Page 68 of The Billionaire Player

“Oh yes, I did. I saw you in Charlie’s office one day. There was a fire in you that I admired. I was intrigued by you and thought it was what my son would need in a woman. I did some research on you, found out about your background and decided to see if I was right. You were just the type of woman that JD needed in his life but was too myopic to see it. If he needed a little push to see that, then I would give it to him,” Remy said.

“A fire?” JD asked.

“The women you’ve dated before had no drive, no desire, no interest in anything but themselves. It was fine when you were younger, but after you came back from Italy, you were different. I could see that you had almost given up on being with anyone because they weren’t what you were looking for. All you cared about was the restaurant and the family, which was good to a point, but it isn’t everything.”

“If we had left you to your own devices, you would have never even thought about getting involved with a woman, much less even looked at someone as incredible as Lexi. I could see that she was different from anyone you’d been with before. She would stand up for herself. She wouldn’t be afraid to get in your face if you were doing something wrong. She would make you a better person. Not that you aren’t incredible just the way you are. She would support and understand the love of your restaurant and family as she had the same background,” Remy said.

“So, you had her do the article in the hopes I would fall in love with her?” JD asked.

“Love? A father could hope. I want you to be happy. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for my children, both your mother and me. I hoped that you two would hit it off and you would see that there’s more to the world than just your restaurant and making it a success. I wanted you to know there is a way to have both a career that you love and a woman in your life. I didn’t want you to go the direction Walker was heading before he met Morgan.”

“I’m not Walker,” JD said.

“No. All my children couldn’t have been more different if you tried. Walker never allowed himself to get involved so he never got hurt. Mac was afraid to trust his own heart and that the woman he loved could love him back. You got bit in the ass by a woman so you became gun shy. I understood why, but you were hiding, or at least not living the way you used to when you came back from Italy. I didn’t want that. So, I gave you a little nudge.”

“You thought that was okay? To play with people like that? To manipulate us?” I asked.

I sat dumbfounded as Remy spoke. I had never imagined that his scheme for JD and me had gone so deep. It was crazy, a bit outlandish, and I wasn’t sure what type of man would think this was okay to do for his children.

“There was no manipulation. I just allowed the situation to present itself for you two to meet. What you two did with it after that was up to you. I have to say, it went better than I could have hoped,” Remy said.

“You’re proud of yourself? Of what you did?” I asked.

“Yes,” Remy said, clearly not seeing the issue.

“Was the whole purpose of the article so that Lexi and I could meet?” JD asked.

“Bailey started it by wanting the truth out. She mentioned it to me about the same time I saw Lexi for the first time. It seemed like a nice series of events that all lined up. I didn’t know how you would take it but it all worked out.”

“You really did that to me? To us?” JD asked and stood up.

Remy stood up right after as if he felt that he needed to stand his ground. I could see JD’s mind working and getting more and more annoyed as Remy talked. I was glad that he was as pissed as I was too, but the last thing I wanted was for them to be on the outs. Remy had good intentions, even if they were a bit misguided.

“Yes, son, and I would do it again. I love you and want you to be happy and if I can help you achieve that, I’m going to do it. I won’t apologize for it.” Remy said.

“JD,” I said slowly and put my hand on his back.

He didn’t look at me and I waited for the yelling to begin, but instead, JD did the last thing I ever expected him to do. He hugged his father.

Chapter 29

JD

“Thank you,” I said as I embraced my father.

He tightened his hold on me and I could feel him getting a bit emotional as we hugged. I was still trying to comprehend everything that my father had said. Everything that he had done for me. All I knew was that I was glad that he had.

My father leaned away from me and looked me in my eyes, his shimmering with unshed tears as he said, “You are very welcome.”

I heard more than saw my mother stand up and put her hands on my father and my shoulder as we looked at each other.

“Oh JD. I’m so glad you’re happy about this,” she said.

I turned to look at her and I could see that she was. She and my father had only wanted to help me when they put Lexi in my path. The relief on her face and my father’s was plain to see.

“Happy?” Lexi said from behind us.

I stepped away from my parents and looked at Lexi, who was anything but pleased with the situation. Her hands were on her hips and she was glaring at me and my parents as if she wasn’t really seeing us.

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