Page 17 of Falling for Mr. Billionaire

“Unfortunately,” I say. “He’s twenty-six. Still thinks I need him to help me ‘loosen up.’”

She chuckles. “You two close?”

“Yeah. It’s just the two of us, and we’ve always been close. When my father decided to pass the company down to me, there was a lot of talk about how he would react, but he’s been right beside me. The only issue is that he’s a lazy bum, so he hired a CFO, which is the job he was supposed to be doing,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Awww, your parents must be proud.” She smiles.

“Yeah, I suppose they are,” I begin to say as my phone begins to ring again. “I’m sorry, but she will never stop calling if I don’t get this.” I stand up and walk toward the little kitchen. “No, Mother, I am not here to elope, I’m just as single as when I left New York and plan to stay that way,” I say, getting straight to the point.

I knew the moment my mother called that Liam told her I was staying with someone.

I listen to her ramble for a few minutes, occasionally interjecting with assurances that no, I’m not hiding a secret girlfriend on a tropical island, and no, I don’t want her to set me up with anyone.

Finally, I manage to end the call with a promise to visit soon and return to Ivy, who’s watching me with an amused expression.

“Family drama?” she asks.

I nod, sitting back down beside her. “You could say that. My mother thinks every woman I talk to is The One.”

She chuckles. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, my mom’s convinced I’m going to die alone with my cats.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Cats?”

She nods. “Three of them. They’re all rescues, so they’re basically my children.”

I can’t help but smile at the image of Ivy surrounded by feline companions. “Sounds like a full house.”

“Yeah,” she says wistfully. “I mean, it’s not like I don’t want love, you know? But sometimes, love feels like this elusive thing that keeps slipping through your fingers.” Her gaze is distant. “I guess I just haven’t found the right person yet.”

I feel a pang of empathy for her as she speaks. Love is a tricky thing, a puzzle with missing pieces that may never fit together perfectly.

“Well, who needs love when you’ve got three furry companions to keep you company?” I tease, trying to lighten the mood.

She chuckles softly. “True. They’re my fluffy little therapists.”

As we sit there, surrounded by the soft glow of candlelight and the howling wind outside, I can’t help but feel a sense of calm settle over me. Despite the chaos of the storm raging on beyond our walls, there’s a quiet intimacy between us that feels oddly comforting.

“Sounds like you’ve given up on finding the one then, huh?” she asks.

I raise an eyebrow at her question, considering my response carefully. “I wouldn’t say I’ve given up on love completely. I’ve just come to terms with the fact that the right person might not be out there for me. And that’s okay. I have my work, my family, and occasionally, a tropical island escape to keep me company.”

She smiles. “Well, your mom seems nice. Is your father still…?”

“My parents are still together, still ridiculously in love. Grew up watching my dad surprise my mom with flowers on Wednesdays and dance with her in the kitchen for no reason. It kind of ruined my standards.”

Her smile falters slightly, but not in a bad way. “That’s… really sweet. I hardly know anyone who’s still married anymore. Where is this land of happily married people you come from? I should visit,” she says, intrigued.

“Well, I wouldn’t call it the land of happily married people. Plenty miserable people there, married or not, but I was born and raised in Edenton. Although my mother says I’m a nomad. I spend most of my time in New York these days dealing with some issues with my company.”

“A small-town guy, of course! I should have guessed. Nothing about you is normal. Just too darn perfect to come from a normal place like New York City huh? Freaking Edenton… figures.”

I watch her as she goes on her mini-rant.

“Well, where are you from if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Guess!” she challenges me.

“You want to me to guess where you’re from?” I confirm.

---