The Billionaire and the Waitress

“Only for a moment.” She swallowed down the lump in her throat. “We were going to tell you last night. Ask for your permission. Seems so silly now.”

He sighed and turned away, the muscles in his jaw working. Her heart broke just a little bit as she watched the struggle in his face. She’d been adamant that Michael didn’t control her life, and it was true, but he was still her big brother. She’d always crave his approval.

“Listen, Dad dropped this off in my office this morning,” he said, sliding a blank white envelope off his desk and handing it to her.

She gave him a questioning look and slowly opened the unsealed flap. Inside was a first-class ticket to Paris and a check written to her for an obscene amount of money. She gasped, her hand covering her mouth, and then tried to shove the envelope back into Michael’s hands.

“I can’t accept this,” she said angrily. “I won’t.”

“Just do me a favor. Take it and think it over,” he said, holding his hands up in surrender. “Dad said he also pulled some strings and got you into Christian Dior’s spring lineup shoot. There should be enough money in there to help you get settled in the meantime. I know you’re not Dad’s biggest fan, but he just wants you to find something to succeed at. In a weird way, this is his way of telling you he loves you.”

Frustrated tears clogged her throat. As much as she hated taking even a cent of their father’s money, she had to admit that Paris sounded beautiful at that moment. A couple months ago, she would’ve died to be in a Christian Dior shoot. It was everything she’d ever wanted.

But why did it seem so hollow now?

“I’m not saying I accept,” she told him, tucking the envelope in her tan leather shoulder bag and turning toward the door. “Only that I’ll think about it. For your sake.”

“Rach,” Michael called before she got to the door. She froze and looked at him over her shoulder. “I’m not sure what happened between you and Logan, but I feel the need to set some things straight.” Michael sat on the edge of the desk and rubbed his scruffy chin. “Logan’s my best friend. Has been since school. You know that. And not once has he ever chosen money above friendship. He’s not that kind of guy.”

“But you heard what he said.” Despair entered her eyes as she turned toward him. “About why he built his restaurant.”

Logan’s words had been firmly implanted in her memory. She’d gone over them a million times last night, looking for some clue that might absolve him of his guilt. So far, she’d come up empty-handed.

Michael nodded firmly. “Yes, I did. He wants to feel like he belongs. But that doesn’t mean he’s like our father. The Logan Madison I grew up with knows the value of love and family. He’s a stand-up guy. He’d never give that up.”

Rachel felt a cold shudder wash over her. Her eyes widened. “Are you saying I made a mistake?”

He grimaced and rubbed a hand over his chest. “Well, I’m not a big fan of my baby sister going around behind my back, but yeah, I believe so. Logan cares deeply for you. I’ve never seen him so unraveled as I did last night. I think you need to talk this through with him.”

Her legs felt like noodles. She grabbed the nearest chair for support.

Michael was the kind of man who worked with logic and facts, thought things completely through, and didn’t verbalize his opinions until every avenue had been explored. And he was telling her that her accusations had been false. She’d been so angry, it had blinded her to the truth.

Oh, the terrible things she’d said to Logan.

The last look he’d given her at the gala flashed through her mind. Confusion, hurt, and betrayal. She wanted to dissolve into the floor. How could he ever forgive her? She’d acted like a crazy woman. He’d never want to see her again.

“I doubt that’s he’s ever going to want to talk to me again.” She rubbed her arms and approached the large glass windows, looking down at the tiny people walking along the sidewalk. “I was horrible to him. If he’s smart, he’ll run as fast as he can in the opposite direction until there’s half a world between us. Or, maybe I’ll make it easier on him and I’ll fly to Paris.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Michael said, leaning back on his desk with a cocky smile. “I think you might just be surprised.”

Rachel tilted her head to one side. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Remember that call you so rudely interrupted?” He smirked. “Turns out, you’re not my only unscheduled guest this afternoon.”

At that moment, the door to Michael’s office burst open and Logan came through, his suit jacket buttoned wrong and his tie loose. He ran a hand over his disheveled blond hair and fixed Michael with a desperate stare. “Michael, I know you’re angry with me, but you’re going to listen.”

He crossed his arms and arched his eyebrows at the sudden intruder. “I don’t think so.”

Logan’s chest swelled and he brought himself to his full height. “And why is that? After more than twenty years of friendship, don’t I at least deserve a minute of your time?”

Michael chuckled and nodded his head toward the window where Rachel stood in shock, watching the exchange. “Not with me. I believe there’s someone more important you need to talk to first.”

Rachel’s cheeks warmed as she felt Logan’s gaze trail up her body and to her face. A muscle in his jaw twitched, but otherwise, he stood completely frozen. It was as if the oxygen had been sucked from the room.

“I’ve got a meeting on the third floor,” Michael added, hiding his grin. He strode toward the open door and gave them one last look. “Take as long as you’d like.”

And then he was gone, leaving her to stare at the man she thought she’d never see again.