The Billionaire's Homecoming

by Christina Tetreault

  She could play this game too. “Thanks.”

  “No, no. The first part, about me being right.” Her sister smiled. “C’mon, let me hear you say it.”

  “This time you were right.” She couldn’t help but put some emphasis on the “this time” part of her statement.

  “Details, details. Don’t leave me hanging. Where did you go, and what did you do?”

  “The beach.”

  “Well, yes I knew you were going there. What beach? And what did you do after?”

  Jen didn’t know if the beach they’d spent the day on had a name. “Brett’s brother owns a house in Newport. It has access to a private beach. We went there.”

  “Access to a private beach, sounds nice. His brother wasn’t there though, was he?”

  “No. Curt lives somewhere in New Hampshire. He let Brett use the house for the day.”

  Kristen pushed back her chair. “Hold any further details. I need a drink. Want one?” She moved to the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of homemade lemonade.

  “Some of that would be great.” Jen’s stomach growled. In a rush to get there this morning, she’d opted for only a protein shake. Bella’s performance had taken them straight through lunchtime. “Mind if I grab a snack?”

  At the counter, her sister filled two glasses. “Help yourself. You know you don’t need to ask.”

  Jen tossed a bag of popcorn in the microwave. It was her brother-in-law’s favorite snack, and Kristen always had plenty on hand.

  “Okay, so you went to a private beach. What else? Did he take you to one of the fancy Newport restaurants?” Kristen asked. “I’ve been dying to visit the Spiced Pear. It’s supposed to be incredible. I’ve been hinting to Dan that I’d like to go there for our anniversary in September.”

  Jen liked her brother-in-law a lot, but he didn’t always pick up on subtle hints. If she were Kristen, she’d flat-out tell Dan she wanted to go to the Spiced Pear or simply make the reservation herself. Otherwise there was a very good chance Dan would come up with something else for their anniversary. “If you guys go down to Newport for your anniversary weekend, Bella can stay with me.”

  It wasn’t uncommon for Bella to spend a weekend with her if Kristen and Dan went away.

  “Thanks. I don’t know what we’re doing yet.” Kristen took a long sip of her lemonade. “Back to your date though. Did he take you to dinner?”

  The microwave beeped before Jen answered. “Nope.” She pulled the bag out and tugged it open. She waited for the steam to escape before filling two bowls. “He grilled us lunch.”

  “Grilled? Okay, I guess you were at his brother’s house so it was probably easy enough. But you did something afterward, right?”

  Before she answered, Jen chewed a few pieces of popcorn and then washed it down with her lemonade. “Yep, we went to Pirate’s Cove for ice cream and while there we­­­­­—”

  Kristen’s glass hit the table with a thud. “You went for ice cream? Seriously, he couldn’t come up with anything more, I don’t know, elegant? Exciting?”

  Just because Kristen didn’t think a trip to Pirate’s Cove made for a good first date didn’t mean there was anything wrong with it. “Actually, going for ice cream was my idea, not his. He suggested going to the Red Parrot.” Jen didn’t try to hide the annoyance in her voice. “I don’t see the big deal.”

  “It’s not a big deal, but you’ve got to admit it sounds like something two high school kids would do on a first date.” Kristen shrugged a shoulder. “I just thought someone with his background would treat you to a more sophisticated first date. Not a grilled lunch at his brother’s house and then ice cream.”

  Her sister’s misconception was understandable. What little Kristen and much of the world knew about the Sherbrooke family came from the media. Articles always portrayed them as living the type of lifestyle most people could only dream of experiencing. Perhaps others in Brett’s family did live that way. However, it didn’t fit the man she’d come to know over the past two years.

  “We also played a round of mini golf with Brett’s cousin and his cousin’s wife. Afterward we went back to their house for a visit.” Now, she could picture Derek, Brett’s cousin, taking a woman out for a night more in line with what her sister imagined. Although nice and approachable, it was obvious he enjoyed the finer things in life.

  Kristen scooped up a handful of popcorn and raised it toward her mouth. “Wow, you’re meeting his family members already? Dan and I were engaged before I met most of his family. Which cousin was it? He’s got enough of them.”

  “Derek. He got married last fall.” The unexpected wedding had kept the media talking for months. “He has a house in the same neighborhood as Brett’s brother. We ran into them when we went for ice cream, so it wasn’t planned.”

  “Well, as long as you had fun it doesn’t really matter what you two did.”

  She’d had fun. She assumed he had too or he wouldn’t have asked to see her again. “We did. Now we should probably get back to this.” Jen reopened her sister’s handbook.

  “One last question and we can get back to work,” Kristen said.

  She’d given her sister a complete breakdown of her day. But if Kristen had one more question, she’d humor her. After all, she’d given Kristen the third degree more than once regarding the men she’d dated before marrying Dan. “Go for it. But only one, I really do want to get this finished so I can go home.”

  “Since you were at his brother’s house, you obviously had access to a bedroom. Did you visit it sometime between lunch and your visit to Pirate’s Cove?”

  Jen should’ve expected the question; there wasn’t a topic out there either of them considered off-limits. But she hadn’t. “No, things didn’t go that far yesterday.”

  “But you kissed at least. Please tell me you did, Jen. The man is gorgeous. He looked even better in person than he did in the pictures.”

  “We…. Wait a minute. What pictures? I didn’t show you the one he sent me.” It was safely tucked away in her desk drawer.

  Kristen shifted in her seat. “After you told me who you were meeting, I did a search on the internet for a picture. I couldn’t help myself.”

  If the tables had been reversed, Jen might have done the exact same thing. “You shouldn’t have done it, but well, I can’t say I blame you either.”

  “I didn’t find many, but I think I found the one you did of him with Trent and Jake. He doesn’t look anything like his cousins.”

  She agreed with both her sister’s assessments. There was no mistaking Trent and Jake for cousins. They, like many of the other Sherbrookes, greatly resembled each other. She was glad Brett didn’t fit the mold. While there was no denying his two cousins were gorgeous men, they were almost a little too handsome.

  “I agree the pictures don’t do him justice. And to answer what was technically your second question, we kissed.” She’d dreamed about those kisses last night too. “Now can we get back to work?”

  The sooner they finished, the sooner she could go home and spend some time thinking about the kisses they’d shared.

  Chapter Five

  Despite all the growth in nearby towns, North Salem remained on the smaller side and clung to its small town traditions. It was one of the main reasons Brett had picked it last year when he’d decided to buy a home in Massachusetts. At the same time, it was close enough to larger cities for when he found himself in need of a night at a ball game or a concert. After making the drive into Boston and then back home all week, he was reconsidering his decision. He’d tried leaving his house at different times each morning, and it didn’t seem to help. The only thing it seemed to change was where he hit the majority of traffic. If he didn’t win the election and stayed working for Homeland Security, he might need to get a second place in Boston, because the commute every day would drive him insane. He honestly didn’t know how other people did it. Until November though, he’d suck it up and deal. It didn’t make any sense to make
changes until after he knew whether or not he’d be heading to DC.

  Brett took the exit for Salem and checked his watch. Nineteen—Brett stopped before he finished the thought. Regardless of where he found himself in six months, he needed to get back in the habit of using civilian time. “Seven o’clock. Damn,” he said.

  They’d agreed to meet at seven. He’d have to call Jen and let her know he was running behind. He already felt bad enough she’d driven up tonight. He’d tried to change her mind, but she’d refused to budge. She’d insisted it was her turn to make the trip since he’d come down to Rhode Island twice already. Although he’d disagreed, especially since he’d visited his family as well as her during his first trip, he’d stopped trying to change her mind pretty quickly. Her stubbornness rivaled his own, and that was saying a lot.

  Brett pressed the phone icon on the car’s touch screen. “Call Jen,” he said as he turned right and approached a yellow traffic light. The sound of a ringing phone came though the car speakers. After a few rings, Jen’s voice replaced it.

  “Sorry, I’m still about ten minutes out,” he said after greeting her.

  “No problem. I just got here. Do you want me to let them know I’m here so we don’t lose our table?”

  He doubted they’d have a problem getting seated no matter when they arrived. For better or worse, his picture had been plastered on every New England news channel and newspaper this week. One look at him and the restaurant staff would know exactly who he was and what family he belonged to. He didn’t share his thoughts. Despite knowing who he was, Jen treated him like any other man, something his week had been lacking so far. He didn’t want to say or do anything to change her behavior. “Sounds like a good idea. Go ahead and order a drink if you want to. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  When Jen had insisted on coming up, he’d called his buddy Sean and asked for some nearby recommendations. While Boston boasted plenty of four- and five-star restaurants, driving in the city could be difficult and parking expensive. He didn’t want to make Jen’s trip any more inconvenient or costly. He knew she’d never accept an offer to pay for her parking. She wasn’t that kind of woman.

  Sean had come back with three suggestions. One had been right in North Salem, but it would’ve added at least twenty minutes to her drive, so he’d dismissed it right away. He’d checked the other two out before settling on Turin. He’d learned at some point that Italian was Jen’s favorite food. Turin specialized in Italian and offered free onsite parking, something not all the restaurants in Salem had.

  Brett picked the empty spot next to Jen’s car. He managed to get halfway across the parking lot before his cell phone rang. The device had rung more in the past week than it had in the past year. A quick glance at the screen confirmed what he already knew; the caller was Carl. When he’d hired the man, Carl had joked he should just move into Brett’s house since they’d be spending so much time together. He’d thought the guy was exaggerating, but after all the phone calls and lunch meetings they’d had this week alone, Brett realized how true the statement had been. It would probably only get worse the closer they got to the primary in November.

  “Hi Carl,” Brett said. “Now’s not the best time. Can it wait until tomorrow?”

  “I’ll be quick tonight.”

  Carl’s understanding of the word quick and his were worlds apart. A fact he’d learned this week when a “quick” lunch meeting turned into a two-hour affair.

  “I just got word Ted Smith is on the November ballot. He turned his nomination papers in late this afternoon.”

  They’d already assumed the former lieutenant governor would be his main competition for the party nomination. In his mind, this news didn’t change the strategy they’d developed. “Thanks for letting me know. Any other important updates?”

  Brett stopped in front of the restaurant entrance. Any discussion they needed to have, he’d prefer to do it outside. Once he sat down, he wanted to devote his attention to Jen, not his campaign manager or the upcoming election.

  “Not at the moment.”

  Thank you. Brett pulled open the door and stepped inside. “We’ll talk later.”

  He shoved the device back into his pocket as he crossed the waiting area. Several people sat waiting for a table. Most were paying more attention to their electronic devices than each other or anyone else coming inside.

  The hostess recognized him before he greeted her. He couldn’t recall it ever happening to him before unless he’d been accompanied by one of his cousins. Even then it was his cousins people recognized, not him. “Mr. Sherbrooke, welcome to Turin. I’ve already seated your guest.”

  Brett forced a smile. Better get used to this. The first of his campaign television ads was scheduled to launch Monday. Once they did, his face would be even more recognizable. “Excellent. Thank you.”

  He followed the hostess through the candlelit dining room. As expected for a Friday night, all the tables were occupied. In here at least most of the people were having conversations with each other instead of texting away on their cell phones or checking their e-mails.

  “Here we are, Mr. Sherbrooke.” The hostess stopped at a table designed for two.

  At the sound of the woman’s voice, Jen looked up from her cell phone and a welcoming smile spread across her face. She didn’t hesitate to put the device down.

  Even though the hostess stood there, he walked around the table and brushed his lips across Jen’s cheek before taking his seat.

  “Ann will be taking care of you this evening. She’ll be right over.” The hostess handed Brett a menu before walking away.

  Jen’s menu remained closed on the table alongside an untouched glass of white wine.

  “Sorry again for being late.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Was traffic bad tonight?” she asked. “I definitely hit a little leaving the city.”

  “Horrendous. The worst it’s been all week. I should’ve left earlier.”

  “Getting out of Providence on a Friday is always worse than the rest of the week too, especially this time of year. It gets a little better in the winter when people aren’t trying to go away for the weekend. Sometimes I work late to avoid it. I imagine it’s even worse in Boston.” She reached for her menu and opened it. “I haven’t decided on a meal yet. Do you recommend anything?”

  Brett watched the candlelight dance across her face, more interested in that than what entrees the menu contained. “This is my first time here. I asked a friend for some recommendations and decided on here because it specializes in Italian. We can check out the other ones he suggested another time.” He opened his menu but didn’t look at what was listed inside.

  “You remembered Italian is my favorite. Why am I not surprised?” She gifted him with another smile. “I peeked at the menu when I first sat down. Everything sounds amazing. I don’t know how I’m going to decide.”

  “I think you should go with lasagna or baked stuffed shells,” Brett said remembering well their conversation at Ambrosia about her dislike of ricotta cheese.

  Jen looked up from the menu. “Since I know you’re joking, I’m going to forget you even said that.” She went back to reading the dishes available. “What are you considering?”

  You. He wisely kept the thought to himself and finally glanced at his open menu. “No idea. I’ve had lasagna and fettuccini alfredo already this week. Carl’s favorite restaurant is in the North End. We’ve met there twice for lunch.”

  “You should’ve made a reservation somewhere else tonight. I do enjoy other types of food.”

  “Why? Italian is one of my favorites too. And it’s not like there aren’t plenty of options on the menu.”

  Neither spoke again as they read over the dishes available and placed their orders. Only when the waitress left did Jen start a conversation.

  “How was your first week at Homeland?” she asked.

  “Different.”

  “Different good or different bad?”


  Brett thought for a moment. He’d both enjoyed and disliked the hours he’d spent at his new job. “Both. I’m not used to sitting behind a desk so much. I guess I’ll get used to it.”

  “It’s not for everyone. Keith would go nuts in a chair all day.”

  He agreed. Her brother would start climbing the walls if stuck in an office.

  “Any updates on the—”

  Brett saw the man walking their way but didn’t think anything of it until he stopped a few inches from their table. “Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to introduce myself. City councilman Jeff Murphy,” he said, cutting Jen off midsentence. He extended his hand toward Brett and continued, “I represent Salem’s third ward. I’m also the chairman for the community and economic development subcommittee.”

  He’d hoped to leave politics at home, but it looked like that had been an unrealistic expectation tonight. “Nice to meet you.” He shook the councilman’s hand. “Brett Sherbrooke.”

  The man actually chuckled when Brett introduced himself. He interpreted the reaction to mean it’d been not only an unnecessary move but, at least in the councilman’s eyes, a silly one.

  Unsure of how Jen would want to be introduced to the unwelcome visitor, he said, “And this is my friend Jennifer.”

  “Very nice to meet you too,” the councilman extended his hand in Jen’s direction. After shaking Jen’s hand, he turned his full attention back to Brett. “I want you to know you have my full support in the primary.” The councilman opened his wallet and pulled out a crisp white business card. “Don’t hesitate to contact me if I can help you in any way.”

  This might be his first trip into politics, but he knew help from other politicians often came with strings attached. “Thank you for your support. I appreciate it.” How many times had he read or heard Uncle Warren say that during his various campaigns? “I’ll keep you in mind.” He took the business card and dropped it into his shirt pocket.

  The councilman smiled and nodded. “Enjoy your evening. Turin is one of our city’s finest establishments. My wife and I are frequent visitors.”