Forgetting the Billionaire (A Clean Billionaire Romance Book 1) Page 11

  Where was Victoria? He actually missed having her around. At least then he wouldn’t be the third wheel.

  “Hot dogs?” He nodded toward the booth in front of them.

  Charlie turned to him. “Sure.”

  They walked up to the stand. Mitchell ordered a foot long and almost told them to hold the onions but then paused. Why did he care if he smelled? Charlie wasn’t getting close to him tonight, so he ordered a double helping.

  Alex stepped up and ordered for Charlie. Mitchell glared at him. She had a problem when he bought stuff for her but not Alex? The thought made him clench his fist. What was with him? His temperature had skyrocketed. He needed to cool down. He opened his Sprite and downed half.

  “That’s ten dollars,” the booth attendant said as he handed them the hot dogs they had ordered.

  Alex pulled out his wallet. He fumbled for a minute before turning to Charlie. “Hey babe, can you spot me on this? I think I spent my last few dollars winning that for you.” He nodded to the gorilla.

  Mitchell watched Charlie’s face fall. “Um, yeah. I think so.” She handed the stuffed animal to him and rifled around in her purse. When she looked up, Mitchell’s heart hurt for her. She looked so disappointed.

  “I’ve got it,” he said, stepping up to the counter and pulling a twenty out of his wallet. “Give us a few sodas while you’re at it.”

  “Mitchell, no—” Charlie started.

  He narrowed his eyes at her. This was getting ridiculous. He had no idea what he’d done to deserve her reservations. “It’s okay. I’ve got it,” he repeated

  Alex smiled, snaked his filthy arm around her waist, and pulled her close again. “It’s okay, babe. He’s got it.”

  Mitchell forced a smile, but then glared at Alex. Man, he hated that guy.

  With the food paid for, they headed over to the booths decked out in all different band garb. There were posters and cd’s for sale.

  “Alex, we should go. We don’t have any more money.” Charlie grabbed his arm to stop him.

  Mitchell raised his hand. He didn’t want the evening to end. Even if spending time with Charlie meant spending time with Alex— he’d do it. “It’s okay. I’ll cover us.”

  Charlie chewed her lip. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

  Mitchell reached into his wallet and pulled out a few hundred dollar bills. “Hey, you know the day I came into the diner and got you fired? Well, I forgot to tip you. Here.” He reached out and shoved the money into her hand.

  She stared at the bills then back to him. “This is way too much.”

  Alex let out a low whistle. “Geez, that’s a big tip.” He pulled Charlie closer and leaned in. “Just take it, baby,” he said with his voice low.

  Charlie stared at Alex then back to Mitchell. He couldn’t quite read the look on her face. Suddenly, she clenched her jaw and threw the bills at him.

  “I told you, this is too much.” Then she turned and practically ran away.

  Mitchell watched her. It was obvious that he’d upset her, but why boggled his mind.

  “What’s with her?” Alex asked, turning to look at him.

  Mitchell shrugged.

  Alex moved toward the bills. “I’ll, um, give these to her.”

  Mitchell glared at Alex, but didn’t stop him. Instead, he headed after Charlie. A phone rang out. He patted his pocket, but it wasn’t his. Turning, he noticed Alex coming up from behind.

  “Hello?” Alex raised his phone to his cheek.

  Mitchell tried to ignore him and kept his gaze focused on Charlie’s retreating frame.

  “Right now?” Alex paused then nodded. “I’ll be there.” He shoved his phone into his pocket. “Hey, man. I got a fishing job for the night. Can you tell Charlie for me? Tell her I’ll see her tomorrow.”

  Mitchell nodded. Good. He was ready for this loser to be gone.

  Alex veered off toward the parking lot leaving Mitchell alone. It didn’t take long before he found Charlie sitting on a rock. She was staring off toward the ocean with her arms wrapped around her chest. He approached slowly, not sure how she’d react when she saw that he had followed her.

  “I see you,” she sighed.

  He straightened and headed over to her. “You okay?”

  She scoffed. “Where’s Alex?” she asked as she rubbed her skin as if she were cold. He fought the urge to wrap his arms around her to warm her up just as he had done when he found her in the woods.

  “He had to leave. Got a fishing job.”

  Her gaze focused on him. “A what?”

  Mitchell settled on a smaller rock next to her. “A fishing job?” he repeated himself.

  “Huh.” She turned her gaze outward again. “Why do you keep doing that?”

  “Doing what?” he asked even though he was pretty sure he knew what she meant.

  “Shoving your money at me. Showing Alex up. He’s a competitive guy.”

  “You were hungry and, like I said, you should let people help you sometimes.” He wasn’t going to apologize for having money. He worked hard for it. He basically kept his family’s business running.

  Her face stilled. “What’s life like for you?”

  He stared at her. “What do you mean?”

  “Tell me what a day is like for you. Paint the picture of what a billionaire does.” She shook her head as if the word “billionaire” tasted weird on her tongue.

  He focused on the water. “I work. A lot. Real estate doesn’t just buy and sell itself. I’m in meetings all the time. Sometimes until the wee hours of the morning.”

  “Sounds sad.” Her gaze softened.

  He shrugged. “You get used to it.”

  “What about relationships? You know, besides Victoria?”

  He nudged a rock with his toe. He enjoyed having her ask him personal questions like this. It made their relationship real. He wanted her to know everything about him even if the answers were hard to say. “It’s hard. When people hear I have money suddenly they don’t see me as a person anymore. I’m a dollar amount. It’s like they are trying to get the most out of me. I always doubt the real reason they’re my friend.”

  She glanced over at him. He saw sympathy in her gaze. “It’s hard to know who’s genuine,” she breathed out as if she understood.

  His heart surged at her words. Victoria never asked these kinds of questions. Money was all the mattered to her. Anger filled his chest. Why was he with her again?

  “I won’t do that,” Charlie said, not breaking his gaze.

  He furrowed his brow. “Do what?”

  “Take advantage of you. I promise I will always see you as a person and not your money.” She reached out and brushed his hand with her fingertips.

  He swallowed. Tingles raced up his arm at her touch. He opened his mouth to speak. There was a question he needed to ask her. If he broke it off with Victoria, did they have a chance? The words settled on the tip of his tongue. Now would be the perfect time.

  “And I’ll be here when you come back to see Rose, you know, after you and Victoria are married.” She dropped her hand and smiled at him. “Rose is excited about your wedding. Her happiness is important to me.” Her gaze intensified as if she suspected what he was going to say, but didn’t want him to voice it.

  His heart tightened like a vice in his chest. “Victoria, yeah. It’ll be nice.”

  She stuck out her hand. “Friends?”

  He eyed it. “Only if you promise to always be honest with me.” Then he paused. “And you let me pay for the rest of the night.”

  She hesitated.

  “Please?”

  “Okay.” A smile played on her lips.

  He grabbed her hand and tried to ignore the fireworks that shot through him every time he touched her. “Deal.”

  He stood, still clutching her hand in his, and helped her to her feet.

  “Come on. They’re bobbing for apples. It’s been my favorite game since I was a kid,” he said.

  Her giggle rac
ed through him. He debated about keeping ahold of her hand, but then dropped it. She’d already set the parameters of their relationship, and he was pretty sure holding hands wasn’t something “just friends” did.

  They walked in silence as they headed toward the booth. It was comfortable to be next to her and not need to talk. Then, a feeling settled in his gut. There were only a few more days before he’d need to leave and with the way he was feeling, he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to keep pretending they were friends.

  They spent the rest of the evening playing all the games over again. Mitchell laughed at the sound of her scream as she beat him, and savored the quiet moments they had waiting in line.

  Charlie talked about her childhood. What it was like growing up in such a small community. It boggled his mind. The only person who knew him somewhat personally was his doorman and even then, Mitchell doubted that he’d help him change a flat tire if it wasn’t his doorman’s job.

  They were waiting in line at the churro stand when Charlie glanced over at him. “You’re sure quiet.” She smiled, and he felt his resolve to stay away from her melt.

  He clenched his fists to ground himself and stepped farther away so there was no chance that they would touch. “Just imagining what it was like, growing up in a small community.”

  She stared out toward the ocean. It stretched out as far as he could see. “It’s hard when everyone knows your business. When Alex and I broke up, I couldn’t even go grocery shopping without someone talking to me about it.”

  “Ooo. Ouch.” Mitchell sucked his breath in. He could only imagine what that felt like.

  Charlie giggled. “That doesn’t happen in New York?”

  He shook his head. “Naw. It would be weird— I have to admit.”

  She nodded as she took a step closer to the cashier. He watched as her curly hair fell off her shoulder. It was hard to resist the temptation to run his fingers through it.

  “That’s what’s great about this place. I love having personal relationships with so many people. It really is home.” Her voice softened.

  Mitchell nodded. A few seconds later, she turned as if she’d expected him to say something, so he smiled at her. “Makes sense. I don’t know what that’s like, but I understand the draw.”

  Mitchell ordered two churros and within seconds they were handed to him.

  “Thanks,” Charlie said. The wrapper crinkled as she took it then she turned and walked away.

  She was picking pieces off and slipping them into her mouth when Mitchell fell into step with her. Her skin glowed in the festival lights as she smiled at him. She looked content. He loved the soft lines of her cheekbones and lips. And the way the wind blew, picking up pieces of her hair and swirling them around.

  “Well, I should probably get back,” she said, glancing up at him.

  He never wanted her to go. “How about we listen to some music. After all, isn’t that why we’re at a music festival?”

  She studied him then her gaze fell to the stand where a middle-aged man was grasping the microphone and singing into it.

  Mitchell felt her hesitation. “Just a few songs then we’ll go. I promise.” He brushed her elbow as he took a step forward.

  “Okay,” she said and followed.

  They finished their churros as they headed over to the bandstand. Mitchell found a vacant spot in the grass and motioned for her to sit down. They sat there, staring out at the ocean.

  He tried to ignore the tapping of her fingers against her thigh until he could no longer stand it. Not even asking, he grabbed her hand and stood.

  “Dance with me,” he said, pulling her to her feet.

  “Mitchell, I—”

  He stared at her. It was a dance. He wasn’t spending money on her or pledging his love. The look on his face must have convinced her because she dropped whatever she was going to say and complied. He wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her close. She didn’t hesitate.

  The song ended and the crowd cheered, but Mitchell kept her close. After the applause died down, the singer began his next song—When You Love Someone, by Bryan Adams.

  “I love this song,” Charlie whispered.

  Mitchell tightened his arm around her back and led her into a box step. He loved the feeling of her body so close to his. As much as he wanted to deny it, he trusted her. More than he’d ever trusted Victoria.

  She glanced up at him. “Can I ask you something?”

  Mitchell closed his eyes and continued dancing to the music. “Sure.”

  “What happened? You know, with Rose and your family.”

  His stomach sank like a rock, and he furrowed his brow.

  “I’m sorry. It’s not my place,” she said.

  She began to step back and out of his arm, but he wouldn’t allow it. Tightening his grip, he opened his eyes. “No. Don’t go.”

  She hesitated then relaxed her body allowing him to pull her close again. “Okay.”

  Mitchell stared off over her head. “Rose used to take care of me and my brother when my parents were gone building their real estate business. Most weeks, we’d see them for an hour or two and that was it.” He dropped his gaze down to meet hers.

  “One night, we were at a friend’s house to sleep over. My brother, Jimmy, got sick so they called Rose. She’d been out with her lady friends earlier and was exhausted, but she came to pick us up anyway. On the way home, a truck ran a red light and hit us.” He swallowed as the memory of the screams and metal crunching raced back to him.

  “It’s okay, you don’t have to keep going,” Charlie whispered.

  Mitchell shook his head. “I want you to know.”

  She chewed her lip and nodded.

  “The truck hit our car on Jimmy’s side. He died instantly.”

  Her face dropped as she stared at him.

  “My parents couldn’t forgive her, and they couldn’t forgive themselves. They divorced and my dad disappeared. I guess the guilt just ate at him…” Mitchell’s voice dropped off as emotions took hold of his throat.

  Charlie stopped dancing. Suddenly, she dropped his hand and pulled him into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her back and clung to her. In that moment, Mitchell never wanted to let her go.

  15

  Charlie

  Charlie swayed to the music as Mitchell kept his arms wrapped around her. What a horrible thing to have happened to his family. Her heart went out to Rose and his parents. And to lose his dad on top of that? Her heart broke for him.

  She pulled back and looked up. He met her gaze, and she could feel all the pain and hurt he’d been carrying around for all those years.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

  His face was solemn as he nodded. “It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault.”

  She chewed her lip as she studied his face. Her gaze trailed down to his lips. They were inches from her. If she rose up onto her tippy toes, she just might be able to brush them with hers. And she wanted to do that. Press her lips to his and take away all his pain.

  His gaze stayed on her as he leaned down. Apparently, he had the same idea. She took a breath to say something, but instantly forgot words as his lips met hers. They were soft and gentle.

  He pulled her against him, and she threaded her fingers through his hair to deepen the kiss. There was so much pain and longing wrapped up in his emotions. She wanted to help him forget.

  The sound of a phone chiming broke them apart. Mitchell lowered her to the ground with a sheepish look on his face.

  Charlie reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. Her heart sank as she read the text. It was a picture of Alex next to a huge yellow snapper, and he had his thumbs up.

  Caught this for you babe cause you’re such a catch. I love you and can’t wait to spend tomorrow with you.

  She glanced over at Mitchell who was standing a few inches from her. What had she done? Here she was complaining about Alex cheating on her and now? She was doing the same thing.

&nbs
p; She shoved her phone back into her purse and backed away.

  Mitchell’s brows furrowed as he watched her retreat. “Hey.” He reached out to grab her elbow. “What’s wrong?”

  She slipped away before he could touch her. “I have to go. I’m sorry. We should have never done that.”

  Turning, she pushed through the other dancers. She needed some space and some air.

  “Charlie. Charlie!” Mitchell called out, but she didn’t stop.

  Why didn’t she just have him drop her off at her car? She was such an idiot. Keeping her head down, she pushed out to the parking lot.

  “Charlie?” Priscilla called out.

  Relief filled her chest. Turning, she glanced around. When she located Priscilla’s waving hand, she veered over to it.

  “What’s wrong?” Priscilla asked, studying Charlie’s face.

  “Can you give me a ride to my car?” Charlie could hear Mitchell calling her name.

  “Who’s calling for you—is that the guy from the diner?”

  Charlie gave Priscilla a pleading look. “Please. Can you give me a ride to my car?”

  Priscilla looked confused, but nodded. “Okay.”

  Grabbing her hand, Charlie pulled her from the group of people she was with. “Thanks.”

  They were at Priscilla’s car in a matter of minutes. As she pulled away, Charlie saw Mitchell stop and watch them drive by. Her heart broke as she saw the look on his face. But what could she do? She was an awful, terrible person.

  The car was silent. Priscilla turned to her. “Wanna tell me what’s going on?”

  Charlie watched the trees flash by the window. Clouds had rolled in with the threatening rain. It fit her mood perfectly. “Not really.”

  “Oh no. You don’t get to pull me away from my friends while you have a rich and handsome man following you just to tell me you don’t want to talk about it.” Priscilla gave her an expectant look.

  Charlie knew from that look that she better start talking. “I’ll tell you. Just head to my car. It’s on Highway Seventy.”

  Priscilla nodded and turned left. “Deal.”

  “I was running away from Mitchell because he kissed me.”