Page 18 of The Billionaire Benefactor

Chuck’s eyes flicked to the backyard behind them, surveying the work. He frowned slightly. “Oh. Looks nice.”

“We like to invest in the community when we can,” Blake said.

The atmosphere had changed since Chuck walked in the door. Chuck’s tone of voice was cheerful, but he had a wariness to his face and a sort of territorial vibe that was pretty clear. Suddenly Roman felt like he and the guys were intruding. He met Blake’s eyes. Blake nodded, seeming to feel the same way, and Tony gave him a similar look. The three of them stood almost at the same time. Blake collected the paper plates and carried them to the trash while Tony took the cutting boards with the remaining few pizza slices. Roman set the plate he had made for Jenny on the kitchen counter for her, hopefully out of reach of the dog, who was back under the table.

“We better get going,” Blake said. He gave Matt a fist bump and leaned down to kiss the top of Lucy’s head. Jenny reached out her hand, but Blake enveloped her in a hug.

“See you at camp tomorrow,” Roman said to Matt. He went to give Lucy a high-five, but she jumped into his arms for a hug just like she had Uncle Chuck. It made Roman’s heart swell when she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Little Princess.” Her giggle warmed him even more. When she didn’t let go, Roman turned to Jenny. “I guess I might have to take this one with me.”

“Lucy,” she said. “You’ve got to let Mr. Roman go.”

“But I like him,” Lucy said, her voice muffled against Roman’s chest. “He’s big and soft and gives better hugs than Daddy.”

Jenny’s face flashed with something painful and Roman caught Chuck’s dark expression, his eyebrows jamming together and his lips tightening. Jenny gently took Lucy from Roman’s arms, not making eye contact. He’d meant to hug her goodbye as Blake and Tony did, but now there was a tension in the air. Jenny carried Lucy, following the guys to the door. Tony and Blake stepped outside, waving goodbye and Roman trailed behind them.

“I’ll message you details about tomorrow,” Roman said, hesitating on the porch. “And will you please let me know if you need anything?”

“Oh, I’ll be fine,” Jenny said. “Thanks so much for what you did today. The fence and the yard look amazing. I really appreciate it. Goodbye, Roman.”

“Goodbye, Jenny.”

Jenny closed the door behind him. When he reached their cars, both Blake and Tony were grinning at him.

“What?” Roman said.

“It seems like someone’s smitten,” Blake said.

“Shut up,” Roman said. “It’s nothing. Her husband just died. Way too soon to be thinking about that. Come on.”

Tony’s eyebrows shot up. “Doesn’t mean she’s off limits. At least not forever. I’ve never seen you act like that around a woman. I get it, man. She’s hot. And makes a killer pizza. Dang, did she give you the recipe?”

Blake groaned. “She forgot. I think she was distracted by all the flowers. I’ll just get Roman to call her later for the recipe. That will work nicely for everyone. Right, Roman?” He smirked.

Tony laughed. “And I’m sure you can afford to send a bigger bouquet than Uncle Chuck.”

“I’m not sending flowers. You guys are reading way too much into this. She’s…older than me. And already has kids. Plus, the dead husband thing. Even if she’s pretty.”

“Admitting she’s pretty—that’s step one,” Blake said.

“You’ve always wanted kids, right?” Tony said. “There you go.”

“My own kids,” Roman said. Even the thought of taking on someone else’s kids made Roman feel anxious. He pulled at the collar of his shirt.

“Whatever you say, man.” Tony laughed as he climbed into his Range Rover and started off down the street.

Blake pointed at him again before getting into his car. “Get me that recipe. If you happen to ask her on a date, that’s good too. And if not, let me know. Maybe I will.”

Roman’s mouth fell open. The immediate surge of jealousy shocked him. Everything he’d said was true—Jenny shouldn’t be someone he even thought about pursuing. Yet the thought of Blake asking her out burned him up. He had to be teasing. But there was something about her: the natural beauty, the way she dealt so tenderly with her kids, and even the raw vulnerability underneath her strength. No wonder Blake was drawn to her.

Roman glanced back at the house once more before getting into his truck, hoping maybe she’d be looking out the window. At least now maybe he’d get to see her tomorrow at training camp. His mood picked up at the thought.

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