Page 6 of The Billionaire's Christmas Baby Surprise

A glance around showed that this was the kind of quintessential neighborhood bar Billie hadn’t known existed in the middle of downtown Denver. The bar was made of a soft, dark wood, while the room was filled with cheerily mismatched chairs and tables. The bartender seemed to know many of the patrons by name as he swished from one side of the bar to the other with a cloth draped over his shoulder, handing out beers and cocktails with both hands. Small bowls of shelled peanuts sat on each table, and ambient country music played through a jukebox.

“Would you like to eat something?” Max asked.

“Maybe.” Billie’s stomach rumbled lightly, giving away the fact that she hadn’t had time to grab more than one or two hors d’oeuvres the whole evening. She’d been both too nervous and too busy trying to charm the other attendees.

“I’ve only been here a few times, but the mac and cheese was good.”

“I’ll have that, then.” Billie set down her menu, which was slightly sticky. “Are you eating?”

“Mac and cheese too.” Max winked. “I’m not a fan of Thanksgiving food. What’syourexcuse for still being hungry?”

“I like Thanksgiving food plenty, but it was a busy evening for me.” Billie raised an eyebrow. “What don’t you like about Thanksgiving food?”

“I’ve just always found it a little… underwhelming. Mashed potatoes aren’t that great. Turkey usually comes out dry. I don’t like green beans in general. And what other time of the yearwould anyone be happy to see sweet-sour jellied cranberries as part of a savory meal?”

“I suppose.” Billie leaned back. “Still, the fun of Thanksgiving isn’t necessarily the food. The company is usually the important part.”

“For some people, maybe.” Max flagged down the waiter and they placed their orders. When he turned back to Billie, he had a pensive expression. “Are you one of those people who genuinely loves the holidays, Billie?”

“I am.” Billie smiled. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“Not at all.” Max raised his hands, chuckling. “It’s just rare to meet someone who actually enjoys the holidays. I think a lot of people find them either disappointing or stressful.”

“Holidays are only disappointing if you set your expectations wrong,” Billie told him. “And anything can be stressful. That doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t fun or worthwhile.”

“That’s a good point, actually. Stressful doesn’t have to mean bad.”

“I know.” Their drinks arrived and Billie took a long sip of the beer she’d ordered. She didn’t usually drink much, but she needed a little distance between herself and the disaster of a fundraising event if she were going to enjoy the rest of the evening. “So, let me guess. You hate all holidays.”

“Not all of them. Labor Day has its perks.”

Billie chuckled despite herself. For all that she found this man frustrating, and for all they seemed to have very different views, she enjoyed talking to him.

“What about Saint Patrick’s Day?”

“That’s not bad either. And I do have a soft spot for Boxing Day.”

“Boxing Day?” Billie grinned. “You mean that British day after Christmas?”

“Yes.”

“Do you celebrate?”

“No. But it’s always a relief having the holidays over.” Max winked and Billie laughed again.

“Okay. We’ve established that you enjoy running your company and that you don’t like holidays. What else do I need to know about you?”

“Not much,” Max said lightly. “To be honest, I spend a lot of my time working. Let’s talk about you. Do you enjoy your job?”

“I do.” Billie nodded to punctuate her statement. “It can be stressful running a charity, just as I’m sure it can be stressful running a restaurant conglomerate, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile.” Max raised his glass at the familiar phrase. “It feels good to help kids and families that might struggle otherwise.”

“Did you get the funding you needed at the event tonight?” Max asked.

“No, but don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you.”

“I’m not sure if I should be offended.”

“There’s no need to be. I just know that you’re a lost cause when it comes to charity. And this evening isn’t about business anymore.”

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