The Jilted Billionaire Groom
Jennifer Youngblood
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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
Epilogue
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About Jennifer Youngblood
Chapter 1
Finley’s heart jumped into overdrive when he saw the roomful of women with their practiced smiles and watchful eyes—well-groomed vultures—gathered around tables in the banquet room. His mom had invited him to have lunch with her at the country club. As they were entering the café, she took a detour that led them here. “Please tell me this is not what I think it is.” It was bad enough to be humiliated by Emerson on national TV when she declared her love for Titan’s football quarterback Riker Dylan and then ran off with him. Finley didn’t need this to add to it.
Fiona raised her chin. “It’s time for you to quit dinking around. You need to find a good woman, so you can stop the pity party and get on with your life.” She pointed to the room. “Those women are beautiful, accomplished … everything you could ever want. Finley, I’m sure that even you can find a contender out of Dallas’s finest.”
He threw his hands in the air. “Why do you care who I date, Mom?”
Her eyes bore into his as she stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Because you’re my son, and I care about you.” She brushed her hand over her silk shirt as if to smooth the wrinkles. There were none, however. As usual, Fiona Landers was the picture of perfection. “This self-pity routine has to stop,” she continued through clenched teeth. “You need to find a suitable companion and settle down. Your dad’s not getting any younger, and the business is taking its toll on him.”
Finley’s heart clutched. “Is Dad okay?” There’d been a cancer scare a year ago—a brain tumor, but it was benign. A surgeon had removed it, and his dad was back to work before the week’s end.
“Kenton’s fine,” Fiona said with a flourish of her hand. “I want the two of us to start traveling more.”
“You want me to take over the bulk of running the business,” he finished.
“Exactly. If you can prove to your dad that you’re capable of running the business, then maybe he won’t mind stepping away from the helm occasionally.”
He laughed in disbelief. “And finding a woman is going to somehow magically achieve this? I already run a large portion of the business. Who do you think was instrumental in developing the software that’s revolutionizing the agriculture industry?” He pointed to his chest. “Me. Dad’s a workaholic. Even if I lived at the office, he still wouldn’t step away from work.”
“Don’t turn this around to make it a thing about your dad. This is about you and finding the right woman,” she said stiffly. “Since you were reluctant to take the lead, I decided to do it for you.”
His voice rose. “And what? I’m just supposed to waltz in there and pick one? Seriously?”
A rustle went through the room as the women looked toward him. A few smiled and waved. One even winked like they were sharing an inside joke.
“Don’t be a sour puss,” Fiona commanded, nudging his arm. “Smile at them. They’re here to see you.”
It was all Finley could do to force a smile.
“The plan is for you to interview them—two to three minutes each. Pick your top five and go on dates. It shouldn’t be hard to weed them out from there.”
Had he not seen the serious expression on his mom’s face, Finley would’ve thought this whole thing was some crazy comedy setup. The kind where at the end, the person says, Smile, you’re on camera. Gotcha! He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I guess I deserve this for what I did to Emerson,” he said quietly. Karma was having a heyday with this one.
Fire sparked in Fiona’s eyes. “Don’t speak that vile girl’s name. She’s the reason we’re dealing with this in the first place. If she hadn’t gone berserk, you’d be married by now, and all of this would be behind us.”
“I hardly think Emerson choosing the man she loved was going berserk, Mom.”
Her eyes rounded in disbelief. “Now you’re siding with her?”
“I’m not siding with anyone.” A pit settled in his stomach as he eyed his mom. “I’m not going in there. I’ll remain single ‘til the day I die before I subject myself to such humiliation.”
She rocked back, blinking fast as she touched her short hair. “Everything is in place,” she stammered. “All you have to do is go in there and have lunch. Afterwards, you can talk to them.” She smoothed his collar, giving him an encouraging smile as she patted his shoulder. “Those women are clamoring for you. Just be yourself.”
He frowned, his stomach knotting as he slung out the words. “They’re not clamoring for me, they’re here because they want to hitch their wagons to the Landers’ name. It’s all about the money and notoriety. It has nothing to do with me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she laughed nervously. “You are a Landers, and there’s nothing you can do to change that. The women in that room were put through a thorough screening process to ensure they’re worthy of you.”
An incredulous laugh rose in Finley’s throat. “You screened them?”
She gave him a funny look. “Of course, why wouldn’t I? It’s your future we’re talking about. You can just as easily fall in love with a woman of good breeding as you can a nobody. We’re just stacking the deck for success.”
Although Finley was standing right in front of his mom, he felt like they were oceans apart. This is insane! He clenched his jaw. “I won’t do it.” He shook his head. “You’ve gone too far this time.” He motioned. “You can just march in there and tell them the charade is over.”
Fiona’s face fell. “Why’re you being so unreasonable?” Tears gathered in her eyes as her voice quivered. “Can’t you see that I’m trying to help you?” She leaned closer, lowering her voice. “We need a win here, Finley. We need to show the world that you’ve moved past Emerson.”
“I have moved past her, Mom. I sure as heck don’t need another woman on my arm to prove that.”
Her face drained, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’ve put weeks of planning into this. Happiness can be found right inside that room.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand why you’re being so obstinate about this.”
Panic fluttered inside Finley. Had his mom jumped up and down and cursed him, he could’ve held his ground. But the one thing he couldn’t tolerate was seeing her cry. He felt like a battering ram was crushing his insides as he touched her arm. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Her lower lip trembled. “I just wish you’d step outside yourself long enough to see that this thing with Emerson didn’t just affect you. It’s a blight on our entire family. I’m trying to fix it the best way I know how.”
He blew out a defeated breath. Perhaps his mom’s intentions were good, even though they were sorely misguided. The easiest way to solve this was to just go in there and put on a good face—get the blasted thing over with. “Fine. I’ll do it,” he muttered.
“You will
?”
“Yeah.” He felt sick.
She brushed away her tears and rewarded him with an appreciative look. “Thank you.” She patted his arm, offering a wan smile. “I have a good feeling about this. The girl for you is in there.” She squared her chin. “I know it.” She took in a breath, touching her face. “Is my makeup okay?”
“You look beautiful,” he replied mechanically.
“Hello,” a cheery voice boomed.
Dede Chambers, Emerson’s friend strode toward them in six-inch heels and a short, red sundress that showcased her tan, toned legs. She flashed a warm smile at Fiona like they were the best of friends. “Hello, Mrs. Landers.”
Fiona smiled brightly, giving Finley a look that said, See, you should listen to me more often. “Dede. I’m glad you could make it.”
Dede wrinkled her nose. “Sorry, I’m late. Traffic was a beast.” She hugged Fiona, air-kissing her on both cheeks. Then she turned to Finley, the corners of her lips tipping in a mischievous smile. “There’s the man of the hour. How are you?”
“Good,” he clipped. Dede had called several times over the past few weeks. They’d had a few conversations, made vague plans to get together sometime. No doubt Dede was beautiful with a Barbie doll figure and stylish-blonde hair, but there was a predatory glint in her eyes that turned him off. Dede was just like all the other women crowded in that room—a beautiful package with a litany of polite society catch-phrases rolling off her tongue, but no real substance. He’d been drawn to Emerson because she was real. He’d trade the whole kit and caboodle of the vultures in that room for one down-to-earth woman who loved him for him, not for his money or influence.
A stunning brunette emerged from the room, her carriage radiating confidence. “Hi, I’m Celeste Hendricks,” she said in a cultured, husky voice. Her hopeful eyes held Finley’s. “I saved you a seat next to me.”
Dede’s eyebrow arched as she stepped close to Finley, linking her arm through his. “I’m afraid that won’t work,” she said smoothly, her lips easing into an apologetic smile. “Finley’s sitting with me during the luncheon.”
The brunette thrust out her lower lip in a petulant pout. “That’s too bad,” she purred. She touched his free arm, running a manicured nail over his skin. “I guess I’ll just have to put my allotted interview time to good use. See ya inside,” she winked. She cut her eyes at Dede, flashing a malevolent expression, before turning on her heel and strutting back into the room.
Finley’s skin crawled, and he longed to escape. No way could he handle being in the middle of all those fawning women cat-fighting over him. Fiona must’ve realized he was on the verge of losing it because she laughed lightly, taking Dede’s arm and pulling her away from Finley. “Let’s take things one step at a time, shall we?” She gave Dede a warning look. “You’ll get your time, just like everyone else, dear.”
Amusement flickered in Dede’s eyes. “I’m counting on it,” she said softly, holding Finley’s gaze until he looked away.
Fiona lifted her chin. “Shall we go in? It’s past time for the luncheon to start.”
Finley coughed. “You go. I’ll be right behind you. I will,” Finley reiterated when he saw Fiona’s face tighten. “Five minutes is all I ask.”
For a second, Fiona looked like she might argue but finally nodded. “Okay, five minutes,” she said firmly. “If you’re not seated by my side, I’m coming after you.”
“Got it,” he clipped, saluting.
As he watched his mom and Dede go into the room, he made a split-second decision. No way was he going in there. Fiona sat down at the front center table, but her eyes remained glued on him like she was ready to spring up from her seat any second. If he outright fled, she’d run after him and play on his sympathies until she persuaded him to stay. Waiters buzzed past him, carrying platters of salads and rolls.
The time to act was now!
“Hey.” He reached out and touched a waiter on the sleeve. The guy stopped, a surprised expression coming over his face. Finley sized him up. Early twenties, hair pulled back in a man bun. There was a grungy aura about the guy—the perfect candidate for what he had in mind.
“Yeah? What is it?”
“How would you like to make an easy thousand bucks?”
Interest lit the guy’s eyes. “I’m listening.”
“There’s an older woman sitting at the front table. Don’t look,” Finley quickly cautioned before the guy could turn around, “she’s watching us. I want you to create a distraction that will keep her preoccupied.”
Wariness seeped into the guy’s eyes. “What’s the catch?”
“No catch.” Finley moved so that the waiter blocked his mom’s view. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. Quickly, he thumbed through it, counting out a thousand and placing it in the guy’s hand. “The distraction needs to be big enough to keep the ladies occupied for a few minutes.”
The waiter looked down at the money in his palm. “Make it two grand, and you’ve got a deal.”
Finley’s jaw tightened. “Really? All you have to do is one simple thing, man.”
“Yeah, and that one simple thing could get me fired. So, what’ll it be? Do you want a distraction or not?”
“Fine.” He counted out another grand and slapped it down in the guy’s palm.
The guy grinned, shoving the money into his pocket. “You just bought yourself a mega-sized distraction. Nice doing business with you, Mr. Landers.”
Finley flinched slightly at the use of his last name. Duh. Of course, the waiter knew who he was. He was lucky he got off paying a couple grand.
As the waiter strolled away, Finley held his breath, mentally crossing his fingers. Minutes later, there was a loud crash, followed by his mom’s shriek of outrage. The waiter had “stumbled” and dumped the entire tray of salads on his mom and the ladies sitting next to her.
For an instant, Finley’s feet were frozen to the floor as he watched the scene play out. Fiona looked down at the ranch dressing trickling down the front of her silk shirt. Rage twisted her features as she turned her venom on the waiter. Yep, the poor guy would get sacked, for sure. After Fiona clawed his eyes out.
Go now! his mind screamed.
Not looking back, Finley made a break for it. He wasn’t sure where he was going, but it would be somewhere far away from here.
* * *
Ashley took a bite of cereal as she looked across the table at her nephew Ian. It had been a long, challenging week trying to keep him occupied while she juggled projects at work. This week, of all weeks, was not the best time to try and entertain a precocious ten-year-old. Especially with the new design account she’d just landed—a trendy condominium complex just outside of downtown Ft. Worth. Her phone buzzed. It was her boss Jill. She sighed and hit the side button to silence it. She’d call Jill on the drive into work.
“When are we going to the zoo?” Ian asked eagerly.
“We talked about this, remember? We’re going as soon as we get finished at my office. I have a meeting with my boss.”
“I know. To go over plans for the condo.” He rolled his eyes.
“Yes, that’s right,” she barked, then let out a long sigh. It wasn’t Ian’s fault she was slammed at work. She’d dragged poor Ian to scores of appointments and meetings this week. He’d grumbled about it, as any kid would. But all in all, he’d done better than she’d expected. Thank goodness for iPads and video games!
His face fell, along with his shoulders as he dropped his spoon against the bowl with a loud ping.
He was so darn cute with his bright blue eyes, shock of thick, scraggly red hair, and freckles. She wished she could drop everything and take him to the zoo this very minute, but it just wasn’t possible. She’d worked her whole career for a chance like this and couldn’t drop the ball now when things were starting to click. “Hey, I promise. One short meeting, and then we’ll go to the zoo.”
She gave him a pleading look. In response, he folded hi
s arms over his chest, thrusting out his lower lip. “Afterwards, we’ll get pizza and ice cream,” she added.
“Really?” A wide smile curved his lips as his demeanor changed—an iceberg melting before her very eyes.
“Really.”
“Yeah!” he shouted, punching a fist in the air. He sprang to his feet and started dancing as he made beatbox sounds with his mouth like a rapper.
She laughed, shaking her head. How one kid could have so much energy was beyond her. She’d nicknamed him Taz for the Tasmanian Devil character in old Looney Tunes cartoons.
He stopped the song as suddenly as he’d started it. “Hey, can I call my mom?” He sat back down in his seat and shoved a large spoonful of cereal in his mouth.
“Sure.” Hopefully, they’d be able to reach her this time. She’d been trying to call Lexi for two days. The nagging feeling that something was wrong grew stronger by the day. Two weeks ago, Lexi called out of the blue asking if she could watch Ian for a few days, while she worked through some problems with her boyfriend Nolan. Considering it was Nolan Webb they were talking about, there was no telling what was going on. Nolan owned a string of casinos in Vegas and was about as shady as they came. From the first minute Lexi hooked up with him, Ashley feared no good would come of it. But Lexi was head over heels in love with Nolan and wouldn’t listen to reason.
Ashley picked up on the desperation in Lexi’s voice when she called about her watching Ian. Even though it was terribly inconvenient, Ashley didn’t have the heart to tell her older sister no. Lexi had been so good to her over the years. She owed her everything. A few short hours after the conversation, Lexi put Ian on a plane by himself to Dallas. A few days turned into two weeks, and now Lexi wasn’t answering her phone or returning texts. Something was wrong!
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