by Eliza Boyd
Engaging the Billionaire
Eliza Boyd
Engaging the Billionaire
Copyright © 2019 by Eliza Boyd
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information and retrieval system without express written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Contents
Also by Eliza Boyd
Engaging the Billionaire
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
Epilogue
Sneak Peek of True Love, AZ
About the Author
Also by Eliza Boyd
Investigating the Billionaire
Healing the Billionaire
Persuading the Billionaire
Engaging the Billionaire
Engaging the Billionaire
A woman desperate to take care of her father.
A billionaire in need of a wife.
And a deal neither of them can refuse.
Will Nicole and Evan stick to the plan?
Or will love get in the way?
1
Evan Charleston glanced over his daughter’s head for only a moment, looking for the clock. He needed to know how late he was going to be to the bachelor party. It didn’t matter though. If his daughter wanted his attention, he was going to give it to her.
“And you’ll make sure Grandma knows I can stay up until nine tonight, right? It’s not a school night,” Hadley informed him in her seven-year-old grown-up voice. Her pigtails begged to differ.
He smoothed his hands over one of them, twirling the ends in his fingers. “Of course. She already knows. Just make sure you brush your teeth really well, okay?”
She nodded, her curls swaying. “I promise.”
“Thank you,” he said, opening his arms for a hug. “I’ll be back late, so I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy.” She squeezed him back and then squirmed out of his embrace. “Hey. One more thing,” she said before she’d gotten too far away. Then she popped her hands on her hips, giving him a preview of what was to come over the next ten years.
He had to chuckle, but he also couldn’t help the thick swallow of fear. “Yeah, Had?”
“How did your meeting at Pemhall Prep go today? Did I get in?” The hope in Hadley’s eyes tugged on his heart, nearly breaking it.
The meeting hadn’t gone as expected. Not at all. No one—not even Jude—had warned him of the “strongly family-oriented society” of the school, and if he’d known, he wouldn’t have gotten his daughter’s hopes up. She was in first grade, for crying out loud. School shouldn’t have been so competitive and serious, but he wanted the best for his girl. And this was what she wanted.
Even though he had as many zeroes in his bank account as he had fingers on both hands, he hadn’t been able to buy his daughter’s way into the school.
Instead, he’d accidentally let on that he had a fiancée and their family policy wasn’t a problem for him.
Fortunately, that had pleased the headmaster. But it hadn’t pleased him. He had no fiancée to speak of. Not even anything close. Not since Hadley’s mom, who’d run out on them five years earlier. His daughter didn’t even remember her, which made things easier in some respects. But, in others, it made things harder.
No matter what, he wouldn’t let Patty ruin their lives yet again.
Evan wouldn’t let his daughter down. “Not yet, little lady,” he told her as honestly as he could. “But I’m still working on it. Don’t you worry, okay?”
Her wide, toothy, megawatt smile hit him right in the heart. “Thanks, Daddy!”
His chest squeezed tight, and as she ran up the stairs to go to her room, he tried not to let the worry eat away at him. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he’d figure it out.
For Hadley, he’d do anything.
His mother’s voice sounded behind him. “You’re so good with her,” she said. As he turned around, she added, “I always knew you’d be a good father, but you were dealt cards I wasn’t sure you could handle.”
He hadn’t been sure he could handle them, either. Somehow, he had. And he’d continue to do so. “Thanks, Mom. And thanks for watching her tonight. You know I hate to ask you to—”
She shook her head, cutting over him. “You know I don’t mind. I live here, but I don’t feel like I get to see her enough. And I love spending time with my granddaughter.”
With a grateful warmth in his heart, he approached his mom and kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Waving a dismissive hand, she said, “Don’t even worry. Stay out as long as you’d like. You’ve earned time to blow off some steam.”
“I have?”
“Of course.” She raised an eyebrow when he didn’t respond. “I know how hard you work. Your dad’s money is going to great use, but it shouldn’t be at your expense. He wouldn’t have wanted it that way.” Out of habit, perhaps, she brushed her fingers over the collar of his plaid button-down. “Go have fun. And tell Roger not to get into too much trouble.”
At that, he laughed. “I’m not the boss of Roger. Only Melody is the boss of Roger. Though he’ll get into trouble if he wants to.”
His mother grinned. “Hopefully not too much.” Then she patted him on the chest and shooed him off. “I’ve got your daughter covered. Get out of here.” She punctuated her request with a wink.
Evan took a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll see you later.” After raising a hand in a wave, he left the living room and took his coat off the rack. Once it was on, he walked out the front door, hoping he actually enjoyed the evening and remembered how to have the fun his mother thought he should have.
It was a chilly winter night in Cherry Hills Village. He needed the Jeep in order to venture out to Denver and avoid snow and ice damage to his Aston Martin. That was the one frivolous purchase he’d allowed himself when he’d inherited his father’s wealth. After that, he’d gotten down to business, sticking with only the necessities and making that money grow. He wanted his daughter to be taken care of when she was old enough to be on her own, so he worked as hard as he could.
Apparently, he’d earned one night off. He didn’t want to waste it on beer and pool with his high school friends, but he didn’t exactly have anything else to spend it on. That reminder tugged at his heart, but he needed to stay focused on his daughter. She needed at least one parent who wouldn’t let her down.
When he pulled up at the bar, Jude and Roger were standing outside, blowing into their hands for warmth. It reminded him of all the times they’d met there in college. For Jude’s bachelor party. Even after his father’s funeral. The place, though old and in need of some major upkeep, had
sentimental value to him.
Once Evan had approached, Roger went in for the man hug.
“So glad you could take time out of your busy billionaire schedule to come party with the rest of us common folk,” he teased, grinning as he pulled out of the embrace.
“Yeah, yeah,” Evan replied, his breath painting the air white. He rolled his eyes, but inwardly, he hated that Roger always made his money a big deal. It wasn’t his, so he wished he’d quit. “My daughter keeps me busier than any business does.”
“How’s she doing?” Jude asked as he held the door open for them. “Still wanting to get into Pemhall Prep?”
Evan nodded, passing Jude to head inside. When all three of them were in the bar, he raised his voice to be heard over the music thrumming overhead. “Yeah. I’m running into a few snags, but I’ll figure it out for her.”
Roger looked at him in disbelief. “What kind of snags could there be? You have a kid who wants to go to school there and the money to send her there.”
He slipped his hands into his coat pockets—mostly to hide the frustrated fists he’d made with his hands—and shrugged. “Apparently, it’s not as easy as that.”
Jude nodded knowingly. “Yeah, Josephine and I had to jump through a few hoops to get Makayla in there. But it’s worth it when it’s over.” He slapped Evan on the shoulder. “Stick with it.”
Evan gave Jude a tight smile. “Thanks. But we’re not here to talk kids and school, are we?” He eyed Roger. “That’ll come for you later, my man.”
A sly grin formed on Roger’s mouth. “Definitely after the wedding,” he said before marching toward the bartender. “Which I can’t believe is next weekend. How did the time fly so fast?”
Evan and Jude trailed behind him, and once Evan reached the bar, he ordered their first round of drinks. “They’re on me tonight,” he told the guys, sliding his credit card across the smooth wood.
“Thanks, man,” Roger said, slapping Evan on the back. “I’ll go get the pool table all the way in the back.”
Jude jutted his thumb toward Roger’s retreating frame. “I’ll go make sure he doesn’t get into any trouble. You got this?”
“Yeah.” Evan waved for him to follow Roger. “Be a good best man. Keep the groom safe,” he chuckled.
As Jude headed off to follow Roger, Evan breathed deep. So far, so good. A little ribbing between friends had been expected, and he hadn’t had to go into details about why things weren’t smooth sailing with the private school. But he’d have to figure out something soon. He’d have to explain it soon enough, and that was the last thing he was looking forward to.
The bartender snapped him out of his thoughts by setting three bottles in front of him. The smack of glass against the wood was a good enough reminder that Evan was supposed to be letting loose. Having fun. Not letting the crap from the day get to him. Not letting his failed marriage ruin the celebration of Roger’s upcoming one.
He balanced the bottles in both hands, the rims between his fingers. As he spun away from the bar, his mind whirled. How in the world was he going to look like a “family man” without a spouse? He hadn’t wanted to explain what had happened to Hadley’s mother in fear of that causing an automatic rejection before he’d even officially applied. But he had no clue what to do about it, and that worried him.
It worried him so much that he didn’t pay attention to where he was going.
And he ran smack-dab into a waitress with a huge tray full of drinks.
Suddenly, his daughter’s prep school was the last thing on his mind. His full attention went straight to the woman he’d crashed into as the glasses and bottles on her tray smashed into pieces against the hardwood floor.
The one he’d swooped up into his arms to keep her from falling to the ground.
The entire front half of the bar went silent, the crowd watching the two of them like eagles. Not that Evan noticed. The woman in front of him—the one in his arms—was mesmerizing.
He stared into her big, round eyes, lost in their depths. Her front was flush with his, and his arm around her back held her tight. Both of their chests rose rapidly with their surprised breaths, and it wasn’t until a customer next to them asked if she was okay that he was able to shake the stupor off.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to run into you like that…” He read the name tag attached to her shirt as he dropped his arm and stepped away. “Nicole.”
She stayed painfully silent as she backed away from him. Her black half-apron tied around her waist appeared drenched with alcohol. Her shirt was wet too, and even some of her hair looked damp as she used her forearm to wipe her bangs from her face.
“Are you okay?” he asked her. But even as the words were coming out of his mouth, he knew that was a stupid question.
“I’m fine,” she grumbled, bending to reach for the tray. Once she had it in her hand, she picked it up. “I just have to refill all these orders now and hope I don’t get fired.”
He reached into his back pocket for his wallet. “Here,” he said, nabbing a hundred-dollar bill from the fold. “I’ll pay for these.”
When she looked him straight in the eye again, the world paused for a moment. The sadness in her hazel gaze knocked him in the gut, and he wondered if she needed something more than he was offering. Maybe a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen. She stared at him as if one hundred dollars was the least likely solution to her problems. Something about that drew him to her in a way he couldn’t explain.
“Don’t worry about it,” she said, sounding calmer, less irritated than she had a moment before. Perhaps people didn’t normally fix their mistakes when under the influence. “Thanks for offering though.” She brushed her apron down with her free hand, straightening her shoulders.
Then she rushed past him, leaving Evan more confused than he’d been when he’d walked in.
2
The last few days of Nicole Ballinger’s life had been spectacularly awful. But this day in particular was taking the cake. There was nothing quite like learning that the cost of her father’s medication was going up and the insurance company wouldn’t cover his physical therapy any longer.
And then, on top of that, getting fired from a job she so desperately needed to keep while soaked in alcohol and frustration.
It was a great day.
Naturally, John, her boss and the main bartender at the bar, had waited until the end of her shift—two a.m.—to fire her. When she was no longer useful, he’d collected her apron and her name tag. He’d also let her know that her last check would be used to cover the expense for the glasses she’d broken, so she wouldn’t need to come pick it up. He’d graciously allowed her to keep her tips though. What a guy.
In the frigid night air, she trudged to her car, the dent on the hood making it stick out like a sore thumb. At least she didn’t have to stay until three a.m. like she usually had to. She could get an extra hour of sleep before going to her day job at the bank in the morning. That would give her brain the break it so badly deserved to correctly cash people’s checks.
After a day of work there, she could crash for twelve hours because she no longer had her second job. Then she’d have to get back out there and find one. She’d give herself one night. Though even that was more than she could afford.
All bundled up in her worn coat and the only scarf she’d been able to find in the house, she opened her car door and slid behind the wheel. She was glad to be away from the sticky floors and loud customers. But for some reason, her thoughts strayed to man who’d plowed into her.
The one who’d cost her her job.
She hadn’t seen him again after that incident. With the way he was dressed, he’d probably decided to find a classier joint. One that didn’t reek of stale cigarette smoke and failure. She had no reason to think about that man ever again. Except for when she had to explain to her father why she couldn’t afford to keep the lights on. Only then would his unfairly handsome face fill her thoughts.
&nb
sp; If she were lucky.
Taking a deep breath, she started her car. Well, she thought she was starting her car. She sure was trying. But, in fact, she wasn’t. The engine tried to turn over, but by the fifth failure, she gave up. The dent on the hood was the least of her car’s issues, it seemed. She could only chalk it up to how spectacularly awful this entire week had been. Her car’s breakdown was the cherry on the tragic ice cream sundae that was her life.
Nicole let her head fall to the steering wheel with a thunk.
She wasn’t sure what she was going to do. With the cash she’d received in tips, she could call a cab. But without the promise of that money coming back to her any time soon, she didn’t think she should spend it like that. The bar was four miles from her house, which she knew she could walk on a normal night. In the snow though? When she wasn’t wearing boots and the one scarf she’d found seemed like it had been made from Swiss cheese? That wasn’t her best idea. She didn’t have any others though, so it was the best one she had.
Just before she settled on the idea of dying from exposure to the cold, a knock on her window startled her. She jumped, but a tiny voice in the back of her head wondered if someone was going to try to rob her. Honestly, that was where her day was headed.
But when she peeked out the window to see who it was, the man who’d mowed her down was staring back at her.
And waving.
“Hey,” he said through the glass. She could make out the features of his face in the neon lights of the bar: smoldering eyes, dark stubble, a healthy tan. “Do you need a ride?”
