Page 51 of Dr. Stone (Billionaires’ Club #9)

FORTY-THREE

Andie

The sun had slipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the magnificent Aster estate.

I could never have imagined myself living in a sanctuary like this—one that rivaled every multimillion-dollar home in the city, let alone owning a place in the Hamptons and a historic family winery overseas.

It was hard to wrap my head around the idea that people lived like this as if it were normal. I wasn’t judging. I was just standing there, quietly awed by it all.

“How are you holding up, kid?” Mickie, John Aster’s wife, asked.

I smiled, “Sort of mesmerized, I guess.”

Avery chuckled. “Mesmerized by your lover-boy’s accomplishments, or by this atmosphere where, if we’re not draped in velvet or silk, we might as well go fuck ourselves and head home?”

“Don’t let it intimidate you,” Darcy said with a smile, laughing along with us at Avery’s comment.

“It’s all just a tax write-off,” she added with a wink.

“Not that your handsome Jace isn’t worthy of it,” she clarified quickly, “but this is just what these people do. It’s how they…

” She paused, searching for the right words.

“Well, I guess it’s their version of trading office memos,” she said, lifting her champagne for a sip.

“You really did do your research on them, huh?” I asked. I remembered what I’d learned on the yacht, that the Asters’ oldest son had fallen hard for her, while she was only after her next headline story on him.

“Oh, boy,” she chuckled while the other women exchanged humored expressions.

“I have every insider’s dream about these elites and how they are.

Every hug, smile, flute of champagne, and nibble of caviar is a business transaction or a tax write-off.

There’s almost nothing genuine behind the charm.

Most of the families flown here from around the world on the Asters’ fleet of jets care about little more than their personal gain. ”

“Holy shit. They flew everyone in on their fleet of jets?” I asked.

“Tax write-off,” I heard Jace say in a humorous voice, his hand sliding over my lower back.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he kissed my cheek, then addressed the women I stood with while waiting for him to become free for the night.

“If you ladies don’t mind,” he said with a smile, “I’m going to steal this lovely woman away for a moment.

” He looked at Mickie and added, “I told John we’d rejoin you all where the husbands are already summoning their wives with those broody stares.

” Jace lifted his half-finished bourbon glass and gestured toward the spot where the men had gathered, tucked slightly away from the crowds.

“Jesus, that lawn furniture would make Martha Stewart jealous,” Mickie said with a laugh, then she looked at Darcy. “Can you and Sebastian get your plans in gear and get married, so I don’t have to deal with your future mother-in-law like this alone?”

“We’ll see you guys in just a few,” Avery said, then turned to the women. “Let’s go pacify our drooling husbands, shall we?”

The ladies walked off, and I laughed to myself, struck by the thought that they were all in this life but not of it.

Even though Jace’s family clearly expected a few appearances, it was obvious he felt the same way.

And just like that, I found myself more at ease being here on his arm than I ever expected.

What I loved most was how natural it all felt, the way he and I moved through this together, like we’d been doing it our whole lives.

Jace’s hand remained firmly in place on my lower back. “Let’s get the whole meeting my parents part out of the way so we can actually enjoy the night,” he said, pressing a kiss to my temple.

“Let’s hope it goes smoothly,” I murmured, leaning into him. “And by the way, congratulations on tonight.” I drew in a little closer. “You deserved the recognition, whether or not you wanted to be here.”

“The whole damn night makes a lot more sense now that you said that,” he smirked as we approached the Stones. They were mid-conversation with a small group, but quickly excused themselves the moment they spotted their son.

“Son,” his dad shook Jace’s hand. “It’s an honor to be here tonight. I’m very proud of you and have been since I heard the news,” he said with a distinguished nod.

Only since he heard the news? I thought, hearing the weight of that implication loud and clear.

“Thank you,” Jace acknowledged.

“And if I remember correctly,” the sharply dressed man brought his gaze to me, “we’ve already met?”

“Yes,” Jace’s mom, who’d been quietly examining the woman at Jace’s side, said in an elegant tone that matched the guests. “Andie, right?”

“Yes,” I smiled, then quickly closed my eyes, realizing I’d completely forgotten their names, while, of course, they hadn’t forgotten mine. “I’m so sorry?—”

“Never apologize, dear,” she cut me off like a strict teacher who couldn’t stand the class clown.

“This is my mother, Victoria,” Jace finally killed the awkward exchange, “and my father, Everett Stone,” he smiled, while holding onto my back as if he were anchoring us in place. “Titus mentioned that you all met for a brief moment in Costa Rica.”

“Yes,” Victoria’s stare was on me now like she was scrutinizing a dossier. “You made quite an entrance, being there on Titus’s arm. Titus had exquisite taste in, well, everything that night.”

Everett nodded and glanced toward his son. “It is indeed an interesting turn of events,” he said, with a measured tone.

He wasn’t unkind. He was probably more ambivalent than anything else, merely acknowledging my place in his son’s life.

“It is,” Jace said. “I understand this might seem confusing, but Andie is not with Titus. She’s with me, should either of you be reeling with judgment or curiosity.

” Jace wasn’t being rude, merely setting the tone, making it clear that any assumptions or stories about me, him, and Titus needed to stop before they even started.

I remained as calm as I could, still embarrassed that I couldn’t recall their names and that any of this needed to be made clear in the first place.

Looking around at the people in attendance, thinking about how many of the people at this event quite literally ran the world in one aspect or another, it made me wonder if his parents thought both Jace and Titus had lost their minds by associating with me in the first place.

“I’m glad that is cleared up,” Victoria said, drawing an end to the conversation.

It felt like there should’ve been so much more conversation, but honestly, what were we supposed to say, that I was a one-night stand that Jace couldn’t get out of his head?

Then I started seeing Titus and enjoying the fact that both men wanted me, all while being a single mom and leaving my child with a babysitter while I wore rare jewels and tailored gowns?

Jesus Christ, I’m glad I didn’t say that out loud because just thinking about it made me feel a little disgusted with myself.

“Good evening,” Titus said, practically manifesting into the conversation as if the Spaniard god had been summoned.

“Evening, Titus,” Everett acknowledged.

“Hey, man,” Jace said, his voice now tense.

I suddenly felt like shit that my games had put him in this position on a night when his parents should have been focusing on being proud of him for saving a life.

“Titus, darling,” Victoria smiled, “we were just being reintroduced to the lovely Andie, whom we met in Costa Rica. I assume you remember?”

“Of course, I do.” He turned and winked, as if to say, Calm the fuck down, I’ve got this.

“And I’ll say to you now, Miss Miller, just as I did that evening when you so humbly offered to support my efforts in my mother’s memory.

” He took my hand and kissed the air above it.

“I’m honored to be in your company again.

” Then he looked over at Jace. “In fact, that’s why I’m here.

I look forward to catching up with you and your lovely woman once you’re finished here.

I’ll be with the Mitchells and Asters where they’re seated, having drinks with their wives.

” He stepped back, and all I could do was smile in amazement that he’d somehow instantly cleared the stain on my name from that whole play-dating thing.

“Thanks, buddy. We’ll be over in a minute,” Jace said, his voice seemingly humored, as if these guys frequently bailed each other out of trouble within this circle of peers.

“As I told you before,” Titus said, his Spanish accent thick with seduction and authority, “you are truly a lucky man. If she wasn’t yours before I brought her to Costa Rica, I might have changed my ways, especially after she sparkled there with a reverent beauty that outshone every other woman in attendance. ”

Jace chuckled. “I’m just thankful you stuck to your word,” he said as his parents remained silent, studying the exchange.

“That I did, and I still will stick to the same word I gave when I returned her safely to you, untouched and unharmed.” He took a sip of his untouched bourbon, “Break her heart, and I will ensure it will never happen again.” His brows lifted in subtle humor before he vanished into the crowd as effortlessly as he had appeared.

“Well, now that’s all cleared up, I’m quite confident you have guests to attend to,” Victoria said.

“Thank you,” Jace said.

“Lovely to see you again, my dear,” Everett said, his expression that of a man entirely at ease in a world I clearly did not belong in.

After leaving them, we turned down a stone path, and I inhaled sharply, trying not to overthink what was said, how it was said, or what conclusions they might draw about the piece of trash I felt like in that moment.

“Relax, gorgeous,” Jace said, lacing his fingers tightly through mine, securing me to him. “Nothing about their opinions should ever concern you. My opinion, and those of the people who know and love you, are the only ones that matter.”