The Billionaire’s Secret

by Jenifer Regan

  We talked about our businesses which was also usually a no. Most people didn’t like talking about their jobs but again, most people didn’t enjoy what they did. Candy and I loved our careers, so it was easy to discuss. I even convinced her to let me run some ads for her. She definitely deserved the recognition and I was more than happy to provide it for her.

  As the night went on, I realized I wanted to do a lot of things for her. She was the type of woman you wanted to spoil, just to show your appreciation for her. It was only our first date, but I knew I’d never meet another woman like her.

  When the check came, the waiter apologized to both Candy and me before he walked away. Candy sighed and glanced at me.

  “Was I too hard on him?” she asked, and I shook my head.

  “Nah, you just scolded him like a mama bear should.” She rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat.

  “I’m not old enough to be his mother,” she said and raised a brow at me. “You, on the other hand, are old enough to be his dad.”

  “Ha,ha,ha,” I said as I placed a few bills in the bill folder. “Let’s get out of here before you decide to change your career to standup comedy.” Candy laughed and surprised me by lacing her fingers with mine as we walked out of the door.

  I helped her into the car and as I walked towards my side of the car, I thought about how this was usually when I’d take my dates to my condo. It was one I used for hookups. I never took any of them to my real home. But that night, I’d wanted to take that forty-minute drive out of the city. I’d wanted to take Candy to my bedroom and make love to her. But as those thoughts came, more followed. Like her leaving my bed but returning to it every single night. Thoughts of waking up next to her every morning. They were thoughts I’d never had with anyone. Not even my ex-wife. It said a lot about the woman Candy was to have me thinking such thoughts after one date. I really liked her, and I didn’t want to screw this up.

  So I got in the car and drove in the opposite direction of my house and back towards Candy’s. I held her hand the entire ride and only let go when I parked in front of her house.

  I walked her to the front door and paused there. Candy looked up at me and grinned like she knew a secret I didn’t, and one I desperately wanted to know. I needed to know what was on her mind. Needed to know if we could do this again because I really wanted to do this again.

  “So, are you going to ask me out on a second date or not?” she said, and I tossed my head back and laughed. I didn’t answer her though. I just gripped the back of her head and leaned down so I could take her mouth in a deep kiss. She sighed into my mouth and I kissed her deeper. Our tongues touched and electricity sparked through my body. Her arms came around my waist and my hand pressed against her lower back.

  We kissed like it was the last time we’d ever do it. But it wouldn’t be though. I planned on kissing her a lot more in the near future which was why I pulled away. We were both breathing heavy and my dick was screaming at me to stop being a gentleman, but I ignored it. I kissed her gently on the lips one last time.

  “Text me the next time you’re free. I’d love to take you out again,” I said, and she smiled before she nodded and opened her door.

  “Goodnight Trent, I had an amazing time tonight,” she said.

  “Me too love. Sweet dreams, Candy,” I replied before I walked back to my car. I glanced over my shoulder and grinned as she waited at the door for me. I didn’t put the car in drive until she shut the front door and I saw the light to an upstairs room turn on.

  Chapter 7: Candy

  Sweet Dreams

  When I got to work the next morning, I was in a bit of a daze. I hadn’t expected to have as much fun as I did with Trent. He was funny and a great conversationalist. One of the things I found the most attractive in a man was his intelligence. Being able to hold a conversation was the absolute best turn-on for me and last night, Trent stimulated me on every level.

  When I’d crawled into bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. It was odd for me because I was usually happy to forget about my dates, but it was different with him. I didn’t want to brush him off. I actually wanted to spend more time with him.

  When I finally fell asleep, I dreamed of him. Of him holding me close while we sat on the couch watching a movie. It was snowing outside which told me it was months in the future. I’d woken up shaken. I was dreaming of a future with a man I’d only been on one date with. It seemed insane but then again, I’d never had this sort of connection with anyone. Kissing on the first date has never been my thing but I kissed him not once but twice. I didn’t regret it one bit.

  Sundays were surprisingly one of our busiest days. We got a lot of weekend orders from people wanting sweets for their Sunday brunches and dinners, so I was in the kitchen bright and early. My employees could handle things on their own, but I liked being in the kitchen. It was a part of who I was. Sure, I took days off. I did at least try to have some semblance of a life outside of the shop, but it was also my security blanket. I felt safe here, at home.

  We only had a few walk-ins that morning and by twelve, we’d fulfilled all of the orders and they were all just waiting for pickup. I was sitting in the dining hall staring at my phone, contemplating on texting Trent. He told me to tell him when I was free again, but I didn’t think he was expecting me to be free again so soon. After talking to him about his job, I knew he was a relatively busy man. He traveled a lot for most of his meetings and so his time could sometimes be limited.

  He’d told me on our date that he was going to be flying out of town later this week and I wanted to see him again before then. So I shot him a text asking if he could come have lunch with me. It wasn’t long before I got a response and was smiling down at my phone when the bell chimed. I was still smiling when I looked up but that smile died when I saw who walked in.

  “Oh you have got to be shitting me,” Sasha said from the register. I couldn’t respond though. Because this had to be the universe’s way of screwing with me because why, after two years, would my ex-boyfriend show up the morning after my first real date?

  Ridge didn’t even look in Sasha’s direction. We’d been together long enough for him to know to ignore her. The two of them had bumped heads on more than one occasion and it was safe to say they weren’t the biggest fans of one another.

  Ridge came towards me and I couldn’t read his expression. It had been two years since we’d broken up. I’d changed since then, and I was sure he had too. Why he was in my shop, I had no idea, but I knew it couldn’t be good.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked. His blue eyes looked me over from head to toe. I used to care what he thought of me. Mostly because he used to make a big deal out of my appearance. Dating a black woman had been new to him. He’d always been attracted to us, but he never felt confident to approach. But one fateful day, we met at a coffee shop and we clicked. I’d fallen for him quickly.

  He was handsome, funny, and very well-educated. He was successful and he seemed to have his life together. He’d also been crazy in love with me. Until he wasn’t anymore. Until his colleagues would make comments about my curves and he’d suggest I should maybe go on a diet. Until his parents pointed out how big my natural hair was, and he suggested I keep it straight. Until one day someone pointed out just how “dark” I was, and he tried to find excuses for it. He loved me until people made him question why. Until he decided it would be easier for him to date a blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman whose complexion was closer to his own. Until he left me and married that woman.

  “No hello?” he asked and I didn’t respond. I wasn’t going to play this game with him and when I didn’t respond, he knew it too.

  “Why are you here, Ridge?”

  He sighed and gestured for me to take a seat. I didn’t. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “Candy, can you please sit down? I need to talk to you and it’s really important.”

  “That’s why phones exist,” I said.

  “If you’d seen my
name on the caller ID would you have even answered?” he countered and I looked away because the answer was no. I wouldn’t have answered. I would have sent him straight to voicemail before blocking his number.

  I checked the time and sighed. I needed to get him out of my shop before Trent showed up. I didn’t feel like explaining Ridge to him, even though I knew I’d have to eventually. So I sat down and Ridge followed suit.

  He stared at me for a long moment and I knew my face was showing my impatience. He shook his head and leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. “I know you’re surprised to see me and that it’s not a good surprise. I didn’t mean to pop up on you like this, but I felt you should hear this from me before someone else told you,” he said, and I scoffed.

  “Oh, you mean like how I heard from someone else you were cheating on me and were planning on marrying the woman?”

  He had the nerve to look chagrined and I had the urge to punch him in the face, but I refrained.

  “Can you get on with this so you can leave?”

  He sighed before he sucked in another deep breath. “Charlotte and I are getting a divorce.”

  I blinked at him rapidly and wondered if I’d heard him correctly. It wasn’t like it mattered much to me anyway. We’d been over for a long time and I wasn’t sitting around waiting for him to come around. I could never go back to him after what he did to me.

  “Why do you think I needed to hear this from you? I don’t care about you getting divorced from the woman you cheated on me with and left me for. Now, you’ve come here and wasted my time.”

  His head jerked back as if my response surprised him. Maybe it did. I’d never been demure when it came to my feelings, but I’d never really been blunt either. But I was a different person and I wasn’t going to stand for his bullshit.

  “I came because I need to tell you this. I needed to tell you that I messed up. I know this. I’ve known it for the past two years. Listen, if we could just have dinner or something, I’d like to talk to you about everything. Just give me a chance to explain.”

  I scoffed and shook my head. Ridge was charming as hell. He always had been. It was his charm and smile that had got me to begin with. It was the same charm that Trent had that initially made me want to run in the opposite direction. Charming men ended up breaking your heart and I was not ready to have my heart broken again.

  “Look, there’s nothing for you to explain. There’s nothing I care to hear. You made your choices and now I’ve made mine. I don’t care about your divorce or the reason why it happened. You’re no longer a part of my life and no longer my problem.”

  Ridge stared at me like he had no idea who I was which was fine by me. I was glad he didn’t recognize me. I was glad he could see I was no longer the woman who used to put up with his shit. I was over this and I just wanted him gone.

  “Candy, I still love you,” he said, and I almost laughed but then Trent’s voice stopped me.

  “I’m pretty sure she’s made her feelings clear.” I looked up and I sighed in relief to see him standing there. The situation wasn’t the best, but I was glad he was there. I needed Ridge gone and quickly.

  Ridge looked up and his eyes widened before they narrowed. He looked back at me and let out a hard laugh. “Trenton Hunter? You’re fooling around with Trenton Hunter?” I went to correct his assumption but like an asshole he spoke over me. “He’s the biggest manwhore in the city! You think you had it bad with me? He’ll be sleeping around on you with a different woman every week.”

  I looked up at Trent, who was clearly pissed at what Ridge had said. He looked at Ridge with so much disdain that it almost made me recoil. He then took a seat next to me and I glanced over at him. I had no idea what he was thinking but Trent wasn’t the type of man to beat around the bush and he didn’t. He laced his fingers with mine and Ridge’s eyes locked on to them. His nostrils flared and I wanted to kick him in the balls for acting this way. He had absolutely no right to and yet here he was, acting like a jealous boyfriend.

  “You know me, but I don’t believe we’ve ever met,” Trent said. “And yet you seem to know so much about me. Who are you and why are you here harassing a woman who is clearly uncomfortable with your presence?”

  Ridge’s eyes darted to me before he turned his attention back to Trent. “She’s not uncomfortable with me. We were together for nearly three years. She knows me.”

  “But it seems you don’t know her.” I glanced at Trent and nearly felt my heart beat out of my chest. He’d said exactly what I was thinking. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or if it freaked me out. We spent one night together, and it seemed he figured me out better in one night than Ridge had done our entire relationship.

  “I know her,” Ridge growled but Trent didn’t look phased. He just lifted our hands and kissed my hand before he looked at me.

  “Do you want him here?” he asked, and I shook my head. Ridge said my name in disbelief, but I didn’t take my eyes off of Trent. “Is his presence making you uncomfortable?” I nodded again. “Do you want me to leave?” This time I shook it and Trent grinned before he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my lips. “Okay,” he whispered before he turned back towards Ridge.

  I glanced over at Sasha, who stared on with wide eyes. She pointed at Trent and gave two thumbs up. I bit my lip to stop from laughing and when I glanced at Trent, I saw him doing the same. He’d seen, of course he’d seen. I shook my head and was more than ready for this to be over. It didn’t take long.

  Ridge stood up with a rush, knocking the chair to the floor. I was glad we didn’t have any customers. I didn’t need my customers witnessing the drama that was my life.

  “I don’t know what this is,” he said as he gestured between Trent and I. “But it won’t last. His ex-wife is a supermodel, Candy. Do you really think you measure up?” That was when Trent stood. His face looked thunderous and I wasn’t really sure how he was going to react.

  “That’s enough,” Trent growled. “You need to leave before we have to involve the police. You’re causing a disturbance.”

  Ridge looked ready to argue but I was done. “Please,” I begged. “Go.” He worked his jaw before he shook his head and stormed away. It wasn’t until the door closed did I slump forward. I placed my head on the table and tried to take deep breaths. I was drained. That’s what Ridge did to me. He drained me. Us breaking up was a blessing in disguise. Yes, it had destroyed me. I’d been broken and didn’t know if I could ever move on from it. But I did. Yes, I was different afterwards, but I was whole again.

  A hand rubbed circles on my back and a kiss was placed on my neck. “Come on baby, let’s go get something eat. I think we have a lot to talk about.”

  I sighed and looked up at Trent. He looked worried and that made me want to hug him. So I nodded and took his hand. I didn’t know where this conversation was going to go but I wasn’t sure I was going to like it.

  Chapter 8: Trent

  Sweet and Sour

  Candy was quiet as we walked down the street to the deli. She didn’t resist when I held her hand so that was a good sign. When we got inside, the cashier smiled. She knew my order and didn’t even ask what I wanted. I glanced down at Candy, who looked from the cashier to me. I could see the gears turning in her head and I wanted to find her ex and put my fist in his face for making her doubt me.

  “I come here three times a week for lunch. They have the best prime rib sandwiches in the city. I always order them.” Candy studied my face for a moment before she nodded and ordered the same.

  We found an empty table and sat there in silence. Candy stared at me as she waited for me to speak. I laced our fingers together because the need to touch her was so strong. I ran my thumb across hers and she sighed.

  “Wanna tell me what Ridge was going on about?” she asked, and I nodded.

  “Some things aren’t easy to talk about and usually I wouldn’t bring it up. I haven’t met a lot of women that I actually want to know me. I want you to know me
Candy because I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’m very into you.” A small grin tugged at her lips and I wanted to kiss her so badly, but I needed to clear things up. So I squeezed her hand and told her my story.

  “I met my ex-wife when I was fourteen. Our fathers were business partners, our mothers were best friends. They’d basically shoved us together and told us we were going to be together. Don’t get me wrong, I have amazing parents, but they can be overbearing. Melissa, she wanted me, I wasn’t so sure about her, but my mother was sure she’d be good for me and she was for a while.

  “By the time I’d graduated college, Melissa was already a very well-known model. She traveled a lot so we didn’t see much of each other. When we got married it was a marriage of convenience. We loved each other but we weren’t in love. We did what was expected of us because we thought it was easier.

  “Thinking about my wedding day made me want to riot. It should have been a joyous occasion, but I’d just went through the motions. I hadn’t had any bursts of joy and happiness. Probably because I wasn’t happy.

  “Anyway, for the first few years of our marriage, we barely saw each other. She had her career and I was preparing to take over for my father. We were married but there was no real marriage. I never cheated on her, but she couldn’t say the same. When it didn’t bother me, that was the first sign that us being married was stupid. I told her I wanted a divorce and for whatever reason it pissed her off. She wasn’t in love with me, so I didn’t understand why we just couldn’t go our separate ways. I didn’t find out until much later that her career was dwindling. She was getting fewer jobs and the ones she was getting was only because she was tossing my name around. Telling these brands they could use me to help them get ultimate advertising for cheaper than what they were paying. She was basically pimping me and my company out to keep her relevant.”