by Jenna Brandt
“Wonderful, Mr. McAllister, I’ve learned so much and it’s such a pleasure to watch you work. You’re so great at this,” the young blonde woman cooed with a glowing smile. “If you ever have the time, I could really use any private feedback you have about the job I’m doing.”
Immediately, Wade recognized the shift from professional admiration to veiled flirtation. He pushed down his irritation, then gently replied, “You should go over that information with Paula, the line producer. She’ll be better suited to help you with your job.”
He hoped what he said made it clear he wasn’t interested in mixing business with pleasure. Truthfully, he didn’t spend a lot of time focusing on pursuing romantic relationships, choosing to put his energy towards business where he found more reward for his effort. The women he met either wanted him for the fame or the money, and in some cases, both. They didn’t care to know the man behind the image—the man who would prefer to stay in and watch Star Wars rather than go out and spend time at a trendy nightclub.
The woman nodded, a look of disappointment clearly displayed on her face. “I’ll do that, Mr. McAllister,” she whispered in a dejected voice, before turning around to leave.
“Tell me you got her number,” Samuel Butler, his friend and guest judge, asked with a wide grin as he came up beside Wade.
“You know me better than that; I don’t mix business with pleasure.”
“Which is a shame. All the best fun comes from mixing those two things together.”
Wade rolled his eyes. “I’ve worked too hard to ruin my reputation by getting involved with anyone from the show.”
Samuel shrugged before they both turned around to head towards their dressing rooms to change out of their chef coats and into their regular clothes. “I meant to tell you earlier, you were on point today while filming. It never fails to amaze me how good you are at playing it up for the camera.”
“What can I say, it’s years of experience. Though I have to admit, I’m getting tired of it.”
“Does that mean the rumors are true? Is this going to be the show’s final season?”
Wade shifted his stance, glancing away as he thought about how he wanted to answer his friend’s probing question. Wade had been contemplating retiring from the show for a couple of months now. When he discussed it with his CFO of McAllister Enterprises, it was clear it would cause a huge dip in the company’s revenue, not to mention how it would negatively affect all of the employees that worked for the show. He didn’t have the heart to disrupt everyone else’s lives just because he felt like something was missing from his own. “You know better than anyone not to believe everything you hear. There are always rumors circulating around about men like us.”
“Don’t I know it,” Samuel lamented. “Just the other day, I saw that one of the tabloids was reporting that I had a secret baby. That was news to me. I’ve been very, very good at making sure that never happened to me.”
“Which is surprising, considering how you have a new girlfriend—or two, or three—a week.”
“Hey now, don’t judge me. Just because you don’t make time for the fairer sex.”
“Sorry I’m not interested in showing off new arm candy on a regular basis. I have no desire to get mixed up with all of what comes with that many women.”
“You could always just settle for one,” Samuel pointed out as they stopped outside his dressing room.
“With all I have going on, I’m better off on my own. I wouldn’t expect a woman to want to put up with my crazy schedule.” Then after glancing down at his Rolex watch, Wade added, “Speaking of my tight schedule, I have to change and head to my next appointment.”
“Really? I was hoping you would go out to dinner with me and a few of my friends. You should take the night off. You know what they say about all work and no play…”
“I do, but it doesn’t change the fact that I have an appointment I can’t get out of.”
“You’re Wade McAllister; you can get out of anything you want to. The problem is, you don’t want to.”
“Funny, you think that’s the case, but even I have things I can’t get out of. How about we rain check dinner for another time?”
Samuel shrugged, then reached out and opened the door. “I won’t hold my breath; I know how you are. Never a moment for pleasure; always work, work, work.”
“What can I say, I have a strong work ethic,” Wade said, even though he knew his friend wouldn’t understand. Samuel lucked into his fame, and though he enjoyed it, he wasn’t driven to obtain more like Wade was. Patting his friend on the back, Wade added, “I appreciate you coming on the show today. We’ll talk soon.”
Wade slipped into his own dressing room. Quickly he switched out of his custom chef’s apron marked with the show’s logo, then put on a fresh navy-blue suit. His phone dinged, reminding him that he had a half hour to make it across town. He didn’t want to be late for his appointment with his realtor, who was helping him acquire the perfectly located building for his next high-end pastry shop in the heart of Manhattan.
As Wade climbed into the backseat of his Town Car, he went over the plans in his head for his next decadent dessert destination. He planned for his latest endeavor to attract both locals and tourists alike. He already had a dozen shops, but he figured one more couldn’t hurt. He liked the idea of having a baker’s dozen. Besides, between his signature line of bakeware, pastry essentials, and custom cake designers that worked for him, his empire was secure. If that was the case, however, why did he feel like something was still missing?
Though he had everything he could ever want at his fingertips, he still felt like he needed more. He didn’t like admitting that to himself, but it was true none-the-less. Through the countless years of trying anything and everything, he hadn’t managed to find a way to make the void disappear from his heart. He wished he could figure out why he felt the way he did. He hoped this new shop would be what would make the difference.
Two hours later, Wade’s meeting was over and he was headed home to his Manhattan penthouse on the Upper Westside. He made his way inside and slipped out of his suit and into a pair of sweats and t-shirt. The media would have a field day if they saw him dressed like that, but since he lived alone and on the twentieth floor, he figured he could take the chance and wear comfortable clothes.
He picked up his laptop and made his way into the kitchen, where he poured himself a glass of wine before making his way over to his couch. He flopped down and propped his computer on his lap. He clicked the icon for his music app, starting his playlist of classic rock from where he had left off. Two hundred unopened emails were in his inbox, and he’d already checked it earlier in the morning. He didn’t get very far, before he noticed there was one from Samuel. Could it be a thank you for having him on the show? It was time stamped from earlier in the day, making that seem unlikely. He clicked the button to open it and read the contents.
Wade,
I knew you wouldn’t agree to go out with me tonight, so I sent this email ahead of time to prove how predictable you’ve become. You need some adventure in your life. Since your birthday is coming up, I decided I was going to give you a gift that would provide the opportunity to live for more than just work.
Attached is an exclusive invitation to the most elite, most private club in all of the world. The Billionaire Birthday Club is truly one of a kind. You won’t be disappointed if you decide to accept my gift, I promise.
Your Friend,
Samuel
A fancy black invitation with gold details and a diamond encrusted “B” was flashing at the bottom of the email. Wade debated about clicking it. On the one hand, he wasn’t one for surprises. He preferred to know exactly what he was getting into and weighed out all of his choices carefully before making decisions. On the other hand, Samuel had gone out of his way to give him this gift. It would be rude to not at least look at it and decide if it was something he was interested in. Wade clicked the button and it took him to a pri
vate site that had the following message:
Billionaire Birthday Club is an exclusive resort—for the billionaire who appears to have everything but secretly wants more. After filling out a confidential survey, a curated celebration is waiting on the island to make your birthday wishes come true!
He clicked the next button, which directed him to a questionnaire. He skimmed through the contents and quickly realized the list was created to find out what type of experience he would want. After a few moments of hesitation, he decided he didn’t have anything to lose and started filling out the form. Perhaps, this place could finally help him figure out what was missing in his life.
Grab your copy of The Billionaire’s Birthday Wish.
Sneak Peek of Waiting on the Billionaire
Bryce Montgomery stood on the edge of the grassy field and glanced around with apprehension. Over three weeks had passed since the release of The Top 10 Most Eligible Bachelors of New York list, yet the droves of women who hounded him hadn’t subsided.
He had reluctantly agreed to attend the Saturday afternoon polo match since it was for a good cause, not to mention he often made powerful business contacts at such events.
“Relax, Bryce, I’ll fend off the ladies for you if they get too close,” Roger Boswell, Bryce’s best friend and heir to a tech tycoon, offered.
“Oh, I bet you will,” Bryce stated with a roll of his eyes. “You’d be only too happy, I’m sure.”
“Hey, it’s not my fault I barely missed the list. I still can’t believe the reporter told me I got the eleventh spot.”
“Should we head to the spectator area?” Bryce inquired, opting to change the subject rather than focus on the blasted list for one more minute.
"I guess," Roger shrugged. "I don’t understand how you can despise all this attention."
Roger wouldn’t understand. Bryce was a naturally private person. He didn’t enjoy attention of any sort, preferring to live his life in the shadows of their social set. Roger, on the other hand, was an extrovert of the highest order. His favorite pastimes were attending or throwing an over-the-top party and making sure the paparazzi was there to catch every moment.
In the beginning, it attracted Bryce to Roger. He opened a lot of doors for Bryce when he was first starting out in the tech business. When his first app was a massive hit, Bryce needed to find the right connections to turn the app into a company and the company into an empire. Roger was more than happy to introduce him to the right people as long as Bryce played the diligent wingman. It was the reason that the role reversal was so difficult for Roger to handle. He despised being the runner-up with the women they met.
Before they could make their way to the viewing area, a hand on Bryce’s arm stopped him in his tracks.
“Why if it isn’t Bryce Montgomery, #1 hottest bachelor in Manhattan. Fancy meeting you here,” the platinum blonde woman cooed as she batted her fake eyelashes at him. “You want company?”
Bryce flinched under the woman’s unwanted advances. He wished he had put more thought into the ramifications of letting Roger talk him into letting the magazine publish the puff piece on him. They believed both of them would make the list, but a last-minute addition of a new actor knocked Roger off the list. Bryce was squarely left on his own.
“Don’t you have the most gorgeous blue eyes and thick brown hair I’ve ever seen. The picture in the magazine didn’t do you justice,” the woman complimented as her hand moved up his arm, resting just below the shoulder. “And these biceps. My, my, I had no idea you had muscles under that suit. What a surprise.”
Bryce pulled back, not liking the fact she was sizing him up like a piece of meat she wanted to devour. “Miss, I think the match is about to start. You should find whoever you came with.”
A pout formed on the woman’s face. “Not so eligible after all,” the woman stated with irritation. She glanced over at Roger, who had been watching the exchange with amusement. “What about your friend? I don’t recognize him from the list, but he’s not bad to look at. I guess he will do.”
Roger tilted his head to the side, causing his blond hair to flip with the movement. “You know I’m not one to refuse a pretty woman, but I draw the line when the woman considers me a consolation prize.”
Her face scrunched up in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“You should probably do as my friend suggests,” Roger stated dismissively, before turning to head towards the viewing area.
Once they were away from the obnoxious woman, Roger sighed. “Such a waste with a face like that to have nothing upstairs.”
“It seems it’s increasingly common every day,” Bryce observed. “I’m so tired of struggling models and social debutantes looking for a meal ticket when they see me.”
“That’s what a pre-nup is for, Bryce. A good lawyer can keep it all tidy if you ever get serious about another woman, though I doubt you ever will after Gabrielle. She seems to have done you in on that matter.”
Gabrielle Rodriguez was an up-and-coming model, and until six months ago, Bryce’s girlfriend. Their relationship ended when Bryce found Gabrielle cheating on him with her personal trainer.
“I don’t know. I’m not built that way. Casual dating isn't something I do. I want to trust the woman I end up marrying. If I can’t, then I’d rather stay single and focus on building up my business.”
The polo players on horseback took to the field, signaling the match was about to start. Everyone turned their attention to the game except Bryce, plagued by the prospect of never finding the right woman to love.
Grab your copy of Waiting on the Billionaire!
Sneak Peek of The Billionaire’s Reunion
Ten years had passed since Molly left her hometown on Echo Island in utter despair. In that time, she completely overhauled her life, leaving her troubled past and adolescence behind.
Today, she was returning with a college degree, an established journalism career, and her hot, new boyfriend, Rick, an elite Miami plastic surgeon.
As he drove his rented, red Corvette through the streets of Crystal Cove, Molly realized little had changed with the small town where she had grown up. Main Street was still filled with the same handful of restaurants and half dozen hotels, along with the grocery store, coffee shop/bakery, and salon.
She watched as people moved along the wide sidewalks next to the stucco buildings. A handful of people were sitting on the benches, which had flower pots on the side of each one. The residents had on shorts and short-sleeved shirts, due to the weather remaining warm year-round on the tropical, Florida Keys island.
“So, this is the town you grew up in?” Rick asked her, the disapproval obvious in his tone. “When you said small, I had no idea you meant this. You said it was a regular tourist destination, but I can’t imagine how anyone would even find this place. It’s so far from the airport,” he pointed out with shock.
She forced herself not to show her irritation with his condescending judgment. She wasn’t sure why it bothered her anyway, considering that when she left a decade ago, she had convinced herself she was better off leaving the provincial place behind.
“That’s the charm of the town; people come here to escape their regular lives,” she explained, though she had ran as far away from the place as she could get only ten years prior.
He let out a small chuckle as he turned onto the small road that led to her parents’ house. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were upset. I know that can’t be the case considering how you’ve never wanted to come back here to visit until now.”
“I never had a reason until my boss gave me this assignment.”
“And your reunion has nothing to do with it? You’re not coming back here to show off your awesome life?” He reached out and patted her arm. “Otherwise, why would you have invited me along?”
She shrugged. “I’m not saying it won’t be nice to show the people from school they didn’t break me; however, it’s just a bonus. The reunion
will be the perfect cover for my real reason for being in Crystal Cove.”
“Right, you’re investigating some lawyer from here.”
Molly stiffened, not liking how casually Rick threw around her real purpose for returning. She didn’t need him ruining her chances of finding out the truth for her story. She had spent hours online going over Spencer Wilmington’s social media and newspaper articles after years of trying to forget about him. She knew all the public details of the past ten years of his life, including the fact that he went to the University of Southern California where he created his social app that subsequently made him billions. Then there was a two year blimp where he partied and was seen running around LA with vapid blondes and a slew of Hollywood A-listers.
The part that didn’t make sense was that shortly after those two years where he seemed to have left college in the past, he transferred to Stanford law school. Considering he could have gotten a job anywhere, there was no mention of why he returned to Crystal Cove to take a position as a local defense attorney. It was one of the pieces she needed to figure out. Perhaps it would reveal a connection to the district attorney, Jeremy Jacks, the other person secretly accused of unethical conduct. She had looked into him too, not finding anything out of the ordinary. Until she figured it all out though, she needed Rick to stay quiet.
“Remember, we discussed how we need to keep my work part of the trip a secret. If anyone gets wind of the real reason why I’m here, they won’t talk to me, and my whole investigation will be over before it starts.”
“You’re so dramatic. You act as if everyone in this town cares about what happens to this guy.”
“You say that in jest, but you have no idea how right you are,” Molly said, pushing her long, brown hair behind her ear. “Spencer Wilmington is the darling of Crystal Cove. He has been ever since we were kids, despite the fact he was an awful person.”