by Layla Holt
HIS EX
THE COHAN BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS
BOOK TWO
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LAYLA HOLT
Copyright ©LaylaHolt, 2020. The author has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. This book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
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In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
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Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
EPILOGUE | Six months later
Chapter One
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Her Wedding
This is an introduction to The Cohan family and if you haven’t read Megan’s story, download it here for free.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
THE COHAN BILLIONAIRE Brothers is a series of books that begin with Her wedding, a free Novella that introduces readers to The Cohan family. You can DOWNLOAD IT HERE for free!
EVERY BOOK IN THIS series can be read as a standalone as each book focuses on a couple’s love story to their Happy Ever After. However, to get the most out of each book, I recommend that you read them in chronological order.
HER WEDDING
HIS SECRET BABY
HIS EX
ABOUT
HIS FAMILY HATES HER.
He hates her.
RUBY IS BACK IN LOCKWOOD, a town that never forgot that she broke one of its beloved son’s heart when she stood him up on their wedding day.
She only plans to be there long enough to wrap up her parents’ affairs and then hightail it back to New York, her safe place.
All it takes one glance from Dean, one hug, one kiss and all her plans are shattered.
Ruby is back in town. She’s the girl he who left him at the altar and took his heart with her...and the girl Dean never wanted to see again.
She broke his heart once, but he’s not foolish enough to give her another chance to break it again.
Until she starts chipping at the ice block that is his heart little by little, until he cannot imagine a life without her.
Except Ruby will always be Ruby. The girl who sees life as greener on the other side.
Can they recapture what they had or will the pain and hurt from four years ago prove to be too wide a gulf to bridge?
Chapter One
Ruby Stewart walked liked she owned the world. That was the one thing that four years away had not altered about her. Dean’s plan when his secretary told him that Ruby was waiting to see him, was to act nonchalant and busy. But as soon as the door swung open, he’d looked up, unable to stop himself from staring at her as she strode in.
He took in her tall elegant form, and the high-heeled knee-length suede boots she had always loved. She had worn a hat at the funeral two months earlier, but now he saw that her hair was styled in a short curly cut that made her seem even more out of reach of ordinary men.
Ruby pushed her sunglasses up to her forehead. He met her gaze and felt a punch to his gut. A myriad of emotions came over him. Anguish, pain, regret...but the one that overrode all of them was anger. For four years, he had dissected every moment that they had spent together, searching for clues why she had left him at the altar.
At her parents’ funeral, he had not seen her eyes or spent more than a few minutes in her company. And they had been surrounded by people. Now, she shut the door and it was just the two of them.
“Hi,” she said.
He should have gotten someone else to stand in for him. He couldn’t handle being her lawyer. Seeing her was like having a wound that had been healing nicely, suddenly ripped open.
“Are you still angry at me?” she said.
Dean stared at her in disbelief. “Angry? Heck no! Why would I be angry at the woman who left me at the altar. A woman who skipped town without a single explanation, except for a sorry email weeks later.”
Jaw clenched, he glared at her.
She lowered her head and sat down. “I’m sorry Dean.”
All the hurt and humiliation of that day and months that followed boiled down to one phrase. “I’m sorry Dean.” As if mere words could erase all that had happened. It was four years ago, but the avalanche of emotions he felt made it seem like yesterday.
“Maybe I can come back another time,” Ruby said and made as if to stand.
“Sit!” Dean barked.
She looked at him startled. He had frightened her. Shame flooded him and all anger left him. He sat still and waited for his heartbeat to slow down. He could have kicked himself for his reaction. He’d promised himself to be cool and professional.
Not let their past interfere with what he needed to do. Instead, he’d behaved like a complete fool. Well, that was the last time she would see his anger or pain. Whatever had happened between them was in the past.
Dean took in her red-rimmed eyes. It suddenly hit him. This was a woman in mourning. In one sweeping moment, she had lost both her parents. They had attended a wedding north of the state and from what Dean had gathered, they were supposed to spend the night and drive back the following day.
No one knew why they had a change of plan and decided to drive back that evening even though it was late. Their car had plummeted off a cliff and they’d both lost their lives. The police suspected that Ruby’s dad had fallen asleep behind the wheel.
Dean took in Ruby’s frail appearance. He longed to take her in his arms and squeeze the pain of loss from her body.
He could have punched himself for tearing into her. She needed comfort and understanding, not an ex-fiancé who still carried a grudge from the past. He would be what she needed, for the sake of her parents who had trusted him, and their friendship. Because, once upon a time, he and Ruby had been the best of friends.
“I’m sorry about your parents. They were good people,” Dean said.
Her eyes filled up and she bit her lower lip. She was fighting not to cry. It took every ounce of his self-control not to go to her. She lowered her head and when she looked up again, the tears were gone.
Ruby had been a strong woman and he was glad to see that she still was. Losing a loved one was brutal, losing your beloved parents at the same time in a senseless accident was unimaginable.
“Thank you for coming,” Dean said.
She had bolted after the funeral and all his efforts to reach her had been unsuccessful. He had called her agent countless times and each time, the man had said that Ruby wasn’t taking any calls but he’d pass on a message. Two months had passed and he’d given up
hope of reaching her.
And now, here she was.
“How have you been?” he asked her softly.
She shrugged. “I’ve coped with the worst of it.”
“I tried to reach you countless times,” Dean said.
“Bernie told me. I’m sorry, I wasn’t in a good place. I needed time,” she said and then smiled shakily. “I’m here now.”
“Good,” Dean said, his heart breaking at how brave she was. “As you know, your parents left everything to you, including the bakery café.”
She smiled. “I expect that it’s been shut down.”
Dean shook his head. That was the beauty of a town where everyone knew everyone else and looked out for each other. “It’s been running. Everyone agreed to keep it going until you were ready to make a decision and they had gotten over their own grief.”
Ruby’s gorgeous eyes widened. “Are you serious? What about their pay? Everything?”
“We managed,” Dean said. “The team at Blue Bakery is wonderful. They are good people. Your father was a good boss and they all speak highly of him.”
She looked away and he wondered what was going on in that pretty head of hers. Was she regretting leaving all those years ago? Thinking what might have been if she had stayed?
“My plan is to sell it as quickly as possible and go back to New York.”
Disappointment washed over Dean. She still hated Lockwood and couldn’t wait to leave. Why had he allowed himself to hope that she would stay? Even if she stayed, what would be the purpose of that? All Ruby brought to him was heartache.
It was better if she left and he continued with his own life. His own miserable existence.
“In that case, we can put it on the market.”
“Good,” she said. “I’d like to meet the staff tomorrow if it’s possible.”
“Anything is possible. Blue Bakery belongs to you. What time?” Dean said.
“About eleven,” Ruby said. “When the morning crowd has eased off.”
Dean formally read the will for her and to her credit, she did not shed another tear. There was the house where she had grown up and where her parents had lived, before they passed on.
“Where are you staying?” Dean asked.
“Home,” Ruby said and shrugged. “It’s comforting.”
He nodded. That made sense. No point in staying in a hotel when her parents’ home was available. Twenty minutes later, the meeting was over and there was no reason to keep Ruby longer. Except he didn’t want her to go.
“Anything else?” she said.
“No, that’s it for today,” Dean said and stood up. “I’ll meet you tomorrow morning at the bakery.” He went around his desk to open the door for her.
She stood up and faced him. “You don’t have to do that. You’ve done enough.”
“It’s part of my job,” Dean said.
She struck out her hand. Instead of taking it, Dean caught it and pulled her into a hug. She had always fitted into his arms perfectly. She wrapped her hands around his neck naturally and he pulled her close. He inhaled her sweet orange scent and let out a sigh.
He had missed her. It didn’t matter that she had broken his heart into a million pieces. She was still Ruby, the girl who had captured his heart when he was eighteen years old. The girl he had loved fiercely for years. He couldn’t erase their past.
When he let go of her, he saw that her eyes had filled up. She cupped his cheek. “It was good to see you Dean.” She kissed him on the cheek, turned and strode out.
“THANK YOU, EVELYN,” Ruby said and waved at Dean’s secretary as she was leaving.
Seeing Dean had awoken feelings she’d thought had long disappeared. He still affected her physically and she’d spent most of the meeting taking in his boyish good looks. His grey black eyes had shone with anger and other emotions she could not identify. Dean had never been easy to read.
Alone in the elevator, Ruby covered her face with her hands. What had she done? Clearly four years had not been enough time to heal Dean’s heart. She had lived with the consequences of her actions for four years. No amount of success could make up for the fact that she had hurt someone she loved.
She couldn’t bear to think about the rest of the family. Ruby was sure that Mrs. Cohan hated her, as did the rest of the family. She remembered her meeting with Adrian and his sweet fiancée in the elevator. His eyes had shone with dislike, and she couldn’t blame him.
She sighed deeply, her body and soul weary. If she could go back in time she would. She would have handled everything so differently. The elevator came to a stop on the ground floor and Ruby strode out. She fished out the keys of her rented car and moments later she was driving towards Carmel Brooks.
She had fought to keep him away from her thoughts for four years and had largely succeeded. Now, all she could think about was Dean. He hadn’t asked her the one question she was sure had plagued him. Why had she run? Why hadn’t she spoken to him about it, after all they’d been best friends.
Ruby shuddered. She needed to go back to New York. To her safe place. As soon as she parked the car in front of the house where she had grown up, Ruby’s phone vibrated. She reached into her handbag and pulled it out.
“Hi there,” Ruby answered with a smile.
“I wasn’t sure I’d get you, what with phone signals being what they are in far flung places,” her best friend, Penny said in a breathless voice.
Ruby laughed. Penny had been born and bred in New York and according to her, anywhere else was ‘far flung’.
“Lockwood is a big town, no issues of network here,” Ruby said.
“Whatever you say,” Penny said. “Did you meet Dean?”
Ruby had once showed Penny pictures of Dean and she had whistled and demanded to know why Ruby had left him behind.
“I did and it went as well as I expected,” Ruby said, her tone sarcastic.
“You expected it though,” Penny reminded her. “You left the man at the altar and ran off to the big bad city. He wasn’t going to welcome you with open arms.”
“I know,” Ruby said. “What hurt was to see that he’s still in pain.”
“He’s not the only one,” Penny quipped.
“What do you mean?” Ruby said “I got over Dean years ago.”
“Is that why a week doesn’t go by before Dean’s name comes up?” Penny said.
Penny was exaggerating. She did not talk about Dean and besides, what was there to talk about? Sure, she saw a few articles about his family in the local newspapers. To be perfectly honest, she actively looked for stories about the Cohan family online but that was to be expected, wasn’t it?
After all, they had been part of her life growing up.
“I’m home now,” Ruby said, staring at her parents’ home. Overwhelming sadness came over her as she stared at the front door.
Whenever there was a visitor, her mother would always be the one to open the front door. Ruby could imagine her now, bursting out the front door, a huge smile on her face. Her mother believed that anyone who visited was the bearer of exciting news.
“I wish I’d come with you,” Penny said.
“I know but I understand,” Ruby said. The life of a busy model was running from one job to another. You never knew when the offers would dry up.
They spoke a bit longer and then said goodbye. Ruby got out of the car and pulled her two cases from the trunk. She wheeled them to the front door, got the key from the secret hiding spot under a stone, and inserted it. She pushed the door open and wheeled in her cases.
As soon as she shut the front door, memories flooded her and hit her afresh. She would never see her parents again. Never listen to her father talking about his day at the bakery or be held in her mother’s arms. Ruby sank to the floor, sat cross-legged and allowed the tears to come.
Chapter Two
As soon as Ruby stepped into the bakery café, the rich, aromatic scent of roasted beans wafted up her nostrils. It was not busy and onl
y a few tables were occupied. The server, a young brown-haired woman named Ella was taking down an older couple’s order.
That time of morning was the least busy for the bakery café. Ruby took the time to look around. The huge coffee machine was new and it seemed as if the café side of the bakery was taking up more space.
Ruby’s gaze moved to the wall and she smiled at the sight of the awards and newspaper articles. Her father had been so proud of them.
Where to get the best pastry.
Best baked goods in the county.
Lockwood’s best bakery.
Ruby remembered how pleased he had been when he got the best baker award for the county. She had showered him with praise but her praise meant nothing. The only person whose praise he craved was the one person who never offered any. His wife.
Her father had spent all his married life trying to prove to her mother that she had made the right choice in marrying him. Her mother, on the other hand, spent her married life proving to him and Ruby that she had made a mistake by choosing marriage over a career in Hollywood.
Ruby frowned as she looked at the counter. It looked empty. Then it hit her. It was spring. Her mother’s season. The one period of the year when she came alive, bringing fresh lilacs to the bakery café every morning. She’d carefully arrange the purple flowers in a vase and place them on the counter.
The sound of the door swinging open brought Ruby out of her thoughts. She swung around and came face to face with Dean. He smiled and suddenly all she wanted was to be taken into his arms like he had done in his office.
“You’re early,” he said and enveloped her hand in a warm handshake that sent a shock of pleasure all the way to her toes.
She busied herself by glancing at her wristwatch to compose herself. “It’s just about eleven.”