Bidding On The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 8)
Read Bidding On The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 8) Online
Authors: Christina Tetreault
Tags: #wealthy, #family saga, #friends to lovers, #billionaire, #millioniare, #B Novak, #beaches, #office love, #sensual romance
Bidding On The Billionaire
Christina Tetreault
The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 8
Table of Contents
Other Books By Christina Tetreault
Bidding On The Billionaire
, Copyright 2016 by Christina Tetreault
Published by Christina Tetreault
Cover Model:
Jon Eric Doliana II
Model Photo by:
Green Owl Photography
Cover design by:
Leah Kaye Suttle
Editing by:
Hot Tree Editing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author at [email protected]. This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author’s imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. For more information on the author and her works, please see
www.christinatetreault.com
Digital ISBN: 978-0-9971118-3-5
Derek dropped his overnight bag on his bedroom floor, glad to be home. He’d spent the last week in Virginia with his twin sister, Allison. Unlike his previous visit down to see her and his cousin’s new baby, this one hadn’t been well timed. However, she’d needed him; although she may never admit it to anyone, including him. And he didn’t blame her. Considering the hell she’d gone through when her stalker broke into her house and tried to kill her boyfriend and kidnap her, anyone would need a good support system around them. He’d only left today because Rock, her boyfriend, had been released from the hospital yesterday, and Derek had an important trial starting tomorrow morning. Neither the judge nor his client would care that his sister needed him.
His stomach rumbled as he walked back into the hall, and he wished he’d stopped at his brother Gray’s place after leaving the airport instead of heading home. Gray’s fiancée was a professionally trained chef who worked in Providence’s best French restaurant. No matter the day or time, she always had delicious food in their refrigerator, unlike what he knew he’d find in his. Even when he hadn’t spent a full week out of town, his refrigerator looked nothing like his brother’s. He’d learned to cook just enough to get by on his own. Since he hated doing it, every two weeks he had someone come in and prepare meals, which he kept in the freezer until he needed them. Unfortunately, Shauna wouldn’t be in until tomorrow morning and somehow he’d exhausted most of his premade meals even before he’d left for Virginia last weekend.
Despite knowing he’d find next to nothing inside, he pulled open the refrigerator doors. A few containers of Chinese food that he’d gotten more than a week ago sat on the top shelf next to a bag of apples and some fuzzy strawberries. A half gallon of milk three days past its expiration date and an almost empty bottle of orange juice remained in the door. He tossed the spoiled food out and then grabbed an apple. Looked like takeout was on the menu tonight. Perhaps tomorrow morning he’d stop in and visit either Trent or Gray for breakfast before heading into the office. Both his brothers lived at the Hillcrest, which he passed each day on his way in to work.
On second thought, he’d stop at Gray’s. Considering the fact Trent and Addie had a one-week-old baby at home, he doubted either was getting much sleep these days. They didn’t need him showing up at their door around eight o’clock looking for food.
Until then he needed to decide which it would be now, Italian or Chinese? He opened the drawer near the sink where he kept all the takeout menus. Whichever one he grabbed first would be where dinner came from. Reaching in, he pulled out the one on top.
Italian it is
. He opened the menu for Mario’s Italian Eatery. A person couldn’t go wrong with something from there, and they delivered.
Twenty minutes later, the scent of oregano, melted cheese, tomatoes, and sausage drifted up from the sub on the table and saliva pooled in his mouth as his stomach growled. The three apples he’d eaten while he’d waited for dinner had only made him hungrier than he’d been when he got home. He bit into the fresh-baked roll and homemade sausage. Mario’s might be a small hole in the wall, but they made a damn good sub.
He managed to wolf down half the sub before his doorbell forced him to stop. This time of year, he didn’t get many visitors. Once the family started staying at Cliff House, the Sherbrooke estate on Bellevue Avenue, relatives frequently popped in unannounced to see him, but they normally started staying there in mid to late June unless some function was planned. The only one who had visited there regardless of the time of year was his Uncle Warren, who technically now owned the home although he let any family member use it whenever they desired. Since he’d become President and moved into the White House, his visits had become fewer and fewer. In fact, as far as Derek remembered, his uncle hadn’t visited Newport since the family’s annual New Year’s Eve party months ago.
Pushing back his chair, he grabbed a handful of chips before he headed out of the kitchen. Through the glass panel near the front door, he spotted Aunt Marilyn, his dad’s younger sister. An automatic groan escaped him. He’d been avoiding her since the beginning of May, something he wasn’t proud of. He loved her. In some ways, she was like a second mother to him and his siblings. After his mom died, she’d stepped in and done her best to fill the void left behind.
Regardless, every time the phone had rung this month and her name showed up, he’d let the call go to voice mail. He’d only called her back once and gotten her voice mail. It looked like she’d finally given up on the phone calls and decided to confront him while he had no chance of escape.
She won’t leave until you answer
. Like every Sherbrooke, his aunt had a stubborn streak, and when she wanted something, she let nothing stand in her way. Derek pulled open the door and pasted on a smile. “Aunt Marilyn, it’s great to see you.”
Marilyn Belmont swept inside so quickly Derek wondered if she suspected he’d shut the door before she got her feet across the threshold.
“Considering the way you’ve been ducking my calls, I doubt that’s what you’re really thinking.” Her voice contained its usual warmth. “But it’s great to see you.” She hugged him and kissed his cheek.
Guilt gave him a not so gentle stab in the chest, and he closed the door. “I haven’t been avoiding your calls. I’ve just been busy at work. Then with everything that happened with Allison, I got distracted.”
At the mention of his sister, his aunt’s smile disappeared. “How is she doing? Harrison and I want to go down and see her, but we don’t want to overwhelm her either. I know your dad and Abby spent a few days down there and Courtney visited her.”
He’d seen his cousin Courtney, one of Marilyn’s daughters, while he’d been with Allison. “She’s doing better and the therapy is helping. Rock’s out of the hospital, and she’s moved in to his apartment. She’s going to sell her town house. I’d probably do the same thing.” Derek suspected most people would. “I’m sure she’d love to see you.” Actually, he knew his sister wanted a rest from all the concerned family members, but what else could he say to his aunt? Stay away, everyone is suffocating her? You didn’t tell a Sherbrooke such a thing.
“That’s good to hear. I’ve been so worried about her. Tomorrow I’ll give her a call. It’ll probably be too late by the time I get home tonight.” Marilyn walked further into his condo, leaving him no choice but to follow. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve been calling so much.”
Derek hadn’t been wondering any such thing. He knew exactly why she’d been calling. He also knew why she’d made the hour and a half drive from Weston, Massachusetts down to Newport unannounced. She planned on trying to change his mind again. He’d known she would.
Derek took a seat in the armchair across from his aunt and prepared himself. “I figured you missed your favorite nephew,” he said, flashing a bright smile.
“Always the charmer. And while I’ve missed you, that’s not why I’ve been calling.”
And here it comes
. He pressed his lips together rather than voice one of the many expletives going through his mind.
“I wanted to talk to you again about the bachelor auction next month.”
He opened his mouth to reply, but she held up a hand to stop him. “You already said you’re not interested, I know. But it would mean a lot to me if you’d please reconsider. It’s on track to be one of the foundation’s most successful fundraisers in a long time. And you know what a good cause it’s for. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t so important.”
Of course he knew that. The fundraiser was to benefit the Helping Hands Foundation, which his family had started during the Great Depression. Every year the foundation helped countless people. That didn’t mean he wanted to be paraded around on stage like a piece of meat so women could bid on him. Especially considering who some of the women in the audience may be. Perhaps if he could somehow control who the ultimate winner was, he’d be more receptive to the idea. Not by much, but a little.
“Ticket sales are going fantastic. And you’ll know most of the other men there. Even Scott finally agreed to participate.”
He’d known it had only been a matter of time before his cousin caved in. After all, how long could anyone resist their mother when the woman had stubborn Sherbrooke blood with an extra helping of Sherbrooke persistence running through her veins?
“Your friend Colton Horne signed on.” His aunt paused as she searched for something in her oversized shoulder bag. “He’s one of your friends, right? Or is he Gray’s? I can never keep everyone’s friends straight.”
Yep, Colton was one of his friends. It didn’t surprise him the guy had signed on. A bachelor auction and all the attention that went with it was right up his alley.
“Drew Robinson will be there too,” she said, naming another of his acquaintances. “I wish Alec could come, but he’s been dating Sydney for two months now.”
He doubted his youngest brother’s most recent relationship would last much longer, but he understood why she hadn’t asked.
“I know you’re worried a ninety-year-old woman will win you, but the guest list is diverse.”
Actually, he wasn’t worried about a woman old enough to be his grandmother winning him. Four dates with a person like that he could handle. The idea of Tasha Marshall or someone like her putting in the highest bid scared him. He’d known Tasha forever. At one time, the woman had been obsessed with his cousin. Once Jake had gotten married though, she’d set her sights on his oldest brother. When Trent got engaged and then made the walk down the aisle, she’d turned her eyes to him. He couldn’t think of many things worse than being saddled with Tasha or someone similar for four dates.
Aunt Marilyn handed him several papers. “I brought a copy of the guest list so you can see it’s not made up of only older women. At least half the guests are closer to your age.”
“How about I make a donation?” Since the papers were in his hands anyway, he glanced through the names, many of which he recognized. Not even halfway down the first page he spotted the names Tasha and Janet Marshall. Big surprise there. The Marshalls and Sherbrookes went way back. “You name the figure, and I’ll take care of it first thing tomorrow morning.”
His aunt’s eyebrows pinched together. “I suppose you could.”
Derek waited for the
but
he heard.
“With your name added to the event it would sell out. Please reconsider, Derek. You don’t have to marry the winning bidder, only go out with them. You can pick the when and where. And who knows, you might have fun. Meet someone you enjoy spending time with.”
He hated to disappoint her. If only she could guarantee who’d win him. Of course she couldn’t. No one could and somehow he guessed that if he agreed he’d end up saddled with Tasha for some glorious nights of hell.
Derek turned to the second page of guests while he tried to choose the right words. The four names at the top caught his eye: Scarlet, Milan, Paris, and Brooklyn Novak. Those were four names he hadn’t expected to see printed there.
“So, can I add you to the bachelor lineup?”