Page 27 of The Billionaire Player

When the staff saw me, they stopped what they were doing and started to applaud. Lexi let go of my hand and joined in, stopping our movement to the door. I put my hand up, trying to get them to stop.

“Thank you, that is very kind of all of you. I have no doubt that tonight is going to be a wonderful success and it’s in no small part thanks to all of you. It hasn’t been easy; I haven’t been easy the last couple of weeks-”

“Weeks?” one of my staff yelled and we all laughed.

“But it will all be worth it. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication, it means the world to me.”

“Go knock them dead, boss,” Chef yelled from the kitchen doorway.

“Let’s all knock them dead,” I said.

I took Lexi’s hand back in mine and walked out of the restaurant. We were immediately inundated with flashing lights as a slew of reporters were standing right outside the door. Rosie and Mac had set up a specific area for them. Keeping them close enough to the entrance so they could see the people as they came in, but hopefully not so close as to be intrusive.

Lexi squeezed her hand in mine and then lifted the other in a small wave. I did the same and smiled at the cameras. I could feel Lexi tensing up next to me and I squeezed her hand back and ran my thumb along the top of her palm. She shivered next to me and then turned her head and smiled at me.

“Over here!” numerous photographers yelled at us.

“Just smile, wave, look happy,” I said to Lexi through my teeth.

“Sure. No problem,” she said back through hers.

I could feel her shoulders and body tensing up next to me. I thought I had warned her there would be some reporters and photographers. It was one thing to know it would happen, it was quite another to actually experience it. I had gotten used to it in my misspent youth, had even looked for and relished in it. Now that I was older, I saw it differently and I almost wished they weren’t there.

The publicity, even the fact that I was with Alexandria Ricci, reporter, and not Lizbeth Angelo, socialite, would be news. My hope was it would help the restaurant and drive people to want to come and check us out. Besides the obvious need to get Lizbeth to move on from me.

“You’re doing great,” I said to Lexi.

“Even a monkey could do this,” she said.

I reached over and put my hand behind her back and pulled her to me, I leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You’re a treasure.”

She smiled and played the part and tilted her head away from me, giving the impression that I had just told her some secret. The paparazzi ate it up, as the flashes of the cameras increased.

“Miss!? Miss!? What’s your name? How did you and JD meet?” I heard yelled at us.

I turned away from the paparazzi. I could have given them some answers, even given them a speech of some sort, but I didn’t want to. The only reporter I was interested in talking to was standing next to me. The only people I cared about making sure were okay were my family, friends, and guests waiting to get into the restaurant.

No sooner had I turned towards my guests that Bailey, my sister, enveloped me in a hug. I let go of Lexi’s hand to return Bailey’s affections.

“You did it! It’s finally happening. I’m so proud of you,” she said as she hugged me.

“Thanks, sis. That means the world to me. Thank you for being here,” I said and leaned back to look at her.

“As if I would be anywhere else,” she said.

“You must be Alexandria. Hi. I’m Bailey. His awesomest younger sister,” Bailey said to Lexi.

“Please, call me Lexi,” she said and extended her hand.

“Oh, we’re way past that,” Bailey said and pulled Lexi into a hug.

Lexi went into her embrace but she looked over Bailey’s shoulder giving me a look as if she wasn’t sure exactly what I had gotten her into. I smiled at her and then shook Luke, Bailey’s husband's hand.

“Everything good here?” I asked.

Luke returned the shake and smiled at me and said softly under his breath, “We have a few people along the perimeter and in the crowd to make sure everything is copacetic. It looks good, but Sean will be keeping an eye on things for us out here just to be on the safe side.”

“Great. Be sure to thank Sean for me,” I said.

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