The Vegas Billionaire
An International Billionaire Club Series
Britney M Mills
Crystal Canyon Press
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Epilogue
30. Chapter 1
Also by Britney M Mills
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Walking out of the large gym on the lower floor of his resort hotel, Evan Pearson wiped his forehead with a towel and walked toward the smoothie counter. With the remodel of several large rooms on the ground floor, he had more fires to put out than normal. The fact that he’d had to run some of the tension off during lunch wasn’t a good sign of how the day was going, and he could feel the beginnings of a headache just behind his eyes.
“The usual, Cory,” he said, dropping onto a stool next to the counter.
The lanky college kid behind the counter nodded and pulled out several ingredients, pouring them into the large blender.
A lot of people had balked at the idea of a section dedicated to smoothies and flavored drinks, wondering if would be worth it in his large hotel, but it was one of the highest earning stores throughout his resort.
“How are things today, Mr. Pearson?” Cory asked over the sound of the blender.
Wiping his face once more with his towel, Evan said, “Another day at the office. How goes college? You’re a business major, right?”
The young man nodded and smiled. “It’s harder than I thought it would be.”
Grinning, Evan nodded, remembering his time as a student at Hawthorne. It had been seven years since graduation, but he could still remember a lot of his teachers and their advice through the four years he’d been there. “If you ever need help with it, or choosing a future career, come see me. I had some great people help me out in my life, and I like to return the favor.”
His mind turned to Dan Montgomery, one of the coaches of the football team and house mentor to his fraternity, Delta Phi. The wisdom Dan had shared throughout their relationship was beyond his years, and Evan would always be grateful for it. Since Coach’s passing at the beginning of the year, Evan had thought about him even more, grateful to have Dan’s voice in his head.
“I’d love that, sir. Business is so broad, and any help I can get to whittle it down would be great.” Cory grinned, and his comment made Evan throw back his head and laugh.
Cory handed the Styrofoam cup filled with a chocolate protein smoothie and a straw across the counter and nodded, looking over Evan’s shoulder at a woman who’d just walked in. “What can I get you?”
“Can I get a strawberry smoothie with a shot of protein?” The woman’s voice was familiar, and Evan spun to look back.
“Taryn?”
She turned, flashing him a smile. “Hey, little brother. Your manager, Brent, told me I’d find you here.”
“Put it on my account, Cory.” Evan took a sip of his smoothie as he waited for her order to be ready.
“You don’t have to do that,” she said, grinning at him. She was older than him by two years, but he’d always been taught to take care of his sisters, no matter what stage of life he was in.
She walked over to stand by him and grinned.
“What brings you to Vegas? I thought you were back in California, planning your wedding.”
Taryn whipped her long ponytail around and rolled her eyes. “I’m here for FitCon. It starts tomorrow, but I thought I’d stop by and say hi before I get checked into my hotel.”
Raising his eyebrows, he asked, “Why aren’t you staying here? You could for free, you know.”
With a cheesy grin, Taryn said, “I know, but this was just easier because then I don’t have to go further than across the street from the convention center to the hotel. After these long days, it will be hard enough to make it to my room before I fall asleep.”
Taryn had become a health-and-fitness nut a few years before and worked to share tips and tricks on getting or staying healthy with her followers on Quickstagram, the app Evan’s triplet brother, Aiden, had designed.
“How’s Travis? Is he almost done with his rotations?” Evan took another sip and waited for the answer as Taryn moved to grab her smoothie and rejoin him.
“He’s really good. I’ll fly back to California at the end of the week, and he’ll be back then for a few weeks before the wedding. Speaking of,” she said, jutting out her bottom lip and giving him sad eyes. “I need to ask you a favor.”
“Okay.” Evan felt his stomach clench as he waited for her question. Taryn always asked some of the hardest questions, and he hoped it wouldn’t be dangerous this time.
She took a long sip of her smoothie, and he felt his irritation rise. It had to be something big for her to wait this long. Turning, she moved to sit down at a table.
When he slid into the chair opposite her, she asked, “Would you mind if we use the convention room for our wedding?”
Frowning, Evan said, “What about the ‘amazing place’ you had booked in California? I thought that was all set.”
She bit her upper lip, and he could see the emotion playing in her eyes. When she spoke, her voice sounded a bit wobbly, as if she could break into tears at any moment. “Our wedding planner skipped town with our deposit and all the extra money we’d put toward the rentals. We’ve filed all the paperwork to get it back, but if they can’t find her, it will be no use. She never booked the venue, caterers, or anything, so I’m here, stuck at square one, trying to get things figured out on a smaller budget. My wedding is in six weeks, and I’m kind of freaking out a bit.”
“You’re still getting married before Thanksgiving?” he asked.
When she nodded, he said, “I’m not sure it will be completely done by then. I’ve been working on that remodel for a few months, and they’re just barely getting all the finish work for it.”
“Six weeks will be enough time. All you need to do is paint, right?”
Evan shook his head. Only his sister would think it was as easy as just snapping his fingers to get things done. With all of the work in the connecting rooms, it could take over a month to paint the entire section, and as it was, he needed to find a painter. His previous one had moved to Arizona to be closer to his wife’s parents, and Evan had struggled to find someone consistent enough to do the job.
“I’ll see what I can do. If it’s not done, we’ll just have it in the courtyard. I’m sure the fountain would look great in your pictures.”
Taryn pushed his shoulder and frowned. “In November? I know this is Vegas, but it’s still colder in the fall. Just promise me you’ll try to get the room done? It will help us so much to have things figured out.”
“Are you doing all the planning yourself now?”
She shook her head. “No, I’ve asked Sadie Gibson to help. She�
�s a wedding planner, and Aubrey vouched for her skills. She was featured in one of the wedding magazines a few months back, so I’d say I’m in good hands. I just wish I’d known that from the start.”
Evan tried to picture the red-headed girl who’d been attached at the hip with his triplet sister since they were young. She’d gone to high school with Evan, Aubrey, and Aiden, and had been around for many of the same parties. What would she be like now?
Sadie and Aubrey had been roommates since college, but it had been some time since he’d seen her. Graduation from Hawthorne was probably the last. She’d always been nice, but he’d been the big-shot football player and had moved in different circles throughout college. Not much time to remember one of his hometown girls.
“Is that what Sadie does now? Plan weddings?” Evan looked at Taryn for confirmation.
“She’s a pretty famous planner. But you’ve avoided everything about weddings for the past five years, so I can understand why you wouldn’t know that.”
Evan licked his lips, trying to get rid of the sudden dryness at the turn of the conversation. Taryn’s bluntness at his avoidance of weddings caused bile to rise in his throat. He’d finally gotten over being left at the altar, but each time July 23rd rolled around, he did everything he could to possibly forget about the memories from that day.
The experience had soured him from even dating, knowing he’d eventually want something more than being a boyfriend and not trusting he wouldn’t be abandoned again. He couldn’t put himself through that again. Marriage was something he’d always wanted, but now it just gave him nightmares.
Taryn shifted her purse on her arm. “She just got done with Maleah Strong’s wedding two weeks ago, and it was a vision. I only hope she can do something like that for our wedding.” She took another sip of her drink and looked up at him. “What about your dating life? Have you been out with anyone lately?”
The casual question held so much behind it. When was the last time he’d even gone on a date? The last one he could remember was someone Taryn had tried to line him up with, and she’d been more interested in feeling his biceps than an actual conversation.
“You do know I work an insane amount of hours a week and then have to travel often to check on my other hotels. I’m not sure any woman would appreciate a relationship like that.”
“I know it still hurts, Evan, but Stacey leaving you at the altar shouldn’t be the end of your dating life. You need to get out there and keep trying. You’ll find someone.”
If only it were that easy. He’d thought he and Stacey would be together, happily, for the rest of forever. He’d proposed because he thought he couldn’t live without her after all the years growing up together. But she’d turned around and married one of his good friends from high school, driving the knife in even further.
Evan threw back his head and laughed, trying to think of a way to switch the direction of their conversation. “Right, because running resort hotels is a side job. I just need to get through these remodels with my sanity, and then maybe I’ll think about dating. But don’t think since you’ll be happily married that you can set me up over and over with every girl you find out is single.”
Feigning hurt, Taryn said, “I’m the best matchmaker there is. You’re just too picky.”
“No, Taryn, you’re the best fitness blogger I’ve ever seen, but Cupid you are not.”
Scrunching her nose, she pulled her purse over her shoulder. “Just wait. I’ll make sure you find someone amazing, and she’ll make sure to put you in your place, Mr. Billionaire.” She winked. “I have to head over. I’m supposed to help set up the registration table.”
They stood, and she leaned in to give him a hug. “You’ll be fine, Ev. Just don’t close yourself off completely to love.”
When they pulled apart, Evan said, “Tell Travis hi for me.”
Taryn nodded and disappeared through the door.
Evan walked over to the elevator. When it opened, he pushed the button for the penthouse and swiped his card to allow the elevator to grant the request. Leaning back against the wall of the elevator, Evan knew he needed to make a few calls and get things lined up to make his sister’s new wedding dreams come true.
If love was going to happen in his life, it would have to be spontaneous, because he wasn’t up for any more blind dates. Even as he thought it, the loneliness gnawed at his chest. Doing his best to push it away, he stepped out of the elevator and walked to the master suite. With his emotions running high, he just needed something to calm him down before he was needed at his afternoon meeting. He just hoped a hot shower would do the trick.
Chapter 2
Sadie sifted through the towering pile of papers and samples on her large desk. Right now she wished she had an office, and a full-time assistant. She’d thought about finding an office space a few months ago, to help her with the clutter and to leave some of her work behind at the office when she went home. But with the schedule she kept and the actual amount of time she was home, it wasn’t worth it to rent out anything else.
Pulling up the Quickstagram app, Sadie thought about Aiden Pearson, the creator and one of her childhood friends. That usually led to thoughts of Evan, Aiden’s triplet brother, and the ridiculous crush she’d had on him since they were young. As much as she wanted to forget the arrogant jerk, her brain and heart couldn’t seem to agree on that, and she had to focus on other things in order to not feel like a lame schoolgirl still dreaming about the guy she could never have.
It only took a few minutes to post several of the edited photos the photographer had sent her from her most recent planning success, the wedding of Maleah Strong, the pop singer. She’d chosen the Four Seasons in New York City as the venue, and it had been one of Sadie’s favorite weddings to date. The different elements within the classy silver-and-gold theme had come together perfectly, even after the constant internal debate Sadie’d had up to the day before the wedding.
Maleah had been easy to work with, as she had some idea of what she wanted and then let Sadie try out some things instead of breathing down her neck, like some past brides had. Maybe it was because she was refining her business and clarifying her role that the last few weddings she’d put together were easier in that respect.
After arriving back in LA, Sadie hadn’t really had time to get used to the time change again before she’d come to the aid of her best friend’s sister. She’d heard about cases where the wedding planner walked away from the job without doing a thing, and it baffled her how someone could do that. Then again, everyone had their quirks.
Taryn had called a few days ago, pleading, and although the schedule would be tight, Sadie had agreed. With another wedding to plan for in December, she’d be doing double duty for a few weeks, but she didn’t want to turn down work, especially now that all of her hard work was paying off.
From what it sounded like, the wedding would be taking place at Evan’s resort hotel in Las Vegas, which would mean she’d have to see him again. The thought of it sent a chill running through her. She’d always been the bookish nerd with thick coke-bottle glasses, her hair never cooperating. She looked into the mirror, smoothing it with a sigh. Thank goodness the years had helped things settle down, and the color wasn’t quite the orange it had once been.
With contacts to reveal more of her emerald-green eyes, she wondered what Evan would think when he saw her. Or would he even recognize her? She wasn’t sure which one she preferred, but she felt the knots already beginning to form as she thought about it.
She looked back down at the table, knowing she was going to have to get her feelings under control. The last few times she’d seen him, he’d been cruel to her and a lot of others, and yet she still hung on in the hopes that there was something underneath his prickly exterior.
Sadie’s phone vibrated on the table, and she had to move several things to discover where it had gone. The number was from California, and she paused, trying to remember if she’d seen the number before. She
’d had to change her phone number the year before after getting several stalker-like phone calls, but she still felt those same nerves and allowed the call to go to voicemail. She almost forgot about it until the beep sounded almost three minutes later, the notification popping up on her locked screen.
Listening to the voicemail, she almost fell off her chair.
“Hi, Sadie, this is Charleigh French, the actress.” The woman paused for a moment and then said, “My fiancé and I heard about you from Maleah’s wedding. We would love to see some of your work on another wedding before we settle on a wedding planner, and you are the gal to talk to according to all of our references. Jackie Cooper told me she loved the experience of working with you two years ago on her wedding. Anyway, give me a call when you get this.”
Sadie grabbed a pen and scribbled down the number Charleigh left before hanging up.
Sadie held the phone away from her ear, looking at the screen but not really seeing it. Charleigh French was the up-and-coming movie star, having starred in three box office hits since the beginning of the year. Now the question was when Sadie should call her back. Was it too soon to call back now? Or should she wait several hours to look like she was extremely busy?
After debating for several moments, she dialed the number Charleigh gave her and took shallow breaths, hoping to calm the explosion of emotions.
“Hello?” Charleigh answered.
Sadie panicked, pressing her palm against her forehead. “Um, hi. This is Sadie Gibson. I just received a call and was told to call back at this number?” She hoped the question at the end wasn’t terribly noticeable. She wanted to sound like a confident professional, but instead, it sounded like she was fangirling.
The Vegas Billionaire: An International Billionaire Club Series Page 1
