Page 3 of My Billionaire Casino Boss

Eric can never know I slept with Thomas before college, and if I turn down this idea, he might wonder what’s wrong with me. I’m the one who insisted on working to pay my bills, and I gave him a hard enough time just accepting his help finding a house, so turning down a decent job now would make me look silly and ungrateful.

“That’s true. I’ll talk to him if there’s something to do there. It’s money coming in.” I shrug and keep unpacking.

“I wish you’d just let me cover your bills for you for a while. You can settle in and hang out with your friends.” Eric means well, but I don’t like the idea of my family supporting me. I went to college and got my degree, and now I just need to find a job doing what I love, graphic design.

College was one thing, but the idea of letting them pay my bills any longer makes me cringe. My dad owns one of the biggest construction companies in Northern California, and lots of students let their parents pay for school, but it’s not my style, and I promised myself that was over.

“I’ll call him tomorrow,” Eric says when I pointedly ignore his offer of financial help. “Once I hear something, I’ll text you his number so you can call him.” I see Eric looking at his watch and assume he’s got somewhere to be.

“That sounds great, Eric. Now go out and please the masses,” I tell him, chuckling as he looks at me. “I know how you and Thomas are—I always have. Go get it out of your system even though it’s gross.”

“I have a date, Lily.”

“Uh-huh. Just text me when you know something.” He leaves, and I lock the front door at his insistence, returning to my unpacking.

I had a good life in Colorado, living with my best friend there. Ally and I shared an apartment during the last three years of school, but afterward, she stayed in Colorado with her family.

My mom has wanted me home since I graduated. It makes sense; I’m close to my family and missed them, but I never wanted or expected to be shoved into Thomas’s life like this.

I close my eyes and sip my wine as I think back to the night I hooked up with Thomas. There was a party in town after my high-school graduation. A lot of kids showed up. Thomas and my brother showed up too, and I ended up having some drinks with Thomas. He’d always been my big brother’s best friend. Eric would have had a fit if he had noticed us drinking together, but he was across the house from us. Conversation flowed easily between us as we talked about graduation.

I don’t know who leaned in first, but we kissed, and then suddenly we were in a bedroom alone, making out. One thing led to another, and we ended up in bed together. The sex was phenomenal. Thomas was one of the most gorgeous guys in school, and I know he’d slept around, but I didn’t care. I knew it wasn’t serious, and I wanted to do it anyway. Afterward, we agreed that nobody would ever know—especially Eric. By some luck, nobody noticed our absence at the party, we got away with it, and I went running off to college. Still, I think about that night a lot.

Now, I’m possibly going to work with him, and he’s undoubtedly more gorgeous than before.

I take a break from unpacking and sit down on the couch, dialing Ally’s number.

“Hey, girl,” I greet her, smiling wistfully when she answers. “I miss you so much.”

“Tahoe isn’t everything you hoped it would be?” she asks, sounding as sad as I feel.

“It’s fine. I just want one more night in that apartment, drinking wine and watching movies.” I look around. “Eric rented me a cute house, and the view is fantastic. I can’t complain, but now I need a job.”

“Isn’t your family rich or something? You never worked in college,” Ally points out, and I sigh.

“That’s something I allowed them to cover so I could focus on school. Eric got me into this house, but now I want to pay my own way. Guess what he suggested?” I ask, and she’s quiet for a moment.

“I’m a little scared to guess.”

“His best friend, Thomas, owns a casino, and my brother thinks I should work there,” I explain, and she gasps.

“ThomasThomas?” she asks in disbelief, and I sigh.

“Yes. I didn’t know how to say no. Eric still doesn’t know we slept together, so what reason could I give him? Can I just come back to Colorado?” I close my eyes. “It’s been years, right? We’ve both put it behind us.”

“I hope so. That picture you showed me—phew. He agedwell. What’s the job, anyway?”

“I think it’s working in the hotel,” I say. “I’ll be busy, and it will work until I get something in design. I probably won’t have to see Thomas too much,” I tell her.

“When do you find out?”

“Eric is going to talk to Thomas, and then I’m going to reach out to him for an interview or whatever. Maybe he’ll say no.” I can only hope that’s what happens, and then I can find something on my own.

“I hope so. And I doubt he’ll stalk you at the desk. Doesn’t he own the whole place?” Ally asks, and when I confirm he is, she adds, “Then he’s probably crazy busy.”

We talk for a while until I can feel tiredness creeping in. I end the call to go to bed after a long day of unpacking. It’s a unique feeling to be alone in a house again, but I’ll get used to it.

I get up in the morning and sip coffee as I look at my view from the kitchen window, reminding myself I love it here. Mom calls to chat, and then I see my brother’s name on the screen.

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