Page 13 of “Not” Engaged to the Grumpy Billionaire

Nate walks into the kitchen, his expression immediately turning suspicious.

“What’s all this?”

“Good morning to you too,” I reply, throwing a playful smile over my shoulder.

“It’s called breakfast.”

He raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I can see that. But why?”

I shrug, turning back to the stove.

“I thought I’d do something nice. You know, as a thank you for letting me stay here. And before you say anything, it’s not a big deal. I like cooking.”

He grumbles something under his breath, clearly uncomfortable with the gesture. “You didn’t have to do that.”

I smile, amused by how he’s almost squirming at the thought of someone doing something nice for him.

“I know I don’t have to, Nate. But I want to.”

Max trudges in next, his usual grumpy morning self, rubbing his eyes and dragging his feet.

“Morning, Max,” I say brightly, but he only grunts in response, much like his dad in the mornings.

I chuckle. “I see you and your dad have more in common than your good looks. You’re both terrible in the mornings.”

Max gives me a half-hearted glare, but it’s hard to take him seriously with his bedhead and sleepy eyes. I pour him a glass of juice and slide a plate of pancakes in front of him. His mood shifts a bit at the sight of food, though he still hasn’t quite roused.

Nate’s phone buzzes in his pocket, and I watch as he steps aside to answer it. His voice is low, but I can still hear bits and pieces of the conversation.

“What do you mean it was her?” Nate’s voice is tense, laced with disbelief.

“I can’t believe that... after everything. How could she do this?”

I pretend to focus on flipping pancakes, but I keep my ears attuned to his words. Someone betrayed him. That much is clear.

“Alright. Yeah, get me the full details,” Nate says before hanging up. He runs a hand over his face, his expression dark.

He turns back to us, trying to shake off the conversation.

“I need to go in for a while. Something came up at work.”

“Is everything okay?” I ask, my curiosity piqued by the conversation I overheard.

“Not really,” he replies curtly, already heading for the door after hugging Max. “Thanks for breakfast.”

Before I can say anything else, he’s gone, leaving a tension in the air that wasn’t there before. I glance at Max, who’s too engrossed in his pancakes to notice anything off.

I sigh and sit down across from him, my mind still on the brief phone call I heard. Something’s definitely wrong, but Nate doesn’t strike me as the type to talk about his problems. I push the thought aside, focusing instead on Max, who’s now chattering about his plans for the day.

“Well, at least one Kingston is easy to talk to,” I mutter under my breath, earning a confused look from Max. I chuckle and take a bite of my pancakes. I'm determined to enjoy the rest of the morning, even if Nate’s mysterious phone call continues to weigh on my mind.

After breakfast, Max bounces over to where Boomer is lounging on the floor and gives his furry friend a gentle pat on the head.

“Can we take Boomer to the park, Liz? Please?” Max’s eyes light up with excitement as he looks up at me, his small hands already clasping the dog’s leash.

I smile, feeling a warmth spread through me at how quickly Max has become comfortable around me.

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