The Billionaire’s Girlfriend Bet - Leslie North Page 0,54
here and make that be known on Blake’s behalf.”
“I feel the same. Blake told us that he’s been trying to get ahold of you with no luck,” Jackie said. “Which, honestly, I get. But I want you to know that Daniel and I first got together because of a bet too.”
Michelle couldn’t stop her brow from arching into the stratosphere. “What?”
“Blake and Grayson thought that Daniel was such a workaholic that they bet him that he couldn’t keep his current girlfriend through the end of Mila and Grayson’s wedding celebrations. Well, he didn’t have a girlfriend—they just thought I was his girlfriend because I was house sitting for him at the time.” Jackie smirked, her eyes sparkling. “But little did we know, that bet would lead us to true love.”
“I told you,” Mila said, clasping Michelle’s hand in hers, “these guys are awful with the betting. But the bets aren’t mean. They’re just three competitive friends who can’t stop trying to beat each other.”
Jackie and Mila shared a warm smile, which for a moment made everything feel okay. Michelle was tempted to get swept away in their rose-colored world where that type of deception was simply good fun. But the wounded part of her wasn’t done raging.
“I don’t know,” Michelle said, sniffing. “It just feels like it spoils everything that we shared.”
Both Jackie and Mila looked sad, but they stood and came around to give her a hug.
“I understand if you can’t move past it,” Mila whispered. “But I think I speak for both of us when I say we really like you, and we don’t want you to miss out on a worthwhile relationship because of something so silly as this. We can vouch for Blake’s goodness. And honestly, you’re the only woman we’ve ever seen him bring around.”
Michelle almost cried while in the embrace of the two women. It was hard not to appreciate their radiating love and support. And really, this was the type of thing she wanted here. The type of thing she needed. Not just a solid partner, but a loving circle of people she could trust and count on.
“Did he ask you to come here?” Michelle asked.
“Nope. We did this on our own,” Mila said.
“Obviously we love Blake,” Jackie said, squeezing her arms around Michelle and Mila a little tighter, “but we liked you from the second we met you.”
“I felt the same way too,” Michelle admitted.
“No pressure. You have to do what’s right for you,” Mila said, coming to standing. “But let us know if you need anything in the meantime.”
“And please, let’s be friends even if you don’t end up with Blake,” Jackie added.
Jackie and Mila left their numbers with Michelle before waving goodbye to Mollie and heading out the door. Michelle stood in the front hallway, wondering how she could possibly process what Jackie and Mila had told her and still stay angry at Blake, when the sound of glass shattering tore through the room.
Michelle darted toward the source of the noise, finding Mollie looking wide-eyed at a broken picture frame at her feet.
“What happened?” Michelle asked, kneeling in front of Mollie.
“The dolly flew out of my hand and hit the picture,” Mollie explained, her bottom lip trembling as she looked between Michelle and the broken glass. “I’m sorry, Mommy, I—”
“Honey, it’s fine. I promise you. You’re not hurt, and that’s what matters most.” Michelle guided Mollie away from the danger, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Just stay over here while I get this cleaned up, okay?”
Mollie nodded and Michelle hurried to get a dustpan and broom. Back in the living room, she picked up the broken frame. A photo of her and Mollie hung askew, revealing a different photo behind.
Michelle plucked out the photo, finding an old picture of her and her ex stuck behind it. She blinked a few times, staring at the image. It was odd to see—almost like looking at a photo from a different century. She couldn’t even relate to the brunette with the innocent smile—not anymore. Even though Mollie had been just a sparkle in her eye at that time, this photo wasn’t taken that long ago. Not even a decade had passed.
Which meant that in not a lot of time…just about everything in her world had changed.
“Mommy, watch out for the glass.”
Mollie’s soft voice jostled her back to the present. She hurried to scoop up the glass shards, her mind churning over the forgotten picture she’d tucked away.
Why had she kept it? She