, “We don’t care about the hour; call us tomorrow.”
“I will,” Helene promised. “Love you both.”
“We love you, too.” After pocketing her phone, Helene realized Sophie was still watching her. She reviewed what she’d just done and wondered if she’d made Sophie feel uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I should have asked if you—”
Sophie cut off her apology by giving her a brief hug. She pulled back and blinked several times quickly. “I am truly blessed with the partners my children have chosen. You’re exactly what my son needs. I hope he’s in a place where he can see that.”
Andrew left the dinner table to check on Helene. He was cursing himself for bringing her into what had to be an uncomfortable situation. The drama that had initially erupted in response to his arrival had been replaced by forced, polite discourse that he found just as difficult to endure. He wanted to get out of there, and this time Helene was coming with him.
He hadn’t realized his mother had also left the table until he saw her in the hallway having a conversation with Helene. Oh, God. He wasn’t able to hear most of what they said, but he’d held back a laugh when Helene had handed her phone to his mother. He didn’t need to ask to know who she had her talking to. His mother was far from shy, but it was fascinating to watch her interact with a whole different level of friendly. Helene didn’t polish things up. Despite what they’d seen in Aruba, she had retained her confidence. There’d been no hesitation in handing the phone over to his mother, and he admired that about her. She was naturally optimistic without being unrealistic.
She was also thoughtful. She hadn’t called her parents because they’d demanded that she do it. She hadn’t put his mother on the phone because someone had pressured her to. She’d wanted to ease her parents’ concerns. How they felt was important to her.
Just like she values how I feel. She’s here because she cares about my relationship with my family.
Hearing his mother say, “I am truly blessed with the partners my children have chosen. You’re exactly what my son needs. I hope he’s in a place where he can see that,” made it sound as if it were merely a matter of choosing Helene.
It wasn’t that simple.
He stepped closer and said, “So this is where you both went.”
Helene turned to face him with a start.
Sophie exchanged a look with her then said, “Do you have a moment, Andrew?”
“Of course,” he said, but first went to hover over Helene. Her eyes were red and puffy. “Are you okay?”
Helene nodded. “Absolutely.”
“I’ll just be a minute then we can go if you want.”
She gave him one of those long, heartfelt looks of hers that always left him feeling a bit shaken then smiled. “Take all the time you need. I hear the dessert is amazing.”
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Save a piece for me.”
“Save for you, eat for you . . . I’ll decide when I see what it is.” She winked.
He chuckled and she turned to make her way back into the dining room. Once he and his mother were alone, she touched his arm lightly. “Andrew, I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me, too, Mom,” he said.
“Don’t lie. You’re sorry you came home, but you shouldn’t be. We needed to see you.”
He hunched his shoulders. “I never meant to worry anyone. I know I should have—”
“Stop. You’re here now, that’s what matters.” She touched his cheek gently.
“Is it?”
She searched his face again. “Andrew, I want to say something, and I’d like you to hear me out. Really hear me.”
He shrugged, listening.
“When you were little, you brought every scrape or imagined boo boo to me because you knew I could make you feel better. When we lost Kent, I stepped away from that job without realizing it. I became so wrapped up in my pain and my guilt that I didn’t see how my withdrawal hurt and affected all of you.” Her voice broke. “It took an outburst from Kenzi to open my eyes.”
“Don’t get upset, Mom. That’s the last thing I want.”
She gripped his arm. “I don’t want to fail you anymore. Any of you. I’m not made of fragile glass, Andrew. You can get angry with me. You can bring your problems to me. Families don’t have to be perfect, and we’re not. I know you’re dealing with something. I can see it in your eyes. You don’t have to tell me what it is, but you don’t have to hide it from me, either.”
For a moment he let himself believe in her and was simply a tormented man standing before his mother. He rubbed both of his hands over his face. “I fucked up, Mom.”
She rubbed a hand over his back. “Oh, Andrew . . .”
He straightened. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t put the weight of this on his mother. “I have to go.”
She stepped in front of him. “You don’t have to tell me what happened, but you can’t keep it in, either. I did that, and it just got worse. Kenzi said she did the same and it tore her apart. Talk to someone, a professional or a friend. Don’t keep this inside or it wins. The pain wins every time.”
“I will.” Andrew reached out and gave his mother a tight hug. She hugged him back just as fiercely. When he stepped back, his mother was still teary eyed but smiling.
She said, “When you have time, there’s someone I’d like you to meet. Clay Landon is a friend of Dax’s, and he started a foundation to help veterans.”
Andrew sighed. “Thanks, but no thanks, Mom.”
She nodded, but there was a silent determination about her, a strength of will that hadn’t been there before. “So, I see you haven’t given Helene a ring yet. How serious are you two?”
Andrew lifted and dropped a shoulder. “I care about her.”
“She’s good for you.”
“Yes, but I’m not myself, Mom. Not yet. I don’t know if I ever will be again.”
His mother gave him a long, sad look. “Sh
e loves you.”
“I know,” he said in an equally sad tone and turned away. He didn’t want Helene to love him. Not like this.
He returned to the dinner table, sat beside her, and took her hand in his. The love his mother had referenced was right there in her eyes when she looked at him, and it added another layer of guilt. It wasn’t fair of him to continue as they were. She was offering her whole heart to a man who was only half there.
Chapter Eighteen
Later that night, naked, Helene woke, still tucked against Andrew’s chest. She smiled lazily as she remembered how their evening had ended with Andrew carrying her into their hotel room and making slow, tender love to her. There wasn’t an inch of her he hadn’t adored. It was confusing to feel sated even while so much was left unsaid. “Andrew?”
He kissed her forehead. “Yes?”
“Are you sorry we came to Boston?”
His chest rose and fell with the deep breath he took. “No. My family needed to see me.”
His evasive answer didn’t ease her confusion. How did he feel about seeing his family? Had it been too much? “I shouldn’t have pushed you. I should have respected that you wanted to see them tomorrow.”
“You meant well. I understand that.”
Meant well? He wasn’t giving her anything. “How did the talk with your mother go?”
“Good, I guess. She adores you.”
Helene snuggled against his chest. “I’m easy to love.”
He turned onto his side and ran his hand through her hair. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
The seriousness of his tone made her tense against him. Was it over? Please don’t let it be over. “Yes?”
He sat up and turned on the light beside the bed. “What I’m about to tell you could ruin me if you ever made it public.”
“I won’t repeat it to anyone.” She sat up also and clutched the blankets to her. The conversation wasn’t the one she’d feared, but it looked just as painful for him.
