Mr. Mitchell Billionaires' Club Book 2 - Raylin Marks Page 0,138

out and had the time of my life. Something about the force of the water pushing that board? It’s awesome.” I watched her run her hand over her stomach. “But this little treasure decided to butt in and slow it all down.”

“Wait until you first meet that little treasure,” I said with a smile, looking out at Addy. “You’ll wonder how you ever lived without your child all these years.”

“Excuse me? Is that you, Ashley Taylor?” I heard a woman ask.

I turned and almost jumped when I saw large glasses, a big as fuck sun hat, and bright red lipstick. Her dark lenses hid her eyes, and I couldn’t help but wonder what her makeup looked like under the shades. Her sheer, leopard print cover-up was over a black swimsuit with a matching leopard print belt. I couldn’t stop staring—this was more than I’d ever seen on a beach before. Her long, porcelain legs were held up by strappy stilettos. Talk about extra. This woman was doing the most.

What the fucking hell, I thought, leaning back so Ash could have a conversation with this lady.

“It’s Ashley Mitchell now, Lillian,” Ash said politely, but with some irritation in her voice too. “Shocked to see you out today.”

“Yeah,” she said, her dark, bug-eye glasses looking in my direction. “Who’s your friend?” She leaned against the bar while I took another sip of my margarita, “Or should I ask it differently, who’s Jim’s new friend?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I said in a low voice, not in the mood for some rich snob to mess up the beautiful day I was having. “I’m Avery.”

I turned back to look at Jim, and Addy was following all his rules as I’d instructed her to do.

“Someone has quite the mouth,” she said, trying to get into my peripheral.

“What do you want, Lillian? I can’t imagine why you have the nerve to speak to me at all after what you pulled,” Ash said.

“Well.” She cleared her throat. “I noticed Jim with that child. I had no idea he had a child.”

I pinched my lips and was so annoyed with this woman’s fake as fuck snob tone that I was ready to abandon my nachos at this point.

“That child is mine, lady,” I said, intently focused on Jim and Addy. “Anything else?”

“Unbelievable,” she said, “I just—I didn’t know—”

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know, Lillian,” Ash said. “Like when to stay the hell out of people’s business.”

“I’m just wondering now if that child is the reason Jim broke it off with me.”

I pulled off my sunglasses and looked at the woman with disbelief. “Are you serious? I just met you, and I can point out a few reasons why he might’ve broken it off with you that have nothing to do with my child, the first of which is the fact that you’re at the beach, dressed up like you’re about to step onto a runway for fashion week,” I said, reaching my limits when I probably shouldn’t have been. This woman was annoying as fuck. “God, lady, what do you want?” I asked her directly.

“You heard my question!”

“And you heard Avery’s response. Since Avery doesn’t know you as I do—my super sweet ex-boss—” Ash’s voice dripped with sarcasm and irritation, “the fact that you’re a shady snake who reveled in the destruction of his brother’s life and career doesn’t exactly shoot you up on the marriage proposal list. Get a clue, and stop living in the past.”

“And speaking of putting things in the past,” I stood and Ash followed, and I grabbed my nachos. “Have a good one.”

“She’s a heartless bitch,” Ash said as we walked away, leaving the woman standing there speechless.

“How fucking weird do you have to be to be her? Jim must’ve been super desperate to have that woman around.”

Ash laughed. “I think I speak for everyone when I say that Jim befriending her was a massive mistake. There’s something about her and even Jake’s crazy ex before me. They give the lovely women who have money a bad reputation.”

“Well, if Jim was in that no gold-diggers allowed club, he was certainly blind to how fake that broad is.” I laughed.

Ash and I sat on the edge of the lounge chairs, and I almost dropped my nachos when the men were lying on their boards and paddling out.

“Good God, I’m going to have a heart attack,” I said.

“No kidding. Hold on, little Addy,” Ash said as we both watched them paddle out to deeper