Page 37 of Billionaire Games
“I do,” their father said. “I’m in debt up to my eyeballs with all three of the girls in college. Alex is going next year, and that debt will only mount.”
Griffin looked at Jess as she watched her plate and her cheeks were a shade of pink that told him she was embarrassed. He nudged her with his knee under the table as he smiled and said, “What a noble father you have there, Jess. You must be proud to call him your dad.”
Jess was feeling anything but proud at that moment.Why did her father have to air their financial burdens to everyone?
“Of course, I’m proud of him. If it weren’t for his hard work then we’d have nothing,” Jess said.
Kel, Cait, and Alex all mumbled agreements, but all felt embarrassed by what he’d said in front of the men too. Mrs. Flannigan gestured to the haggis that sat on the platter in the middle of the large table. “Don’t be shy. Get to making your plates.”
Phoenix stared at the unappetizing ball of yuck that sat on an orange platter which did absolutely nothing to make it appear any tastier. The mashed potatoes were about all he’d eat, so he took the spoon that was standing up in them and put some on his plate. Cait gave him a nod. “Can you put some on mine too?”
Ethan took the knife that was stuck in the haggis and cut it open. The smell that was released had Phoenix holding back a gag. Griffin was trying to psych himself up to eat the food. He’d had mountain oysters on many occasions.
Ethan cut a wedge out and nudged Kel as he said, “Can you grab your father’s plate so I can serve this to him, love?”
Kel smiled as she reached over to get her father’s plate. Her dad was sitting back, without a smile on his face. Once Ethan had filled the plate with the haggis and mashed potatoes, Kel placed it in front of her father who said, “Thank you.” He then took his wife’s plate and handed it to Kel. “Now for your mom’s.”
Kel wasn’t surprised that Ethan had such good manners. If he wasn’t a damn liar, she’d be proud to call him hers. But he was a liar. A gambling liar who only wanted her for one thing.
Griff took the hint that Ethan was giving and made Jess’s plate then his. Phoenix was next to place some of the haggis on Cait’s plate and then a sliver of it on his own. “Is there any ketchup?” he asked as he searched the table.
“Why?” Mrs. Flannigan asked.
Phoenix couldn’t say what he wanted it for, as it was to drown the horrible smelling and looking haggis in it. But Cait took pity on him and got up to go get some from the kitchen. “I’ll get some, Phoenix.”
He grabbed her hand and gave her a grateful expression. “I think I love you.”
She laughed and went to go get the ketchup and shook her head as she went. Phoenix was incredible. If he just wasn’t using her, things would be so different. A great different.
Griff and Jess ate in silence as he kept one hand on her knee, giving it a squeeze now and then. Jess had wanted to see the movie he’d taken her too pretty damn badly. But she had no idea how it turned out as she and Griff had made out the entire time, instead of watching it.
Jess was falling for him. His hand on her knee had her insides going wild. All she could think about was getting physically closer to the man. Even the smell of haggis on his breath when he leaned in close and whispered, “I’ll take you to see the movie when it comes out since I ruined it this time.” Didn’t bother her one bit.
She sighed as she looked at him. Sinking into his hazel eyes, she was feeling like a drowning victim as she whispered, “You didn’t ruin a thing, Griff.”
It was beginning not to matter to her at all that he had a bet with his friends about who would get laid first. She knew he couldn’t be faking everything with her.There was just no way he could!
He looked at her with more feeling than anyone ever had. Jess knew she was young and inexperienced. But she wasn’t without any experience at all. She could tell when someone was being genuine. And Griffin Houser was being genuine and sincere.
When Cait came back with the ketchup, her mother gave her the stink eye. “That’ll take away for the unique flavor,” she said as she looked at Phoenix. “But go ahead and ruin it. If you must.”
Phoenix looked pitiful, and it had Cait’s ire bubbling. “Mother, people use ketchup all the time. Don’t give Phoenix a hard time about it.”
When Phoenix smiled at Cait, it took her breath away. And he found himself feeling more for Cait then he had before.She’d stand up for him!It wasn’t a thing anyone had done for him before.
Phoenix hadn’t had it easy growing up. Tall from the start, he was made fun of plenty in his school days. Being poor was also a thing that had made him stand out as a loser. When his mother was sent to prison for selling drugs, he was labeled a bad person by the only people he’d known his entire life.
Cait took the chair next to him again, handing the ketchup to him. “Thank you,” he said as he took the bottle from her.
“Not a problem,” she said with a smile. “As a matter of fact, put some on mine too, please.”
As he poured the ketchup on her plate, he began to feel the slightest twinge of something.Was that guilt he felt?
