My Stepbrother, the Billionaire, & the Bargain: Forbidden Romance (The Step Contract, Book 1) by Stephanie Brother

Author:Stephanie Brother [Brother, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: stepbrother billionaire forbidden romance
Published: 2015-04-01T16:00:00+00:00

5

I found out pretty quickly that while banks had survived the Recession, that didn’t mean their willingness to lend to small business owners with short credit histories had made it out with them. I was turned down no less than seven times before I got the hint that the next seven were going to give the same answer.

Nor was Mimi wrong about my meager savings. I had enough to cover either the mortgage or the utilities, but not both, and even doing one would wipe me out, literally leaving me with no money to buy food. If I didn’t sing for my supper at the anniversary party, either the lights and heat would shut off, the bank would probably put a lien on the property, I would have to give up my apartment and live illegally out of the business, or I would be dealing with some unpleasant combination of the three.

All of which explained why on Sunday morning, I boarded the Chinatown bus at South Station for New York City. My suitcase held a week’s worth of my best outfits and a few spares. Lana’s family was going to pay for my dress to the party.

“I don’t understand why I can’t just buy something here in Boston,” I told him on the phone, watching my home slowly fade into the highways and the green of rural Massachusetts.

“I’m not doubting your taste,” Dad replied. “It’s just that it’s a five-star service. Lana’s parents want to have some editorial discretion over the colors and styles.”

“You mean, step-Grandma Helen wants to dress me like a doll.”

“She didn’t say that in quite so many words, but…”

“Terrific,” I said with a laugh. “Just for clarification, as long as it’s not orange or yellow and doesn’t make me look over the hill, she can pick from selections I make.”

“The budget is generous.”

“Dad, I don’t care if she wants to buy genuine haute couture. The point is I’m not a puppet.”

It was his turn to laugh. “Message received. And honey?”

“Yeah?”

“Try to forgive Blake. I have.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll try.”

“Jen, he broke up with his girlfriend a few weeks ago. He might not be in the most festive of moods.”

Was Dad an advocate for him now? “He’ll live, you know. It isn’t the first time two people have split up in the history of the human race or anything.”

Argh. That sounded harsh, even to me. “Sorry,” I mumbled. “But I’m more disappointed I won’t see Cindy again. She was nice.” Also, she was the longest-running relationship Blake had had that I knew of.

“I liked her, too,” Dad admitted. “But people move on.”

Not me, I thought. I just drift, anchor-less, from one port to another. “I guess so.”

“See you at dinner, honey.”

“Love you, Dad.”

Trying to concentrate on the scenery was useless after that bombshell. My mind only wanted to focus on one thing.

Blake is single again.

Be still, my treacherous heart, I thought. You’ve caused enough trouble already for the both of us.

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