The Billionaire

by Sammi Franks

  “I’m going to need to go over some numbers here with you, Max,” I cooed. I took great satisfaction in the thought this woman might have heard my voice.

  “I’ll be right there, Vicki.” He listened to her speaking, then replied, “She’s my realtor. You should meet her.” Max grinned at me and gave me the ‘thumbs up’ as if this were a good thing. I began to think he was instigating a confrontation. “Perfect. I’ll send my yacht to pick you up; you can ride it down here. I’m going to need some place to stay tonight.”

  “We have this charming bed and breakfast on the coast,” I chirped. “The food is fantastic and many of the rooms have an ocean view.” I smiled, hoping I’d succeeded in tempting him.

  The corners of his mouth tugged down. “A bed and breakfast. That does sound charming. Forget the yacht. I’ll get you a room. Texting you information now, Bre. We’ll talk soon.” Then he ended the call and I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Now we can get back to business.” I pushed the paperwork across my desk so he could read it.

  “And look who’s all business once again.” Max shook his head. “Just when I thought we were getting somewhere.” He sat in the chair across from me at the desk.

  “I’m a professional…” I began seriously.

  Raising a hand, he silenced me. “I understand that. So am I.” He leaned closer. “If you want to be successful, you should understand that it’s all about building relationships.” He picked up the paper and began studying it. “I have been working with Bre for the last five years. We’ve grown our businesses together. She shows me great loyalty. And when I need her, she’s quick to accommodate me because I pay her well and indulge her design ideas.” He sighed. “I buy a lot of property. I have yet to find the right realtor for my team. I have a guy I’ve worked with several times. We have a rapport, but I wouldn’t say he’s a team player.” Max set the paper down and scribbled his name on the lines I’d indicated. “I guess I’m wondering about you, Vicki. Do you want to be part of the team?”

  In my ears, all I could hear was the thudding of blood rushing through my veins. “What does it take to be on the team?” I asked as my mouth went dry.

  “The usual. Trust. Honesty.” Max grinned. “And in your case…tips. I want to know about all the hottest properties around.”

  7

  Max

  * * *

  I went back to Bodhi's in order to let him know I’d be in town for longer than I anticipated. On the way over, I called my father and told him about the purchase, letting him know owning property like this could be financially beneficial, and how I planned to get Bodhi to come back to Seattle. My father was all for me staying down here, essentially killing two birds with one stone. If I could help the company by acquiring property we could rent it out or flip. He told me to look especially for any office buildings that might be accommodating in case we wanted to open a subsection down here and get in while the town was still small business. I got off the phone with my father feeling good about everything and as I pulled into Bodhi's driveway, I was actually smiling.

  Bre would be down here in a matter of hours and I already finished signing the paperwork at Victoria’s office. I already had a meeting scheduled with Victoria for tomorrow so I could show Bre the house and get her opinion. Once I was finished with Bodhi, I was planning to drive over to that B&B and get some rooms for me and Bre.

  It was just before noon and my brother was at his home in a pair of sweats. He looked like he hadn’t showered in a while, and judging by the scruff on the lower half of his face, he hadn’t shaved either.

  I sneered. “Bodhi,” I grumbled as I walked through. “This is ridiculous.”

  Bodhi gave me an odd look. “What are you talking about, Max?” he asked, genuinely confused.

  “This lifestyle that you’re choosing to indulge in has got to change,” I said, sliding my hands in my slacks and glancing at his sofa to see if it looked safe to actually sit on. A crumpled blanket was in a heap on the floor and a lumpy pillow was pushed against the armrest of the couch. “Jesus, are you sleeping on the couch, Bodhi? What the hell, man? You’re better than that.”

  It frustrated me that my brother had every opportunity in the world and instead of using it to his advantage, he took it for granted and squandered it away, which meant my father put an enormous amount of pressure on me. Not only that, but Isla, Bodhi’s twin, had more sense than both of us combined, and yet my father didn’t trust her with the business because she was a woman.

  But Bodhi didn’t care. He eould do whatever he wanted, not caring that Isla would kill to be in his position. Not caring that my father was harder on me because of him.

  Bodhi rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “What the fuck is your problem?” he asked. “Who do you think you are, my father?” He snorted. “Come on, Max. I know Dad sent you, you told me yourself, so you can tell him you found me, you can tell him I’m not coming back, and you can get the hell out of my house.”

  I slid down onto the couch and sat on the edge, careful not to lean back on the pillows. I didn’t want to know what he did by himself in front of the television. It was apparent his hygiene wasn’t a priority.

  “Okay,” I began slowly. “Let me humor you for just a moment. Let’s say you stay here. I’m going to assume you paid for this condo in cash, right? Probably used a realtor named Vicki, cute little number but uptight?”

  “Victoria, yes,” Bodhi responded, “and she actually reminds me of you.”

  “Since you paid in cash, I’m going to assume you depleted practically all your savings because you, unlike me, make rash decisions. You don’t stop and think about the repercussions of said decisions. So, you have a house, but no income to supplement the savings you just depleted.” I raised my brow. “How am I doing so far?”

  Bodhi gave me a look, but didn’t comment. When Bodhi was rendered speechless, it typically meant he didn’t like to admit that he was wrong in any way. It meant I was on the right track.

  “Continuing on,” I said, pulling my hand from a pocket and using it to gesture my points. “So, you have no job, which means you have no money coming in. Yes, you have a house completely paid off, but everyone who buys a house knows it’s not just a house. What about utility bills, the trash, the energy bills? What about cable and Internet? What about the five cans of soda you go through on a daily basis? The Sex Wax for your surfboard? Your surfboards? Wetsuits?”

  “What’s your point, Max?” Bodhi asked. He threw his hands up in the air, clearly annoyed with me. Good. He needed to understand the ramifications of his actions.

  “You can’t buy all of those things without money,” I pointed out. “And you don’t have money or any way of bringing in money. What I’m trying to say, Bo, is you need a job. And -“

  “I already told you,” he said, his feet starting to pace up and down the length of the living room. “I surf in competitions. There’s money there.”

  I really wanted to be supportive of this idea, but even I couldn’t pretend to be okay with my brother claiming surf competitions on his tax return. He wasn’t sponsored and while he was decent, he never made any money.

  “Money that isn’t consistent,” I pointed out. “Money you can’t depend on. Doesn’t entering a competition actually cost money?”

  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” he huffed, waving my concerns off.

  “Guess what, Bodhi? You have to talk about this whether you like it or not,” I told him. “You bought a house. With a house comes responsibility, and I didn’t think that word was in your vocabulary. But now it has to be. You have to figure out a way to get money coming into your bank account on a consistent, stable basis.”

  “And how am I going to do that, Max?” Bodhi asked. “You have all the answers, don’t you? Tell me, how do I do that if I don’t plan on going back to Seattle and working for Dad?”

  I rolled my eyes. This was pulling teeth. “I’ll tell you, Bodhi,” I said,
sarcasm dripping like venom from my mouth, “you’re going to have to get something called a job.”

  8

  Victoria

  * * *

  “Keep an eye out for properties,” I grumbled. This is something that should’ve made me happy. I should’ve been positively gleeful. After all, a wealthy man just admitted that he wanted to buy more real estate from me. This meant I could pay the bills. It’s not like he had me jumping through hoops. Nope. Show a property. Make a sale. Dammit. Why was I so angry?

  I stared at the two framed pictures on my desk. One was of Penelope, taken several months ago at the end of the previous school year. Already, I could see how she’d grown and soon I’d have to replace the photo. The other, in a matching silver frame, was my dream house. I’d been longing for this place for so long, I couldn’t imagine never owning it.

  Max could be the key to my future, if I could just keep playing nice. I sighed. That meant I’d have to work through this animosity, which seemed to flare up once again when I thought of Bre. I couldn’t possibly be jealous of someone I’d never met, could I? I frowned as I worked through my thoughts.

  My cell phone ringing made me feel much worse. After all, I knew from the damn ringtone my ex-husband was on the other end. “What do you want, Joe?” I didn’t even try to hide my frustration. As I studied my calendar for the week, I realized I was going to have to make a day trip to Seattle over the weekend to show a couple of condos. I didn’t relish the drive or time away from Penelope during the school year. Every minute was precious, but keeping her fed and clothed was a priority too.

  “You know, you might want to be nicer to me,” he grumbled. “After all, I’ve been talking to my lawyer.”

  “You don’t have a lawyer, Joe. Lawyers cost money, and since you’re delinquent on child support due to claims of poverty, and have always defended yourself, I’m going to remind you, yet again, that you don’t have one.” I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my forehead. This guy should’ve come with a warning label. A big fat Mr. Yuck sticker on the back of his shoulder would’ve helped me avoid so much pain. I glanced at the picture of Penelope again. Of course, I’d never do anything that might alter her existence. I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

  “Yes, I do. I was talking to Rueben Marshalls the other day…”

  I cut him off. “Rueben? Your drinking buddy, Rueben?” I tapped my pen on the desk loudly while I awaited his response.

  He cleared his throat. “Yes. That Rueben.”

  “Okay. Again, unless you had some sudden windfall and decided to give some to him as a retainer instead of betting on black or whatever the hell you actually do to lose so much goddamn money at a casino, then he’s not your lawyer.” I slapped my desk in frustration.

  “Yes, he is.” Joe complained. “He said he’d be happy to represent me.”

  I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “Of course, he’s a lawyer. He’d love to get your money, but…reality check, you don’t have any! And for the final time, sitting beside the guy at a bar does not make him your lawyer any more than me selling a house to a professor gets me a PhD. Got it?”

  “He used the word pro bono. Does that make him my lawyer yet?” Joe grumbled.

  My blood actually froze in my veins. “Did you sign any paperwork?” I sat silent while I awaited his response.

  “Not yet. I’m supposed to go to his office this afternoon.” Suddenly, he sounded smug and I was scared.

  “What do you need a lawyer for?” I asked him, hoping I sounded more tired than terrified.

  “You’re gone all the time. You work long hours. I want full custody. So there.” He sounded supremely proud of himself.

  “You want full custody? You can’t even pay your own bills. How do you expect to pay for everything a growing child needs?” I struggled not to shriek. I wanted to scream. Hell, if we were in the same place, I’d be seriously shaking some sense into him right about now.

  “You’ll pay me child support.” I could hear the mirth in his voice.

  I wasn’t a violent person, but if I saw Joe anytime soon, and I was in my car, I’d treat him as a speedbump. If he was on fire and I had a glass of water, I’d drink it. And if he asked for my help fitting new shoes, I’d have them made of cement. Yeah, I was that mad.

  Standing, I began to pace in front of the window, hoping the change of scenery and the motion would calm me, but it wasn’t working. “Let me see if I get this right. Try and keep up.” I took a deep breath and exhaled before starting again. “You gamble away all of my life savings.”

  “Our life savings,” he corrected.

  “Did you contribute to it?” I challenged.

  “No,” he muttered.

  “Then that makes it mine,” I growled. “You stole the money. You’ve never replaced a dime. You tricked our daughter into stealing from me. When she stopped, you didn’t even want to see her anymore. Does this sound right so far?”

  He sighed. “I suppose that’s the way you’d spin things.”

  I stopped pacing and froze. “Then let me see if this sounds right. When you left, I was struggling to make ends meet. I had to work longer hours. I had to pay for child care. You never paid child support. And now, you want to punish me for doing everything I could to recover financially with no help from you by taking away my daughter?”

  “Our daughter,” he corrected.

  “Those genes mean nothing!” I screamed. “Fathers help care for their kids, physically, mentally, and financially.”

  “We’ll see what the judge has to say,” Joe hissed.

  “I guess we will. See you in court!” Then I ended the call, missing the days I could’ve slammed down a receiver. That would have been far more cathartic.

  9

  Max

  * * *

  Bodhi did not seem entirely pleased with this new word I just entered into his vocabulary.

  Job.

  “I’m not going to work at a McDonald’s, I can tell you that right now.” He jumped off the couch and locked eyes with me.

  I snorted. “You know, working at a job like that would really humble you,” I told him. I was starting to get annoyed with his attitude. “There’s nothing wrong with working a job like that, because it sure as hell is a lot more reputable than sitting on your ass all day in pajamas, staring up at the ceiling and eating Spaghetti-Os all three meals.”

  “What’s your deal?” Bodhi asked. “I’m not your problem. I’m happy here. If all I want to do is nothing, take my life day by day, and worry about bills when I need to, let me. Why do you even care?”

  “You’re my brother.” I threw my hands up in frustration since it should be the most obvious thing in the world. “Of course, I’m going to care. And you would rather have me here than Isla, let me tell you that much. I’m not leaving until we get you set up somewhere. I don’t care if you’re a greeter at Walmart or you own your own small business, but you need to figure out something you can commit to for the foreseeable future.”

  “I can’t even commit to a woman, how can you expect me to commit to a job?” he argued sadly. There was helplessness there, which meant I was getting through to him. Slightly.

  I sighed. “Look.” I glanced at my watch. “It’s almost five. Let’s get a beer and we can talk it over more. Where can you get a beer in this place?”

  Bodhi furrowed his brow. “To be honest, I don’t think there’s a bar in Westport,” he said. “There’s a winery, but not a bar.” He shook his head. “But we can go to any restaurant downtown and get alcohol there. I am getting hungry.”

  “Really?” I asked, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in my voice. “The cereal you’ve been eating isn’t keeping you full?” I forced myself into a standing position. “Fine. Take me to a restaurant where I can get a beer on tap.”

  “You’re asking like I would know these things,” he said.

  I wasn’t a violent person, but I wanted to throttle my little brother. “You have been here for weeks,
Bodhi,” I said. “What the hell have you been doing here since your competition finished? Just sitting at your new home watching shit TV and stuffing your face with cereal. What kind of life is this, Bodhi? Are you happy with it? Honestly?” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Okay, okay, let’s just get in the car and find the first place we see, okay? Does that work for you? Or do you have an important date with a Kardashian?”

  “Her name is Kim, Max,” Bodhi said. “Okay. Fine, let’s go.”

  “Uh, no.” I shook my head. “Shower, shave, and change. Then we can go.”

  It took Bodhi five minutes, and I told him that was not an appropriate amount of time to shower and forced him back upstairs. Twenty minutes later, he emerged in a blue T-shirt, jeans, and wearing actual tennis shoes on his feet. It even appeared as though he took a brush to his dark hair, slicking it back so it brought out his face.

  My little brother actually cleaned up nicely, if he would just put some effort into himself every once in a while.

  Bodhi directed me to the main road that led to the beach. This was prime real estate, which was probably why Vicki set up shop in the heart of it all. I was surprised to see a light on still in her office and had to refrain from inviting her to dinner. As much as I wanted to be in her presence again, this was about me and Bodhi right now.

  “This looks like a fun place,” I commented while pulling into a tight spot in front of a tall restaurant that also looked like it served ice cream on the other side. “You ever been?”

  “The only places I’ve ever been are Chinese Express and Soup Everything because they deliver,” Bodhi responded.