by Turner, CJ
But when he poked his head out of the door, he heard a different feminine voice.
“Terry?” said Brad. “What are you doing here?”
“It wasn’t easy. I had to get on a plane here. Your father chartered a flight for me. Why did you run out of the hospital like that?”
Terry? Who was Terry? The former fiancée?
“I was fine, and I wanted to get out of there. It’s a good thing I did, too.”
“Nonsense. Nothing is worth your health. And you won’t answer your father’s calls. He’s been worried, as well as me.”
“Thank you for your concern. I’m fine.”
“Brad, if we are to be married, you need to communicate more with me and tell me what’s bothering you.”
Chase waited and didn’t hear Brad deny his engagement. Anger flared in Chase’s heart. Damn it! He should have known better. There were always men that cheated. Some happened to be bisexual. It was time for Chase to leave.
“Thank you for letting me use your bathroom, Mr. Hunt,” said Chase.
“Doctor Chase, Doctor Chase! Where are you going? Uncle Brad made bacon and eggs.”
“Who’s this?” said Terry.
“I’m Owen Chase. I treated Bittan yesterday in the ER. I just came to check on her.”
“Don’t go, Doctor Chase!” She clutched at his khakis.
“And who is this girl, and why does she call you Uncle Brad?”
“I must be going. My condolences, Mr. Hunt. I hope things work out for you.”
“Chase, don’t—”
“Is there something you want to say, Mr. Hunt?” said Chase coldly. He gave Brad a pointed glance.
Please say something, Brad. Prove I’m wrong.
Brad ran his hand through his hair. “This isn’t the time.”
“So, I thought. Goodbye, Mr. Hunt.”
Chase walked out the door, and Brad did not come after him.
That settles the question of Brad’s engagement, doesn’t it?
Chapter 10
Brad
Brad’s heart sank as he watched Chase walk out the door. This was all wrong. And he wasn’t prepared to have the conversation he needed to with Terry. But worse was the disappointed expression on Chase’s face when Brad didn’t explain his relationship to Chase. It had all happened too quickly, and he didn’t have a chance to think.
“Brad, darling. We all get cold feet.”
“Uncle Brad, where did Dr. Chase go?”
Terry sneezed. “My goodness,” she said. And then she sneezed again.
“Uncle Brad! Tell Doctor Chase to come back. I want him to help me build new forts for the hurrycanes.”
“Not now, Bittan.”
“Who is this girl?”
“She’s my cousin.”
“She doesn’t look like any cousin of yours I’ve met,” said Terry.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Uncle Brad, don’t get mad, please.”
“Well, um, well.”
“She just so happens to be my cousin Imelda’s daughter. She married an island man.”
“Well, that’s all well and good, but what are you doing with her?”
“Uncle Brad, I don’t like this lady. She’s getting everyone upset. Dr. Chase left because of her. You said he’d eat breakfast with us.”
“Bittan, please. Go eat your breakfast.”
“Why would that Doctor eat breakfast here?” Terry sneezed one more time. “Darn. I must be allergic to something here. Wait? Do you have a dog here?”
“Sammie, Sammie,” called Bittan. “Come.”
Sammie rushed in and jumped on Bittan.
Terry sneezed more forcefully now. “Darn it, Brad. You know I’m allergic to dogs.”
Brad was beyond exasperated. “And I didn’t expect you to show up here unannounced.”
Terry huffed. “Well, what did you expect me to do? I went to Miami to be by your side when you were sick, and you were gone.”
“Terry, I told you that I do not want to marry you.”
“Brad, you’ve been working hard, and you had a blip. You need time away, fine. Take some. Just tell me what’s going on.”
Bittan put her hands on her hips. “Uncle Brad told you, lady. He doesn’t want to marry you. He wants to marry Dr. Chase.”
“Bittan!” said Brad.
“Well, you and Doctor Chase slept together, didn’t you? I saw you last night when I woke up. Mommy told me that only married people sleep together.”
Brad put his face in his hand. “Oh, good Lord,” he muttered.
“What is she talking about?” demanded Terry. Her face turned red, and Brad didn’t blame her. Then she sneezed again, and her nose dripped snot.
“Oh,” she said in a panicked voice. “I need a tissue.”
“There are some in my bathroom.”
Terry stalked off, and Brad sighed with relief. But now he must have a difficult talk with her.
“Bittan, please. Eat your breakfast so I can talk to Miss Thompkins. Then you and I will take Sammie for a walk, and then we’ll discuss what we can do today.”
Bittan huffed. “Okay, but I’d like to know when Mommy and Daddy are coming back.” With a child’s indignation, she turned and walked toward the kitchen, and Sammie followed her.
When he looked up, he saw Terry staring at him with a tissue at her nose.
“What went on here last night? It looks like two people slept in that bed.”
Brad blew out a breath. “Two people did. One was me, and the other was Chase.”
Terry blinked. “Wait, you didn’t call him Dr. Chase.”
“I generally don’t.”
“You—” Her face turned white. “You—”
“For heaven’s sake, Terry. It’s the 21st century.”
“But you. Me. Oh.” The last sound came out as a strangled cry.
“I’m sorry, Terry. I really am. During pre-marriage counseling, I came to grips with why it would be wrong to marry you. You deserve so much more than a man that doesn’t love you in all the ways a woman should be. I was wrong, and I can’t apologize enough. But now you know.”
Terry’s mouth quivered as if she would cry, and Brad didn’t know if he could take it.
“Well,” she said. Her voice broke. “At least I have an explanation.” She waved her hand toward the door. “Well, go get him. I didn’t see cars out there, so I can only assume he’s walking to town, and it’s a long way on foot.”
“I can’t. Bittan.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her. But you better go before I change my mind on this whole being gracious thing.”
“Thanks, Terry. You’re the best.”
“I know. One day a man will figure it out.”
Brad gave Terry a peck on the cheek and then dashed out the front door. His feet squished into the gravel as he flew up the walk until he made the street. He stopped and looked up one way and down the other but didn’t see him. Going left would only take Chase to the end of the island. He turned right and thought he saw a head bob on the small rise in the road. Brad ran toward the figure, hoping it was Chase.
“Wait,” he called as he got close enough. “Hold up.”
Chase looked behind but kept walking.
“Damn, it. Chase. Stop.”
Chase stopped walking and turned, but his expression told Brad he didn’t like the idea.
Brad continued to run until he reached Chase. He stopped, breathing hard, and put his hands on his knees.
“You look like you need a doctor,” said Chase. His voice was harsh, but Brad didn’t care.
“I do. I need you.”
“But your fiancée—”
“I told you the truth about that. I did break up with Terry, but I didn’t tell her why. Now, she knows. She sent me out here to get you.”
“She did?” Chase sounded like he didn’t believe Brad.
“That’s right. If you need empirical evidence, then you can ask her.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Chase, I know the past couple of days have been a roller coaster. But I tell you, I never had so much fun on one. And that’s because of you. Give me a chance, please. I promise I’ll always be straight with you. If you don’t want to, I’ll understand. But it will break my heart.”
Chase blew out a breath. “Well, we can’t have that. I’m not a cardiologist. So we’ll go for preventative medicine.”
Epilogue
One year later
Chase stood on the St. Croix pier where his mother and father had met, holding the two urns that contained their ashes. Mom and Dad had waited this long. A few more minutes wouldn’t make a difference.
The island, as usual, was gorgeous. Below his feet, the blue-green water lapped against the pier’s pylons. The temperature was a balmy eighty-three degrees, which was standard for the island, and the sun shone, warming the skin whether you wanted it or not. But Brad didn’t mind. He had fallen in love with St. Croix and visited whenever he could to volunteer at the hospital. Chase had hoped to get a job on the island, but the timing wasn’t right yet. He’d take a cut in pay to live in paradise, and he wanted to pay off his student loans before he did that.
“Hey.”
Chase turned to see Brad walking toward him, holding Bittan’s hand with Sammie trotting beside them. He was thoroughly tanned now, the result of living mostly full-time on the island while he cared for Bittan since she had no other family here. They had found she was the only survivor of her family after the hurricane that killed her mother and father, and Brad didn’t want to traumatize her more by yanking her away from familiar surroundings. Brad didn’t seem to mind, and after a few discussions, his father didn’t either. Brad could do most of his work over the internet, and when he needed to take a meeting, the private jet he bought got him to where he needed to travel.
Damn. It was good to be rich.
“Uncle Chase!” said Bittan. She ran to him and gave him a big hug, and Sammie followed to jump on Chase with an enthusiastic doggy greeting.
“Sammie, heel,” said Brad. Sammie whined but walked back to Brad.
“Sorry, I’m late. Bittan’s school got out later than they should. Here, let me help you.” Brad took one of the urns. “Which one is this?”
“That’s Mom.”
“Hello, Mom,” said Brad.
“Uncle Chase, your mom is in there?” Bittan had a perplexed expression on her face.
“We talked about this, Bittan. Some people, when they die, like to make their bodies into ashes and scatter them in a special place so they will always be part of it.”
“But Mommy and Daddy aren’t ashes,” she said with a serious face.
“That’s right, baby girl,” said Brad. “Your mommy and daddy are buried in the cemetery. They loved their island, and they’ll always be a part of it.”
“I miss them,” she said.
“I know,” said Brad. “But they are always looking out for you.”
She nodded. “That’s right. They made sure from Heaven that I have you and Uncle Chase to take care of me.”
Chase sniffed. It’s been a year, but it still misted his eyes when he heard Bittan talk about her parents.
“So let’s do this. Bittan, will you help?”
“Yes! What should I do?”
“I’ll open this urn, and then you’ll help me turn it into the water.”
“Okay.”
“And Brad, if you’ll take care of Mom, so we can do this together.”
“Okay, but something isn’t right about this.”
Chase frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, it seems I should be part of the family if I’m going to dump your mom into the water.”
“Brad, I don’t think she’ll mind.”
“But I do. And I think I have a solution.”
“And what would that be?” Chase arched an eyebrow.
Brad set the urn on the pier and pulled out something from his pocket. Chase couldn’t see it, but swallowed hard when Brad got to one knee.
“You see, I think we can fulfill the family requirement if I’m your fiancé. Dr. Owen Chase, will you marry me?”
“No, Uncle Brad. He has to marry us.”
“Quite right, Bittan. Dr. Owen Chase, will you marry us?”
Chase blinked. He didn’t expect this at all, not on this day when he was fulfilling his parents’ last wishes. Brad looked up at him, hopefully.
“Show him the ring, Uncle Brad. You’ve always got to show them the ring.”
“What would I do without you, baby girl?”
Brad opened the box and held it for Chase to see. It contained a thick platinum band set with a single round diamond.
“You bought me an engagement ring?”
“You don’t like it,” said Brad with disappointment.
“No, it’s wonderful. I’m just shocked.”
“Well, of course, you have to marry us,” said Bittan. “Only married people are supposed to sleep together, and you’ve been doing a lot of sleeping in Uncle Brad’s bed.”
Brad started to laugh and hid it behind his hand.
“What ideas have you been filling this child’s head with?” said Chase.
“Not me.”
“No. Mommy told me that a long time ago.”
“I see,” said Chase. “Well, I suppose, now that she’s getting older, we wouldn’t want to skew her moral compass.”
“So, you’ll marry me for Bittan’s sake.”
Chase laughed. “No.”
“No? You won’t marry me?”
“Marry us,” huffed Bittan.
“No. I’ll marry you for me. Because I love you and Bittan, and I don’t want to be without either of you.”
“That’s good. Because I love you, too.”
“And I love you, Uncle Chase.”
“Good. Well, let’s go home.”
“What? You don’t want to spread their ashes?”
“We’ll wait until after we’re married. It’s not like I’m going anywhere. Then you will be their son-in-law and can properly help me.”
Brad grimaced. “I made this weird, didn’t I?”
“Nope. Because Doctor Chase fixed things right up, just like I always do.”
Brad smiled. “Thank goodness, I have a doctor in the house.”
Bonus Epilogue
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Bonus Coloring Pages
I loved the characters in this series so much, especiallythe dogs. As a special bonus for reading the His Billionaire series I hired an artist to make coloring pages of the dogs.
Click on any of the images and let me know where you want me to email the full res printables to.
Message from CJ
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading the His Billionaire series.
I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it.
Here is a little bit about me, I grew up on a farm in upstate NY.
I moved to NYC for college where I studied photography. What better way to be around male models?
I had my own photo business in NYC for years.
I went on a summer holiday to Lisbon Portugal and ended up moving there.
This is my first series of MM romance books and I had a blast writing them.
Let me know your thoughts.
[email protected]
Hugs,
CJ
Sneak Peek
Remember Olivia Grant, Alister Grant’s older sister who was getting married in The Artist and His Billionaire?
Well, her wedding was a real to-do!
There was a lot of drama.
What kind you ask?
The best kind…MM romance drama.
Want to know
more? Well, you are in luck.
Here is an exclusive sneak peek of His Wedding Quarterback.
Chapter 1
Lane
Lane took a sip of his unsatisfactory manhattan and winced. His drink had undoubtedly been made with bottom shelf whiskey, which shouldn’t surprise him considering where he was. He walked across the sticky floor to the server’s end of the bar. The smells of sweat and cheap booze were heavy in the air. Worse, the music, pop songs from the early 2000s that would be better left forgotten, was so loud he could hardly hear himself think. Lane could already feel a headache coming on. I love my job, I love my job, he repeated to himself for the tenth time that hour.
Cradling his drink but not taking another sip, Lane arranged himself adjacent to the service counter and eyed the waitresses. Mercifully, they were at least wearing tops. There was a mirror covering the entire length of the wall behind the bar, which Lane stood facing. He eyed the reflections of the stage, the poles, and the scantily clad dancers behind him and heaved a sigh. The wedding party had just arrived, and he watched as the hostess, wearing a silver lamé bikini that could hardly be considered decent, led the men to a round booth covered in red velvet fabric near the stage. Lane shuddered to think about the fluids that must be ingrained into the seating. He reminded himself not to sit down anywhere under any circumstances. Germs were not his thing.
Carlton, the groom, was sitting in the middle, surrounded by his rowdy groomsmen. That was good - it would be more difficult for him to get a lap dance that way. That was Lane’s mission for the evening, keeping the groom from getting too friendly with any of the dancers. His client was one of the wealthiest women in Waterside, and, though babysitting husbands-to-be during bachelor parties was not normally part of an event planner’s job description, he would do whatever it took to keep her happy. At present, that meant standing in a strip club full of bare breasted women he had absolutely no interest in.
