Page 246 of The Billionaires

I don’t know either.

“Come in.” I gesture inside. “Please.”

Adrian looks around. “Won’t we get trampled by an avalanche of flowers?”

Mom’s giggle is disturbing. “I called in a few favors with the neighbors,” she croons. “And they took them.”

This fast? Were they sexual favors?

“I owe you one,” Adrian says and steps inside, pulling Leo behind him.

“Come to the kitchen,” Mom says and leads our guests up the stairs.

Mary and I follow, with me appreciating Adrian’s butt and Mary hopefully thinking about anything but that.

“This is for you.” Adrian hands Mary a box of candy I didn’t even notice him carrying.

Holding the box like a treasure, Mary mumbles a shy “thanks” under her breath—peculiar behavior from the most outgoing child on Earth.

“Did you make these?” I ask when the box is opened, revealing gorgeous chocolates. The box and the candy look too fancy to have been handmade, but with Adrian, you never know.

“No,” he says. “These are To’ak chocolates. One of my favorites.”

“I should make tea,” Mom says. “Or coffee.”

“I prefer coffee,” Adrian says. “Thanks.”

“Tea for me,” I pipe up.

“I’ll take coffee too,” Mary says.

Mom and I look at her like she’s grown coffee beans on her eyeballs. When she tasted coffee a year ago, she said, and I quote, “Why is everyone so obsessed with such a bitter and gross substance?”

As Mom brews the coffee and makes the tea, Mary sits at the kitchen table, sneaking peeks at Adrian when she thinks no one is watching.

It’s official. She’s got a crush. But does it have to be on my fiancé?

In Mary’s defense, Adrian is a very crush-inducing man.

“Should I set out some candles?” Mary blurts.

“How romantic,” Mom says. “Please do that, hon.”

When Mary departs, I ask, “Should we feed Leo?”

Adrian looks at his furry friend with a grin. “He’s eaten, but he’ll never say no to more food.”

I walk up to the fridge and scan for something that a dog would like before I spot it. “Peanut butter?”

Leo’s ears perk up, but he stays with his back to us for some reason.

“Peanut butter is the elixir of the canine gods,” Adrian says in “Leo’s” voice.

I take the peanut butter out and spread it onto a paper plate.

“Here.” I set the plate on the table next to Adrian. “Your dog, you give it to him.”

“Ah, yes, my favorite treat delivered by my favorite human,” Leo says excitedly.

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