Page 56
Story: The Playboy Billionaire
“What does everyone want to eat?” I say realising April must be starving.
I head into the kitchen and grab the menus I have stockpiled for when the boys come over. When I return, Samuel is sitting on the sofa, and April is still standing and staring out the window.
“Here,” I say, placing them on the coffee table. “Choose what you want, and I’ll get the food ordered. Most of these are local, so it shouldn’t take more than half an hour.”
April turns from the window. “I’m fine,” she says, her arms wrapped around her waist.
“When did you last eat?” I ask.
She remains quiet, lost in thought.
“Samuel, choose something for her,” I say. I’d do it myself, but I have no idea what she likes. The knowledge irks me.
Samuel tilts his head at April and shrugs, but I don’t miss his grin.
“Do you have a preference?” Samuel asks me.
“No, they’re all great restaurants. I’m happy to go with the consensus.”
April snaps back into the present and joins Samuel on the sofa as he begins to look through the menus. She opens the menu for the Chinese restaurant situated downstairs in this building.
“Chicken with Cashew,” she says after a moment.
“Samuel?” I ask.
“Sweet and sour chicken, please,” Samuel adds.
I pull up the app each resident has access to. It contains all the local businesses and restaurants, allowing those living here to easily support their local community and businesses. Pen, Elijah’s old uni friend, played a role in designing and developing it, and we have now incorporated it into every new development we open. As I live here, I got the building's management to have it installed. The local businesses and residents have loved it.
I send down their orders along with one of my own. I also order some crispy duck, spring rolls and a few vegetable side dishes and get an immediate confirmation.
“Twenty minutes,” I say.
An awkward silence descends.
“Let me show you to your room,” I say to April. “If you want to freshen up before the food arrives, you can.”
I walk towards the enormous staircase against the back wall. I turn to find April following. The dark circles under her eyes become more apparent.
I grab her bag and head upstairs.
I move down the hallway. The end is open, and a large glass wall allows light to flood the space. On either side are several doors, each leading to a suite. There are six in total.Over kill for a bachelor, but when the guys stay, it saves my sofa.
I make my way to the room that used to be Marcus’s. Since he got married, he never stays. He’s tormented mercilessly by the gang for being hen-pecked because he chooses to head home to his wife. Not that I blame him.
“Here you go,” I say, stepping to one side to allow April to enter the room. Samuel has followed her up.
“Wow, this place.” Samuel’s eyes take in the room.
“There is an en suite through here.” I open the door to the bathroom. “There are fresh towels in the wardrobe, along with a robe and slippers.”
“Robe and slippers?” April says, turning to me.
I shrug. “A perk of the Frazer Hotel Group. When the boys stay over, I don’t want their naked or boxer-covered asses walking around my apartment. They’re all clean, I promise.”
I watch as April bites the inside of her mouth. Whether to stop herself laughing or whether she just feels awkward, I don’t know.
“Anyway, I’ll leave you to it. Make yourself at home. I’ll see you downstairs.”
I head into the kitchen and grab the menus I have stockpiled for when the boys come over. When I return, Samuel is sitting on the sofa, and April is still standing and staring out the window.
“Here,” I say, placing them on the coffee table. “Choose what you want, and I’ll get the food ordered. Most of these are local, so it shouldn’t take more than half an hour.”
April turns from the window. “I’m fine,” she says, her arms wrapped around her waist.
“When did you last eat?” I ask.
She remains quiet, lost in thought.
“Samuel, choose something for her,” I say. I’d do it myself, but I have no idea what she likes. The knowledge irks me.
Samuel tilts his head at April and shrugs, but I don’t miss his grin.
“Do you have a preference?” Samuel asks me.
“No, they’re all great restaurants. I’m happy to go with the consensus.”
April snaps back into the present and joins Samuel on the sofa as he begins to look through the menus. She opens the menu for the Chinese restaurant situated downstairs in this building.
“Chicken with Cashew,” she says after a moment.
“Samuel?” I ask.
“Sweet and sour chicken, please,” Samuel adds.
I pull up the app each resident has access to. It contains all the local businesses and restaurants, allowing those living here to easily support their local community and businesses. Pen, Elijah’s old uni friend, played a role in designing and developing it, and we have now incorporated it into every new development we open. As I live here, I got the building's management to have it installed. The local businesses and residents have loved it.
I send down their orders along with one of my own. I also order some crispy duck, spring rolls and a few vegetable side dishes and get an immediate confirmation.
“Twenty minutes,” I say.
An awkward silence descends.
“Let me show you to your room,” I say to April. “If you want to freshen up before the food arrives, you can.”
I walk towards the enormous staircase against the back wall. I turn to find April following. The dark circles under her eyes become more apparent.
I grab her bag and head upstairs.
I move down the hallway. The end is open, and a large glass wall allows light to flood the space. On either side are several doors, each leading to a suite. There are six in total.Over kill for a bachelor, but when the guys stay, it saves my sofa.
I make my way to the room that used to be Marcus’s. Since he got married, he never stays. He’s tormented mercilessly by the gang for being hen-pecked because he chooses to head home to his wife. Not that I blame him.
“Here you go,” I say, stepping to one side to allow April to enter the room. Samuel has followed her up.
“Wow, this place.” Samuel’s eyes take in the room.
“There is an en suite through here.” I open the door to the bathroom. “There are fresh towels in the wardrobe, along with a robe and slippers.”
“Robe and slippers?” April says, turning to me.
I shrug. “A perk of the Frazer Hotel Group. When the boys stay over, I don’t want their naked or boxer-covered asses walking around my apartment. They’re all clean, I promise.”
I watch as April bites the inside of her mouth. Whether to stop herself laughing or whether she just feels awkward, I don’t know.
“Anyway, I’ll leave you to it. Make yourself at home. I’ll see you downstairs.”
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