“I love you, too.” He simply held her close, then leaned back and smiled. “We’re starting out with three children; do you think it’s a stretch to get to eight?”
Maddie giggled. He was going to be the best dad, and she felt so blessed to be with him. “I think we should have four or five of our own, then adopt as many as they’ll let us.”
Zack trailed his hands through her hair. “My dad is going to have a fit when I’m too busy with babies to work like he wants.”
“He can deal with you working less. I’m the boss around here.”
Zack laughed. “That you are, my love. That you are.” He kissed her until the girls came demanding food.
Zack gave them each a cheese stick to tide them over and sat them at the bar. He and Maddie held hands, and he turned to her. “Do you want to give them the news?”
Maddie wiped at her eyes, suddenly overcome with the emotion of it all. “Chalise, Izzy. What do you think if you both start calling us Mom and Dad and we are all a family?”
The girls squealed with delight and hugged each other. Maddie wished she had a picture of it. They were so cute.
“We’re also going to go get Alex, and he’ll be part of our family too.”
“I get a little brother?” Chalise yelled. “Yippee!”
“And we’re going to buy you both beautiful dresses tomorrow so Maddie and I can get married,” Zack said.
“Can we eat at a restaurant after?” Isabella asked. They’d taken her away from the orphanage to eat a few times, and she was obsessed with it.
“The nicest restaurant I can find,” Zack assured her.
“Thank you, Daddy.” Isabella beamed up at him.
Daddy. Maddie loved that her little girls would have the most loving, fun, and protective daddy ever. Zack hurried around the bar to hug Isabella. Chalise went into his other arm. Maddie walked to all of them, and they formed a circle with the girls between their arms.
“This is the best family ever!” Chalise declared.
Maddie smiled at Zack over the girls’ heads. “I completely agree.”
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Additional Works
by Cami Checketts
Try These Other Destination Billionaire Romance books
If you enjoyed Hawaiian Masquerade you will love the other books in the Destination Billionaire Romance series.
The Reclusive Billionaire by Lucy McConnell
Shadows in the Curtain by Cami Checketts
Almost Everything by Taylor Hart
The Lucky Billionaire by Jeanette Lewis
Hawaiian Masquerade by Rachelle J. Christensen
Keep reading for a sneak peak at The Angler, the Baker, and the Billionaire by Amberlee Day and Everything to Lose by Jennifer Youngblood and Sandra Poole.
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Book Excerpt
Everything to Lose coming September 2016
by Jennifer Youngblood and Sandra Poole
Before her father’s passing, Samantha’s exposure to death was limited to her dog getting hit by a car when she was twelve. That was upsetting, but this was agonizing, like her legs had been cut at the knees and she was supposed to crawl across the floor like nothing happened.
Samantha, along with her mother and sister, sat stiffly in the formal living room of their palatial home. There was an eerie feeling to the mundane scene, reminding Samantha of particles of dust caught in a vacuum of space and time—unable to move backwards and incapable of moving forward. The parquet floor with the vintage Moroccan rug, the plush furniture with the custom drapes, it all looked so normal, and yet, everything was completely different. She glanced at her younger sister, Danielle, or Dani as the family called her, seemed to read Samantha’s thoughts.
“I still can’t believe Dad’s gone. It feels like he should walk through the door any minute,” Dani said in a hushed tone. Her lower lip trembled as a tear dribbled down her cheek. She brushed it away with the heel of her hand.
“I know.” Samantha put a comforting hand over Dani’s ice-cold fingers. Their dad had been everything to them—the faithful lighthouse in the sea of hotheaded females that kept the family on an even course. What were they supposed to do without him? A lump formed in Samantha’s throat as liquid grief gathered in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, squaring her jaw. Now was not the time to break down. She had the rest of her life to mourn his passing; but right now, she needed to be strong for Dani and her mother. She was the fixer in the family, and they were depending on her to carry them through this. All she had to do was get through the next few hours, then she could fall to pieces in the privacy of her own room.
Samantha looked at her mother sitting across from them in the wingback chair. Her posture was stiff, her legs crossed, and she twisted a tissue around and around in her hands. Even though Katia Fairchild was in her late fifties, she was still a beautiful woman. Of Russian descent, she had high cheekbones and defined features. As usual, her makeup and hair were flawless, but grief had left an indelible mark, making her look older and drawn like a balloon that was slowly losing air. Up to this point, the biggest challenges in Katia’s life had been deciding which brands of clothing to carry in her upscale boutique in the midtown section of Sacramento, California. She brushed a shaky hand back from her platinum blonde hair. Her sapphire eyes were normally lively; the cold, vacant look in them shook Samantha to the core. Occasionally, Katia would make eye contact with Samantha as unspoken communication passed between them. Help me, her mother seemed to plead. Do something to fix this!
To make matters worse, Katia’s health was finicky due to a heart condition. Long ago, by an unspoken agreement, Samantha and her father had banded together in order to construct a protective cocoon around Katia that would prevent her from becoming too upset or distraught. A shudder slithered down Samantha’s spine. There was no way to protect her mother from the effects of her father’s death. Would Katia be able to hold up under the stress? It was bad enough to lose one parent. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her mother too.
It was crazy to think that a mere week and a half ago they were going about their normal routines—everything moving forward at a predictable, yet pleasant pace. Samantha was a full-time college student at Sacramento State and Dani was living the indulgent life of a pampered, twenty-something-year-old, trying to find herself. And then, out of the blue, everything changed. Her mom and dad were getting dressed to go to the theatre when her dad complained of not feeling well. He sat down on the edge of the bed and clutched his chest as he doubled over in pain. Katia called 911, but by the time the paramedics arrived, he was gone. The next day’s headline of The Sacramento Bee read: Real Estate Tycoon Elliot Fairchild dead from a massive heart attack at sixty-two.
“It’s two thirty. We’re supposed to be at the lawyer’s office at three.” Dani thrust out her lower lip. “If traffic’s heavy, we won’t make it on time. We should’ve left fifteen minutes ago.”
“Yes, I know that,” Samantha tried to keep her voice even. Dani was not only her sister, but also her best friend. Still, the two routinely grated on each other’s nerves. Their mother often compared their temperaments to articles of clothing, saying Samantha was the dependable, yet quality brand, whereas Dani was the high-dollar, special order version.
In looks, Samantha was more classically beautiful, having inherited her mother’s sapphire eyes and facial structure, but her hair was cinnamon colored and tended to go lighter on the ends in the summ
er, giving her the ombre hairstyle that was so highly sought after. Dani, on the other hand, was two inches taller than Samantha’s curvy frame and toothpick skinny. Her arresting almond-shaped eyes and think mane of wavy hair were her best features.
“It’s ridiculous that we’re sitting here, waiting, when we can just as easily drive ourselves.” Dani glared at the door.
Dani was right, of course, but there was no sense in stating the obvious. They were meeting at the attorney’s office for the reading of their dad’s will; it wasn’t as if the proceeding could start without them. “Calm down.” She squeezed Dani’s arm. “Mom wants Anthony to go with us in case anything comes up that we don’t understand.” Why couldn’t Dani stop thinking about herself long enough to see that a therapist and anti-depressants were the only things keeping Katia functional? The last thing they needed was for her to have another episode with her heart.
Dani rolled her eyes. “Despite what everyone in this house seems to think, Anthony doesn’t hold the monopoly on brains.” Her voice rose. “We have enough sense to think for ourselves.” She made a face. “Besides, Anthony wouldn’t come at all if he didn’t have the hots for you.”
Samantha’s face twisted in shock. “No he doesn’t. That’s ridiculous.”
Dani smirked. “Anyone with eyes can see how he looks at you.”
The outburst seemed to bring Katia out of her fog. She turned to Dani. “That’s enough. Anthony was a close friend of your father’s. He’s been a tremendous support for me since Elliot …” The words got cut off in a choke as her lower lip trembled. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
“Look what you’ve done!” Samantha rushed to her mother’s side.
“I haven’t done anything,” Dani said, her eyes going round. “I was only stating the truth.” She flung her hands in the air. “What’s wrong with that?”
Samantha rubbed Katia’s back. “It’s okay, Mom. It’s okay.” She hoped if she said it often enough, it would turn into the truth. Their lives had been thrown into a blender, and they were supposed to make sense of whatever came out.
The doorbell rang.
“There’s Anthony now. Look at me, I’m a wreck.” Katia dabbed her eyes in an attempt to pull herself together.
Dani stepped up to Katia and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Mom,” she said with a hint of true remorse.
Katia offered a strained smile as she reached for Dani’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze. “It’s all right. We’re all just tense right now.”
The maid answered the door and led Anthony into the formal living room. Samantha was the first to greet him. “Hi, thanks for coming,” she said, extending her hand.
Normally, Anthony was a couple of inches taller than she, but with her heels, they were eye level. She sensed he didn’t like the two of them being the same height. He clasped her hand in his, holding it a second longer than was necessary, as his eyes flickered over her appreciatively. “I’m so sorry I’m late. Traffic was a beast.”
“GREAT. Just what I was afraid of. Now, thanks to you, we’ll never make it on time,” Dani lamented, flinging her hands in the air.
Samantha wanted to wring the drama queen’s neck. She gave Anthony an apologetic look that said I’m sorry my sister is such a moron. His face turned a deep red as he pulled at his tie. Used to putting out Dani’s fires, Samantha coolly pulled out her cell. ”It’s fine. I’ll call the lawyer’s office and tell them we’re running a few minutes behind. I’m sure they’ll understand, considering the circumstances.” She forced a smile. “Anthony, I hope you know how much we appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to go with us today. It means the world to my mother.”
His dark, fathomless eyes lingered on hers. “Only your mother?”
Pink tinged her cheeks. “To me too … um, the whole family.” Geez. Could this get anymore awkward? She could tell from the amused looked on Dani’s face that she enjoyed every minute of this.
“It’s my pleasure to help anyway I can,” he said.
Was he attracted to her? Surely not. Now that the thought was rooted in her head, she’d never be able to look at him the same way again. Thanks, Dani. Anthony was too old to consider romantically—at least ten years older by her estimation. Small-boned with sharp features, black eyes, and closely cropped dark hair, Anthony wasn’t bad looking. Just average. Even so, what he lacked in physical appearance, he made up for in drive and determination. Anthony was a hotshot in the real estate world and was always traveling to some distant location to close another deal. He was a little stiff in social situations and tended to clam up when uncomfortable. Other than that, all she really knew about him was that he was worth billions. Despite her discomfort, it was probably a good thing he was going with them today.
“How’s your mother doing?” Anthony asked, keeping his voice low.
“Not good,” Samantha admitted. “She’s barely holding it together.”
“I’m sorry.”
Tears brimmed in her eyes. “Thank you.”
* * *
Samantha watched Butler Henderson sit up taller in his seat. He pulled his suit coat over his round belly and buttoned it before pushing his glasses up on his nose. There seemed to be a momentary hesitation, and from the way his eyes darted around the conference room, Samantha got the impression he was nervous.
“Thank you for coming,” he said solemnly. “Before we get to the reading of the will, there are some items that we need to discuss.” He hesitated. “As you know, I’ve handled the affairs of the estate for many years. Not only was Elliot a client, but also a dear friend.” He cleared his throat. “Which makes this all the more difficult.”
“What do you mean?” Katia said, casting an apprehensive glance in Samantha’s direction.
He took a deep breath and drummed his fingers on the desk. “Elliot was a risk-taker. He was involved in myriads of ventures, and the past few years have been especially difficult. No one expected the shopping plaza in downtown Sacramento to go bust. Furthermore, Elliott invested heavily in the Vegas housing market, which was hit hard. He borrowed to keep everything afloat, then he got in over his head.” He rubbed his nose. “I’m sure he thought he could turn things around.” He paused. “And he might’ve done just that … had he lived long enough.”
Katia’s face drained. “What’re you saying?”
“I’m sorry. I wish I had better news, but all that’s left of the estate is debt.”
She gasped. “No, that can’t be right. What about Elliot’s life insurance policy?”
“Elliot had a two-hundred-thousand dollar policy. I’ve put the paperwork into action, so it can be funded to you.”
“There must be some mistake. Elliott and I discussed this a few years ago. He told me he had a million dollar policy,” Katia said, looking wild-eyed.
Butler peered over his glasses. “There must’ve been a miscommunication. Elliot didn’t see the wisdom in paying high premiums for a life insurance policy. He preferred to put the money into investments.”
Katia’s hands shook. “This can’t be happening.” She shook her head. “I don’t believe this.”
A wave of dizziness pummeled over Samantha as she put a hand over Katia’s. “What about the house?” she squeaked, dreading the answer. She and Dani had been living in the same house with their parents since they were born.
“He borrowed against that too,” Butler said, “although your house will bring top dollar because of the location. The Fabulous 40’s is a highly desirable area of East Sacramento, and it sits on a larger lot. There will be a considerable profit from the sale, but it will need to go toward paying off the debts. It’s my sincere hope that the sale of the home will cover the outstanding debts, so that you’ll be able to keep the life insurance policy to live on.”
A strangled sob erupted from Katia’s throat as she looked pleadingly at Anthony. She put a hand over her heart. “Isn’t there anything we can do? I can’t lose my house.”
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Dani clenched her first. “This is ludicrous. I can’t believe there’s not something that can be done to keep the house.”
All eyes turned to Anthony. They’d dragged him along for support, and it was time for him to rise to the occasion. He gave the lawyer a steely look. “Dani’s right. There must be something that can be done—some way for Katia to keep the house.”
Butler mopped his forehead with the side of his hand. “Unless one of you has access to a whole lot of money, I don’t see another solution. I really am terribly sorry.”
Samantha sat there, stunned. She’d lost her father, and now they would lose the house. Her mind clamored to come up with a solution. “We can get jobs,” she blurted. “I can drop out of school and go to work full time.” She looked at Dani. “You can work too.”
“Of course I can work,” Dani piped in.
“Yes, you will certainly need jobs to provide for yourselves,” Butler said, a look of pity in his eyes, “but no ordinary job is going to be enough to pay these debts. The house will have to be sold.”
There was a note of finality in Butler’s voice, and Samantha had the suffocating feeling of being stuffed into a tiny box. The lid was closed, and nails were being hammered in.
“What about my boutique?” Katia said.
“It’s been losing money every year. Elliot was supplementing it, then taking the loss as a tax write-off.” Butler lifted his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Long story short, I don’t see any hope of holding onto it.”
“I see,” Katia said, her voice devoid of emotion.
Dani turned to Samantha. There was a panicked look on her face as she whispered, “Losing Dad and the boutique might do her in.”
Samantha refused to give up so easily. There had to be a solution. She turned to her mother. “If we put our heads together and come up with a plan, surely we can make the boutique turn a profit. Mom? Don’t you think we could make it work?”
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