Page 3 of Falling for the Wrong Billionaire
"I’m happy for you guys," I finally say, trying to shift the conversation. "Really, I am. But I don’t think the whole family thing’s for me. Not now."
Nate raises an eyebrow. "Not now? Well, that’s not exactly a no, is it? I think you just need the right woman to get you thinking differently."
I shake my head, forcing a grin. "It’s not that simple, Nate."
Bryan chuckles under his breath. "You know, I thought I was the only one who didn’t have it all figured out. But you, man? You’re really out there, keeping that bachelor vibe alive. You can’t even give us the courtesy of pretending to look for someone?"
I roll my eyes. “Says the person who swore off love until you got knocked out by Emma."
"I'll happily be knocked out by her over and over again," Bryan says, and I can't help but smile.
"Why don’t we just stick to talking about the next investment Nate has for us,"
"Don't change the subject. Oh, that reminds me Emma says you shouldn't forget about the upgrade you promised to handle for her clinic.”
"Right. I still haven’t assigned that, but I'll do something about that."
I take another sip of my whiskey, my mind swirling, but not with thoughts of business, or Emma’s project. The image ofLucy, her soft, hesitant voice, her shy demeaner, hits me again, and it’s like I’m drowning in it.
"So," I mutter, trying to steer the conversation back to safe territory. "I’ll probably assign it to one of the best guys on the team."
Bryan smirks, sensing the shift in my mood. "You sure? Because last time I checked, you weren’t exactly great at delegating."
"I have several projects lined up. After Project Alpha launched, I received several requests for collaborations, so I'll have to hand it over to someone capable," I say, leaning forward, all business now. "Sounds like everything is going well with you."
"Yes, it is."Except the part where I didn't get Lucy’s number.
I can feel their eyes on me again, both sizing me up like I’m some puzzle they’re trying to solve. They know something’s off. They’ve always known.
Nate, sensing the moment to press on, leans in. "So, tell us. Who’s got you all distracted tonight? You’re hardly paying attention. Is it Pamela?" He doesn’t wait for an answer.
"You know quite well Pamela doesn't hold a candle to him," Bryan says as he chuckles.
"Thankfully you know that," I say as I raise my cup before drinking. We talk about other investments opportunities over the next few hours. But something in me, something I haven’t felt before wants to tell them about Lucy. About how she’s stuck in my head, the way no one else ever has.
But I don’t.
Chapter two
Lucy
The morning is crisp as I walk down the cobbled streets of Bayview. The sun is already high, casting a warm golden light over everything. The town feels… peaceful. More than I expected. There’s a calmness here, a quiet that I didn’t realize I was craving until now.
I can hear the waves crashing in the distance, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I might be able to breathe. Just a little easier.
I’ve spent two days here so far, and they’ve been peaceful, yes, but I’m ready for more. I need something to focus on, something to give me a reason to leave my room in the morning. So, today, I’m determined to find something to do. A job, preferably. Not too big, not too small. Just something steady to keep me grounded, at least for now.
Ocean Bay is small and tranquil, with its sunrises over the cliffs and its sleepy boardwalk. Everything here seems to move in its own rhythm — slower, gentler. There’s something about it that makes me feel like I could belong here. Maybe, just for a little while.
I think about Liam again.
Yeah, Liam.
He’s everywhere in my mind, his crooked smile, the way his hand brushed against mine. That moment, that electric jolt of chemistry it’s still fresh, like it just happened. The way he laughed and how he swooped in, effortlessly grabbing Pip by the scruff just before she bolted for the edge of the boardwalk. His touch.
I couldn’t help but feel it, the charge that passed between us when our hands connected. It wasn’t just his touch; it was the way he looked at me. Like he saw me. Really saw me. He wasn’t sizing me up the way men like him usually did. No, with Liam, it felt different.
It was that moment where time slowed, where the rest of the world disappeared, and there was just Liam and me. His deep blue eyes locked onto mine, and for a split second, I felt like maybe, just maybe I didn’t have to feel trapped. I didn’t have to be the daughter of a man who expected so much of me. I didn’t have to be anything other than who I was in that moment. I’m still trying to make sense of it.
