Tell Me You're Mine (The British Billionaires #1) - J. S. Scott Page 0,43
could anyone not want to be right on the water? The second I hear the waves, I relax. I can’t imagine what it would be like to actually live here.”
“I thought you did live here.”
“In Newport Beach, yes. But I live in a city-view condo that I inherited from my mother. These homes are outrageously expensive. I make a good living, but not nearly enough for a waterfront of any kind in this city.”
“I guess I’ve never thought about my income not being enough for…anything,” I told her.
She chuckled. “That’s probably not something a Lancaster has to think about, but most of us normal folks have to stick to a budget.”
I considered her comment as I took a swig of my tea. I’d been a billionaire since the day I was born. There was never much that was off-limits to me because I lacked the funds. Most of my friends were rich, too, so I had no idea what it was like to stay on any particular budget. I signed my name; I got what I wanted. Period. End of story. “I guess that makes me abnormal,” I said.
She shook her head, and for a moment, I was distracted by the way her blonde ponytail bounced with that particular action.
“Not abnormal,” she corrected. “Being rich and powerful is your normal. It just isn’t natural for most of the population.”
I loved the way she could just accept the fact that I was obscenely wealthy without being enamored by that lifestyle.
“So you’re happy with your own normal?” I asked.
She thought for a moment before she answered. “For the most part, yes. I consider myself lucky. I’m well-educated, and I make a good living. I think it’s human nature to want to keep doing better, but money isn’t everything. I have great friends, and I get to spend time doing all the things I love to do.”
“Such as?” I wanted to know more about her, find out what made her happy.
“I spend as much time in and on the water as possible,” she shared. “I’m certified in scuba, so I spend a lot of time under the water. I get out for dives a couple of times a week when I’m not slammed at the agency.”
I hadn’t expected her to say that. “So there’s a daredevil beneath your gorgeous exterior?”
“There’s something really magical about spending time with aquatic animals in their own habitat, and it’s not that dangerous.”
I nodded. “My brother Leo says the same thing. He’s a diver. Instructor level. He’s always trying to talk me into trying it.”
“You should take him up on it. Life should never be all about work. Where does he dive?”
I shrugged. “Everywhere. He’s away far more than he’s home. Sometimes I envy that. He’s a wildlife biologist who searches for extremely rare or probable extinct species across the globe. Leo has a large sanctuary and breeding program in England to help save animals that are near extinction. He’s never had any interest in Lancaster International. He was bought out when the estate was settled, but I don’t think he really cares about the money. Well, other than the fact that it helps him do what he’s always wanted to do.”
I surprised myself with the casual observation that I sometimes coveted Leo’s lifestyle, but it was probably true.
“I’m sure his life has some downfalls,” Nicole observed. “I couldn’t imagine being away from home all the time, and living out of a backpack or a suitcase. You travel, too, right?”
“Yes. But not like Leo does,” I confessed. “Sometimes I’d like to travel simply for pleasure and not for business, but my life doesn’t work that way right now.”
“I can understand that. My one and only trip to London was my first time outside the United States, and I didn’t get much of a chance to see anything because I was working. I was too worried about my presentation.”
“Then I guess you’ll just have to come back,” I said hopefully. “You didn’t do any sightseeing?”
“I tried. I got lost on the Tube. I thought I was going the right direction to get to the Tower of London, but it turned out that I was headed the wrong way. By the time I straightened it all out and got to the Tower, I didn’t have much time. I couldn’t see the whole thing.”
She sounded so forlorn that it made my damn chest ache. “Take a taxi or an Uber next time,” I advised. “Everyone gets lost on the Tube unless