Brandon (Anderson Billionaires #3) - Melody Anne Page 0,10

wink before he looked toward the back of the restaurant again. Chloe would swear her heart stopped at his words.

The giant mansion he’d bought had been empty for some time. It needed a lot of work. And Brooke was right—the place was huge, over five thousand square feet. And it wasn’t that far from her own place. That made her sweat a bit.

“Wow, I guess we’ll be having a housewarming party soon. I’ve always wanted to see the inside of that place.”

“We will indeed. But I’m going to need help making it into a home.” His eyes again looked toward the back, and although Chloe was hidden, she felt as if he could see right into her eyes. Did they have a connection? She wouldn’t admit it if they did.

“I hope you get everything you want, Brandon,” Brooke said. Chloe wanted to shout at her friend that she was the lowest of betrayers.

Brandon just smiled again, turned, and walked out the door as easily as he’d come in. Brooke stood where she was for several moments, and Chloe found herself unable to move. The entire visit had shaken her up.

Finally Brooke turned, and their eyes met through the slit in the doors. Chloe realized she could stop hiding and stepped into the open, signaling for Brooke to come to her. It was better safe than sorry, just in case the man was planning on sneaking back in.

“That was interesting,” Brooke said when she approached.

“I heard the entire conversation,” Chloe said with a sigh.

“I don’t think Brandon is going away until the two of you have a showdown. He isn’t the type to tuck tail and run,” Brooke said.

“Unfortunately I think you’re right,” Chloe said with a sigh. “But I certainly don’t want to meet with him on his territory, and I don’t want it to happen here, either. I don’t know what to do.”

“You could always flee the country,” Brooke suggested with a laugh. Her best friend was truly enjoying herself.

“Thanks for the solid advice,” Chloe told her with an eye roll.

“Maybe just bed the man again. Hot damn, there were more vibes than usual coming off him. I can now understand why you’ve been so uptight lately.”

“Are you afraid you married the wrong brother?” Chloe asked with a forced chuckle.

Brooke’s face turned serious as she looked at Chloe, who was finding it difficult not to fall apart. She pulled Chloe into a hug.

“I love you. Never forget that. And there’s no doubt in my mind that I married the man I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with. Those vibes coming off of Brandon were all for you and only you. I think you have him utterly smitten. You’re going to have to decide if you want his attention or not. And you’re going to have to do it sooner rather than later.”

Chloe’s stomach tightened at the words. She didn’t want to be Brandon’s full focus. If she was, she knew she’d be in a minefield with no chance of escape.

“What should I do?” Chloe asked.

“Go and talk to the man,” Brooke said. “There’s really nothing else you can do.”

Chloe knew her friend was right. But not today and maybe not tomorrow. She had to get herself together first. She’d never been like this with another man. She didn’t want to be like this now.

With that conviction in mind, she decided to take a break. Tomorrow would go better for her—she was sure of it. Tomorrow always made her smile because it meant the possibilities were endless. If a person woke up with a smile, there was nothing they couldn’t accomplish. She’d call it a day so a new one could begin. Then she’d be back to herself and able to think more clearly.

With a plan of motion in place, she left the restaurant with Brooke. She’d figure it out. She always did.

CHAPTER THREE

For years Chloe had been coming to her parents’ cooking school and working with eager young potential chefs. She remembered the first time she’d stepped into a professional kitchen and how scared she’d been. She was so competitive she hadn’t wanted to be anything less than the absolute best.

That was a very difficult task when a person had parents like hers. She’d refused to help at their school when she’d first begun her career. She hadn’t wanted them looking over her shoulder and judging her. She’d been judged her entire life, and she hadn’t wanted to put herself in a place to feel more