by N Kuhn
Text copyright ©2017 by the Author.
This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Melody Anne. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Melody Anne, or their affiliates or licensors.
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Most Eligible Bachelor
By N Kuhn
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
Prologue
“Robin, darling, I think you should stay out of it.” Justin looked up at his wife lovingly. He was getting ready to head into City Hall for the day and get to work. The excitement of being mayor over such an amazing city, still hadn’t fully sunk in yet. Robin paced back and forth in their kitchen, her hand rubbing her small, expanding belly. His child was growing in there. He couldn’t help the elation at his future. From the stressful work of running a casino and his campaign for mayor, he never thought too far into the future. Until it hit him square in the eyes. “You were none too happy when you found out that Charlene and your mother interfered with us.”
“Justin,” Robin pinned him with a glare. “The way I remember, you were not so happy either, when we ended up married and knocked up.”
“Your mother and best friend meddled. Sure, it turned out great for us, but what if it doesn’t for them? What if things go wrong and you’re forced to take a side? Your brother or your best friend?”
Sighing, Robin plopped down in a stool next to her husband. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, kissing her temple.
“Darling, if it’s meant to happen, it’s meant to happen. Let it be.” Ignoring her husband, Robin stared off into space. He knew she was planning something, she had that far off thoughtful look he loved. Her forehead and nose wrinkled. Shaking his head, Justin called out a goodbye and left for work. He hoped his wife wouldn’t get herself into too much trouble. The Colters were a great family, and though he had been angry with her, he enjoyed having Charlene around. It would be just awful if they had to choose sides.
“Behave little bird,” he shouted out as he left their home to start his day, knowing it was pointless. She was not going to listen. Like mother, like daughter.
Chapter 1
Grayson Colter shook his head as two women stopped for a double take as he past them. Ever since Derek Titan married, he had climbed to the top spot as Seattle’s number one most eligible bachelor. The female population hadn’t left him alone since. Every old lady wanted to introduce their daughter or granddaughter. All of his ex-conquests were calling or tracking him back down. He didn’t have time for this. Or for fancy charity events. The only reason he was doing this, was for his sister, Robin. She had recently married the new mayor of Las Vegas, Justin Maddigan. He had offered Grayson the job he was vacating after his election, temporarily. He knew of Grayson’s goals and only needed someone temporarily until he could find a permanent replacement to run Maddigan Tower. The casino, the hotel, all of it. Grayson would be the man in charge of the largest casino in Vegas, while his new brother-in-law ran the city. Grayson had been an ADA (Assistant District Attorney) in Seattle and had worked many high profile cases that landed him on the cover the newspapers and magazines. He had been termed the Golden Boy of Law. It didn’t help that he came from a family of old money or that his best friends were some of the most rich, powerful and famous. His social calendar had already been full, but now, even in Las Vegas, he was dealing with that damnable list! What they didn’t know about him, was that he lived off the money he worked for, saving his inheritance and trust fund. He wasn’t a billionaire playboy like the rest of the men on that list. Sure, his worth was in the high nine figures, but that’s not the lifestyle he lived, nor the money he survived on.
Once a woman realized he didn’t like to live lavishly, she ran the other way, quickly. That’s what made it so humorous that there were so many now calling to try to snag another date with him because of the list. Grayson frowned, rolling his eyes. He was tired of the shallowness his class in society brought out in people.
He had goals, and blowing through his money wouldn’t help him achieve them. He was a lover of wine. Starting his own vineyard, opening a winery. That was his dream. If he worked hard enough, he could sustain living on his paychecks and use his trust fund to finance the buying, planting and cultivation of his own winery, until it became self-sufficient. One of the reasons Grayson agreed to helping run Maddigan Tower for now, was the raise in pay, living expenses covered, well that and he got to be closer to his sister to be there for the birth of his niece or nephew, and then freedom.
For his winery, he would need a lot, not only to buy the land, the vines, the equipment, but to hire some people to help him run it, and to finance the startup costs. Unfortunately, it would be a good five years or so before he even had a decent batch for sale. But his plans didn’t end there. He wanted to offer tastings, dinners, weddings, more. Not only serving as his home, this vineyard needed to be more.
“Aw, buck up buddy, it’s not that bad!” Derek Titan inched up next to Grayson at the bar. His friend’s voice pulled Gray from the anxiety growing deep in his thoughts. “At least in Vegas, most of the debutantes only come here to play, not stay. They may bother, drool over, and follow you for a few days, but then they’ll move on when they realize they can’t land you permanently. You should enjoy it while you can.”
“Yeah, right. Why did you have to go and get married?” He watched how Derek’s eyes never left his new bride. She weaved in and out of groups of men discussing business, debutantes who were all proper ladies, and families from old money as if she belonged everywhere. If Grayson wasn’t so miserable, he’d be jealous. Charlene Dixon. The only woman who ever caught his eye was a big part of the reason he was in the damn city to begin with. She was the bouncing blonde who had led his baby sister, Robin, to this city of sin and lust. Grayson also blamed her for letting his naive little sis elope with billionaire playboy Justin, in the first place. Justin had been behind in rankings for the Mayoral race until they announced their marriage. Grayson couldn’t help but think that Justin was using Robin. That was another reason he’d accepted this stupid job anyways. When things fell apart, he needed to be here for his sister. If only she didn’t look so happy, so in love. And it was all thanks to that annoyingly sexy bombshell with glittering green eyes and a personality that could brighten a funeral.
“Stop grumbling and go dance. There’s a busty blonde that keeps pouting at you,” Derek nudged Grayson with his elbow. Turning to follow Derek’s gaze, he noticed the item of his misery glaring, from across the room. She was chatting with Robin, but when the women noticed Derek and Grayson looking their way, they both scrunched up their noses and moved away.
“Yeah, right. I think I’m persona non-gratis with my little sis at the moment.” Grayson shifted back to face the bartender, pointing to his empty cup. “Make one comment of opinion on her marriage, and you would think I tried to get the man to cheat on her or something. I just don’t think
it feels right.”
Derek’s mouth dropped open. “You said that, to your newly married sister? And people thought I was a beast.” Derek laughed, slapping Grayson on the back. “You’re in deep man, go ask the lady to dance.” Grayson grumbled about the bartender’s lack of speed. Yeah. His ambitions would wait until he was sure his sister was really truly happy and not just being made a fool of.
The glass of aged Syrah was set in front of him. Grayson fidgeted with the diamond cuff link on the sleeve of his designer suit.
“Sometimes I’m just so sick of it. Derek, don’t you get tired of the flashy suits, fancy cars, the need to always look better, be bigger? I just want to be normal. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about these vapid women wanting me for my bank account or because of my spot on that list. Why the hell are women in Vegas even worrying about a list from Seattle anyways? Doesn’t Las Vegas have its own list?”
“Like you want to go work the land and be a farmer or something? You shouldn’t complain, we have it a lot better than many people in this country, hell, even the world. Don’t let them hear you say that,” Derek nodded towards Justin and a group of dusty looking old men. “Maybe you just need to get laid my friend, which is what I plan to do with my beautiful wife, right now,” Derek clapped Grayson on the shoulder as he stood to walk away. He peered back over his shoulder, “Don’t let that list get you down. I let it bother me, but things turned out, and I couldn’t be happier. You’ll get there. Now, pick your balls up off the floor and go dance with that woman you can’t stop looking at.” He stalked away, wrapping his arms around his beautiful new wife as she approached him.
The charity function had done well, raised millions of dollars for the new children’s hospital they were building outside the strip—one of Justin’s first initiatives as mayor. What better way to raise money, than a fake casino charity ball, inside of a real casino, right? As if the rich needed more of a reason to dress up and waste money, instead of just donating without the need of a party that most likely cost as much as they raised. Grayson was still disgusted with himself, the women who chased him, and all of upper society at the moment. Turning to the left, he watched as a group of young women tittered, chatting behind gloved hands, all looking his way and blushing. Older women stood to their side, also staring at him, the money signs in their eyes crystal clear. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. The urge to run from the room was strong, but he held his ground. He would not be scared off by these awful women or Charlene.
“Brother, dear,” Robin said, in her needy tone. Of course, she wanted something. Little sister always used that tone when she wanted something or was going to tease him. “You’re staring, it’s kind of sad.”
He couldn’t contain the puff of air that escaped his lips, or the roll of his eyes.
“Yes birdie?” Grayson smiled at his sister. She was one of the good ones, not a spoiled little rich girl living off their parents, she worked for a living though she didn’t need to. Another reason he hated feeling like she was being used. He draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight against him. They’d always been very close, shared an upbringing that taught them about hard work instead of being spoiled with everything they wanted. Though they had money, their parents had taught them the value of it.
Charlene, on the other hand, was one spoiled rotten brat. She masqueraded at jobs that didn’t require hard work, that held no meaning, earning her barely anything, just to appease her parents. Parading past Grayson, she winked at Robin and mean-mugged him. She latched on to the first man she came across in his line of vision, dragging the poor, unsuspecting fool to the dance floor.
Her ankle-length red gown left nothing to the imagination, molding to her lithe body at every curve of the satiny material. The back was wide open, exposing inch after milky inch of her sweet soft skin. Her strappy shoes sparkled in the light, casting an effervescent effect around her toes, highlighting her legs. She pulled the skirt of her dress up to prevent tripping, a piece of matching red-satin ribbon wrapped around her wrist to hold the material off the ground.
“Yoo hoo, Grayson,” Robin chuckled lightly. She just knew it! Quickly pumping her fist in the air, she winked at Justin, her new husband, who stood off to her left. She knew there was a spark between her brother and Charlene, her best friend. Her brother quickly glanced between the two of them, a slight blush creeping up his baby face. She couldn’t help but smile. He had always been handsome, but the older he grew, the better he looked. At thirty-five, he could pass for twenty-five. Take the expensive suit away, and the man could fit in with the average, every day, working crowd. She knew how much he longed for that—for the solitude of being average and not a man women chased for his bank account.
“I’m here, Rob. I’m just tired. Sick of all this. The debs throwing themselves at me, the cougars trying to land a new young toy. The damn monkey suits.” He tugged at his collar, loosening the bow tie and unbuttoning his dress shirt a notch.
“I know Gray, but it’s the life we live, you just need to make the best of it. We can do great things, we have the power and money to change lives for the better. Think of it that way.” She was right. He should appreciate the freedom to be philanthropic without worrying about his finances.
“I’m just tired, that’s all.” He squeezed Robin close, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. “I’m gonna turn in, little sis. Tomorrow is my first day alone at the Casino on my own since your husband is taking office.” He released her as Justin walked up.
“Good luck tomorrow, Gray,” he said, reaching out to shake hands. “Remember, my father is in town to help out until you’re comfortable.”
Grayson nodded, placing his empty glass on the bar behind him. He had met the older Maddigan a few times as Justin trained him in the new position. He was a sweet older man, happy that his son had finally married and would finally be bringing him grandchildren. The family seemed nice enough, and Grayson was willing to give them and Justin a chance. And if all else failed, he could always return to Seattle, taking his sister with him.
“Thank you. I’ll see you both for dinner tomorrow.” He wound his way through the dispersing crowd, capturing Charlene’s gaze before exiting through the doors. A hint of disappointment spread across her face as he left.
***
Charlene paused, her dance partner looking confused as she shook her head, stalking away. The poor guy remained behind, arms open as if asking why. Char bee lined straight for her best friend Robin, eyes glued to Grayson’s retreating form.
“Where’s your brother going already?” she asked petulantly. “He couldn’t find any more willing women to manhandle?”
“He has a job to do Char, he’s tired. Let him go. He’s not the party type anymore,” she explained to her friend, trying to bite back the wicked grin threatening to break across her face.
“Well, you’re both boring now. You’re busy being married and pregnant,” she looked down at Robin’s baby bump that was beginning to show. “He’s working. What’s a girl gotta do to have some fun in Sin City?” Justin guffawed at them. The two women acted more like sisters than friends, and though he had been angry with Charlene at their predicament and her hand in it, he’d warmed to her as time went on. She truly cared about Robin.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure you can think of something. That evil little mind of yours is always going.” The girls laughed together, all the while, Robin plotting.
Chapter 2
“I understand, sir. Thank you,” Grayson said, shaking hands with the elder Maddigan. He had spent the morning helping Grayson understand the financials, and a hundred other final things he would need to know to be successful in this position. Grayson only had to last at this job for a few months, and then he could start the painstaking job of finding some land for his vineyard and finally getting down to his passion. This was going to be the last chapter of his old life. The new one would begin when he was on his own property, creating something real. Mr. Maddigan slapped h
is shoulder as he strode towards the doors.
“You’ll do just fine, son. I’m off to look at the new sonogram pictures of my grandbaby. I hate that they won’t tell me what it is.” The smile on his face was so genuine Grayson couldn’t help but grin, too.
He slid behind the large oak desk, staring at the computer, slightly overwhelmed. He could do this though. Digging into work, he did as he normally would with law cases, losing himself in the tasks at hand. Time flew by, and the day got away from him.
The secretary peeked her head in the door, and Grayson looked up from his paperwork.
“Mr. Colter, I’m heading home. Do you need anything else?”
“No,” Grayson rubbed his hands over his face, as if he could wipe the fatigue from his body. “Thanks, I didn’t realize it was so late. I have to get to dinner at my sister’s.”
“Okay then. I’ll see you in the morning.” Pausing as she went to leave, she looked over her shoulder, “You did well today, Sir.”
His lips curled up, enjoying the compliment from the woman who obviously ran this place more than Justin ever did. Grayson certainly would not have made it through the day without her constant advice, tips and nudges as needed during the day.
His stomach rumbled, a stark reminder that, as normal, he forgot to eat. After he packed up some papers he still needed to read over and sign, he was ready to head to his sisters. Dinner since he had gotten in town consisted of the three of them. His sister, Justin and him, and one wonderful housekeeper that Grayson wished he could take with him when he left Vegas. Her home cooking couldn’t be beat. Anticipation for tonight’s offerings drove him from the office, smirking all the way down to the ground floor. Staring at himself in the elevator mirror, he noticed how much less stressed he looked. Being in Vegas, and not in a courtroom, he honestly felt ten years younger. The end was near. He was almost free of obligations, almost at a point where he could live his dreams.
