Dating the Billionaire's Granddaughter

by Remi Carrington

  “I saw.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t say anything about pants or shorts or—”

  She rolled onto her side and stifled a giggle. “You’re not that funny.”

  “But you’re laughing.” He snuggled up behind her. “I heard you.”

  They lay in silence, and Nellie wondered if Coop had gone to sleep. She rolled to her back, and he smiled.

  “Is it what you expected?” He toyed with a lock of her hair.

  “Mostly. I don’t know.” She hadn’t expected to be sharing a room and was thankful he was a gentleman.

  “What if I told you I’d won the lottery and was secretly a millionaire? Would that make all this easier?”

  “That happened to Tanner’s friend. He was—still is—a limousine driver. Won hundreds of millions. Tanner helped him invest, and now he’s worth a billion or more. And it hasn’t been hard to fall in love with you, Coop. I just wish I would’ve been more open from the beginning.”

  He snuggled closer. “I love you, too.”

  “What about my family. Are they what you expected?”

  “There was no butler or maid. No cocktail hour with people sipping whiskey out of short little glasses.” He was barely visible in the glow from the streetlight creeping through the gaps of the curtains.

  “Would you have stuck around?”

  “I thought we’d covered that already. Remember that part when I told you I loved you.”

  “Never have I ever stayed up all night talking.”

  “I’m not scratching that off your list tonight.” He rolled onto his back and held out his arm. “Come here and close your eyes. You’ve got to be tired.”

  She nestled her head on his chest. When he did scratch it off her list, she really hoped it wouldn’t be talking that kept them up all night. Closing her eyes, she let his heartbeat lull her to sleep.

  Long before Nellie was prepared to be nice to anyone, a loud rumble yanked her out of her sleep. Still exhausted, she opened her eyes and tried to figure out where she was.

  Coop groaning next to her was only alarming for a brief second. “I can’t believe it.”

  “What is it?”

  “Dad mows every Saturday at seven. I just figured that maybe—just maybe—he wouldn’t today.” He rubbed his face. “You sleep okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  “David! David Cooper!” Cindy stood just outside the window and could be heard by every person for blocks, except Mr. Cooper.

  Nellie giggled.

  “She’s going to tell him he’s too noisy and will wake the neighbors. Just wait.” Coop folded his arms under his head.

  “The neighbors! You’ll wake all the neighbors! And Coop’s gal. We don’t want her to hate us.”

  “Mornin’, hun. You’re up early.” Mr. Cooper sounded as chipper as an early bird with a worm.

  “Everyone is up because of that noisy contraption,” Cindy shouted.

  Mr. Cooper sounded surprised. “Did I wake you?”

  “Come inside. I’ll make breakfast. Don’t wake the kids, though.”

  “The kids.” Coop shook his head. “This keeps getting worse.”

  “But at least—”

  He fixed that blue gaze on her. “Don’t say it. Seriously.”

  “Or what?” Nellie batted her eyelashes.

  His fingers grazed the skin under her shirt. “Or this gets tickled.”

  She gave him a quick kiss and rolled out of bed. “I should go help with breakfast.”

  Chapter 18

  The smell of bacon coaxed Coop out of bed. He felt a little bad for letting Nellie deal with his parents all alone, but without more sleep, he wouldn’t have been good company—for anyone.

  He trudged down the hall, listening.

  Nellie’s laugh rang out, and he smiled. She was enjoying herself.

  Dad’s voice broke through the laughter. “And then Coop dropped his pants in front of everyone.” He was telling stories—embarrassing ones.

  Coop ran to the kitchen. “Really? This is what you decide to tell her?”

  “It lets her know what she’s getting into. In case y’all have kids.” Mom grinned. “We’d love more grandkids.”

  Dad laughed and handed Coop a plate. “She didn’t leave. I think you’re safe.”

  He dropped into the empty chair next to Nellie, almost afraid to look at her. But when her foot tapped against his, he glanced that direction.

  Pools of milk chocolate greeted him. “The stories only make me love you more.”

  “You can quit teasing me.” He folded a pancake around his bacon and dragged it through syrup then winked. Loving her more seemed impossible.

  If she could love him in spite of his crazy family, he wanted to marry her—and soon.

  “Never would I ever.” Her mischievous hint of a smile made him want to scoop her up and tickle her, but with his parents at the breakfast table, it was not the right time or place for that.

  “I’m thinking maybe I should see if Tanner wants to go out one night, just guys out having fun, swapping stories.”

  Her eyes widened, and she dropped her voice to a whisper. “You’re joking, right?”

  Coop served himself more food. “Nope.”

  Cindy got up from the table. “His sisters are coming by to meet you. Thought we might all head down to the beach.”

  “That’ll be fun.” Nellie had no idea what she was up against meeting his sisters.

  If the interrogating went on too long, he’d intervene. “You brought your suit?”

  She nodded.

  He rubbed his foot against hers. “Can’t wait to see it.”

  “I’m going to finish mowing.” Dad walked out the back door, whistling.

  Coop hoped all the embarrassing parts of the weekend were over and done with.

  Caroline and Courtney stopped mid-step when they saw Nellie. Clearly, she wasn’t what his sisters had expected. Nellie stood out, not because of the way she behaved. She was just different than his family. Watching her hang out with his clan was like watching royalty at a monster truck rally.

  He didn’t even want to think of a metaphor to describe how he looked with her family.

  He dumped his arm load of stuff on the beach and clasped her hand. “This is Nellie. Nellie, meet Courtney and Caroline. Mom and Dad are on their way.”

  “So nice to meet you both.” Nellie tightened her grip on his hand.

  Courtney stared at Nellie over the top of her sunglasses. “Wow. Where did you meet him?”

  “At his shop. My Jeep broke down.” She stepped closer to Coop.

  He wrapped his arms around her. “She walked in, and the rest is history. Let’s get situated before the interrogation beings. Everyone else coming?”

  Caroline shook her head. “We both left kids at home with their dads.”

  In only a few minutes, towels were laid out, the cooler sitting on multiple corners to keep the towels from flying off in a strong breeze.

  Courtney popped the top on a Coke. “What happened to ‘I don’t date women I meet on the job’?”

  “Cara told us all about the blonde who came into the shop—what—fifteen times.”

  Coop wanted to slap his sisters. “That was different.”

  Caroline exchanged a look with Courtney before turning her gaze to Nellie. “And he just asked you out.”

  Nellie shifted. “Well . . .” She was probably trying to figure out what to say without admitting that she’d come by the shop after picking up her Jeep.

  He decided to jump in. “Not right at first, but after we ran into each other one night and had dinner together, I was smitten. Then I asked her out.” It was mostly the truth, maybe rearranged a bit, but the smitten part was true. That was what mattered most.

  “Cara was totally right, though.” Courtney leaned closer to Nellie. “You are nothing like I expected.”

  Nellie’s forced smile made his heart ache. If his family could stop pointing out how different they were, h
e’d be grateful. If they didn’t stop, he’d have to say something.

  Caroline pulled off her cover-up. “Well, I’m happy he found you, Nellie. You clearly make him happy. When I heard my brother was bringing someone home—which he’s never done—I had to meet you.”

  “What do you do, Nellie?” Courtney still worked her verbal prybar.

  “Real Estate.” Nellie stood up and slipped out of her cover-up.

  She wore a strapless swimsuit with tiny white polka dots all over it, a different suit than she’d worn that day at her parents’ house.

  Coop jumped up and yanked off his shirt. “What do you say we walk a bit? I’ll show you the beach.” He turned to his sisters. “You mind?”

  “Go ahead.” Caroline waved them away.

  Courtney laid back on the blanket, sunglasses hiding her eyes. “Behave.”

  Coop caught Nellie’s hand and led her away, far away. “Little sisters can be a pain. I’m sorry.”

  “Thank you.” She sighed. “Have I ever told you what the family business is? What I do for a living?”

  “You stare at the clock, waiting until you can see me again?”

  “Now I do, but before that.” Her gaze swept over his chest before landing on his face.

  “I don’t believe you ever did.” He’d wondered but waited, expecting he’d find out eventually.

  “Corporate real estate. That’s what we do.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “I’m not sure they like me either.”

  Coop swept her into his arms and carried her toward the water. “I like you. I think that’s what matters.”

  She hugged his neck, tensing as she anticipated the water. “Never have I ever been carried into the ocean.”

  “Then today is your lucky day. Mine too.” He waded waist-deep into the water. “You ready?”

  “Are we taking the plunge?” Her question held only a hint of tease.

  He couldn’t propose without a ring. Could he? Her arms still wrapped around his neck, he shifted her, letting her feet dangle into the water, her body pressed to his. “Nellie—”

  She let loose a scream that rattled his ear drums. “My leg!” Kicking, she dug her nails into his shoulders. “Get it off of me!”

  Coop guessed the culprit immediately. He moved her around in the water, ridding her leg of the jelly fish. “I’m so sorry.”

  Crying, she buried her face in his chest.

  He knew two ways to make the pain stop, and he didn’t have any chewing tobacco. He got her out of the water and set her down on the sand. “You look over there, and I’m going to make it feel better, okay?”

  She nodded and squeezed her eyes closed. “What are you going to do? Do you have to suck the poison out? Like a snake bite?”

  He’d much rather suck on her leg than what he was about to do. “Just don’t look okay. I have to pee on your leg.”

  She scurried away from him, wincing. “Are you crazy?”

  “It’ll ease the pain. I swear.”

  “Have you done this before?”

  “Never have I ever. I’ve never had to. Someone else has always been around. Want me to run back down the beach and see if one of my sisters will pee on you?”

  “No!” She burst into a strange combination of laughter and tears. “Whatever you’re going to do, do it fast. I can’t take this pain.”

  He adjusted his suit, trying not to flash the entire beach-going crowd. Peeing on demand was harder than he imagined. Once he’d doused her red welts, he sat down next to her. Cuddling her was out of the question. He could barely look at her. “You okay?” He stared at his sand-caked feet.

  “It feels so much better.” She splashed water on her leg. “It still hurts, but not like before. Thank you.” After scooting close, she leaned on him.

  “I’d ask what else could go wrong this weekend, but I’m not sure I want to know.” He wiped the tears off her cheek. “I wanted this to be perfect. It’s been anything but.”

  “Now I know you’ll do just about anything for me.”

  Only halfway through the weekend, one thing was beyond clear: he didn’t want to wait much longer before proposing.

  Affording a ring suitable for Nellie was a whole different issue.

  Chapter 19

  Focused on the computer, Nellie didn’t look at the door when it opened. “Hang on a sec.” She figured her assistant had some message, or maybe Grandfather was beckoning Nellie to his office.

  He could wait.

  When she finished her task, she glanced up. “Mom? You never come to the office.”

  “Are you free for lunch?” In jeans and a floral blouse, her mom barely looked old enough to have kids out of high school.

  Nellie closed her laptop. “With you, always. What’s up?”

  “I got maybe three sentences about the weekend. I need more than that.” Mom lifted a bridal magazine out of her bag. “And I bought this.”

  “Why?” Nellie had been thinking about rings and weddings, but she hadn’t said a word to her mom—to anyone. “Has Coop . . . asked Dad anything?”

  Mom stuffed the magazine back in the bag. “Not that I know of. I just thought—it’ll keep. Let’s go.”

  Nellie pulled her office door closed and glanced down the hall. “Did you . . .”

  “Elevator’s opening. Let’s hurry.” Mom raced in and held open the door. Once it closed, she sighed. “I haven’t spoken to my father since his birthday party. I know I need to call him, but I don’t want to.”

  “I’m sorry. I never meant to drive a wedge.”

  “You aren’t the one driving wedges.” Mom tucked a strand of hair behind Nellie’s ear. “You’ve been too busy falling in love.”

  The doors opened, ending the conversation.

  Nellie followed her mom outside and slid into the passenger seat. “Mediterranean sound okay?”

  “Perfect.”

  “We had to share a room.”

  “Oh?”

  “Nothing happened. Coop knows I want to wait.” Nellie closed her eyes and was back in Coop’s arms, hearing his heartbeat. “But after those two nights—I want to marry him. Then you pull out the magazine. I haven’t said a word, not even to him.”

  “It’s obvious you both love each other.”

  “This weekend also pointed out how different we are—upbringing, income brackets. If his sisters told me one more time I wasn’t Coop’s type, I might’ve screamed.”

  Mom laughed. “Did you like his parents?”

  “I’ll tell you all about them after we order.”

  They found a table, ordered drinks, and the conversation resumed.

  “You were already a millionaire when Dad married you, right?”

  “Technically, yes. Mom had left me half of her estate. The company went to Dad, with the stipulation that it pass to one of my children or someone of my choosing. My mom didn’t trust him to decide.” Mom sipped her drink. “Are you asking if that was a problem?”

  “Dad worked, right?” Nellie knew the answer and felt silly asking it. “I mean, why did he work? You had enough, didn’t you?”

  Mom reached across the table. “We wanted a hint of a normal life. Dad would have been crazy if he didn’t work. After you two came along, it seemed even more important. Money had little to do with it.”

  “Love is enough to bridge the gaps?”

  “What do you think?”

  “I think I’d do anything to be with Coop. Anything.” Nellie glanced at her phone.

  “Did you enjoy the weekend?”

  “His parents were so funny and so cute. His dad woke us up mowing at seven in the morning. His mom stood outside the window hollering at him, telling him it was too loud. The whole scene was funny, but poor Coop. He was so embarrassed. Craziness and all, his parents seemed well matched. People don’t say that about me and Coop.”

  “Do I count? I think he’s perfect for you. He’s very good-looking, and based on what I’ve seen, he’ll do anything for you. You need to remember,
you were watching people who have been married for years.”

  “True.”

  “Think of something outlandish, maybe crazy or silly, scary or breathtaking. Now when that happens, who do you want by your side?”

  Nellie buried her face in her hands, hiding a laugh. Coop wasn’t exactly by her side for the outlandish moment, but she couldn’t imagine anyone else doing what he did after she’d been stung by the jellyfish.

  Mom thought the hands hid tears. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  “You didn’t.” Nellie wiped her face and regained her composure. “I was laughing. I’ve already shared moments with Coop that I won’t talk about with other people. And you’re right. He’ll do just about anything to make sure I’m okay.”

  Mom’s eyebrows shot up.

  “Not even you, Mom.” Nellie shot off a text to Coop: Are your ears burning? Mom and I are having lunch.

  “Nellie, what’s really bothering you? I know you were just laughing, but something is wrong. Talk to me.”

  Nellie felt the sting of tears and swallowed hard. “I promised Grandfather I wouldn’t bring Coop to the office or office functions. I did it just to shut him up, but . . . I can’t keep that promise for long.”

  Anger flashed in Mom’s eyes, the dark brown appearing almost black, then tears washed away the fury. “I’m sorry I made that promise to my mom. I’m sorry y’all were drawn into the family business and had to learn to deal with your grandfather. I wish now that I’d broken ties with him years ago.”

  Nellie choked back sobs. “I didn’t want this to happen.”

  “I know. But none of it is your fault.” Mom dabbed her eyes with a tissue. “Have you thought about venues?”

  “He hasn’t asked, Mom.”

  “Yet.” She winked.

  Nellie yawned as she glanced at the clock. She hadn’t heard from Coop all day which meant he had a very busy day. Why were Mondays like that?

  She texted him again before heading downstairs: You coming to the house tonight?

  In the Jeep, she drove toward to house, trying to decide what to grab for dinner. Coop’s mom was an amazing cook. Nellie contemplated the idea of taking a few classes. She could learn to be a good cook. Good food always put a smile on Coop’s face.