Page 9 of Grumpy Billionaire Seeking Wife (Billionaires Seeking Wives Club #1)

"Perhaps." Wes nods as he laughs and wraps his arm around his sister. "Anyway, as I was saying. As someone who fits into all three categories...I would never be on an app like that."

"Well, goody for you." I sit next to Erica and take another chug. The beer is still tasting as shitty as ever. "Not everyone is a snob like you."

"I'm not a snob." He smirks. "I just have discerning taste.

" He shrugs and looks at Erica and then at me.

"Maybe the two of you should focus on graduating and your careers, or lack thereof, and leave the men for later.

" He shrugs. "I mean, this can't be your whole life, right? Aren’t you both almost twenty-one now?

" He chuckles. “Or is that just how old you act?”

“I’m turning twenty-two soon.” I ignore his latter comment. “Just because you’re twenty-something, going on eighty, doesn’t mean that we can’t embrace our youth.”

"Don’t be a hater, big bro!" Erica shakes her head vehemently.

"Just because we're not billionaires like you, doesn't mean we're not just as focused on school and our jobs as you are on yours.

You do realize that we are launching our podcast next week, and we're going out tomorrow morning to speak to small business owners to see if they want to sponsor us.

" Erica looks over at me and grins. "Though, depending on how well our dates go tonight, it might be tomorrow afternoon. "

"You got that right." I giggle and play with my pineapple earrings.

I saw a similar pair at a farmers market and was immediately drawn to how cool and funky they were.

So, I'd made my own with polymer clay. Maybe they were slightly too big for my ears, and maybe the yellow of the pineapple was a bit fluorescent, but I thought they were super unique. "Tonight is going to be a good night."

Wes frowns slightly as he continues to stare at me, and I feel a bit uncomfortable.

I shift from playing with my earrings to playing with my hair.

I wonder if I have time to get a trim, as I'm feeling more split ends than I would like.

He jumps up off the couch and heads back to the kitchen to grab another beer.

"So, tell me more about this podcast." He sits on one of the tall wooden bar stools next to his humongous Carrera marble island and faces us.

"Mom and Dad mentioned that you guys were working on something, but I have to admit that I wasn't fully paying attention, as you both seem to jump from new business idea to new business idea. "

"No, we don't," Erica protests. "We?—"

"One, the dog-walking business you had before you lost that one dog in the park.

" He counts on his fingers. "Two, those poems you used to make up and write on the street for five dollars that absolutely no one wanted; three, when you were plant nannies.

.." He pauses and bursts out laughing as he remembers something.

"How many plants did you both kill?" He shakes his head.

"You should have called it the dry thumb plant killers . "

"Hey, no fair." Erica makes a face and looks at me.

We both try not to giggle at the list of businesses we've attempted to start. Granted, most of them were high school ideas, and we didn’t have a clue about business, but now, we have a dream that could actually be successful.

Erica almost has her degree in business, while I almost have mine in history and English, which will help with our research.

"We aren't all lucky enough to invest in the right stocks in college and then start our own business that gets bought out by a Fortune 500 company for 300 million and then take over our family business," I say, staring at Wes, who is looking far too handsome for his own good.

"It wasn't luck." He taps his slender tan fingers against the countertop, and I wonder what he's thinking. "And you both know that my offer to have you go through the internship program at Carrington Enterprises is still open to both of you."

"No, thank you," Erica says as if she hasn't had this conversation with her parents umpteen times already. "But if you want to be our first official sponsor for our podcast, we would be more than happy."

"What is your podcast about, exactly? Wearing weird and tacky clothes to entrap billionaires?

" He laughs at his own joke while we both glare at him.

"Sorry, I'm guessing you don't find my humor amusing.

" He shakes his head and looks thoughtful for a moment.

"I have an idea. Why don't I take you both to dinner tonight, and we can discuss the podcast. I can see if I'm interested in?—"

"We have dates tonight." Erica points at him. "Why would you even suggest that?" She looks annoyed. "Come on now, Wes."

"It's tonight or no night." Wes stands up again and takes his tie off completely.

"I'm completely booked this weekend, and then I'm off to France for a business trip on Monday.

" He proceeds to unbutton his shirt, and I wonder if the AC in his apartment has stopped working because all of a sudden, I'm starting to sweat.

"So, ladies, what's it to be? Do you want to waste time on dates that are going nowhere tonight?

Or pitch your business to me?" He stares directly into my eyes.

"Also, Sabrina, in case I haven't mentioned it, it's good to see you.

" He smiles warmly. "I feel like I haven't seen you in a couple of months, and I was starting to wonder what I did.

" He cocks his head to the side. "Glad to see that you're doing well. "

Jackass is all I can think in my mind. He knew exactly what he did. What I did. I wanted to grab his tie and wrap it around his neck.

"It's been over a year," I mumble under my breath, slightly annoyed that he hasn't realized just how long I've been avoiding him. I wonder if he even remembers the last time we were in each other’s company. If he can even remember our argument. And how heated we both got. Have I been avoiding him for nothing? Did he even notice? How can he think it’s only been months?

"Sorry, what did you just say?" he asks as he pulls his completely unbuttoned shirt out of his pants and displays his tanned chest and abs.

Be still, my ever-loving heart. I wonder if he can hear how loud it is beating.

I hope my eyes and lips aren't giving me away.

I'm practically salivating at the sight of him.

I should have kept my ass at home. Seeing Wes Carrington without his shirt on is taking me back to the days when he was the star of my every dream and fantasy, and I do not want to relive those days. No, thank you!

"Dude, what are you doing?" Erica makes a face as she hits him in the arm. "Auditioning for Magic Mike 10 ? We don't wanna see you unclothed."

"I'm getting changed. Do you have a problem with that, sis?

You are in my apartment, remember?" He raises an eyebrow and twists his lips up before snorting.

"Unwanted, to boot. So, are we doing dinner tonight or not?

" He pulls his shirt off. BE STILL, MY HEART.

"Or do I need to call one of my..." He pauses and grins as Erica lets out a loud groan.

"Lady friends and see who is available to eat? "

"Call whoever you want." Erica jumps up. "We have plans. Plus, I'm sure Miles is free this weekend, so we can speak to him about the sponsorship instead."

"Hmmm, if you say so." Wes grabs his phone from his back pocket and makes a call, his eyes on mine as he waits to speak.

"Lydia, hey, it's Wes. I was wondering if you'd like to grab dinner tonight?

" All I can think is who the fuck is Lydia?

"Around 7:00? At that Thai place in the village we went to last time?

Yes, that was a fun night." He pauses and looks at me before continuing.

Is he trying to rile me up? He couldn't be, could he?

"Wear something sleek and sexy. No fruit apparel, like cherries or pineapples or anything.

" He chuckles as he winks at me. JERKFACE!

"I know you would never. Perfect. I'll send a car for you.

" He hangs up and runs his fingers through his hair before he throws his shirt into my hands.

"Have a great date night, Sabrina. Be a doll and put this in the wash for me before you head out.

" He looks over at Erica. "Take your photos, but please be out by nine.

I will likely have company coming back, and I'd like a private evening. "

"You're a pig, Wes," Erica says in disgust as I throw his shirt back at him, and he catches it with a chuckle.

"Do it yourself, Channing Tatum wannabe."

"Who I may be on a date with this evening." Erica grins, and we high-five. Wes looks at us for a few moments and just shakes his head.

"I'm not going to say anything," he mutters under his breath.

"You are never going to find a good wife with your piss-poor attitude," Erica continues. "Women are not here to do your cooking and cleaning."

"Nor to service you in other ways," I add. He smirks, and I can tell he wants to make a comment to me about the last time we saw each other. I will die if he does.

"It's a good thing I'm not looking, then, isn't it?

" He shakes his head and moves down the corridor towards his bedroom.

I want to follow him and spy on his room, but I'm not crazy.

"I'm not desperate, and I'm not interested in changing who I am just to be with someone.

" He stops at his bedroom door and looks at me for a few moments.

"Good luck tonight, Sabrina. I hope your date is as special as you want it to be.

" Why do I not believe him? "Just don't say I didn't warn you that that outfit is not bringing you any Prince Charmings.

..or at least none that will last more than one night.

" He winks, walks into his bedroom, and slams the door as I stand there gawking.

I look over at Erica, and I can see she is fuming, as well.

"Don't mind him. You look super cute and beautiful and sexy.

" She rushes over to me. "Wes is just a hater.

He thinks because he's some hotshot that he knows everything, but he doesn't. Your date will be amazing, and so will mine.

And if it's not, we will still have these amazing photos for the app.

" She runs her fingers through her long hair, and I stare at the watermelon earrings I made her that are dangling in front of her eyes.

She is wearing a white crop top with a bra that is even more padded than mine, and I let out a light groan as I take in her appearance and know that it reflects my own gaudiness.

Do we look young, cute, and chic, or do we look cheap and tacky?

"He was a little right," I whisper as I wrinkle my nose.

"We're hot messes," I say softly, and she grabs my hands and starts laughing.

"Wes was right...we're not winning over any billionaires with these looks.

" I reach over and touch her earrings. "You don't have to wear these if you don't want to. "

"I am wearing them. They are cool, and thank you for making them for me.

I love them." She smiles, and the light reaches her eyes as she does.

One thing I have always loved about Erica is that she's always supported me through everything.

I know if she had her way, she'd support me in every way, but there is no way I’m taking her family's money, though I love her for offering it to me every so often. I think part of the reason she loves and trusts me so much is because I’m not one to just take, take, take.

"I am so lucky you're my best friend, Erica. And tonight, well, tonight will go as it goes."

"I mean, Wes is not always wrong." She giggles. "But we cannot tell him that. Tonight, we will have fun, no matter what happens."

"That is a plan," I say, taking a deep breath. "I really hope that Rudolpho is as cute as he looks in his pics."

"Or at least as cute as a red-nosed reindeer," she says with a straight face, and we both burst into hysterical laughter.

"You know what...I'm not going to say anything else. This is all just a part of our journey." She nods as if she’s trying to convince both of us. “No matter what happens tonight, it’s okay. It will make great fodder for our podcast.” We exchange small smiles of excitement because we’re both excited for our new venture.

Maybe even more than we are for our dates.

"And who knows, maybe I was right. Maybe this will be the last first date we ever go on again. "

I can tell that the alcohol has slightly worn off because there's no part of me that is feeling hopeful that that is going to happen.