Page 36 of Billionaire Games
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The arrayof vehicles that were parked in front of the Flannigan’s home was dizzying. It had the neighbors gossiping about why on Earth there would be a Lamborghini, a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce, and a horse-drawn carriage all at the same time parked by the curb of the modest home.
Kel and Ethan had taken their date to the backyard as they waited for dinner to be served. Sipping on some Chardonnay, the two were talking about how pretty Ireland is in the summer and how Kel should take the time to visit Scotland that coming summer.
When the back door opened with a loud squeak, the two saw four more people, coming to join them. “Hey, you two,” Jess called out. “Mind if we join you?”
Kel shook her head as Ethan frowned at his friends who he considered to be interfering with his progression with Kel. The others took lawn chairs, pulling them close to their dates. “Wine me, Kel,” Cait said as she held out two wine glasses she’d picked up as she went through the kitchen. “Mom told me you brought a bottle out here.”
“I did,” Kel said and passed the bottle of wine to her sister. “You can wine your own self, Cait.”
With a shrug, Cait filled their glasses. Jess and Griffin brought a couple of beers with them and sat back in their chairs, looking at the night sky. Griff put his arm around Jess and whispered, “You cold, baby?”
She wiggled into his chest. “A little.”
Kel and Cait exchanged glances at their younger sister’s interactions with the man who was all about the bet and not all about their baby sister. When Kel noticed Griff was moving in to kiss Jess, she said, “So, how’d your date go, Jess?”
Jess’s eyes had been glued on Griffin’s, and she had to drag them away from his to look at her oldest sister. “Fine. Well, not just fine. Great. Awesome. Beyond anything I ever could’ve imagined.”
Kel looked at Ethan with a smile. “Not better than ours went, I guarantee.”
Ethan took her hand and held it against his cheek as he said, “Ours was pretty spectacular, wasn’t it, love?”
Kel nodded then looked at Cait. “And yours, how was it, Cait?”
“Kind of dreamy. Kind of out of this world,” she said then leaned over and kissed Phoenix on the cheek. “We’re going out for drinks after dinner tonight.”
Ethan’s frown was noticed by Cait and Jess as he looked at Phoenix. “Is that so? Kel, would you like to go out for drinks too, my love?”
“No, thank you,” Kel answered, making Ethan’s frown grow.
“What? Why not?” he asked her.
“An early morning is why.” She cupped his face in her hands. “Why, are you going to miss me, Ethan?”
“Yes,” he said then leaned in close. “Maybe you and I could go to bed early. In our own hotel room.”
She patted his leg as she shook her head. “I don’t think so, Ethan.” Then she took the big sisterly approach with her errant middle sister. “Cait, you too have classes early in the morning. Perhaps you should think about canceling the drinks tonight. Dinner will be over around nine or so, and that’s plenty late enough. You’ve spent the entire day together as it is.”
Cait wanted to spend more time with Phoenix, but she saw how Jess was with Griffin, and it made her feel that big sister responsibility that coursed through her too. “I think you’re right. Sorry, Phoenix, maybe another time.”
Phoenix was crushed. In more ways than one. Sure, he thought he was about to win the bet but he also really wanted to spend more time with Cait. “Aww, Caity-cat, come on. Just one drink, please.”
With a sigh, Cait said, “No, sorry.”
Jess got up and led Griffin into the house without saying a word to anyone. Kel and Cait were more than a bit worried about her and followed quickly. “Dinner’s most likely ready, come on,” Kel said as she got up and pulled Ethan to go with her.
Ethan and Phoenix exchanged worried glances as they went inside the house. It was their third night there, and it looked as if none of them would be scoring that night, either.
They found Jess and Griffin in the kitchen getting themselves two more beers and going to the dining room. Kel and Cait grew more worried about Jess and grabbed another bottle of wine, taking it to the dining room. There they found their parents and younger brother, Alex, sitting at the table.
“Finally,” their father said. “We’ve been waitin’ on you all.”
“You could’ve called us,” Kel said, “We were all in the backyard.”
“You were told when dinner would be served,” their father said. “Are ya thinkin’ me and your mother are your servants? Just because these men spoiled your arses today doesn’t mean we’ll be continuing to do that tonight. And I do hope all of you girls remember that you have school early in the morning and we expect you to get to your classes. We don’t spend almost all the money we make on your education for you to skip classes.”
“You pay for them to go to college, Mr. Flannigan?” Griffin asked as he eyed the nasty blob of gray that was sitting on top of a mountain of mashed potatoes.
