Billionaires Next Door : A Contemporary Romance Box Set

by J. P. Comeau

  I closed my eyes and rubbed them with my fingers. I would find out shortly because, as usual, I waited until the last minute to get their gifts.

  After I had hung up the phone, I hopped in the shower, put on a pink skirt and casual white blouse, grabbed my to-do list, and headed out the door. As I walked past the yoga studio, I peeked inside and waved at the receptionist. I considered her and all of the other employees to be my extended family.

  The first stop on my to-do list was Babyocity, a luxury, high-end boutique for expectant parents. I had hoped that Annie and Julianna registered at a store that was a bit more affordable, such as Target, but that wasn’t the case.

  My eyes bugged out when the store clerk handed me the registries. “So, this is all that’s left on the list?”

  “Yes, I’m afraid that's all that's left.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat before handing her my credit card. “I’ll take the baby monitor and infant car seat.”

  They better be wrapped in gold paper.

  After spending an excessive amount of money on gifts, I made my way to Sideline Liquor. Annie and Julianna insisted on having alcohol for the guests to enjoy, and I knew I’d be drinking after racking up so much debt on two gifts.

  I grabbed several bottles of champagne, and two each of red and white wine, and put it onto the checkout counter. After she rang up a tab of over five-hundred dollars, I was glad Annie and Julianna had given me the cash to purchase what was needed for the party. Otherwise, they would have been stuck drinking soda.

  The last stop was Tulip Bakery, where I needed to pick up the two gender-reveal cakes.

  I recognized the baker as soon as I walked inside. “Hi, Dahlia. I’m here to pick up the cakes for the Truman party today.”

  Dahlia walked out to me and gave me a long, intense hug. “I am so sorry to hear about your mother, darling. I cannot imagine what you’re going through right now.”

  She was a sweet, much older woman who treated everyone as though they were her children. As much as I appreciated her gesture, I was in no mood to discuss the loss of my mother.

  “Thank you.”

  “She must have been going through so much pain, and that’s why she didn’t tell you about it sooner, dear.”

  I politely broke free from her arms, not wanting to offend her but also not wanting to discuss my mother’s death. “To be honest, Dahlia, it’s too soon to talk about her passing away. I’m sorry. I know that you mean well, but I’m still processing everything.”

  Dahlia put her hands up and nodded, and I breathed a sigh of relief. She was a kind woman whose feelings I’d never want to hurt.

  After I loaded the two cakes into my car, I put my sunglasses on and then proceeded to back out of the parking space. Everything was right on schedule… until I heard screeching tires and felt my car jerk forward.

  When I whipped my head around, I saw some guy with a beard, sitting in his black BMW, peeking over his sunglasses at my fender. I took a deep breath and flung my car door open — eager to rip him a new asshole.

  “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing? You had to be speeding!”

  When he got out, I couldn’t help but notice how tall and buff he was, and he appeared to be about my age. But the guy just stood there against his car, peering over his sunglasses at me without saying a word.

  I pointed up and down the street. “I looked both ways before I backed up too, so don’t even think you’ll get out of this one! Plus, I’m sure there are cameras all over this parking lot."

  That’s when the guy started to smirk at me. I could feel my blood pressure rising, and I balled my fists. “Do you think this is funny?”

  The guy reached into his wallet and pulled out a card, finally saying something. “No, I don’t think this is funny. Could you do me a favor, though, and not call the cops?”

  My hands tightened against my thighs. “Why wouldn’t I call the cops, because your precious BMW doesn’t even have a scratch on it? Let me guess.” Now, I was on a roll as I continued to hiss at him. “Your daddy bought you that car, didn’t he? Well, not all of us are that lucky. Some of us have to work to pay our bills, and you bet your ass that your car insurance will be paying for my repairs! I should make you pay my deductible, too.”

  He handed me his business card and winked at me. “I’m Gavin Tillery. If you don’t call the cops, then I’ll buy you a new car.”

  “Is this some kind of joke to you?”

  He didn’t reply. He just got into his BMW and sped off.

  I examined the damage to my bumper and realized that it wasn’t so bad after all, but I was still pissed about the whole incident. It irritated me that someone could be so incredibly cocky.

  With my hands resting on my hips, I stood there fuming, watching him weave in and out of traffic.

  Why would some jerk want to buy me a new car because of a stupid scratch? I’d believe it when it happened.

  2

  _____

  GAVIN

  I was exhausted after the long flight from Spain and was thankful to be back home in River Valley. There was nothing like pulling up in my driveway and seeing the large cast-iron gates surrounding my mansion. It was located on the outskirts of town, which I insisted upon when Richard helped pick it out. River Valley reminded me of my hometown in Massachusetts, and living outside the city limits made it feel like I had never left.

  It had been a successful business trip for the company. I wished that Richard could have gone with me. I visited a few trendy bars where women gravitated towards me like moths to a flame. I had to admit, back when Richard was single, we had quite a bit of fun with ladies we met at bars, but that hadn’t happened in over a year.

  I was happy that he found a gal to spend the rest of his life with, but a part of me still missed him being a bachelor.

  Richard had helped renovate my house, and now that he was married with a baby on the way, he spent all his free time with his new family. Sometimes he used to come over, and we’d knock back a few beers in my spacious backyard. Afterward, we’d play pool in my game room, watch a football game in the living room, or I'd show him how all of my plants were doing in the garden. But those days were over.

  As I walked from my car to the front door, a strong wind gusted in my direction, and I could smell the fresh herbs that were growing. It might have seemed like an odd hobby for a businessman who traveled the world, but gardening helped me come back down to earth and reconnect with nature. I couldn’t wait to use the basil and thyme in some dishes that I wanted to try, and I was even thinking of planting some herbs I’d never grown before while I was home.

  Since I was in no mood to unpack, I left my luggage in the living room and decided to make myself a cup of coffee. The maid had done an excellent job of keeping the place clean while I was gone, and I noticed that she restocked my favorite brand and flavor of coffee. Richard and I had tried some delicious blends in Spain last year, but nothing compared to this wonderful Italian roast.

  I popped a K-cup into the coffee machine, waited for it to brew, and then tackled the stack of mail on the counter.

  As I was sorting through the mail, I looked up at the pictures on my mantle above the fireplace. Most of them were of me with family and friends back in Massachusetts, but the one that stood out the most was of Richard’s father and me. I was in my cap and gown on my college graduation day, not long after I had befriended Richard, and he seemed just as proud of me as my biological father would have been if he were still living. Who knew what I’d be doing if it weren’t for the Truman family?

  Mr. Truman owned the company where I was employed, and Richard insisted that I come to work with him after graduating college. It was a rewarding career that I wouldn’t have traded for the world. If it hadn’t been for Richard and his father, I would have returned to Massachusetts and spent the rest of my life alone, settling for a boring career.

  I tossed the pile of mail into the shredding bin since it was nothing but
junk, including a flyer from an online dating website I had recently googled. Any form of dating would have been such a waste of time for me, though. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had been out with a woman. Whenever someone asked why I was still single, I chalked it up to traveling so often. Working for the Truman family meant that I could be sent overseas at a moment’s notice, and being in a relationship would only hold me back.

  I also had a hard time socializing outside of my immediate group of friends, which stemmed from graduating from high school at such a young age. While normal kids my age were studying to get their driver’s license, I was taking college entrance exams.

  Even though I was on the same intellectual level or higher than most other college freshmen, I couldn’t relate to anybody emotionally. I was surrounded by young adults who had gone through the entire high school experience and were several years older than me. I had definitely spent a lot of time by myself over the years

  After shrugging off those negative thoughts, I realized the coffee was no match for the jet lag that I was feeling. So I laid on the couch and closed my eyes for what I thought would be only a few minutes. Richard had taught me about the strength of small power naps throughout the day. Even a five or ten-minute one could reenergize you enough to power through the afternoon, and that’s what I planned on doing as I dozed off. The last thing I remembered was the sound of my wind chimes in the garden that I had purchased on one of my other business trips.

  I woke up much later.

  The shift in light outside indicated it was mid-afternoon. My body jolted upright on the couch, and I glanced back at the clock. With wide eyes, I jumped up, realizing I had overslept by a long shot.

  I had to be in a business meeting in about twenty minutes, and I needed a good twenty minutes if I were to obey the speed limit.

  After I chugged the rest of my cold coffee, I threw my sunglasses on and then grabbed the keys to my BMW convertible. Like Richard, I had a collection of sports cars that I had the luxury of choosing from every day. Since it was another gorgeous day in River Valley, why not enjoy the fresh air while riding with the top down?

  My lead foot got me into downtown River Valley with about ten minutes to spare. One of the perks of living in a small town was knowing how to avoid all of the speed traps.

  I eased up on the gas pedal as soon as I turned onto Main Street. Quaint shops dotted the street on both sides, and I loved how their signs were bursting with color. As I gingerly drove down the road in my BMW, I watched people eating lunch outside of cafes, walking in and out of independent bookstores, and chatting with each other as they soaked up the sunshine. It was what I loved the most about living in this small town.

  The traffic was heavier than usual that day, so I took the time to enjoy the view while making my way to the office. My eyes darted from one side of the street to the other and then back straight ahead. I had never had a problem driving that way before, but when I turned my eyes back to the road, a car was backing out of a parking spot right in front of me. I should have known better than to look away, seeing as how there were parked cars on both sides of the street, and everyone seemed to be downtown shopping.

  I slammed on the brakes as soon as I saw what was about to happen.

  “Holy shit!”

  It was too late, though. My car tapped their bumper, and both of us stopped in our tracks. If only I had been paying closer attention or had hit a parked car instead, then I wouldn’t have to deal with the situation. I could have just left my information on their windshield and dealt with it later.

  I put my car in park and prepared myself for the inevitable. The other driver would insist on calling the police, we’d have to exchange insurance information, and I’d end up being late to the meeting. It wasn’t my first rodeo when it came to minor traffic accidents. People took one look at my car and knew that I had money.

  I couldn’t stand it when things didn’t go as planned, and the worst part was that I’d be letting Mr. Truman down because of my reckless driving.

  I slammed my hands on the steering wheel out of frustration. A tall, slender redhead came storming out of the other car, took one look at her bumper, and glared at me.

  I lifted a brow and glared over my sunglasses as she balled her fists and began to make a scene.

  “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing? You had to be speeding!”

  Anyone else would have put me instantly on the defensive, but she was by far one of the most beautiful women that I had ever seen.

  Her red hair and green eyes took the attention away from the frown on her face, and she was wearing a cute pink and white outfit that accented her curves. There was such a contrast between her anger and stunning beauty, and it was captivating — and comical.

  As she continued to scream at me, I got out and walked to the other side of my car. Thinking that perhaps the damage had been worse than I thought, I looked at her bumper but only found a minor scratch. So, I leaned against my car and patiently listened as she ripped me a new asshole. I couldn't take her seriously, though. Between the small amount of damage and her stunning looks, I had to bite my lower lip to keep from laughing.

  Even the way she yelled was adorable. She had a carefree, Soho chic, with a hippie vibe to her that made her seem less threatening than the words she was saying to me. All of it was too much, and I couldn’t hold my smile back any longer.

  That didn’t sit well with her, at all.

  “Do you think this is funny because your precious BMW put a dent in my Honda?”

  I was about to point out that it was more of a scratch than a dent, and easily fixable, but I decided to take it a step further. Aside from the woman's emotional outburst over what I considered nothing, something told me that she was a sweet person.

  I pulled out my business card and decided that it was my turn to talk.

  “No, I don’t think this is funny. But could you do me a favor and not call the cops?”

  Her delicate hands formed fists at her sides, and I watched as her face turned an even brighter shade of red.

  “Why wouldn’t I call the cops because your BMW doesn’t even have a scratch on it? Let me guess. Your daddy bought you that car, didn’t he? Well, not all of us are that lucky. Some of us have to work to pay our bills, and you can bet your ass that your car insurance will be paying for my repairs! I should make you pay my deductible, too.”

  I wanted to reassure her that everything was going to be okay, but if I didn’t leave right away, I’d be late for the meeting.

  I handed her my business card and winked. “I’m Gavin Tillery. If you don’t call the cops, then I’ll buy you a new car.”

  For some reason, that upset her even more, which didn’t make any sense. Her car wasn’t the ugliest one that I had ever come across, but anything that I bought her would have been a significant upgrade.

  I scooted back behind the wheel of my vehicle as she continued to glare at me. “Is this some kind of joke to you?”

  Realizing there was nothing I could say to calm her down, I smiled and yelled, “Call me,” as I drove off.

  As I sat at the next light, I glanced in the rearview mirror, finding her still standing there, glaring at me with her hands on her hips. I wondered why she was so angry over a little scratch.

  Plus, who wouldn’t be curious about taking up my offer to buy them a new car?

  3

  _____

  CRYSTAL

  The bags of candy wrapped up in yellow and green ribbons complimented the entire theme of the baby shower/gender reveal. I loved the delicate gold lettering on each one that said, ‘Baby Truman,’ and the fact that Annie and Julianna were expecting at the same time made it even better. In just a few hours, we would know whether they would be having a boy or a girl.

  Even though I had always been more of a lemon drop kind of gal, the smell emanating from the pieces of wrapped chocolate made me salivate. There was a long banquet table set up covered with baskets filled with e
very luxury brand of candy one could imagine.

  My willpower kept me focused on the task at hand, though. I had the riveting job of assembling the rest of the party favors.

  I had been hunched over the kitchen table all afternoon, and my feet were starting to ache. Despite being a professional yoga teacher, I was born with flat feet and unable to stand for long periods of time. So I pulled out a chair and sat down by the window, which looked directly out over their pond. It was such a beautiful day, as evidenced by the birds chirping and butterflies in the air.

  Jake and Richard had gone all out and hired an agency to set up the gender reveal, careful to keep the genders secret until the gold balloons marked with a J and A were popped. The confetti that fell from them would reveal whether their baby was a boy or a girl.

  The party was here at Richard and Julianna’s cabin, where they were staying while interior designers worked on their mansion. It was hard not to be jealous of such a large kitchen for what they considered a vacation home. I was on one end of the room while Julianna and Annie were at the other, and yet they seemed so far away from me. Their living room alone was twice the size of my apartment.

  Had we been at my place, there was no way in hell that all three of us could have fit in my kitchen.

  I took a deep breath and smiled as Annie walked over toward me, rubbing her hands all over her large belly. “You’re doing such a good job, Crystal.” She pointed at the bags I had been tying. “These are adorable! And I can’t wait to do the balloon thing. I know I'll be happy with any gender, and please don’t tell Richard this, but I want a girl.”

  Julianna walked over too, all the while supporting her lower back with her hands. “I’d love another girl, too, but I know that Jake is rooting for another boy. He thinks Jude needs a baby brother, I guess.”

  I wasn’t surprised that Annie wanted a girl. “I can see why you’d want a daughter, Annie. You and Addison are like two peas in a pod.”