Page 48 of The Billionaire Player

“I’m glad you like the foyer. Just wait until you see the rest of the house. Would you like a tour?” Remy asked.

“Yes. I would love one.”

“JD, why don’t you see if you can help your brothers in the kitchen while I show Lexi around.”

“Yes, sir,” JD said.

“We won’t be long but don’t worry; I’ll be sure to show her your old room,” Remy said.

I could have sworn I saw JD blush as he hurried off to the kitchen and I followed Remy. We headed up the stairs as he told me the history of the house, how his father had bought it for his bride hoping to fill it with lots of children. They had been blessed only with Remy but he and MaryBeth had made up for it with their kids.

It was a magnificent house with plenty of space for everyone. I could easily see JD growing up and running wild in the halls with his brothers, terrorizing his sister and her friends and enjoying the spacious backyard.

There was such pride in Remy’s voice when he talked about the house or when he paused to look at the pictures on the wall. I could see for him, while the house was impressive, it showed to the world that they had money, and they had made a name for themselves; it was what was inside the house, the memories that it held, the people that it sheltered that mattered the most to him.

By the time we were done with the tour, including a brief look into JD’s room, we headed outside to the backyard. It was a large patio covered in pavers that held a table that could seat up to ten people. Off to the right side was a bar-be-que and on the other side was a large grassy area with a set of chairs that were formed in a circle surrounding a fire pit.

Bailey, Morgan, Hope, and Mac were sitting near the firepit with MaryBeth while Walker and Luke were standing by the grill with JD. I knew that JD had felt bad that he had missed the last few dinners. I knew what it meant that he had asked me to join him tonight. He hadn’t come out and said it, but I had a feeling there were very few women he had invited to these gatherings.

“There you are!” Bailey said as soon as she saw me.

She bounced out of her chair and came running towards me and her father. She pulled me into a hug, engulfing me with her happiness along with her embrace. She held me for a few seconds before letting me go and turning to her father.

“We were starting to place bets on whether you were telling her all the deep dark family secrets so she would get scared and run away,” Bailey said.

“I think she’s found out all the deep dark secrets of our family and most of them involve you,” JD said to Bailey as he came up to us.

He put his arms around me, his hands on my hips, and his head on top of mine as he looked at the rest of the family. I couldn’t see his face, but I could see the reaction that they were having at him doing such a public display of affection towards me. I had never thought about how he was with me. When we were walking down the street, or were even just lying in bed, he was always touching me. He was affectionate with me, it was just how he was, but by the look on Bailey and Remy’s faces that wasn’t normal.

“Only because you all decided to keep them from me,” Bailey said.

“Now Bailey,” Remy started but MaryBeth came over and stopped him.

“Can I offer you something to drink, Lexi? Bailey brought over some sangria that’s incredible. Did you want to try it?” MaryBeth asked.

“That sounds lovely,” I said and followed her and Bailey to where the drinks were.

I spent the rest of the time until dinner talking to Bailey, MaryBeth, Hope, and Morgan. I was sure it wasn’t meant to happen but the men congregated around the firepit while the women stood by the grill and helped MaryBeth cook the steaks.

“JD is okay with you cooking?” I asked MaryBeth as she turned over the steaks.

“He’d better. It’s my house,” she said with a laugh.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I just know how picky he can get at times about his food. He let me cook for him once and said he was impressed and wanted me to do it again, but so far it hasn’t happened.”

“JD let you cook for him?” Bailey asked.

“You lived to tell the tale?” MaryBeth asked.

“He isn’t that bad. Is he?” I asked.

“No. Not at all,” MaryBeth was quick to say.

“Yes,” Bailey said at the same time.

“Do tell,” I said and leaned against the sink next to the grill.

Bailey proceeded to tell me about how a girlfriend of JD’s in high school had tried to cook him a meal once. It hadn’t been very good but she tried. Instead of being pleased about it, he had told her all the things she had done wrong and how she could improve on it.

---