Mr. Mitchell Billionaires' Club Book 2 - Raylin Marks Page 0,68
me my relationship with Ash, correct?”
I eyed my brother’s cheeky grin. “You did that shit to yourself and you know it.”
“Yeah, thanks to Jakey here using and losing the ladies, that stupid title we were given backfired on him after his interviews went out to the media outlets.” Collin chuckled.
“Speaking of which,” Alex pulled his menu open and smiled, “does Miss Gilbert know about this little gossip club headline of which you are an esteemed member? The Billionaires’ Club.” Alex laughed. “It has such an alluring ring to it. I personally think she would be impressed with your being a charter member, Jimmy.”
“Order your goddamn dinner,” I said, laughing off my best friend’s remarks.
“Miss Gilbert?” Collin asked while sipping his gin. “Do you have a woman we don’t know about? What the hell, Mitch?”
Alex chuckled and motioned the waitress over to him to ask about something on the menu. Meanwhile, I took a nice, long sip of my bourbon, something I’d needed for hours.
“Jimmy,” my brother said slyly, “who the hell is Miss Gilbert? Are you fucking a teacher now?”
“Miss Gilbert has definitely taken my ass to school if that’s what you’re implying,” I answered just before the waitress asked for my order. I glanced up and ordered my filet mignon, medium-rare, with steamed vegetables, and handed my menu back to the waitress.
“Just fucking tell them,” Alex said when the server left. “Or I will.”
“It’s Avery.”
“How in the hell did you manage to find her?” Jake asked. “Or wait, did she google you and stalk you out?”
“No,” I said, rolling my eyes. “She actually works at Mitchell.”
“So, she is a crazy-ass stalker, then, eh?” Collin tipped his glass to my brother.
“You both have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s not like that,” I said.
“I’ll agree with Jim,” Alex snickered. “This chick is definitely not a stalker, though. In fact, it was more than obvious that she wasn’t that impressed with Mr. Mitchell at all.”
“You mean she didn’t hide under her desk when he walked in the room?” Jake said.
“Nope. In fact, Jim called me over to her desk yesterday while he talked to her daughter, and she looked like she was going to strangle him if he made one wrong move.”
“No shit? So, what’s the deal? Are you finally ready to commit yourself to a relationship with a single mom?” Jake shook his head and sipped his scotch. “Last you told me, commitment issues were the reason you two parted ways.”
“I’m joining her and her daughter at McDonald’s for dinner tomorrow night. How’s that for a commitment?”
Everyone laughed at that one.
“Let me guess,” Collin said. “You can’t afford to take another big risk by bringing her to a nice restaurant?”
“Her idea. I’m going for it. I’ve actually changed some things in my life after Avery gave me a few reality checks back in England. And now meeting her daughter? Jesus, the little toddler is just as adorable and strong-minded as she is. I can’t seem to turn my back on either one.”
“Okay, she’s hot as fuck,” Alex said as he looked at the guys. “She seems to be pretty feisty.”
Jake’s stark blue eyes never left mine as he interrupted Alex. “Not turning your back on these two is a very nice gesture, Jim. However, it’s bullshit when it comes to a relationship with a single mom. She deserves a committed man, and we all know that is your biggest fear.”
“Fact,” Collin chimed in. “You’re a chick whisperer, man, but that fucking company always comes first—or at least you hide behind it.”
“The guys are right,” Alex added. “You might be out of your league with this one, brother.”
I should have been getting pissed by this point, but the guys knew me well enough to understand I’d most likely lost my mind. “That’s an excellent way of putting it, Coll,” I said. “I suppose I’ve hidden behind the company for long enough. I can’t explain this without looking or sounding like a fucking idiot. All I can say is, I trust this one.”
“Trust this one?” Jake said. “What the fuck does that mean?”
Our conversation ended when our food arrived, and our plates were placed in front of us. The waitress left after we were settled with our dinner, and I instantly carved into my steak and took a bite. Fucking hell, I was starving.
“Answer the question, Romeo,” Alex said, cutting into his lobster tail. “Trust this one?”
“I can’t explain it, or I would,” I answered, forking through my steamed vegetables. “I’m