The Faithful One: Billionaire Bride Pact Romance

by Checketts, Cami

  There were things she wasn’t excited about either. Why was he here and what did he and his dad have planned? Also, why didn’t he have a job or help his dad more? How could a twenty-eight-year-old man be satisfied training for races and not doing much else? It bugged her. Especially when she compared him to someone like Moriah who worked her guts out to try to make her son’s life better than hers had been.

  Moriah was singing in the kitchen when Trin arrived.

  “‘And it’s a great, daaay to be alive, oh the sun’s still shining when I close my eyes. Hard times in the neighborhood, but why can’t every day be just this goo-ood?’”

  Trin laughed. “If the entire world could be as happy as you in the morning, there would be world peace.”

  “You know it, girl. No reason not to be happy and praise the Lord. Am I right?”

  “You’re right, my friend.” Trin slipped on an apron and washed her hands. “What are we making to go with the cinnamon rolls?”

  “Simple egg and sausage casserole. I’ll get it all assembled and in the oven. Why don’t you make up the frosting and get those delicious rolls dressed right pretty?”

  “I’m on it.” Trin pulled out butter, powder sugar, vanilla, and milk. “How’s Turk?”

  “Oh, that funny little man. He said to me last night, ‘Momma, you’s my girlfriend.’ I laughed so hard I was like, ‘Son, I can’t be your girlfriend, I’m your momma.’ He got that cute little scrunched up face then he grinned and said, ‘Otay, I take Twin.’”

  Turk couldn’t pronounce his r’s or k’s yet, but he talked really well for a two and half year old. “I’d take him too. What a doll.”

  “I know it. I am one lucky Momma, I tell you what.”

  Trin carefully frosted rolls then cut up fruit as Moriah regaled her with more Turk stories, especially about the horrors of potty training a boy. “Then he stinking peed in the garbage can because he couldn’t make it to the toilet. Oh, my.” Moriah chuckled. “I don’t know that I’ve ever laughed so hard. For a half a second I was mad, I was fuming mad, and then I thought, I can either laugh or I can scold this cute boy and I don’t want to be the scolding type. My momma always just laughed and it seemed like the way to go. I did tell him to please try and make the toilet next time.”

  Trin was laughing so hard her side ached.

  “Oh, my,” Moriah said a little while later. “It’s almost seven.”

  Trin startled. “Oh! I’ll get juice and coffee out then come back for a tray of cinnamon rolls.”

  “You go, girl. The first casserole just needs to be pulled out of the oven and put in the warming trays.”

  Trin rushed out into the dining area, hurrying to the arched doorway of the living room to make sure nobody was coming yet and stopped in her tracks. Zander was descending the stairs wearing a t-shirt and running shorts. It wasn’t a revealing outfit, but my oh my his calves and biceps were nicely formed. “Good morning,” she called out.

  “Hey. I’m just headed out on a run. Want to join me?”

  She shook her head. “Some of us have to work for a living.” She wished she could take the words back immediately as his smile fell and his eyes darkened to a midnight blue.

  “Yeah, I guess you do.” He studied her with an indiscernible expression and then pushed out the front door and was gone.

  Aw, no. She’d just offended him. That wasn’t what she wanted to do. Why couldn’t she be more like Moriah who loved and accepted everyone? Especially when the one in question was an impossibly handsome rich guy who was probably going to determine her future if he told his dad that she was a brat to a guest and Mr. Keller fired her, or he recommended they sell the house. She needed to turn on the honey not the sass.

  Breakfast was moving along slowly but steadily and when Trin heard the front door open, there was no one in the dining room but her. She prayed Zander would come in and talk to her. Listening closely, she could’ve sworn she heard him pause in the entryway. She wanted to poke her head out the door and say something to him. It might be over the top to officially apologize because then she would be admitting that she knew who he was and that he didn’t have a real job. He’d never told her that and he didn’t know that she knew who he was. So it would probably be better just to turn on the charm. Seconds later, his footsteps trod heavily up the stairs. Dang.

  Mr. and Mrs. Gunnell came down the stairs and into the dining room a few minutes later. An older couple that had visited the Cloverdale every year for as long as Trin could remember, they were like lifelong friends or a surrogate aunt and uncle. They’d loved her grandparents also so that was always a welcome connection.

  Mr. Gunnell loved to tease her, especially about finding a billionaire husband. He’d overheard her years ago telling her grandmother about a silly pact she’d made at girl’s camp when she was twelve to marry a billionaire. She’d completely lost contact with all the other girls from camp that year. Obviously the billionaire bride pact was nothing more than a pointless pre-teen fantasy, but Mr. Gunnell thought it was hilarious.

  Trin started worrying that Zander would come back down when the Gunnells were here. There would be no end to the razzing if Mr. Gunnell noticed how much Zander affected her. Hopefully he wouldn’t also piece together that Zander was a billionaire. Yikes.

  Footsteps on the stairs came again as she was refilling the apple juice, but to her disappointment, it wasn’t Zander. No matter how much teasing she took from Mr. Gunnell, she wanted to see Zander.

  One of the honeymooning couples walked in. They’d balked at being called Mr. and Mrs. Nuñes so it was Chad and Kaylee. They were so into each other, they exchanged pleasantries and thanked Trin for the food, but mostly just sat whispering, laughing, or staring into each other’s eyes. Trin didn’t know if the knot in her gut when she watched them was from jealousy or nausea.

  Footsteps came again and Trin knew it was him before she turned and faced the doorway. He was dressed more casually today in a dark grey T-shirt with some kind of pattern on the pocket and fitted khaki pants. She decided the sexy stubble look had been great on him, but clean-shaven was fabulous. Every inch of his face was exactly how a man’s face should be—sharp lines, smooth skin, and tan. He obviously spent a lot of time outdoors with his training.

  “Is our little Trin going to introduce us to the newcomer or just sit and stare into his eyes?” Mrs. Gunnell asked.

  Oh, no. She was getting ribbed by Mrs. Gunnell. Mr. Gunnell must just be biding his time.

  “What have we here?” Mr. Gunnell stood and offered his hand to Zander. “Did Trin finally find her billionaire husband and not tell us about him?”

  Trin didn’t know if she or Zander went more red. Zander at least had the class to shake the man’s hand and offer a half-hearted smile.

  “No, Mr. Gunnell,” she said. “Jason is a guest here. He just checked in last night.”

  Mr. Gunnell pulled his hand back. “Um, that’s a little strange, boy. You don’t stay at a bed and breakfast alone. Didn’t your mom teach you anything?”

  Zander’s face pinched at the mention of his mom. Trin’s heart went out to him. She knew his mom had been murdered. When she met Mr. Keller for the first time, she’d Googled the family and read the heart-wrenching story.

  “I heard Moriah’s breakfasts are the best in the south,” Zander said. “I figured it was worth being an odd duck who stays alone at a bed and breakfast.”

  Mr. Gunnell chuckled. “I guess I can’t blame you there. You had her biscuits and gravy yet?”

  “No, sir.”

  Mr. Gunnell licked his lips and settled back into his chair, plunging his fork into a bite of egg and sausage casserole. “It’s pure heaven, I promise you that.”

  “I can’t wait.” Zander shook Mrs. Gunnell’s hand and then introduced himself to the honeymooners, who exchanged pleasantries then went right back to feeding each other cinnamon rolls. Gross, but kind of sweet.

  Zander came over to the buffet and stood so close to Trin s
he could smell his very nice cologne. It had to be something expensive to smell perfumed yet manly at the same time.

  “I’m sorry about this morning,” she blurted out. No! She wasn’t supposed to apologize, just change her game plan and be super sweet and accommodating, convince him to tell his dad to give her a raise instead of firing her.

  “Sorry for?” He arched an eyebrow at her and the mischievousness in his blue eyes told her he knew exactly why she’d apologized. Did she have to spit it out?

  “The me working thing and you not.” Oh, that was smooth. She tossed her long hair over her shoulder. “I saved your tray of cinnamon rolls. Would you like me to go get them?”

  “Oh, yes, please.” He grinned at her, took a clean plate from the stack, and started piling on egg casserole.

  “I’ll be right back,” she murmured. She banged into the kitchen and Moriah jumped in surprise.

  “We low on something?”

  “No. Zander’s here for breakfast so I’m taking him his cinnamon rolls.”

  “Ain’t that sweet?” Moriah grinned and batted her eyelashes.

  “No, it definitely is not sweet. He’s too good-looking and too sure of himself and he has that twinkle in those blue eyes. Dang him! I don’t know if I want to smack him or kiss him.”

  “Ooh! He has got you riled up. I like him more every minute.”

  “That’s no way to talk to your boss,” Trin threw at her. She took some deep breaths and reached for the plate of cinnamon rolls she’d made specially for Zander.

  “You give it to him, sista,” Moriah said, laughing as she scrubbed a pan.

  “I don’t dare,” Trin hissed back. “You want me to get us all fired?” She had to play nice to save their jobs and her house.

  Moriah’s face sobered. “All right, give him the sugar plus a little kiss on the side.”

  Trin ignored her and pushed back through the swinging door. Zander stood there with an amused smile on his face. Trin blushed and prayed he hadn’t overheard her entire conversation. She handed over the rolls.

  “Wow. This much sugar might make me sick.”

  “A little sugar is always good for the soul.”

  Zander stepped closer, only the cinnamon rolls between them. “What kind of sugar are you referring to?”

  Trin swallowed hard. “Um, you know, the regular kind.” She wouldn’t know how to flirt if she tried. And she probably shouldn’t try with her boss’s son.

  “Oh.” He trailed his finger through a bit of extra frosting on the plate and licked it. Trin’s eyes widened as she watched his tongue remove the frosting from his finger. He didn’t do it all suggestively, more like a little boy tasting the frosting, but there was nothing little about him and she was suddenly short of breath.

  “I was hoping for something even sweeter.” His blue eyes focused completely on her.

  Trin’s heart was thumping so hard she was certain he could hear it. What was he doing, bantering with her like this? It didn’t help that he was incredibly handsome and she had no clue what role she should be playing. Dutiful employee seemed the best route, but darn it if she could even think straight after watching him lick that frosting. It was such a simple thing, but it seemed incredibly forward and intimate.

  “Um, I hope you enjoy your … sugar.” Cinnamon rolls, not sugar, get it right girl!

  Zander grinned, holding onto the plate, but his eyes roved over her. “I’m sure I will when I get some.”

  Trin licked her lips, almost panting for air at this point. Moriah had told her to give him the sugar with a little kiss on the side. Her eyes darted to his sculpted lips, no man should have lips that pretty. Not that Zander looked pretty, he was too manly for that. Oh, help. She didn’t even try to reply as those beautiful lips smirked at her like they knew exactly how affected she was. Backing away, she half ran to the kitchen. She needed a break from those lips and the penetrating look in his smoky blue eyes before she said more things she shouldn’t.

  * * *

  Alone in the dining room, Zander ate the cinnamon roll slowly. Pretty good for his first attempt at baking. He laughed to himself. The roll was delicious and the uncertain yet interested look in Trin’s eyes had been even better. He stared out the windows and felt happier and more at home than he’d felt in ten years. Was it that he was eating sugar and not even feeling guilty about it, or was it the sugar he hoped Trin had been alluding to, that had him feeling grounded and yet excited at the same time?

  His phone rang and he glanced at the screen before answering. His dad. “Hello.”

  “Son. What do you think of the Cloverdale?”

  “It’s a beautiful home. The restorations you’ve done are impressive. I feel like I’m living in Gone with the Wind.” He smiled, thinking of Trin promising she’d keep Scarlett O’Hara-like harpies away from him.

  Glancing around cautiously to be sure he was alone, he stood and walked to the front door, slipping onto the wood-planked porch. It was as perfect as the rest of the house, wide with wood rockers dispersed throughout and white railings. The air had warmed to closer to sixty even though it was barely ten a.m. It was going to be a picturesque fall day in Montgomery.

  “Thank you. And the staff?”

  There was something in his dad’s voice he wished he could get a better read on. What was he playing at? “You realize there are only three of them.”

  “Is Trin working around the clock?”

  “Yes, sir.” He smiled to himself. He was picking up the habit too. “And Moriah is working twelve hour days.”

  “Hmm. I don’t like that. Think about a solution for me, son, and then work it out with Trin when she discovers who you are.”

  “Okay. She probably already knows.”

  His dad laughed at that. “That’s fine. We didn’t take any extreme measures to hide it.”

  Zander gripped the porch railing. “Why did you send me here, Dad? It’s miniscule compared to your other properties, and besides them working too much, it seems like everything is running smoothly.”

  His dad chuckled easily. “Why don’t you let me know that once you figure it out?”

  Not the response he wanted. He tried again. “Are you getting ready to sell?” Zander held his breath. The answer would affect Trin immensely and he found himself caring far too much.

  “You enjoy your training and keep an eye on things for me. We’ll talk in a few weeks. Love you, son.”

  The phone disconnected and Zander groaned. His dad was being deliberately vague and he knew from long experience trying to pry straight answers out of him when he got like this only resulted in frustration.

  Zander turned and caught a glimpse of Trin’s brownish-red ponytail. Had she been spying on him? He smiled at the thought, though he worried that she knew exactly who he was. He’d have to watch her closely and see if he could get the truth out. He smiled. Watching Trin closely wasn’t going to be a hard job.

  Walking back inside, through the living room and into the dining, he saw her lifting a casserole dish off the side table. She turned to him. “Are you finished with your breakfast, sir?”

  So stiff and formal. He hid a smirk. She was obviously trying to act a part, but how to draw her out. “No, I haven’t enjoyed my sugar quite long enough.” Maybe the sugar innuendo was getting overdone, but he didn’t care when her cheeks reddened and she studied the casserole dish.

  “I’ll leave you to it then.” She strode toward the kitchen door.

  “Wait.” Zander held up a hand and she turned to him. “I’d rather not eat alone. Will you stay with me?”

  “I’ve got to work,” she said stiffly.

  Ouch. There it was again. Zander wasn’t going to be dissuaded though. He liked being around her and Moriah, and his dad had him on assignment, right? He picked up his plate and glass of juice and approached her, stopping close enough he could smell her cinnamon-sugary scent. “You smell like Christmastime.” It had been years since he’d paid attention to Christmas smells. Since h
e refused to go home, his dad would bring Hannah and meet him at one of the resorts where the staff tried their best to make it Christmassy for the family, but the smell was never quite right. Trin’s smell was right and then some.

  Trin stood like a statue, her chest rising and falling quickly the only indication she wasn’t made of stone. Finally, she whispered, “You smell like cologne that somebody spent too much money on.”

  He should. His Acqua di Parma wasn’t cheap and he liked the scent. He really liked that she’d noticed, that he was affecting her.

  “If you won’t stay with me while I eat, can I come with you?” he asked.

  “Where?” Her eyes flickered up to his, wary, yet she couldn’t hide that she was interested.

  “Anywhere you’re going.”

  Trin laughed, but it wasn’t her usual full laugh. “That was cheesy.”

  “Do you like cheesy?” Unfortunate that he had his plate and cup in his hands or he would’ve been tempted to touch her right now.

  “Usually not.” She smiled.

  “I like that you can sass me.”

  “Sass is Moriah’s job.” She backed into the swinging door. Zander followed, holding it for her with his elbow.

  “Hey,” Moriah called, scraping uneaten food into the garbage. She glanced up and saw Zander. “Oh! Hey,” she drawled the word out. “How were your cinnamon rolls, sir?”

  “They were delicious, but not quite as good as the egg casserole.”

  “Thank you.” She gave a bow. “But you didn’t finish eating.”

  Zander walked around Trin and set his plate and cup on the bar, pulling out a barstool. “Trin said I could come eat in here and talk to some beautiful ladies instead of being alone.”

  Moriah pushed a hand at him. “Oh, Jason, such a schmoozer.”

  Zander laughed. “That’s one I haven’t been called before.”