My Billionaire Crush: A Peachtree Billionaires Novel

by Remy, Cate

  The jeweler removed the ring and handed it to Max. Before Angie could protest, he took her left hand and placed the ring on her fourth finger. The diamond sparkled as it caught the light. “Do you like it?” he asked.

  “It’s pretty,” she admitted.

  “We’ll take it, Mr. Swanson. The wedding band, too, if there’s a set.”

  “Excellent.” The jeweler beamed almost as bright as the diamond. “Step over here to the other counter, and I’ll have everything taken care of.”

  Angie turned her hand over again. The ring was more than pretty. It was gorgeous, but she didn’t see the point of spending so much money on a real diamond for a fake engagement.

  Ten minutes later, she and Max left the jeweler’s and headed downtown. “Why did you buy the wedding band?”

  Max put on his Ray-Bans. “Everything has to look legit. I can’t think of too many traditional couples who’d buy just an engagement ring.”

  “We’re not exactly traditional. You’re a businessman. I’m a mechanic. We come from completely different backgrounds.”

  “Opposites attract, but we grew up together in a small town and share the same values.”

  “We do?” She wanted to raise her eyebrow.

  “We’re promoting a nostalgic ideal of love.” He steered the Jag into the parking lot of Sweet Emma’s Diner. “Ideals never match reality. It doesn’t mean they can’t be useful.”

  She frowned. Max was arrogant in high school, but exactly when did he become so cold and calculating? “I believe love and good people exist in the world. It doesn’t make me naive or an idiot.”

  “Who said you were either of those things?” Max reached over and put his shades in the glove compartment. “We’re here. Looks like the rest of the lunch crowd is, too.” He got out of the convertible.

  Angie saw the people standing inside the diner, waiting to be seated, and groaned. There was a reason she avoided Sweet Emma’s on weekday afternoons. Almost every adult employee made it their lunchtime hangout spot. She supposed it was why Max wanted to bring her here. Another photo op.

  “Before I open the door to go in, I need you to do something for me.” He sounded so cryptic.

  “What?” She asked.

  “Let me kiss you.”

  Chapter Six

  Angie thought she was hearing things again. She stared at Max. “It sounded like you said you wanted to kiss me.”

  “I do. People are watching. They need to see us being affectionate with each other.”

  He was right about the watching. Customers inside the diner gawked as they hovered at the door, probably because they weren’t walking inside like normal people. Angie felt a twinge in her limbs. Was it nerves? “Be quick.”

  Max put his arm around her, leaned in and touched his lips lightly to hers. She got a tingly sensation under her skin. He then opened the door and let her go inside the diner first. Angie felt the warmth of his hand on her back.

  As they came through the door, a man and woman in business attire came up to them. They both had perfectly coiffed hair. They were reporters on her grandmother’s favorite local channel.

  “Excuse us, but we recognized you as Max Kelly, Ed Kelly’s son,” said the man.

  Angie observed Max. “That’s me,” he answered, before introducing her by name. “Angie’s my high school sweetheart and future wife.”

  The diner gradually grew quiet. She could almost hear ears perking up.

  “Is it official?” the woman inquired.

  Angie, instead of giving a verbal response about the engagement, did what she assumed Max wanted. She raised her left hand to show them the ring. ‘Oohs’ and a few ‘ahs’ culminated from the crowd.

  The reporters were the most excited. “You don’t mind if we get that sparkler on camera, do you?” the woman asked.

  “Not at all.” Max amped up the charm for the crowd. Angie heard a more pronounced southern drawl in his voice, more like those of the people of Harper and less like the subtle one of the citizens of Atlanta. He should’ve gone into acting. He liked the attention and did whatever he had to do to get his way. She flitted between being impressed and bothered.

  The male reporter turned and started waving for a guy in jeans and olive green t-shirt to get up from the table. “Get the camera from the van.” He faced Max with a smile. “We’re going to put this on TV for all of Harper to see tonight. Max Kelly, local football hero turned businessman, is engaged to his high school sweetheart.”

  Wonderful. Angie practiced her smile for the cameras.

  * * *

  Angie barely touched her burger and shake. An hour ago she was hungry. After having another camera and a microphone thrown in her face, her appetite vanished like steam from an overheated engine. “I should get home soon. My grandmother will flip if she hears about our engagement through the news.”

  Max chewed on a french fry. “Is she at home?”

  “At physical therapy.”

  “We have time. The reporters said it would make the six o’ clock segment. Who watches the news on TV these days, anyway?”

  “My grandmother.” Wasn’t he listening, or was he cooking up another publicity stunt?

  “We need to think about doing an engagement photo shoot.” She guessed right. “I’ll tell Rob to schedule a photographer when I get to Atlanta today.”

  “Please keep it local. My son and grandmother need me here most days.”

  “I intend to.” He took a drink of Coke from a plastic cup. “If your family needs assistance while you’re with me, I can hire transportation and a chef to cook their meals.”

  Angie refused. “The less disruptive Raymond’s routine is, the better. My grandmother tries to stay as independent as possible. She wouldn’t like a stranger in her kitchen.”

  “She sounds feisty.” He smiled. A real one, for a change.

  “She is. You wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.”

  “Must be where you get your strength. She raised you and Detrick.”

  Angie nodded while drinking more of her strawberry shake. “I don’t remember much about our parents. They died in a car accident when I was a baby.”

  Max paused from eating. “I look forward to seeing your grandmother. I saw her drive you and your brother to school sometimes when you were both late.”

  “Wow, you do have a good memory. I tried to put most of my high school memories behind me. Such an awkward time.” She picked up her burger, ready to take another bite.

  “Everyone feels that way.”

  She put the burger down. “Harper High’s star quarterback struggled with feeling awkward? Yeah, right.”

  “You know the phrase. Don’t judge a book.”

  “You were popular, though. A scholar-athlete. Every girl wanted to date you.”

  “Every girl?” He prompted, looking at her for a long moment.

  Was he flirting or fishing for a compliment? She thought about the kiss he gave her in front of the diner about a half hour ago. Heat of embarrassment crawled up her neck. “I didn’t think you had it so bad in high school.”

  “I had good opportunities. There are still parts I’d like to forget.” He reached into his pocket for his phone. “Let’s stop by my sister’s boutique to pick out a dress for you to wear in the photo shoot. I’ll take you home afterwards.”

  She didn’t know how she was supposed to go try on clothes after downing a burger and thick shake. She could choose an outfit with lots of stretch. Then it would be time to talk to her grandmother and Raymond about the engagement.

  She’d rather try to squeeze into tight dresses all afternoon.

  * * *

  Angie arrived at Trina’s boutique with Max. His sister wasn’t in the store when they entered. “She and my mother are vacationing in Europe,” he said.

  He took a seat in a plush chair in front of the store while the sales associates took her into the fitting room. The ladies showed her rack after rack of fancy designer clothing. Some were Trina�
��s original designs. After trying on eight dresses that were too ornate, tight, or bright, Angie went with an off-white sheath because it was the most comfortable and least flashy.

  The sales associates agreed with her choice. “The color’s perfect, almost like a wedding dress,” said one. They finished placing pins in the dress so it could be altered to fit.

  Angie changed into her jeans and blouse before departing the fitting room. Max had made himself very comfortable while he waited on her. He looked sleepy.

  “All done? You’re not going to model a dress for me?”

  She heard the sales associates giggle behind the counter while they charged the dress to Max’s card. She never could tell if he was saying things for her benefit or to get a reaction from people within earshot. “I picked an off-white dress to fit in with any photo shoot background.” She took her phone from her pocket to check the time. “Geez, it’s almost three. I have to pick up Raymond from school.” How did the time pass so quickly without her noticing?

  Max got up and took out his car keys. “We’ll drive to his school.”

  “No, I’d rather pick him up in my car.” She walked out of the store. He was right behind her.

  “Angie, it’s ten to three. I can drive you to the school to pick up your son.”

  “I haven’t told him we’re engaged yet. I don’t want to shock him by rolling up to his school in a fancy car and saying, ‘By the way, this is Mom’s fiancé’.”

  “You don’t have to use those exact words, but he does need to find out at some point.”

  Max didn’t get it. Angie wanted to make sure he did. “Raymond’s father isn’t in his life. He needs stable people around him.”

  “I’m not telling you what to say to him, but if we don’t leave now, you’re going to be late.”

  Angie got in the car and saw the time on the radio. 2:56. School dismissed at 3:15. She had less than twenty minutes to think of a good way to tell her precious boy she was going to get married. Only she wasn’t.

  She gave Max directions to Raymond's elementary school. “Turn right on Pecan Lane. Then left on Rushmore Avenue.”

  “I went to the same school as a kid. I think I remember how to get there.” He tossed her a teasing smile.

  A joking mood was the last thing she needed. She set her teeth on edge as the school building came into view. Vehicles crowded the parking lot with lines of parents waiting to pick up their children. She spotted Raymond at the top of the stairs. He looked around, confused.

  Angie got out of the car when Max reached the curb. “Raymond,” she called.

  He saw her and ran down the steps, clutching the straps of his backpack. “Mom, where’s your car?”

  “I came in a different car today. I want you to meet someone.” She breathed deep and walked her son over to Max's convertible. “Sweetie, this is Mr. Kelly. He's a friend of Mom’s.”

  Max waved to her son. “Hey, champ. Call me Max.”

  Angie groaned. She wasn't ready to establish familiarity between him and Raymond, but did she have a choice? She waited for Max to push her seat down so her son could get in the back. She eyed the little gnome-sized bucket seats. Why manufacturers even bothered to put a backseat in convertibles was beyond her paygrade.

  She made sure Raymond was securely strapped in. She put her son’s backpack up front with her to give him more leg room.

  “I like your car,” Raymond voiced.

  “Thanks.” Max pulled out of the line of SUVs and minivans. “Have you been in one before?”

  “No, but I like how they look and how fast they go.”

  “Me, too.” Max glanced at Angie.

  Don’t you dare go over thirty.” She gave him a look. “How was school today, sweetie?”

  “Good. Mrs. Rogers let us talk after we did our work. Hey, you like the Bulldogs.” Raymond pointed to the logo of Max’s keychain in the ignition.

  Max gave a serious nod. “Doesn’t everyone?”

  “They should.”

  “Max used to play for them in college,” Angie supplied. She watched her son's hazel eyes get big.

  “No way. Really?”

  “I did, for two years.” Max took them away from the school traffic.

  Raymond leaned forward, forgetting he was strapped in by his seatbelt. “Do you still have your uniform?”

  “I sure do. I loved it so much I framed it and put it in my apartment.”

  “Can I see it?”

  “Ray, honey.” Angie jumped in to curb her son’s excitement. She supported herself to turn around by placing her left hand on the back of Max’s seat. “There’s something Mom needs to tell you about her and Max.”

  Raymond’s eyes traveled to her new ring. “You like each other?”

  “I…” Her brain decided this was the perfect time to draw a blank.

  “I really like your mom,” Max said. “I gave her that ring.”

  Angie struggled to regain control of the conversation. “He and I are engaged. Do you know what it means?”

  Her son pressed his light brown hand on the side of his face, a sign he was concentrating. “You’re gonna walk into a church and kiss?”

  “One day, but engagement comes before we get married.”

  “Okay.” He acknowledged he understood. “Mom, can Max teach me how to throw a football?”

  She let Max answer. He gave another nod. “Absolutely.”

  “Can you do it when we get home?”

  “Honey, Max has to go to Atlanta after he takes us home. Next time you see him, he’ll teach you, alright?”

  “Alright.” A big grin spread across Raymond’s face. “Mom, you’re gonna marry a Georgia Bulldog.”

  She was most certainly not going to marry a Georgia Bulldog. Angie set the conversation aside for the time being. She told her son that she and Max were engaged, and he took the news well. Mission accomplished.

  The uneasy feeling still lodged in her chest. The day would come when she had to tell Raymond she wasn’t going to marry Max. Her son was already bonding with him. Would Raymond shrug it off just as easily as he accepted the news of the engagement?

  Max took her and her son home. This time, instead of driving away, he got out of the car and went to the door with Angie. The door was open and the screen was closed. Music drifted out. Angie heard the opening strains of “At Last”.

  “G.G.’s home,” Raymond declared. “I hear Etta.”

  Angie cracked a smile at Max. “My grandmother had jazz growing up. We had emo.”

  He matched her smile. “Can’t argue with Etta James.”

  Maybe not, but would they be arguing with Grandma? She gripped the screen door handle. Time to face the music.

  Chapter Seven

  Angie stepped over the threshold to enter the house. Raymond raced past her and ran upstairs to change into play clothes. She glanced at Max before following the sound of music towards the living room.

  Grandma sat on the couch, eyes closed. She rested her feet, clad in polka dot socks, on an ottoman. Was she sleeping or meditating? “Grandma?”

  Her grandmother’s eyes popped open and she sat up straight. “Angie, I’ve been waiting for you to get home.”

  “I should’ve called or sent a text to let you know I was on my way to get Raymond.”

  “You could’ve called to let me know you got engaged to that man, too.” She jabbed a finger at Max.

  “What?” Angie raised her voice in shock. “How did you know?”

  “It was all over the news today at the physical therapist’s. You and Max Kelly at the diner.”

  “The reporters said they weren’t going to air it until six o’clock tonight,” Max said. “Ma’am, I’m sorry you found out this way. Angie and I were going to tell you today.”

  Grandma took her feet off the ottoman and planted them on the carpet. She gave him a shrewd gaze. “Are you really engaged?”

  “We are, ma’am.” Max made a move for Angie’s hand. He put his underneath hers to
prop it up and display the ring.

  “You don’t have to flash the ring at me. I already saw it on the news.” She reached for her cane on the arm of the couch and rose up to leave the living room.

  Angie took her hand away from Max’s grasp and wrung her fingers. The ring made her nervous action harder to do. “That went very, very bad. I have to talk to her.”

  “I’ll go into the kitchen with you.”

  “No, Max. She’s not going to listen with you here. I should’ve thought about how she’d react to you.”

  “It’s because of Detrick, right? Because I wasn’t here last year.” A look of hurt crossed his face.

  Angie didn’t know what to say to him. “Let me talk to her on my own.”

  He nodded, sighing at the same time. “I’m going to Atlanta. I’ll call you in two weeks about the engagement shoot.”

  She watched him leave. Soon, the sound of his car’s engine faded. She trudged into the kitchen where her grandmother put water to boil on the stove for tea. “Can we talk, Grandma?”

  Grandma gripped her cane for support. “I don’t understand you young people, Angie. I thought you were single a couple weeks ago. Now you’re engaged to your brother’s friend from high school.”

  “Max and I have been going out. I went with him to see the play in Atlanta.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  How could she explain this to her grandmother without giving everything away and actually violating the contractual agreement she signed? “Max is pretty well-known in the business world. We had to be discreet for a while.”

  “So discreet you couldn’t tell me?” Grandma shook her head. “Does your son know?”

  “We told Raymond on the way home.”

  “When are you getting married?”

  “We don’t know yet, but Max will be around more often.”

  The water began to boil. Her grandmother dropped a tea bag into a mug. “Please be careful. I can’t tell you what to do with your life, but you know you have responsibilities.”

  “I do, Grandma. You and Raymond are always going to be my priorities.”