Page 76 of Not the Billionaire

She couldn’t wait to see Kurtis all dressed up, and she couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when she showed up in her pretty little flapper dress. It was going to be an awesome night. And she was hoping this would be the night that he told her those three little words she’d been dying to hear from him. Because she had surely been feeling them for weeks now, but she’d been too afraid to say it.

A black Cadillac Escalade pulled up to the yacht club entrance then, followed by Skylar’s Porsche. Skylar and Franky got out of her car. Then Genevieve saw Ephraim Schultz step out of the Escalade.

“Let’s go welcome them.” Genevieve was looking forward to making his acquaintance.

Kurtis glanced across the yard at the people who had exited the cars. “Uh, you go ahead,” he told her. “There’s something I have to take care of.”

“I thought maybe you’d introduce me since you know their family so well.”

“Skylar can introduce you.”

“But you just got here.”

He kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

She stood there gaping as he walked across the yard in the opposite direction, leaving her alone.

What the heck!

Deeply disappointed, she took a calming breath and walked across the yard. Kurtis’s behavior was sometimes so strange and confusing.

“Hey, Genevieve,” Skylar greeted her, then turned to her parents. “Mom, Dad, this is Genevieve Willis, the brains behind this event. Genevieve, these are my parents, Ephraim and Harriet Schultz.”

“It’s so wonderful to finally meet you both.” Genevieve held her hand out to Ephraim first.

He took her hand and shook it firmly. “I’ve heard a lot about you and this event, Miss Willis. We’ve been looking forward to it since Skylar mentioned it.”

“Lovely to meet you, dear,” Harriet said with a soft yet firm shake of Genevieve’s hand.

The other couple who had arrived in the SUV stepped up to the group, and Franky introduced them as his parents, Wayne and Glenda Middlebury.

As the others chatted, Glenda turned to Genevieve. “I love that you decided on a Roaring Twenties theme for tonight’s gala. I think it will be such a nice change from the usual events.”

“Thank you. I think so too.”

“What else will the evening entail?”

Genevieve shared about the dinner and awards as well as the silent auction and dancing.

“Is Sebastian auctioning off guitar lessons again this year?”

“No. I didn’t even know Sebastian played,” Genevieve replied.

“It was one of the biggest items of the night last year. You’ll have to go tell him to add it to the auction.” Glenda nodded toward where the team was putting the finishing touches on the decorations.

“I’m afraid Sebastian won’t be joining us this year.”

“Oh no, I hadn’t heard that. Is he just helping out this morning then?”

Genevieve was confused. “No, he’s not helping.”

“Just supervising then?” she chuckled.

“He hasn’t been here, and I don’t think he’ll be making an appearance.” She thought back to drunk Sebastian at the beach house on the Fourth of July.

Glenda’s eyebrows scrunched together. “But you were talking to him when we arrived.”

“Okay, Mom,” Franky interrupted. “Let’s go inside and check out the decorations for the gala.”

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