Page 28 of The Billionaire Player

“You can thank him yourself when he comes in for a meal with Eva,” Luke said.

Sean was Luke’s business partner at Manhattan Security. They were in charge of the security for my family and for the restaurant that night. Eva was Sean’s wife and one of Bailey’s best friends.

“He’s welcome anytime.”

Luke stepped aside and I greeted my parents and brothers. They were full of praise and excitement for me and the night. I knew they were going to be there. My family had always been the biggest supporters of my choices, but it still meant a lot that they were. I could see the pride in my father’s eyes and he smiled for the camera with me and my mother.

Mom was a bit more stoic about the whole thing. “Seems a bit overkill just for a restaurant but you always did know how to put on a party,” she said.

“Only the best for me and my family,” I said.

“As it should be. Your reporter friend seems to be handling herself well,” my mom said and lifted her chin towards Lexi.

I looked over at Lexi as she chatted with Bailey and Luke. She looked like she had known them for years, not just a few minutes. I watched the three of them laugh about something that Luke said and I felt my body tense in what I could only call jealousy. It was completely irrational and I knew it as soon as I felt it, but it didn’t prevent me from feeling it.

As if she knew I was watching her, Lexi looked over her shoulder and gave me a smile. A smile that told me she was happy to be there, she was having a good time, and she hoped I was too. For some reason, the smile reassured me more than anything else ever could and I could feel myself relaxing.

It didn’t help me feel any better about the intense emotions I was feeling towards Lexi and what I would do about them.

Chapter 12

Alexandria

“And that is why we will never have another dog in our house,” Mac said and we all laughed.

“It wasn’t all JD’s fault. It really did look like a dog,” Walker said.

“No, it did not. I was scared of the thing. It almost bit me,” Bailey interjected.

“It did not, Fluffy was sweet. He just happened to be a raccoon,” Mac added with a laugh.

“I’m sure you never had a dull moment raising these kids,” I said to MaryBeth Bennett, JD’s mom.

“We wanted a big family. Both Remy and I didn’t have any siblings so we wanted that for our children,” she said.

“Goes to show you’d better be careful what you wish for,” Remy said.

“You loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute,” MaryBeth said and patted Remy’s hand affectionately.

He smiled over at her, took her hand in his, and gave it a soft kiss. It looked like such a natural movement; one he had done a million times in their marriage. I looked over at their children to see how they reacted. They took it all in stride but I caught Morgan, Walker’s girlfriend, giving Remy and MaryBeth the same look I was sure I was giving them.

I had heard stories of the Bennett family. How they weren’t your typical billionaires. They didn’t care about the limelight, or spending their money and showing it off. They got along, that they liked each other, and never had a mean word to say about each other. There might have been some scandals involving the family, and about some issues between JD and Remy, but it was never because of infighting amongst them.

It was something I found fascinating, as I would have thought Mac, the eldest, would have taken over the helm of Bennett Liquors when Remy retired last year, but it had been Walker. A move that everyone seemed happy with, most especially Mac.

Walker looked happy and content as he sat next to Morgan. She was a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and soft blue eyes. She and Walker seemed like a good fit as she teased and laughed with him and the rest of the family throughout the meal.

Luke, Bailey’s husband, was a bit more uncomfortable as if he wasn’t sure if he was truly accepted into the family. I couldn’t blame him. In the brief time I had been around the family, I could see how much they loved and were protective of Bailey. No matter how good any man was, I was sure he wouldn’t get the full approval of all the Bennetts.

Though all I had to do was watch Luke as he gazed at Bailey to see how much he adored her and was completely and totally in love with her. By how she looked at him, I could tell she felt the same way. Their love was a good foundation for them and their lives together and for Morgan and Walker. It couldn’t be easy being involved with a Bennett, even if they acted like any other normal family having a meal together.

I looked over at Mac and was sorry that his wife, Hope, couldn’t be there. She had been overly tired with her advanced pregnancy and had bowed out for the night but had insisted that Mac go. I had read that she and Morgan were friends and had hoped to pick their brains on what it was like to be involved with the family and dating a Bennett man. I wondered if they would give me a chance to talk to them at a later date.

We had just finished the first three of the five courses of our meal. Each one was better than the last. JD had decided on a tasting menu, highlighting all the best dishes they had to offer instead of a traditional menu. It was an ambitious undertaking, but one he and his staff had pulled off with flying colors. I would suggest that he kept it on the menu for special occasions or a higher end option for guests.

The wine flowed as easily as the conversation. It was evident that this was a family who not only liked to spend time together but did it often. There were a few references to family dinners at Remy and MaryBeth’s house on Sundays; something that I would love to be invited to.

It was one thing to sit with them at a table at their son’s restaurant. It would be quite another to see them in their own surroundings. They looked relaxed, as if they were having the time of their lives. But even I could feel the stares and looks they were getting as we ate our meals. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be living under such scrutiny for most of your life. Yet, they took it all in stride, as if it didn’t bother them, and it was just another meal they were all enjoying together.

---