Page 9 of The Grumpy Billionaire Baby Daddy

My phone rings as I get into my car. It’s Mom. My heart sinks.

“Hello, Mom.”

“So, what did the doctor say?”

I swallow.Oh no!

Chapter 4

Jason

“Bruh!Shootlikeafucking male.”

I snicker at him, celebrating my fifth victory. I love my baby brother, Richard, but his zero game pisses me off. How can you not have some game?

I chug down an entire bottle of water in one go, quenching my parched throat before collapsing into the cushioned patio chair on the balcony. The cool morning breeze washes over me, carrying with it a sense of tranquility and calm. As the gentle swaying of the trees provides a serene backdrop, I take a deep breath of the crisp air and allow myself to be transported to a resort-like setting, at least in my imagination.

“Snooker isn't for kids, dude. Learn to pot a ball. You make it so boring.”

“Yeah, right. Meet me on the basketball court.”

Richard rolls his eyes and strolls into my living room. I might be a better snooker player, but Richard is the Lord of basketball. When it comes to a basketball game, I'll probably never defeat him, even though I'm much taller than he is.

“By the way, can I borrow your Audi? I've got a date tonight.”

“Ohhhh, who's the chic?”

Richard shrugs.

“A pretty girl I met at Target last week.”

Not bad. Unlike me, Richie has grown into a fine young gentleman. At twenty-five, I wasn't going on dates. I was either sleeping over at my office or in a new woman's bed. Before agreeing to settle with Eva, I'd tried to convince mom that I could just get a woman pregnant without having to marry her. I'll never forget the flash in her eyes as she banished the idea. No child of hers would bring a kid into the world without a stable nuclear family. She didn't even approve of my plans for marriage with Eva. "You should marry someone you're in love with," she always said.

“Okay. But you pay if there's a single scratch. Also, LA folks are crazy drivers, especially women. That's a driving lesson. You should write that down.”

Richard snorts.

“You know I've been driving for years, right?”

“Not an Audi.”

I gifted him a BMW on his last birthday. After riding an Avalon for five years, it was glaring he needed something new. The first time he drove around in his new car, he couldn't wipe the grin off his face. When Dad died years ago, I promised they would lack nothing, and everything I've done has been to ensure this.

A shrill sound startles me. It's my phone—Eva.

Nope. Not today.

I walk into my suite, clenching my jaw, and throw the phone on my living room sofa. Fortunately, it doesn't fall; the Greene sofa is big enough to hold it. I have to get a bath if I’m ever going to make it to Dam's art display this afternoon. The goal is to beat LA traffic. The shrill sound comes again. Why’s she calling me?

I walk into the bathroom to shower and, afterward, dress up.

“Hi, Mom.” I give her a peck and sit at the dining table. I don't have breakfast with everyone else all the time because I'm always at the office. Times like this are my favorite – when I take a well-deserved leave to spend time with my family.

“Hmm. Smells good in here. What are you making?”

“Just pancakes and sausage.”

Tex dashes toward me, barking but mostly squealing the way he does when he's not seen me for long.

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