Forgetting the Billionaire (A Clean Billionaire Romance Book 1) Page 14

  Mitchell walked over until he was lined up with the logs. He glanced over at Alex who was smiling and waving at Charlie.

  Mitchell swallowed down his frustration. “Ready?” he asked.

  Alex raised his eyebrows as he moved to his starting point. “Jealous?”

  They leaned over, resting a hand on their knee.

  “Jealous? Of you?” Mitchell snorted. That was a joke. Charlie didn’t love Alex. That was obvious. She was just scared and scared was something Mitchell could work with.

  “She’s mine,” Alex said, his voice low.

  “We’ll see,” Mitchell replied just as Paul raised his hand and shouted “Go!”

  Mitchell leapt out onto the log. It bowed under his weight. Just as he lifted his foot up, the log began to roll. He had to keep his arms outstretched so he didn’t lose his balance. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alex shoot past. Frustration built up in his chest, and he quickened his pace.

  He raced down the seven booms, jumped onto the platform, and around the cone. The logs had been disturbed and were no longer in a straight line. Instead, they were shifting as the water moved. Mitchell kept his gaze on them as he ran and leapt from each one.

  “Mitchell’s the winner!” Paul yelled as Mitchell jumped from the last boom and onto the platform.

  Once he was on solid ground, he looked around for Alex. Next to the log closet to him was Alex’s bobbing head.

  Charlie stood next to the edge of the pool. “You okay?” she called out to him as he swam to the platform.

  “Yeah, I am,” Alex said as he pulled himself from the water.

  Inside, Mitchell had hoped she would be cheering for him, but Alex’s fall into the water seemed to have her distracted. He tried to force a smile even though this whole competition thing wasn’t really giving him the edge he’d hoped it would.

  Charlie rounded the pool with a towel in hand. She walked over to Alex who was rubbing the water out of his hair. She spoke softly to him. Mitchell couldn’t hear what she was saying.

  Desperate for a distraction, he glanced around to locate Victoria. She was sitting on a log with her phone raised. As always, she was too wrapped up in herself to notice anything going on around her. So much for the cheerleader fiancée.

  Charlie returned to her seat, and Paul and Ralf lined up in front of the booms. Alex called go, and they sprinted across. Mitchell focused on the next game— the double buck.

  When Ralf jumped onto the platform, Alex declared him the winner, and the two high fived.

  Mitchell was anxious to get moving. His adrenaline was pumping. He was ready to waste Alex again. “Ready?” he asked, nodding his head toward Alex.

  Alex nodded. “Yep.” He threw the towel onto the nearby bench and walked over to two white pine logs that were propped up on a platform.

  “Hey, Charlie, want to come ref?” Alex asked as he waved his hand and beckoned her over.

  Her gaze fell on Mitchell’s face as she hesitated. It dropped as soon as he met it with as much intensity as he could muster. Why was she with this guy? He clenched his jaw. How much longer was he going to allow himself to care?

  She walked over, and he noticed she kept a significant distance from him. He smiled inside. The closeness he’d felt while on the boat with her was hard to miss. His stomach flipped at the thought. He fought the urge to reach out and pull her close.

  “It’s me and Mitchell against Paul and Ralf,” Alex said as he walked over to a chest and pulled out a giant saw.

  “You and me? Together?” Mitchell wasn’t sure how he felt about having to work as a team with this guy.

  “Yep,” Paul said as he lifted a saw out as well.

  Alex handed the saw to Mitchell and walked over to Charlie. “Give me a good luck kiss, huh?” He leaned over.

  Charlie’s face reddened as she studied him. Then she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Mitchell dropped his gaze and clenched his hands as he twisted them on the handle of the saw. When he glanced back over to her, she was watching him.

  He shot her a smile, but she dropped her gaze to the ground.

  “Awe. You will always be my good luck charm.” Alex reached down and grabbed the other handle on the saw. “Where’s yours?” he asked Mitchell, nodding toward Victoria who hadn’t moved from her spot. Together they lifted the saw until the teeth rested on top of the log. “Bored with you already?” he whispered, narrowing his eyes at Mitchell.

  Charlie had taken ten steps back, so Mitchell glared at him. “I don’t know why Charlie’s with you. You don’t deserve her.”

  Alex clenched his jaw. “And you do? You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Mitchell staggered his stance as he readied his body. “I do, and she’s ten times what you are. I’m going to help her see that.”

  Alex readied his stance as well. “We have a history. She’ll always be there. Some things never change.”

  Rage raced through his body. Alex was such a jerk. He was leading her on. Was this a competition for him?

  Charlie raised her hand, but Alex shook his head to stop her. “Wanna make it interesting?” He asked as he glanced over to Mitchell.

  Charlie furrowed her brow. “What?”

  “This guy seems to think he has a chance with you.”

  Mitchell gripped the handle as the desire to deck this guy raced through his body.

  Charlie sputtered and glanced over at Victoria who wasn’t paying attention to anything but her phone. “Excuse me? He’s engaged.”

  Alex shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. He’s got feelings for you.”

  It was true, and Mitchell wasn’t ashamed of it. Plus, he wasn’t going to let this guy get his goat. “What do you want, Alex?”

  A slow smile spread across his lips. “Let’s make it interesting. If you win the most games, then you get Charlie. If I win, you back off and leave us alone.”

  “What?” Charlie raised her voice as she glanced back and forth. “I’m not a prize.”

  Alex glanced at Charlie then back to Mitchell. “In fact, I’m feeling generous. If we tie, I’ll let you take the win.”

  “If I win, you leave her alone. For good.” Mitchell leaned forward and narrowed his eyes.

  Alex extended his hand. “Deal.”

  Mitchell met his gesture.

  “I don’t want anything to do with this,” Charlie said as she stepped back.

  “Fine. We’ll have Mitchell’s date do it. Hey, sweetie?” Alex yelled in Victoria’s direction.

  She lowered her phone as she stared at him. “Are you talking to me?”

  Alex nodded. “Care to ref?”

  She swatted her hand around as a bug zeroed in on her. She let out a shriek and jumped from her seat. “Fine. If it gets us back to civilization faster.”

  “You join Paul, and Ralf’ll join me. Can’t very well be competing on the same team.”

  Mitchell nodded. He glanced over to Charlie whose hands were on her hips.

  Soon, all four men were set up. Victoria raised her arm and yelled go.

  Mitchell threw everything he had into sawing. Thankfully, Ralf was pretty fit and soon they fell into a groove. In no time, they were halfway through. Then three-quarters.

  “Winner!” Victoria yelled out.

  Mitchell whipped around. Alex was grinning as he held up the piece they’d just removed.

  “That’s two for me. And one for you,” Alex said as he laughed and flung the wood into the stack a few feet away.

  Mitchell growled and pulled the saw from the log. “Next.” He was ready to get this creep as far away from Charlie as possible.

  “The last one we’re practicing today is log rolling. You go out into the pool on a log and try to roll each other off of it. You go three times. Each time counts as a win or lose,” Paul said as they made their way over to the pool.

  Mitchell nodded. Good. Now he could inflict some pain on this guy and not get judged for it. “Perfect.” He neared the pool and crouched do
wn, dipping his hand into the water. He cupped his hand and dumped the water over his hair. It cooled his body.

  He glanced up to see Charlie walking toward him. She had a sour look on her face. He straightened, bracing himself.

  “What are you doing? Are you serious? Competing for me?” She stood there with her hands on her hips.

  Mitchell sighed. “I’m doing this for you.” Why couldn’t she understand that this guy was no good.

  “What about what I want? I told you already, I don’t need you to do me any favors. I can take care of myself.” She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes.

  Mitchell scrubbed the stubble on his jaw. Before he could answer, Alex walked up.

  “Ready?” Alex asked.

  Mitchell nodded then shrugged at Charlie. “I’ve got to do this.”

  She narrowed her eyes and stalked off.

  He sighed. She’d thank him once that creep was far away from her.

  Paul walked over to him. “Here’s a pair of birling shoes. They have spikes in them to help.” Mitchell took them. As he slipped them on, Paul continued. “Keep your eyes on his feet at all times.”

  Mitchell nodded as he walked over to a log that Ralf was steadying with a pole. Alex joined him and together they stepped onto the log.

  “We good?” Ralf asked.

  Mitchell kept his hands out to steady himself. “I’m good.”

  “Me too,” Alex said.

  Ralf pushed the log until it was in the center of the pool. Mitchell twisted to keep himself steady.

  Once the log stilled, Ralf yelled, “Throw your poles!”

  Alex began running on the log. Mitchell wasn’t ready and slipped and fell into the water. When he surfaced, he met Alex’s mocking gaze.

  “Come on, you’re not even making this hard.” He laughed as he dove into the water and brought the log over to the pool’s edge.

  Cursing, Mitchell swam over. What was with him? How’d he fall so easily? He pulled himself from the water and walked over to where Alex was standing next to Ralf.

  “You have to watch his feet, Mitchell,” Paul said as he steadied the log.

  Nodding, Mitchell gathered his nerves and stepped back onto the log. He wasn’t going to let this jerk win.

  Once Alex was situated, Ralf pushed them into the middle of the pool again.

  “Throw your poles!” Ralf yelled, and this time Mitchell was ready.

  Instead of getting dumped into the pool, Mitchell stared at Alex’s feet. When Alex spun one direction, Mitchell changed his. And vice versa.

  “You think you’re gonna to win her?” Alex’s voice cut through Mitchell’s concentration.

  “That’s up to her. I’m just going to get you away,” Mitchell replied as he changed direction. Alex faltered for a moment, but steadied himself.

  “And then what? You’re gonna get married and leave her. This is a tiny island. She knows everyone here.”

  Mitchell’s heart hurt. He didn’t want to marry Victoria, but he was pretty sure that Charlie wasn’t interested in him either. His life had become such a giant mess. He shrugged. “She’ll meet someone. A man who treats her well.”

  Before Alex could say anything, Mitchell changed direction and Alex fell backwards into the water. Feeling triumphant, Mitchell grinned and slipped in after him. That was one to one. He had one more to win and then Charlie would be free.

  19

  Charlie

  This was the most cave-man-like thing any guy had ever done for her. Competing to win her? What was she? A prize? She humphed and kept pacing as she tried to ignore the splashes of water going on next to her.

  “That’s one for Mitchell, and one for Alex,” Paul called out.

  Anger boiled over as she gnawed her fingernail. If either guy thought she was leaving with them, they had another thing coming. And why had Mitchell agreed to this? It didn’t seem like him. Maybe she didn’t know him as well as she thought.

  What about Victoria? She glanced over to see Mitchell’s fiancée had returned to the logs and was back on her phone. She seemed completely oblivious to the despicable display of testosterone Charlie had ever witnessed. Why did Mitchell take that bet?

  Curiosity won over, and she turned to see what was happening. Mitchell and Alex had been pushed back out into the pool and were staring at each other’s feet. The log would spin in one direction then in the other.

  She allowed herself to think about what it might feel like if Paul called Alex’s name. Anger and pain shot through her body. Maybe she didn’t have the feelings for him that she thought she did.

  Her gaze landed on Mitchell. His brows were furrowed, and his jaw set as he studied Alex’s feet. What would she do if Paul called his name? Anger and annoyance coursed through her.

  Rolling her eyes, she folded her arms. Well, that didn’t help.

  Her breath caught in her throat as Mitchell teetered on the log for a second. A look of triumph flooded Alex’s face. But just in time, Mitchell righted himself and jostled the log. Alex waved his arms as he was dumped into the pool.

  Mitchell pumped both fists into the air and then disappeared underneath the water’s surface.

  It was a tie which meant Mitchell had won. Great.

  They both exited the water. Alex’s face was red as he barreled over to his towel and wrapped it around his waist. Mitchell looked pretty proud of himself as he followed.

  Charlie gritted her teeth and stomped over.

  “I hope you don’t think you really won me,” she growled.

  Mitchell ran his hand through his hair, spraying water droplets onto the ground. He raised his eyebrows as he studied her. “But, I won.”

  Heat raced up her spine and burned her cheeks. “Yeah, but I’m not some prize.”

  He grabbed each end of the towel and rubbed it against his back. “Are you sure? Legally—”

  She clenched her jaw and turned. She hated the annoying half smile that was playing on his lips.

  His wet hand engulfed her elbow, and he pulled her back. “I know I didn’t win you. I was trying to protect you.” His voice had grown gruff.

  She glanced over. His eyes were sky blue. They were earnest as they searched hers. She swallowed. “I don’t need protection,” she said as she pulled from his grasp and stomped off.

  “Hey!” Alex called after her as she passed him.

  “Not now, Alex,” she said as she waved him away. All she wanted to do right now was get back home. Back to the place that made sense.

  She plopped down next to Victoria who didn’t even notice she’d returned. Pulling at the hem of her shirt, she calmed her nerves. Why did Mitchell have to be so sincere when he had talked to her? Why did he have to turn her insides to mush every time he neared?

  And why did he want to take care of her? She allowed her gaze to fall on his retreating frame. The men were heading into the cabin to change.

  When they returned, Mitchell was talking on his phone. Alex walked up to her and tried to put his arm around her waist. She turned and twisted to dodge him.

  “Hey,” he complained.

  “Take me home,” she said as she headed to the dock and climbed onto the boat.

  She watched as Mitchell walked over to Victoria. They spoke for a few minutes. Then they made their way to the boat followed by Alex who jumped in, but Mitchell remained on the dock.

  “The company we are going to rent the boat through has one of their yachts coming this way. They’re going to pick us up so we can see it,” Mitchell said as his gaze fell to her.

  Charlie shrugged. Why should she care? “Sounds good. That makes sense.”

  Mitchell’s jaw tightened. “Okay. Well, I’ll see you later.”

  Alex nodded and started up the boat. As he pulled away from the dock, Charlie’s gaze fell to Mitchell’s. A look of confusion and pain filled his eyes the further she got.

  What was she supposed to do? Run after him? Throw her arms around him and tell him that she loved him? Her heart sank. Wha
t was that? Swallowing, she glanced back at his now tiny frame.

  Did she love him? Rubbing her hand over her face, she studied the water. Her heart swelled as she thought about his piercing blue eyes. How kind he’d been to her and the other residents at the house. How he really did want to protect her and take care of her.

  She glanced over at Alex whose jaw was set as he focused on the water. Had Alex ever done anything even remotely close to what Mitchell had done? He came and went as he pleased. It was almost as if he was confident she’d never go anywhere.

  He could do the most despicable act, and she’d forgive him. And she had. The memory of him locked in a passionate embrace with another woman raced through her mind. Why was she such a fool? How could she have allowed herself to trust him again?

  She’d been such an idiot. She pulled her feet up onto the bench and wrapped her arms around her chest. In terms of Mitchell, she didn’t know what she thought. But at this moment, all she knew was she and Alex were done.

  Alex pulled up to the dock and killed the engine. Charlie stood as he jumped out and tied the boat to a pole. He reached out his hand to help her, but she brushed it off.

  She stepped onto the dock and took a deep breath, then turned. “We’re done,” she said.

  Alex’s brows shot up. “What?”

  She waved her hand between them. “You and me. We’re done. Leave me alone.”

  His mouth hung open as she made her way down the dock. Relief and joy filled her chest. It felt good dumping the baggage he came with.

  Twenty minutes later, she opened the back door to the house and the smell of steak and potatoes wafted out. She smiled. This was home. This was where she belonged. Every resident here cared about her and she cared about them.

  Penny was standing next to the stove, moving potatoes around on a pan. She smiled when she saw Charlie. “Hey, sweetie. Have fun?”

  Charlie nodded and slipped off her shoes. “It was interesting.”

  Penny peered behind her. “Where’s Alex?”