Brody: The Betting Billionaire (The Billionaire Cowboys of Clearwater County Book 3)

by Bonnie R. Paulson

  “Like I don’t want the two months to end. Ever.” His intense gaze trapped her and he stared down into her eyes. He did feel the same way she did. He’d explained her emotions perfectly, like he could read her mind.

  “Me either.” Could she really be so lucky to have found the one? Could he really care for her the way she did him? How was that possible?

  Brody leaned forward, consuming Kate’s vision. She closed her eyes and lifted her chin, her lips meeting Brody’s in helpless surrender. They melded as if they’d always been meant to kiss, always been meant to be there together in that moment and in that time. Brody wrapped his arms around her and Kate sank further into his embrace. There was no effort to clutch at sanity or restraint, just to be in the moment without insecurities or doubts.

  He filled Kate with comfort and security. She wasn’t sure what had made him take bet with her, but she was glad for the outcome.

  She just hoped nothing could ruin what they’d built together.

  Chapter 16

  Brody

  Brody couldn’t shake his jubilation the next day. He paced in his suite before the sun had even risen in the east. Running his hands through his hair, he decided he couldn’t sit in his room and wait for Kate to wake up. He had to go downstairs and see if he could get something done.

  As he strode through the quiet house, Brody caught the sounds of someone in Trevor’s suites. Were they getting robbed? Fear for Kate’s well-being spurred him toward his brother’s rooms.

  Swinging the door open, Brody stepped inside, his hands balled into fists, ready to take on anyone who might be inside.

  Trevor glanced up from a chest of drawers, eyes wide with surprise. He smiled as he registered Brody’s appearance. “Brody, you’re up early. Or have you still not gone to bed?” He grabbed a handful of clothing and tossed it into a black leather piece of luggage at his feet.

  “What are you doing home so early?” Brody ignored Trevor’s pointed question. They weren’t as close as they could be as brothers, but Brody could take his part of the blame on that one. He wasn’t interested in the same things Trevor was – namely safety. Brody needed risk-taking. He needed the thrill and he didn’t understand Trevor’s reticence to take the leap.

  Except he hadn’t needed that gambling or betting rush over the last six weeks with Kate. He hadn’t needed to chase the bet and that was something he knew he could attribute to her and the constant flood of excitement around her.

  “I’m packing the last of my personal items to take to Kalispell. The house is ready and I wanted to stay there while we finish setting up for the wedding.” Trevor had fallen for a woman from Two Rides, Montana. She wasn’t from his world of money. She was a lot like Kate and Brody could admit now to his envy – not out loud. He’d never admit that to Trevor. If anyone would rub it in Brody’s face, it would be his brother.

  “I’m heading down to the office. When you’re finished up in here, join me. I’ll get some coffee on.” He’d never bother Duncan that early for breakfast. Brody had money. He didn’t have to be rude and ungrateful at the same time.

  ~~~

  “Are you going to be able to convince Jesse to do the honeymoon in Germany?” Brody sipped the French roast he’d brewed and leaned back in the leather chair at the desk.

  Trevor sighed, wrapping his fingers around his mug and shaking his head. “No, that’s just it. Jesse wants a simple honeymoon in a cabin for a few weeks. She doesn’t care where. I thought maybe an island trip or something would appeal to her, but she said she’s done traveling for a while and she wants to settle down. I don’t even know if she wants to stay in Kalispell. I have a feeling we’ll be heading back to Two Rides.” After all the work on the house in Kalispell and Trevor was going to end up back in Jesse’s hometown.

  There were worse places they could be.

  “You’re so screwed. That woman has you wrapped around her finger.” Brody grinned. He didn’t blame Trevor for feeling that way. Jesse was a beautiful woman with a kindness you didn’t find in many people. Plus, if Kate wanted to live in a cave, he would do it and he’d have a hot tub installed.

  Kate pushed the door open, cutting into their conversation. She grinned at Brody. “Are you in here talking to yourself again?” Her gaze fell on Trevor and her eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had company.” She shook her head and glanced questioningly at Brody. Her easy smile faltered and she replaced it with a practiced look Brody recognized as her protective expression.

  Motioning to Kate to join him, Brody pointed at Trevor. “Kate, this is my brother, Trevor. It’s his wedding we’re going to in a couple weeks.” Brody’s pride overtook anything else. He got to introduce a woman of class and character to his brother and Trevor had no idea how amazing she was – yet. “Trevor, this is Kate.” Brody didn’t know if she constituted as his girlfriend, or what, but he could avoid labels until they were ready to define their relationship more. Hopefully, they could jump the traditional boyfriend-girlfriend and somehow move straight to engaged.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” Trevor leaned forward and shook Kate’s hand, his arched eyebrows showing his surprise more than anything else. He glanced at Brody as if seeking more than just a simple introduction. Brody couldn’t wait to fill him in.

  “I’m going to see if Duncan has started breakfast yet. Are you both joining me?” Kate studied Brody as if she doubted what had happened the night before. Her eyes asked for confirmation, no, begged to be assuaged that she hadn’t imagined it.

  “Yes, that sounds perfect. I’ll meet you in there.” He tried to convey his feelings and thoughts with his eyes, but her worry only dimmed. Casting him one last glance, she left the door open as she walked out.

  Trevor watched her leave and then turned to Brody. “So, is she the one?”

  “Yeah, she is.” Brody was comfortable saying that out loud when he hadn’t been sure he would. She was the one and he couldn’t believe he’d finally found her.

  Shaking his head, Trevor reached across the desk and held out his hand. “Well, she definitely seems to feel the same way about you. I’m not going to lie. I doubted your ability to get a woman to fall in love with you in two months. She’s in love with you, Brody. I guess there’s no point in waiting until the wedding. You win the bet. You got a girl to love you in less than two months. I’m seriously impressed. You can have your branch of the business to take control of.”

  A gasp from the doorway cut off Trevor’s words and he dropped his hand to his side.

  Brody jerked his gaze toward Kate who stood at the threshold with tears in her eyes.

  “Nothing made you bet me, right? Nothing.” Searching Brody’s face for the briefest moment, Kate shook her head. Her hair spilled over her shoulder and she scrunched up her nose and turned, fleeing from the room.

  Unable to move, Brody replayed the last few seconds over and over in his mind as if he could somehow find a different outcome, as if he could change what had just happened. Where was the rewind button for reality? He needed a redo and he had no idea how to get it.

  Trevor chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Oops. You need to fix that. I didn’t know she was there. Sorry.” He glanced at Brody and stilled. “What’s wrong? She’s just a bet. There will be others. Pay her or something.” He continued studying Brody as if he truly didn’t understand what had just happened.

  “I love her. She’s actually the one.” Brody’s chest felt empty and hollow. What had just happened?

  “I thought you were joking about her being the one. I mean I could see she cared about you, but I didn’t think you…” Concern stole the mirth from Trevor’s expression. “I honestly had no idea, Brody.” He followed Brody’s gaze out the door with his own. “No. Let’s get this fixed. I’m not going to let you lose the one you’ve been looking all your life for. You deserve to be happy.”

  A flush of brotherly affection warmed Brody enough to face Trevor. “There might not be a way to fix this one.” He reached
up and rubbed his face with his hand.

  He’d lost her. She’d wanted to know why her, why the bet, why-why-why. He’d pushed off her questions, avoided answering. All he’d had to do was own it. He could’ve told her the truth. At least she wouldn’t hate him the way she did now, knowing what she knew.

  He could’ve at least warned her. What if it was too big of a sin to forgive? Brody refused to let her leave without knowing how much she meant to him. But did he have the right to try? Or had he lost that when he’d lied?

  Chapter 17

  Kate

  A bet. Brody had put Kate through all of that because of a bet. Kate’s feelings were the results of a bet with Brody’s brother. All of... She really wasn’t surprised. Why should she be, if she’d initially been bet that she wouldn’t fall for him? A man like that didn’t have anything else that interested him. He wanted to gamble his way through life – even playing with other people’s emotions.

  The entire thing was crazy and Kate dashed the tears from her cheeks as she drove from the Hart Ranch. “You have no one to blame but yourself, Kate.” She spoke out loud to herself, laughing maniacally into the confines of the car. She couldn’t believe it had come to this. And yet… couldn’t she?

  The night before she’d gone to bed feeling like a princess – she’d met her prince and he had fallen for her, even after declaring that he didn’t fall in love. She’d felt invincible, convinced she could do anything or be anyone because Brody had been so adamant that he didn’t love and there he was, saying he loved her.

  She’d fallen asleep believing that she wouldn’t feel alone anymore, or lost, or empty. Even waking had been surreal as she’d been so excited to see him again. Meeting his brother had felt like a natural step, albeit an unexpected one. If they loved each other, wouldn’t they both be in each other’s lives soon and have to meet families and friends?

  But then… she’d stopped in the hallway outside the office doors to fix her shoe. It felt like a rock was wedged in the arch, poking her uncomfortably. After fixing it, she decided to turn back and ask the men if they’d like anything special for breakfast. She’d stopped in the doorway, hearing Trevor talk about her being the one. Her heart had fluttered. And then… Trevor’s statement about the bet had punched her in the chest and her stomach had clenched in disbelief.

  Running had been the only option she had. She couldn’t stay there when everything had been one big joke. She’d never been so devastated. Thankfully, she’d taken to parking her car out front, in the curve of the drive just past the front patio.

  Thanks to Brody, Kate’s car started without issue and she was able to flee without asking for help. At least she could hold onto those threads of her pride with a faltering grip. Her heart… she didn’t want to think about her pain. Kate would never… She’d never be able to feel again, not without…

  Brody… just thinking his name sent shafts of agony through her.

  She made it to the trailer spot in no time, pulling up in front of the RV spot with reckless abandon. A small cloud of dust puffed up behind her skidding tires. Pulling her hair back into a loose knot, she wiped her cheeks one more time. Her mom would know something was off, but hopefully she wouldn’t worry. How different her homecoming was from the giddy conversations they’d had over the last few weeks when Kate had been in the midst of falling in love and rejoicing in their different circumstances.

  Kate had asked her mother if she wanted to move to a new place, and her mom had said she could wait until Kate got back.

  Striding across the short distance from the car door to the trailer, Kate took a steadying breath. She knocked on the door and then opened it, poking her head in. “Mom? Are you in here?” She pasted a fake smile on her lips as if she were excited to leave behind the Hart Ranch and her heart.

  Sandy jumped at the small table where she was bent over a crossword puzzle. She dropped her pen and pressed her hand to her chest. “Kate, honey, you startled me.”

  Kate’s smile became genuine at seeing her mom. She climbed into the trailer, the whole of which moved with each step she took. She tried not to compare it to the steady grandeur of the Hart mansion, but that was difficult to do. It was like being on a horse for hours and hours and then stepping down to walk – it almost didn’t feel natural.

  They embraced and Kate sat across from her mom at the table.

  Studying her, Sandy reached across the table and claimed Kate’s hand. “What happened? You’re back early.” She didn’t say why do you look like you’ve lost your best friend?

  Kate didn’t want to think about it, to dwell. She squeezed her mom’s fingers. “Let’s go to Two Rides, get a place to stay. We could probably buy a place.” She’d forgotten the money – the whole reason she’d even started the crazy adventure in the first place. He couldn’t get that back. If nothing else, Kate truly did feel like she’d earned it. The kind of pain ripping through her wasn’t likely to go away any time soon.

  “I spent the last of the money you gave me on food. We don’t have enough to go anywhere, at least here. You said there was money in the bank? I haven’t been able to go to the bank or anything.” Sandy studied Kate, narrowing her eyes. “What happened? Is everything okay?”

  “Everything is fine, Mom.” Kate smiled. “I think we can sell the trailer in no time. Let’s do that. Gather your stuff and throw it in the back of the car. I’ll get mine and we can leave this place. I don’t want to live here anymore.”

  Her mom’s eyes widened from shock but didn’t slow her as she scrambled to her feet and rapidly gathered her things. For once, Kate wasn’t questioned. She just wanted to get out of there.

  Kate’s mom seemed to feel the same way. At least they both had that in common.

  ~~~

  Stopping in the center of town, Kate glanced up at the white sign reading Bank of Montana – Two Rides. She’d started using the bank when she went to college and their various branches across the state were friendly with good service. There was also a branch on the far side of the state where her dad worked so hard to help them. It was where he deposited the money from his checks that he sent to them.

  “I still can’t believe you sold the trailer to the ranger. He’s been such a nice guy while you’ve been gone. He helped me out a lot.” Kate’s mom smiled and looked at Kate. Her graying hair had been carefully French-braided and she’d put on her cleanest clothes.

  Kate couldn’t wait to get her mom into at least a hotel with hot running water. She’d take her out to dinner for a full meal and they’d go looking for a house the next day. The three-hundred dollars she’d gotten for the trailer had been simply because the ranger had insisted they take something. Kate had tried donating it to the trailer park.

  “Yeah, he was nice.” If her mom hadn’t been married happily to her dad for so long, Kate might have teased Sandy about how handsome the older ranger was and how he’d looked at her when they’d spoken.

  They climbed out of the car and walked into the bank, waiting briefly in line for a teller. When one became available she motioned to Kate and Sandy she could help them next.

  Kate and her mom approached the counter and Kate smiled. “I need to withdraw this amount, please.” Kate slid the withdrawal slip across the counter with her ID and bank card. She’d only asked for five-hundred dollars. That small amount in her purse would just make her feel more secure.

  The woman smiled. “Of course.” She typed on the keyboard to her computer and clicked the mouse a couple times. She frowned and glanced at Kate and Sandy, then back to the screen.

  Kate shifted her feet. “Is there a problem?” She should have five-hundred-thousand dollars in the bank. Did they not look like the type of people who had that kind of money? Kate glanced at her mom and then down at her own clothing. They weren’t dressed like homeless people, at least, not that Kate was aware.

  “Well, ma’am, not a problem really.” She slid the withdrawal slip across to Kate and pointed at the five. “Did you mean for t
hat to be a two?”

  “What? No. I know how to write. That’s a five.” What was the woman talking about? Confusion with the situation mingled with her pain over losing Brody and she instantly regretted the bite to her tone.

  Furrowing her brow, the cashier cocked her head to the side. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I can’t give you that amount. You only have two-hundred-three dollars and fifty-two cents in your account.” She avoided Kate’s direct gaze and continued staring at the screen.

  Kate exhaled on a whoosh and stared at the cashier unseeingly. Her money. All of it was gone.

  How was that possible? All of her money. Gone. She’d already confirmed with the bank that the transfer had been carried out. There was no way Brody could reverse that. He didn’t have access to her account.

  She reached out, placing her hand on the counter both to steady herself as well as to keep her from fainting. Had everything she’d been through been for nothing? Where was her money?

  Having her heart torn out wasn’t worth a measly two-hundred bucks. Kate cleared her throat and forced a polite smile. “Can you print off the activity for me over the last sixty days?”

  The cashier nodded and clicked more buttons, then walked away to return a moment later. She passed the printout across to Kate who focused her gaze and studied the short summary.

  The large deposit was there in black and white – five zeroes following the five. Clear as day. They were there. And then suddenly, they were there again but in the withdrawal section.

  Kate hadn’t withdrawn anything.

  She pointed to the withdrawal activity and leaned across to the cashier. “Do you know how this happened?”

  The woman studied the page and then turned to her computer. A few clicks and she pointed to the screen. “It says here the withdrawal was made by a Tom Mattese two days after deposit. Does that help?”

  Sucker punched and by the last person she’d expected it from. Kate nodded tightly, backing up in disbelief. She glanced at her mom and moved stiffly to sit in the chairs set up in the makeshift lounge. Sinking into the stiff seats, Kate leaned forward and dropped her head into her hands.