Page 21 of The Billionaire's Secret Desire
“Excuse me?” she says. “That sounded like ‘I wasn't going to go’, but my ears must be broken.”
“Nope. You heard right. Carl’s being a jackass. Told me I have to work doubles all weekend. Said it after I told him about the wedding catering gig—like, immediately after. It was almost impressive how fast he switched into sabotage mode.”
“Oh, hell no.” Kendall’s voice sharpens into full mama bear mode. “That petty troll is still pulling this crap?”
“Yep. He’s mad Ian asked me to cater and not him. Said he’s worked for Ian for years and never got asked to do anything like this. And now he’s making me pay for it.”
“God, Charli. Why didn’t you just quit?”
“Because I need the job, Kenny. I can’t keep couch surfing in a guest room of my boss’s house pretending it’s totally fine. I don’t want to seem ungrateful or, I don’t know—dramatic.”
“You’re not dramatic. And Carl? He’s trash. He’s bitter, insecure trash with a clipboard.”
I laugh quietly, but it’s hollow. “Yeah, well. I couldn’t afford to walk. I was ready to just stay behind and try to piece together the menu from any pictures Sawyer took.”
“Oh no. Don’t tell me he went along with that.”
I sit up straighter, warmth blooming in my chest. “Actually... he didn’t. He asked me why I didn't just quit, too. Then he offered me a consulting position with Gallo Construction. On the Silver Willow rebuild.”
Pause.
“You’re kidding me.”
“Nope. Full-on official job. High pay. Actual title. No more Carl. Just—respect. For once.”
“Holy shit, Charli.” Kendall’s voice cracks into a laugh. “You realize this is huge, right? Like, this isn’t some band-aid fix. This is an actual future.”
“Yeah,” I whisper, the word catching in my throat. “I know and I get to set up the Silver Willow the way I want it to be. He's basically given me a blank check to make it the best restaurant ever.”
“So, you took the job, right? Tell me you took the job, Charli.”
“I took the job.”
“Thank God. If you’d said no, I was going to show up and knock you over the head myself. You deserve this, Charli. And not just because you’re talented as hell—you’ve earned a life thatdoesn’t revolve around scraping by. Sawyer offering that job plus the catering gig? That’s not charity. That’s someone recognizing what you bring to the table.”
I run my fingers along the edge of the blanket. “That’s the weirdest part. I think he actually sees me. Like really sees me. And it’s kind of terrifying all at the same time.”
“Oh honey,” she says, voice suddenly soft. “That’s what real life feels like. And it should scare you a little. But don’t you dare run from it, okay?”
I smile, a small one, but real. “Okay. I won’t. I promise.”
“Good. Now, get some sleep. You're going to the Bahamas, you've got a wedding to plan, and a restaurant to build.”
Chapter 9
Sawyer
The morning kicks off with chaos and not the good kind, either.
I'm halfway through my first cup of coffee, Ghost sprawled at my feet like she’s got no plans for the day beyond being treated like the queen she is, when my phone buzzes. I glance down and see the name of my usual pet sitter, Jenna. I answer quickly. She's supposed to be here any minute. "Jenna."
"Hey, Sawyer," she chirps, way too chipper for six-thirty in the damn morning. "I'm so sorry, but something's come up and I can't watch Ghost this weekend." Funny... she doesn't sound the least bit sorry.
I slam my coffee cup down harder than necessary, splashing it over the rim. "Seriously? This is the third time in a row you've flaked on me at the last minute, Jenna."
"I know, I know," she rushes on. "Total emergency. My sister's bachelorette party is in Vegas this weekend. She needs me."
I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Your sister's bachelorette party is the emergency?"
