Page 64 of The Billionaire Experience

“We were down the road. Dress shopping.”

“Excellent choice.” Zander’s eyes flicked to Reagan over the rim of his glass. He sipped his scotch and then asked, “Things are progressing?”

“I wanted to spoil her.”

“That wasn’t an answer,” Zander said, droll.

“Hey, big bro.” Jaylyn bounced over wearing a short black dress with a fluffy tulle skirt. The skull ring on her finger had a companion, an exact rhinestone match on the bodice of her dress.

“Understated as usual.” Brody kissed his sister’s cheek.

“Dolce and Gabbana. Reagan looks amazing. Valentino?”

“Oscar,” he corrected.

Jaylyn whistled long and low. “She’s beautiful in it.”

“Beautiful, period.” Brody had seen Reagan in jeans and T-shirts as well as wearing nothing, and now draped in luxury fabric. She was beautiful no matter what she wore, but in his biased opinion especially when she wore nothing but him. He smiled at the thought.

“I was surprised when Chloe told me she’d invited both of you,” Zander said. “You are taking the subject of your book seriously. I knew you were settling down in theory but didn’t expect you to settle down for real.”

Brody digested that statement before arguing, “I’m not settling down.”

“Oscar de la Renta might argue that point.” Jaylyn gave him a slow blink, did a twirl, and walked away.

“It wasn’t like she asked me to buy it for her,” Brody sort of protested. “She’s living out of overnight bags, so she didn’t have a lot of options. I invited her to stay with me as long as she needed, but ninety percent of her stuff is still in storage.” When he lifted his glass, he felt the weight of his brother’s stare. “What?”

“She’s living with you?” Zander didn’t sound alarmed, merely curious.

“Well, yes, but it’s an extenuating circumstance. I bought what used to be her house. Her grandfather’s house. She’s on a waiting list for an apartment.” He pressed his lips together to keep from offering more explanations.

“So.” Zander smirked and repeated, “Things have progressed.”

Before Brody could respond, his brother spoke again.

“If she’s living with you, you can’t expect her to keep her belongings in storage.”

“What am I supposed to do, move them in for her?”

“That’s what I’d do. Home is important. She probably feels like an intruder in a place she used to be comfortable. You like bouncing around. Not everyone does. Take it from a professional settler-downer.”

Brody hadn’t thought of her feeling displaced. He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable in the house she used to live in.

“What’s up, cuz?” Tag said from behind him. Brody would recognize that lighthearted bellow anywhere. “Or should I say cuz-es, plural?”

“You should say cousins like a normal human being,” Rachel said, her big blue eye roll one she’d perfected when it came to her husband.

Brody shook Tag’s hand and kissed Rachel’s cheek. She resembled a doll in a pink dress with her fair hair in curls. Reese ambled over next, mentioning how the party could start now that Tag had arrived.

“We’re missing Eli and Isa. And Dante,” Brody commented. “Any of them showing up?”

“All were invited,” Zander said. “Dante had some business to catch up on but promised to swing by even if it was the tail end of the evening.”

“Nice. We’ll be sure to get good and sauced before he gets here.” Tag offered a crooked grin as he stroked his beard.

“I’m going to find the ladies—oh, I see Merina. Wow, look at that red dress. Who’s she?” Rachel asked.

“Reagan Palmer. Brody’s roommate,” Zander answered.

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