Page 46 of The Billionaire Experience

That left the apartment in the not-so-great neighborhood. It was technically doable if she hauled her tools from her truck into her unit each night. That would be a lot of extra work, but it would only be for the length of the lease. Maybe they’d let her sign month-to-month?

She sighed. She was at the regret stage of her breakup and wishing she hadn’t taken a chance on Dustin. How had she not noticed how tepid they were together? Pent-up emotions about their doomed and dull relationship had nearly bowled her over last night. And she hadn’t had any privacy to deal with them, save the short drives between jobs.

Not for the first time she wondered if her anger with Kelly had been twofold. Reagan had felt abandoned by Dustin when he’d told her he was moving out. And even if it wasn’t his fault that he’d torched their future, he hadn’t exactly shared that he’d been quietly planning one without her. She’d believed he was being magnanimous when he’d let her stay in his house to facilitate the sale, but now it appeared self-serving. He had been saving himself the hassle, and she had been stuck until the house sold.

She hadn’t been angry then, too consumed by the idea that they’d been falling out of love in real time. She was good and pissed off now, and completely over giving him the benefit of the doubt.

A spike of anger pierced her chest as she stood at the mouth of the unfinished closet. That blast zone unfairly included her grandfather, who had sold this house out from under her, and Brody, who had unwittingly purchased it. This house should have been hers, dammit.

She scrubbed her forehead, willing away the irrational blame. Ike had checked with her before he’d listed the house and she, from inside her optimistic love bubble, had encouraged him to live in his dream retirement home and finally let go of this “money pit.”

Ugh. She’d actually said that.

She surveyed the mess of open paint, fresh boards, and plastic tarp, and repressed the urge to scream. She could be doing this project for herself, not some hybrid billionaire-author hard at work on his vanity project. The possibility of him selling the house to her receded further and further away by the minute.

She’d attempted the pie-in-the-sky version of her life when she’d lived with Dustin. Was she willing to leave her future in the hands of a man again? The epiphany was like a slap to the face.

“I should have bought this house instead of moving in with Dustin,” she griped, turning the anger on herself as she shoved her phone into her back pocket. “Then I wouldn’t be in this mess.”

She let out a gusty sigh and turned to find herself face-to-face with Brody Crane. Mouth open like he’d been about to speak, he slowly narrowed his eyes.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Had he heard her right?

Because he could have sworn she’d said she should have bought this house before moving in with her ex.

“Brody. Hi.” Her eyebrows hit her forehead, her entire face going slack with surprise. Yeah, she hadn’t meant for him to overhear any of that. Further proof came when she offered a fake-as-her-plastic-ring-collection smile. “Almost done with the shelving. How’s the writing going?”

“Not bad. I was going to ask you to lunch.”

“No. I’m good. I have to run an errand. The sooner the better.”

Unwilling to let her off the hook, he asked, “What did you mean about buying this house?”

“Excuse me.” She tapped the arm he’d stretched across the doorframe. He stepped aside to let her pass, but he continued questioning her in the hallway. “You didn’t also happen to put in an offer for it when I did… Did you?”

He’d noticed before how familiar she was with this house. She’d had an almost eerie recognition of every floorboard, creak, and wonky light fixture.

“No. I didn’t. But the, ah, owner did check in with me and ask if it was okay for him to sell it.”

“You know Ike Palmer?” He followed as she continued through the house. Had she picked up speed, or was he imagining it?

“Yeah.”

“Is he a client, or—” He waited for her answer but only because she’d turned to face him. Eyes shut, she took what appeared to be a steeling breath.

“I haven’t been completely honest with you.”

His entire body tensed. “Oh?”

“My last name is Palmer. Ike is my grandfather.” She blew out a breath, appearing relieved to admit as much.

“You’ve been holding on to that information for a while.”

“Ike raised me. Here. Before he sold the house, he asked if I was okay with it. I was living with Dustin at the time, and I was so sure that everything was going to work out great.” She lifted and dropped her arms, slapping her hands to her thighs. “I insisted on him selling it. Which I regret.” She added glumly, “No offense.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” His eyebrows closed in as he thought back to how she’d sidestepped the fact that she’d apparently lived here.

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