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I’d assumed those had been more of Cal’s made-up stories, something to dangle over Prescott’s head to prove he wasn’t just a small-town country boy without connections. The difference between Prescott and me, however, was that whether or not Cal was related to anyone famous had no bearing on my feelings of Cal’s own worth.
He was worthy with or without having big-name connections.
“All right,” I prompted.
“Felix of Liorland is, indeed, from a small town in Texas called Hobie,” Prescott said, “However, he is an only child who was raised by his grandparents. Alone. Every article about his past details the solitary upbringing he had. I’m fairly certain if he grew up in the same ranch house as another family of ten children, there would have been many, many articles about it. Besides, if he has a royal cousin, what is he doing working for peanuts as a charter captain?”
“He loves to sail. Maybe with a wealthy cousin, he doesn’t need to work for money. Maybe he works as a charter captain for fun.” I knew that wasn’t true because I’d seen his actual fear at spending money he didn’t have.
“With all due respect, Worth, the man you’re… dating is a liar.”
I bit back a laugh and tried to feign concern. “Really? What else has he lied about?”
He seemed to be dithering about whether or not to tell me the rest, and of course I knew why. He certainly couldn’t admit to me how he’d originally met Cal. So I was surprised when he told me some of it.
“Look,” Pres said. “I didn’t want to tell you this because I didn’t want to cause any problems… but the night before you all arrived, I saw him hooking up with a man in a bar on St. Mitz.”
I blinked at him. Was he serious?
“Okay?”
Pres tilted his head. “He, ah, did more than just kiss this man. If you know what I mean.”
I wanted to punch him in the fucking face, and I wanted him to never even think about touching Calgary Wilde ever again. I took a slow breath through my nose and counted to ten. “We have an open relationship,” I said calmly. “He’s allowed to sleep with whomever he wants. And so am I.”
Prescott’s eyes grew wide. “Oh.”
Yes. Oh.
“Anything else?”
“I’m afraid he’s using you for your money the same way Mason did.”
My fingernails bit into my palms from clenching my hands to keep from decking him. “How so?”
“I overheard him talking on the phone last night. He said something about playing his cards right so he’d be able to make some kind of business acquisition.”
“You were eavesdropping on his phone call?” This guy didn’t even realize what an ass he was.
“No. I went downstairs to use the bathroom in my room, and the door to your stateroom was open. That’s all I heard because I didn’t stick around to listen to more. I only heard that tidbit as I walked down the hall.”
“I see.” I thought about mentioning the sailing school to Prescott, but decided it was really none of his concern. “So you think he’s using me to fund some kind of corporate takeover.”
“I don’t know what he’s doing. Listen, I’m just trying to look out for your safety and the best interests of our family,” he said.
Our family.
The very idea this man and I would be family one day made my skin crawl. “I appreciate your concern,” I told him. “I, too, am looking out for the best interests of my family. I promise.”
I locked eyes with him until he got flustered and looked away. “Yes, well. Good. Ah… I’m going to check on Lucas and see if he needs more sunscreen.”
“Good idea.”
I leaned back and closed my eyes again. The conversation had left me with a bad taste in my mouth, but it had also snuck under my defenses and reminded me that, as much as I hated to admit it, Prescott was right in some ways. I didn’t know Cal that well. And I had gotten mixed signals from him about financial things.
On the one hand, he could barely afford his own clothes. On the other, he’d grown up on a ranch probably worth several million dollars, minimum, and one of his grandfathers had been a doctor. On one hand, he had thousands of dollars’ worth of sailing certifications. On the other, he balked at replacing his broken shower shoes.
Then there was the mystery of the wealthy family members he’d mentioned in passing conversations. The bar owner, the rare-breeds rancher, the doctor brother, the bodyguard married to a wealthy antiquities collector, and finally, the cousin who was apparently married to an actual royal family.
Even his own parents had high enough corporate careers to be expats in one of the wealthiest cities in the world.
And yet… Cal had discussed his favorite flavors of ramen noodles from the time he’d spent his food allowance in college on a keg for a party.
