The Bad Boy Next Door: A Red Hot Bad Boy Romance (9 page)

“Do not speak to, or about my aunt Amanda that way,” Isaac said. “While you’re right that I’m a ‘grown-ass man’ and can make my own decisions, I value Aunt Mandy’s opinion. She remembers how your mother acted as soon as my parents won that damnable lottery. So don’t blame her for wanting to be careful.”

Genie cast her eyes to the floor. She knew she had gone too far. She shouldn’t have let Amanda’s words get to her. Time to change direction. “No, Amanda, I didn’t tell him. I didn’t want to rain all over his happiness at finding out he has a child.”

Amanda cocked an eyebrow. “And that’s why you haven’t bothered to answer the phone or return my attorney’s messages?”

“Wait, you had your lawyer chasing after her?” Isaac was shocked that his aunt would do something so drastic.

“No, he wasn’t chasing after her,” Amanda explained, throwing her arms up. “He was merely trying to arrange a convenient time for her to bring her daughter in for a simple DNA swap.”

“Look, I need everybody to just stop, okay?” Isaac stood and put his hands on his hips. His face was hard and grimacing. “I’m tired of everyone trying to do what’s best for me without bothering to consult me on the matter. I will come to terms with things in my own time, and if you two ladies can’t get along then Genie, you need to find a hotel to stay at.”

Genie’s mouth dropped. “What? You’re kicking me out? She started it!”

“She’s my family. You are not.”

“If you want to see Regina then it’s on my terms, not Amanda’s,” Genie huffed.

“That’s not fair,” Isaac retorted. “You want five thousand dollars for a private school, then I get to meet my daughter.”

Genie stomped her foot like a petulant teenager. “Fine. I will be in my room until Regina and Sidney show up. Amanda and I will just have to stay out of each other’s way.” She turned on her heel and stomped up the steps, without looking back, her long blond hair swaying angrily.

Amanda looked at Issac with a knowing widening of her eyes. “I tried to warn you to be careful,” she said softly.

Isaac shook his head at her. “I know, but dammit. This is all so frustrating.” He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I want you to meet my girlfriend for dinner tonight. Ruby is amazing and I think you two will like each other a lot.

“Sounds delightful,” Amanda responded. “My favorite Italian place is nearby.”

Isaac nodded and gave his favorite relative a tight hug before trudging upstairs, dejected, to take a shower.

Chapter11

Ruby liked Amanda immediately upon hearing the woman’s first question when the two met: “So, how annoying do you find Genie Randles?”

Isaac had sighed and declared Genie off topic.

“But why? Surely Ruby has an opinion of the girl.” Amanda cast a glance at Ruby who had surreptitiously nodded her head in agreement.

“Because I’m sick of talking about her. I’m sick of everyone ganging up on her. I’m meeting Reggie later and I don’t want anybody doing anything to dampen my spirits, dammit.”

The two women had raised their hands defensively and capitulated. Satisfied, Isaac flipped through the menu. Ruby and Amanda sat across from one another and Amanda launched into a series of questions about how Ruby and Isaac had met, what kind of work she did, and about her ambitions in life.

“You’re very thorough,” Ruby said, laughing.

“I have to be. I’m all he has left,” Amanda replied with seriousness in her voice.

After the three of them ordered their food, Isaac ordered an expensive bottle of sparkling wine for the table. He clinked glasses with Ruby and Amanda before the trio downed the contents of their glasses. Isaac refilled them and toasted to his aunt Amanda.

“For the fortitude and patience of a saint that she surely needed as I was growing up.”

Their food arrived and as they began eating, Isaac’s phone rang. He saw that it was Genie and answered.

“Hi,” she said. “Regina and Sidney will be here in an hour.”

Ruby and Amanda saw his face split into a huge grin as he replied in the affirmative and promised to be home in an hour.

“Reggie is going to be here soon,” he exclaimed as he tucked back into his food.

After dinner, the three of them headed back to Isaac’s house to meet his daughter. Amanda sat in the front seat and Ruby took the back.

“I hope Genie is going to arrange that DNA test soon,” Amanda observed gravely. “Preferably before she swindles you out of all that money for some alleged private school.”

Isaac sighed. “Why are you so determined to hate her?”

“Because, Isaac, there are too many unanswered questions with her. I asked her why she didn’t tell you immediately upon finding out she was pregnant and she completely dodged the question. When you asked her, did she dodge it again, or did she answer?”

“Well, she got a little upset and defensive about it and said she just didn’t,” Isaac responded.

Amanda shrugged and raised an eyebrow. “See? She hasn’t given any of us a straight answer since getting back in touch.”

“My friend is convinced of the same thing,” Ruby said, “So she has someone in St. Louis and in Nevada doing state-wide searches for birth certificates to show when Regina was born.”

Amanda turned around in her seat and smiled at Ruby. “I wish I had thought of that! I could have done it before I came down here.”

Isaac frowned. “What friend, Ruby?”

“My friend Julia. I was a little upset about some things Genie said to me, just petty stuff really, and I needed someone to talk to. So, Julia said the whole thing could be cleared up with a search for a birth certificate. If she is your daughter, then she would have been born about seven to nine months after you two broke up, depending on how far along she was at the time.”

Isaac’s expression didn’t change. “I can’t believe you two went behind my back and are digging around like this.”

“Oh hush,” Amanda said. “You can too believe it. You know I’m going to look out for you as long as I’m alive. You haven’t always been the most responsible kid, Isaac, and I’d hate to see somebody swindle you out of your inheritance. And if I’m not mistaken, Ruby is quite smitten with you and feels the same way I do.”

Ruby nodded here head quickly, and was pleased to see that Isaac’s frown softened somewhat. “Fine,” he conceded. “Do what you have to do, but no more ganging up on Genie unless you have something
concrete
. You two need to put aside personal feelings about her for the time being. If it does turn out that Regina is my daughter then I have every intention of being part of her life.”

Ruby nodded again. “I completely agree. If that is the case then I’ll be happy for you, and I’ll welcome her in our lives with open arms. To be honest, with everything Genie is doing to convince you, I kind of hope she does turn out to be your daughter.”

“Why is that?” Amanda asked, shocked.

“Because, wouldn’t it be a horrible way to exploit your own child?”

The three occupants of the rental sedan fell silent as they pulled up in front of Isaac’s house. “Aunt Amanda and I should go in first,” Isaac said to Ruby. “I don’t want any more tension between you and Genie than there already is. I’ll make sure you get to meet her before she leaves, if all goes well.”

“Fair enough.” Inside, Ruby was upset, but had to admit that Isaac had a point. Besides, she felt that Amanda Johnson was her ally and could keep Genie from any underhanded attempts at driving a wedge between herself and Isaac.

***

Isaac and Amanda walked into the living room and were met by Genie and an older woman wearing a green print dress. On the floor sat a little girl with coal black eyes and shiny auburn hair braided in two pigtails. Isaac sat down on the floor immediately and smiled at the little girl who was playing with a set of building blocks.

“This is my castle,” the little girl announced confidently.

“It’s a beautiful castle. My name is Isaac.” Isaac looked into Regina’s dark eyes and stared at her for a minute. Something was nagging at the back of his head, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Genie sat down with them and put a hand on her daughter’s back. “Reggie, this is Isaac, he’s your daddy.”

Amanda watched the exchange, Ruby’s words echoing in her mind. She took a seat on the couch near the other woman and held out her hand. “Amanda Johnson; Isaac’s aunt.”

The woman smiled warmly and gave Amanda’s hand a firm shake. “Sidney Smythe. I’m Regina’s nanny. Isn’t she precious?”

Amanda could see that Sidney was genuinely fond of Regina and her mother as well. “How long have you been babysitting Regina?” she asked.

“Since she was a newborn. How time flies,” Sidney responded, her voice wistful.

“Indeed. I still remember changing Isaac’s diapers and bathing him in our large kitchen sink.”

“Oh, did you raise him then?” Sidney asked her.

“Helped yes. I was his nanny so to speak. I’ve always been a sort of mother figure to him though, and when his parents passed away a couple years back, I stepped in and tried to keep him on the straight and narrow.”

Sidney smiled. “I’m looking forward to babysitting Regina until she’s old enough to look after herself. I enjoy her company.”

Genie spoke up, “My mother isn’t very hands on with Reggie.”

Amanda said nothing, just nodded knowingly.

Isaac was laying on the floor on his left side, helping Regina built a turret on her castle. Reggie was shy, and didn’t talk, but smiled at him a lot showing her approval when he handed her the blocks she wanted. Isaac looked up at Genie and couldn’t help but smile at her. She returned the smile, but Isaac had already looked back at Reggie and didn’t notice that the smile never met Genie’s eyes. He was still trying to put his finger on what it was about Reggie that had tripped him up earlier. Isaac suddenly wished he hadn’t slept through all his science classes. There was something about genetics that he was forgetting; something of dire importance.

***

“Hi, Julia,” Ruby said as she answered her phone.

“Hi. I have news,” Julia said.

“You sound excited. Is this going to be good new or bad news?” Ruby asked her best friend.

“Depends on who you are in this little parade of characters,” Julia responded. “The investigator had no trouble finding a birth certificate for one Regina Randles, and he is overnighting a certified copy of it to me.”

“Did he give you the information that was listed on it?”

“He did indeed. I think we should wait until it’s in hand to confront Genie however,” Julia cautioned. “That way she can’t refute it and accuse you of making it up.”

“What does it say?” Ruby was excited and anxious for the information.

“Regina Athena Randles, born October 10, 2011 to Genie Carmelina Randles. Father is listed as Brent Hartley.”

“2011?” Ruby confirmed. “I’ll have to ask her for Regina’s birthday and see what she says.

“I’ll have the document in hand tomorrow. Plus, she was born in Carson City, Nevada. Not St. Louis.”

“Thank you Julia. You’ve been a big help,” Ruby said. “I’m buying lunch next time we go out.”

The two woman exchanged pleasantries and then hung up with one another. Ruby sent Isaac a text:

ASK GENIE WHEN REGGIE’S BIRTHDAY IS.

After about fifteen minutes, Ruby got a response.

“OCTOBER 10, 2010, why?”
was the reply.

Ruby sent one more text asking Isaac if she could come over, or if his aunt Amanda could come next door. He sent one back telling her to come over to his house.

JUST COME HERE. IT’S OKAY.

She went next door to meet the little girl. Ruby was enchanted with Regina’s long hair. “It’s so beautiful. I love the red highlights.”

“All natural,” Genie informed her. “I’m a little jealous. I have to pay good money to have my hair look this good, and she gets it for nothing.” Her blue eyes sparkled with pride though as she looked at her daughter.

“What private school are you applying at?” Isaac asked casually.

“Oh, um, Kirkland,” Genie responded.

“Ah. When is her entrance exam?” Isaac’s gazed flickered from Genie to Sidney and then back again. It wasn’t lost on him that Sidney’s brows had knit together with confusion at the mention of the private school.

“Um, I have to call and set it up still,” Genie said. “Regina, do you want some juice?”

“No, Mommy. I’m building a castle that goes all the way to the sky.”

“Will you be setting up the DNA test soon?” Isaac asked. “I’ll be happy to pay for it if you don’t have the funds. It can be quite expensive I think.”

Genie’s face registered shock and surprise, then a slight flicker of irritation. “Now you’re on me about it, too? You didn’t seem to care until Amanda showed up.”

Isaac shrugged. “I think it’s best to get it out of the way soon and be done with it. That way we can put the rumors to bed and get on with our lives. As soon as the DNA test is done, I’ll write a check to Kirkland for her enrollment fee.”

“You can just give me the check,” Genie protested, “and I’ll send it with her first quarter tuition.”

“Where is that money coming from again?” Amanda asked, picking up the thread.

“Don’t worry about it, Amanda,” Genie snapped.

Isaac raised an eyebrow at her, a silent warning. Genie saw it and looked away.

Ruby listened silently to the entire exchange, all the time handing Regina different blocks to build her castle’s towers. She made no comment and offered up no opinion on the discussion whatsoever. She preferred to listen up ‘til now.

“Regina?” Ruby said, getting the girl’s attention.

The girl looked at her and smiled. “What?”

“How old are you?” Ruby asked her.

“How dare you!” Genie said fiercely shooting to her feet.

Reggie was oblivious to the tension between the adults and answered the question. “Four.”

Isaac’s face fell, though he had suspected something was wrong before now. Some small part of him had hoped that Regina really was his daughter. He hadn’t realized until then that he wanted a child of his own.

“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” Genie said quickly.

“She seemed pretty sure of herself,” Ruby observed. “If she is only four, then she can’t be Isaac’s, can she?”

Genie’s eyes were narrowed at Ruby and her face was flush. “You keep your fucking nose out of this.” Genie’s breath was coming in ragged gasps and she felt her face growing hotter in the midst of all of the questions.

Isaac realized what it was that had been bugging him. “Regina has dark brown eyes,” he stated.

“Yeah, so fucking what?” Genie snapped at him.

“Yours are blue. Mine are green. Our child wouldn’t have brown or black eyes.”

Genie huffed and sputtered, clenching and unclenching her fists at her sides. “Dammit, Isaac. Why can’t you just believe me?” Tears squeezed out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

Ruby could feel the woman’s desperation. She was a single parent with no support network. Five thousand dollars would be a huge weight off of her shoulders no doubt. However, Ruby wasn’t feeling particularly charitable so she asked one last question.

“Genie, who is Brent Hartley?”

That was all it took. Genie flew across the floor reaching for Ruby’s face, kicking her daughter’s castle over in the process. This caused a wail to be sent up from the tiny lungs. Sidney picked Reggie up and cuddled her close, cooing to her that it would be all right. Amanda got between Genie and Ruby before Genie could do any real damage.