Call You Mine (The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers #4) - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,108
I behave well enough. We don’t have much time left in Baker’s Creek, and I want to make this time memorable for everyone.
We will be back. Easton, the contractor, broke ground on what will be our Baker’s Creek house. Grace and I are keeping our engagement low-key. Only her parents, her brothers and mine know about it. Instead of the ring I gave her, she wears a diamond pendant necklace.
The secrecy is to ensure that Jerome doesn’t impose the will’s stipulations on her too. She visits her family every other week. I can’t imagine what would happen if Jerome Parrish says she can’t travel anymore.
Yesterday it was her grandfather’s birthday. I wish I had been there, but at least she celebrated with him.
As we sit at the table to have breakfast, I announce, “Jerome Parrish is in town.”
“Are you ever going to stop following the poor man?” Blaire asks.
I stare at her for a couple of beats and shrug. “I don’t know.”
Grace and I are onto him. Hadley has been helping us dig some information about his past. I can’t just stop the investigation.
“Why are you doing it?” Mills questions.
“There has to be more to why we’re here,” I explain to them.
“I want to know too,” Henry agrees.
Suddenly everyone is nodding and throwing hypothesis. My phone buzzes. It’s the alarm announcing that someone is approaching the property. I slide my finger along the screen and unlock the phone. Pulling up the app that allows me to see the cameras, I spot Jerome about to ring the intercom.
“Yo,” I greet him.
He jolts and I grin.
“I have a delivery for you and your fiancée, Beacon.”
“The letters.” Leyla and Sophia both get jittery and noisy.
I don’t see the point of getting excited when we agreed no one will open their letters until everyone gets theirs.
“It’s open.” I grunt as I open the gate so he can come inside.
I glare at everyone. “Who told him we were engaged?”
“No one said anything,” Blaire assures me.
I look at the time. Grace just left Seattle. Vance is flying me to Portland to pick her up. How am I supposed to fucking fix this?
“We’re getting caught over some stupid technicality. I fucking knew it,” Henry growls and glares at me.
“No one is getting caught.” Pierce clears his throat and points at me. “Deny any allegation. You’re good at lying.”
When there’s a knock on the door, Vance is the one who opens it. Everyone still fears Vance. I guess he’s the only one who could do any damage. I’m still not ready to arm wrestle against any of my brothers, let alone punch them if they fuck with me. That’s my October goal.
“I’m here in time for breakfast,” Jerome says.
We all glare at him.
“Why is he always inviting himself to have a meal with us?” Mills grunts.
I shrug.
“Mr. Parrish,” Blaire greets him, while standing up to search for a cup and a plate, I guess. She brings back a to-go mug and grabs a muffin with a napkin. “Here. You give us the letters, and you can be on your way.”
“Where is Ms. Bradley?” He scans the room.
“Why are you asking?” I stare at him.
“She’s your fiancée. You know the rules about significant others.” He sets a letter on top of the table that has Grace’s name.
My eyes bulge at the meaning of this. William knew about her. How did he do that? Did he hire a private investigator and I didn’t notice? I’ll have Seth research since I’m not allowed to touch The Organization’s assets.
“You’re fetching for information, Parrish?” I taunt him. “That’s low, even for you.”
I push the letter. “You can drop it off to her when we make it official.”
“It seems like you two are close enough to be official,” he states, showing me the pictures posted on the Baker’s Creek social media sites.
We all laugh.
“You can’t base facts on what you see online,” Pierce claims.
Jerome shakes his head and pulls out a letter size manila envelope. “This one is for you.”
“Why does he get a big one?” Pierce argues.
We all stare at him.
Parrish grins. “I don’t know. I’m just the messenger.”
“It feels like you’re more than that,” I claim.
He grins. “And you’d be wrong,” he states and leaves the house with his coffee and muffin in hand.
“Are you going to open it?” Henry urges me.
“No, we all agreed to open them at the same time,” I remind them. I pick up the envelopes and go to my room.