Billionaire's Unexpected Bride (Slade Brothers Book 1) Page 16

  I turn on the TV and put on a stupid slapstick movie. I’m watching it and it’s funny, but I never laugh. I’m too out of it to laugh or enjoy anything until I talk to Drake and learn our fate.

  I wake in the morning still clutching my phone. I force myself to release it as I shake my hand back and forth. It’s cramped and hurting from sleeping in that position all night. I push myself up and head for the bathroom, needing to get ready for work. I take a quick shower, washing the curls from my hair and all the makeup from my face. When I get out, I pull my hair into a sleek bun and only add a little mascara and lip gloss. I pull on a pair of jeans, a tank top, and a sweater. I slip my feet into a pair of plain-looking flats. I don’t look business-ready, but I don’t exactly look like I’ve just walked in from off the street either.

  I gather my things and move toward the car to go to the office. I don’t stop for my usual coffee and muffin. I don’t think I could eat if you paid me to—not until I know. I’m on edge, needing answers to my questions.

  Debbie is already sitting at the front desk of the law office when I walk in.

  “Good morning,” she greets me.

  “Morning,” I say, passing her by and heading straight to my office. A part of me wants to give her the third degree, wanting to know all she knows about Casey coming into town. This is a small town, so I’m sure she’s heard the news of the runaway blonde who’s suddenly reappeared. I sit at my desk and turn my computer on for the day. As it starts up, I look up. There’s a mirror hanging on the wall across from me. I find my reflection and study it. Speaking of runaway blondes . . . is that why Drake chose me? Because I’m similar to her? We both have long blonde hair. We’re both pretty by social standards. I’m from the city and she wanted to live in the city. If my assumptions are correct, I know he’ll drop me to have her back if I’m nothing but her look-alike, her replacement. Why wouldn’t he drop me when he could have the original?

  I shake my head and let a long breath escape. I need to stop this. But there’s only one way to make it stop: the truth.

  I get up, grabbing my purse and phone.

  “Cancel this morning’s appointment,” I tell Debbie, heading for the door.

  She stands up quickly, mouth open like she’s going to say something, but I don’t stop or give her the chance. I exit the building and climb behind the wheel. I don’t allow myself to think until I’m parked in front of the brewery. I look up at the big building. There are more people coming in and out of it than usual. Maybe Drake is already working with a team to build the expansion?

  I imagine myself walking into his office, ready to have this deep, meaningful conversation, only to discover every inch of the room filled with other people wanting something from him. I know if he’s this busy, then he won’t want to talk right now anyway, and I’m not going to grovel for his attention. If he wants Casey, then he’ll just have to break the news to me.

  I shift into reverse, leaving the brewery behind. The whole way back to town, I do nothing but curse myself for being so silly. We had a deal, I remind myself. We’re not together. We’re not exclusive. We’re friends and work partners who couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. We were both lonely and needed each other to pass the time. That’s it. That’s all I mean to him, and after I get my head screwed on right, that’s all he will be to me. I’ve been getting too attached these last few months. I try to think back on the last time I actually spent the night alone. I can’t remember; it’s been so long. There were even nights when we didn’t do anything at all other than enjoy each other’s company and fall asleep. Fuck. We’re in deeper than either of us meant to get.

  I walk back into the firm and slide behind my desk, determined to push everything from my head and focus on the work that needs to get done. I refuse to think of Drake, Casey, what they could be doing, or why he hasn’t called. Those are things that someone in love thinks about, and I’m not in love. I can’t be. It wasn’t part of the deal.

  Once I really get into my work, I forget about everything else. I work through lunch and well into the evening. It’s going on 7 p.m. when I finally look up and notice the time. I quickly save everything on my computer then start packing up my belongings. I see movement out of the corner of my eye and suck in a loud breath. My eyes land on Drake walking into my office.

  “God, you scared the crap out of me,” I tell him, letting my hand fall away from my heart.

  “Sorry. I tried calling you, but the phone went directly to voicemail.”

  I look down at the phone on my desk and pick it up, finding that it’s dead. Probably because I slept with it in my hand instead of charging it like I should have. “Oh, I didn’t notice that it had died. I’ve been buried in work.”

  “We need to talk,” he says, taking a step closer as he slides his hands into his pants pockets. His mouth is pressed into a thin line, worry lines surrounding his blue eyes.

  Anger swells in my chest, but I’m not sure if I’m upset with him for wanting to talk—break things off with me—or if I’m pissed at myself for falling for him when I knew he was off-limits. Either way, I don’t want to hear the breakup speech he shouldn’t have to give.

  “Save it, Drake,” I say, pulling on my coat. “There’s no need for the speech.” I grab my purse and briefcase, wanting to take some work home with me to keep me occupied for the night.

  “The speech?” he asks, seemingly confused.

  I flip the light off and step past him, heading for the door. He follows along behind me. “Yeah, the speech. We’re not together. We had a deal. I completely understand if you want to break things off. But luckily for you, there isn’t anything to break off, because we’re not together.” I open the door and flip off the light. As I hold the door open, he steps past me, but waits for me on the sidewalk outside.

  I close the door and lock it. Turning around, I nearly bump into his chest. His hands catch me by my biceps. Even after all these months, after having sex in every position possible, his touch still lights a fire in me that I’m going to have to learn how to control. Especially now that he’s getting back together with Casey.

  “What the hell are you talking about, Celeste?” he asks, his hot breath blowing across my face.

  Now I’m confused. “You called off our date,” I state flatly.

  He nods. “Yeah, because something came up that I want to talk to you about.”

  “Casey?” I ask with a high voice and probably even higher eyebrows.

  He shakes his head, brows drawn together. “Casey? What about Casey?”

  I let out a deep, annoyed breath. “Aren’t you breaking things off with me to get back together with Casey? Stephanie told me she’s back in town, and since you called off our date, I assumed it was because she found you.”

  His face goes slack: his mouth is hanging open, he’s speechless, and every worry line on his face has eased away. He’s shocked. He didn’t know that she was back in town—that’s obvious by his expression. But if he didn’t know, then why did he call off our date?

  12

  Drake

  CASEY is in town? How is it that Celeste knew about this before I did? Either way, it doesn’t matter. “No, that’s not why I called off our date. I had no idea she was back in town.” I reach out and pull her against my chest. “God, I can’t imagine how you’ve been feeling—waiting for the ball to drop. I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention,” I say, running my hands up and down her back.

  She sighs and shakes her head as she pulls away. Her eyes find mine. “It’s fine. I guess that’s what I get for jumping to conclusions and listening to town gossip. So, what’s up? What made you cancel?” Her hand moves up, latching onto my coat.

  “Uh, let’s go somewhere else and talk. Maybe have some dinner?”

  “Okay.” She looks at her watch. “I think the diner is already closed, but we can swing by the bar and grab a drink and a salad, or I guess a steak for you.” She offers up that drop-dead gorgeous smile of hers.


  “I’ll follow you.” I walk her over to her car and open the door for her. I watch as she slides into the seat and starts the engine. “I’m right behind you,” I say, closing her door and moving toward my truck.

  Moments later, we’re both parking outside the bar. The place isn’t very busy; only a few cars are parked up front. I open the door for her and she walks in ahead of me. I place my hand on her lower back and lead her over to a far table, so we can talk without anyone overhearing. We get comfortable in our seats and the bartender takes our orders. I order beer, steak, and a baked potato, and Celeste orders a fruity cocktail and a salad. When our drinks are placed in front of us and I know we won’t be bothered again for a while, I take her hand in mine.

  “Not too long ago, I received a letter. It was from a man claiming to be my half-brother. He provided me with proof that his mother and my father had a fling. I asked my father about it and he confirmed the affair, but then swore up and down that there was never a child.”

  “Oh, Drake,” she breathes out.

  I shake my head, not wanting her to worry for me. “This guy wants his rightful share of the family business, and honestly, if he’s family, I want him to have it. I want to get to know this brother I’ve never met. I want to bring him home. However, Harrison hasn’t been able to find any proof, and I can’t just hand over a chunk of my business to anyone who claims to be related. Yesterday, I had to cancel our date after I received another letter. My half-brother got his hands on some of my dad’s legal documents. In these documents, it states that the brewery will be divided evenly among his children. He highlighted it. He also sent a letter stating that he’s getting a lawyer and taking what’s his very soon. I figured that since he was getting a lawyer, I needed to inform mine immediately.”

  She nods and takes a sip of her drink. “Okay, but you’re not wanting to stop him from claiming his rightful inheritance, right?”

  “If there’s proof that he’s family, then I’ll welcome him in myself.”

  “Okay, so we’ll have to request a DNA test to confirm that he is, in fact, related. Then we can go from there.”

  “But Celeste, I want to ensure my family is protected. I don’t know this guy and he’s not exactly going about this the right way. If he is family, I want to make sure he gets his due, but not more. I don’t want him having something up his sleeve to take what the rest of us have worked our whole lives for.”

  She rubs her hand over mine soothingly. “Okay, we’ll get everything figured out. I can’t believe you’ve taken this on all by yourself. This is big news! I mean, your father having an affair? A mystery brother?” Her eyes are doubling in size at the shock.

  I nod as I pick up my beer.

  “What do your brothers think of this?”

  Our food is placed in front of us and I grab my knife and fork. “Only Colton knows right now. I wanted to have something concrete before telling them. And this guy, my half-brother,” I roll my eyes, “hasn’t even shown himself yet. I don’t know his name, what he looks like, nothing. I mean, he could be any one of the assholes in this bar right now.”

  She glances around the bar. “That’s kind of weird when you think about it that way. I mean, what if he’s just trying to cause trouble for you and your family? He could’ve been here for years, just waiting to make his move.”

  I nod. “Yeah, and he picks now to show up? Right when I’m starting this massive expansion? It seems like he’s just looking for a payout.”

  She takes a small bite of her salad. “I wonder if he actually wants in on the goings-on of the company or if he’ll allow you guys to buy him out of his share. I mean, you have things in place so he can’t just sell it to anyone, right?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any of that paperwork, and it’s something I’ve never had to worry about before. I knew my brothers would never sell outside the family.”

  She points her fork at me. “I’ll look into it first thing in the morning.”

  “Thank you,” I say, placing my hand on hers.

  She offers up a smile. “It’s no problem.”

  We both get back to eating. She looks around the bar, taking everyone in, and I can’t do anything but look at her. Damn, she’s gorgeous. I don’t know how the hell I’ve managed to get her into my life, but I’m sure glad I did. But these thoughts only remind me of the fact that we only have five months left together. That shoots my good mood clear out of the water.

  “So, when are we making up our date night?” She shoots me a grin that causes her green eyes to light up brighter than a summer day.

  I laugh. “Friday night. And we break ground next week. You’ll be there, won’t you?”

  “Of course,” she agrees in a whisper.

  We chat as we finish eating, but the conversation switches to something much easier. We laugh and joke and have a good time. Moments like this really make me miss having a normal home life—a life where things are just easy with no stress or worry. Just having someone to talk to and be with makes everything else fall away for me.

  “Want to come back to my place tonight?” she asks.

  I take a deep breath. “I’d love to, but I have to get back to the brewery. Things have been crazy there since we got the approval. I probably won’t make it home until midnight or later.”

  “Need me to come with you?”

  I shake my head. “No, I saw the workload you were carrying. I think we both need to get our work done so there’s no reason to cancel this date. I want to see you in the sexy dress I know you’ve been saving for me.” I can’t hold back my smile when I imagine how beautiful I know she’ll look. We both stand and I walk her out. When we get to her car, I spin her around and press her back against it, my lips moving to hers. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls in me deeper. Her tongue tangles with mine, teasing me. Fuck, I just want to bury myself in her right here and now. I breathe in her sweet scent and it carries me away, off to that little back bedroom we share when she’s visiting.

  “Are you sure you want to work tonight?” she asks against my lips, causing me to laugh.

  “No.” I kiss her again then lean my forehead against hers. “But yes,” I mumble, echoing a similar answer she once gave me, knowing there’s too much work to do to blow anything off.

  “All right. I’ll get to work on the things we talked about and call you if I find something.” She turns to get in her car, but I stop her.

  “Call me anyway. I just want to hear your voice.”

  She smiles and nods before slipping into the seat.

  I close the door behind her and stand back, watching her drive away. When her car is no longer in view, I start to head toward mine, but then I remember I forgot to leave a tip. I walk back into the bar, dig $7 out of my pocket, and drop it down on our table. I pick up what’s left of my beer and toss it back. When I turn around, I’m face-to-face with Casey.

  Seeing her stops me dead in my tracks. My eyes start at the top of her blonde head and work their way down. She’s just as beautiful as the day she left. Her long blonde hair is straight and sleek. She’s wearing a tight pair of jeans with knee-high boots. Her blue and white flannel shirt clings to her big chest.

  “Hey, cowboy,” she says with a grin as her hand moves to the hip she’s sticking out.

  “Casey,” I say, bowing my head in greeting.

  “It’s been too long, stranger.” Without warning, she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me against her for a hug. She smells the same: like vanilla and sugar. It’s a smell that’s always reminded me of homemade cookies. Being with her was like being home.

  I place my hands on her lower back and squeeze lightly, still in shock.

  “What are you doing back here?” I ask.

  She pulls away and looks me up and down. “Let’s have a seat and catch up . . . if you’re not too busy, that is.”

  I know I need to get back to the brewery, but I have to do this with her. I need the clo
sure. I gesture toward the table that Celeste and I were just sitting at, but she scrunches up her nose.

  “It’s a little used. How about we go over there?” She points toward the booth in the darkened corner. “After all this time, we need a little privacy.” She grabs my hand and tugs me across the bar, waving at the bartender as we pass, and ordering us some drinks.

  I slide into the booth, and to my surprise, she slides in next to me, not across from me. She takes my hand in hers, rubbing it back and forth.

  “What are you doing here, Casey?” I ask again, my voice a little strained.

  “My granny passed away last week. The whole family is here to go through her things and arrange the funeral. Are you surprised to see me?” She bats her long, dark lashes and flashes me the smile that usually gets her whatever she wants.

  “Surprised? Yeah! I mean, we were together for years, and then one day, you just up and left without an explanation.”

  Her eyes double in size. “Without an explanation? I’d been unhappy for months, Drake. You knew that.”

  “I didn’t know that,” I argue, pointing at my chest.

  The bartender sets down our drinks and gives me a sidelong glance. To me, that look says, don’t even think about it. I will tell Celeste what I see here tonight. But I don’t care. I’ll tell her myself.

  “How did you not know? I’d been complaining for months about wanting to get out of this town. I told you how I wanted to explore the world and make something of myself, not just sit around in a cabin and garden all day. I needed more in my life and you refused to give it to me. So I took matters into my own hands.”