Page 77 of The Billionaires

“You hear that?” I ask. “It’s going to be too noisy to talk in a second.”

“So… hang up,” she says.

I almost insist that she do it first, but I decide to be the grownup. “See you tomorrow,” I say and reluctantly end the call.

The next day, as Elijah drives me through the gorgeous snowy peaks surrounding the calm waters of Big Bear Lake, I try to imagine what it was like for Juno to grow up here, in all this serenity.

Speaking of serenity, I’m anything but calm. In fact, I feel almost jittery, like I’m about to close on a billion-dollar deal. In part, it’s because I want Juno’s family to like me, but mainly, it’s because I’m going to see Juno face to face after all this time. I’m honest enough with myself to admit that.

The limo stops, and Elijah opens the door for me.

The house in front of me is small but nice, with a brand-new red tile roof and a fresh coat of white paint that makes it stand out among its neighbors. The snowboarding company her parents own is clearly doing well.

I grab the gifts and step onto the porch to ring the doorbell.

An attractive middle-aged woman with Juno’s honey-colored eyes and bright smile opens the door.

“Hello,” I say. “Juno didn’t warn me she had a sister.”

Corny, I know, but Elijah assured me this would win me some brownie points with the mom. Given the even brighter smile on her face, Elijah was right.

“You must be Lucius.” She extends her hand.

Instead of shaking it, I kiss it—another Elijah suggestion that is spot on, at least as far as generating a blush on her face goes.

“I’m Lily,” she says. “Come on in. I can see why Juno is so smitten.”

More like acting smitten, but that’s something Juno’s mom can’t know.

“This is for you, Lily.” I hand her a bouquet of gloriosa lilies freshly delivered from Zimbabwe as I follow her into the house.

She sniffs the flowers with an ecstatic expression on her face just as a tall, silver-haired man comes up behind her and extends his hand to me. “I’m John,” he says good-naturedly. “Am I interrupting your attempts to charm my wife?”

I give him a bottle of Hennessy Paradis. “If you’re a fan of cognac, I think I have a better chance of charming you.”

I know he is, thanks to a little homework—which pays off, given how wide John’s eyes get when he realizes what he’s got. “For this, I just might let you take my wife on a date,” he says with apparent seriousness.

I smile. “Juno is the only one I’ll be taking out.”

“Taking me where?” Juno asks, appearing from behind a corner.

Time seems to slow momentarily, like in a teen movie when the heroine dolls up for the prom and descends a staircase (even if her house is one story tall).

The urge to go up to her and pull her into my arms is beyond strong, but her parents are here. In the end, I merely give her a chaste kiss on the cheek, but even that makes me hard—an awkward position to be in with her family all around us. Seems like that business about distance making the heart grow fonder should be extrapolated to other body parts.

To get my biology under control, I quickly think of unsexy things, like dirt under fingernails, eye gunk, and politicians. Just as it’s beginning to work, someone rings the doorbell.

It’s an elderly couple, and they both carry trays with food.

I lean down to whisper to Juno—and end up almost licking her ear in the process. “Is this a potluck?”

“No.” She darts a guilty glance at her mom. “My grandparents just like to help out.”

I take out my phone and text Elijah to bring in whatever we’ve got in the limo fridge. If other guests are bringing food, so will I.

By the time I’m introduced to the first set of grandparents, another elderly couple arrives—also with food.

“Should we go to the table?” John asks.

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