The Billionaire's Longshot: Betting on You Series: Book Three Read Online Free Page A

beers earlier and lay slumped over in chairs along the wall, too drunk to move. His mother had let out a high-pitched shriek that echoed throughout the house. Drew had been in the middle of chugging his beer after losing again to Trent. He’d turned quickly to find her standing right behind him. Shocked, beer had spewed from his mouth all over his mother’s pristine white dress. Ross had tried to get up and intervene, but all he had been able to do was stumble across the room, grab one of the antique vases off the table, and vomit his guts inside it.
    His mother’s voice had changed from high-pitched to a deep angry growl. “Roosevelt, I told you if you associate with these kinds of people you become them. Look at you.” Her piercing eyes had been filled with disgust and judgment.
    The rest of the night was a blur, but the morning after had been too clear. His father was not one who got involved in anything outside of the business, but this time he had.
    He had calmly informed Ross of the travel plans he’d made for his friends to return to the East Coast. “I strongly suggest not having them back. Your mother is not the most forgiving person.”
    He had known that first-hand. He had sworn then never to mix friends with family again. He’d been able to keep to his word. Until this damn event.
    “She’s probably forgotten all about it. Just don’t show up with a keg, and you should be all set.” Ross laughed.
    “No beer? Are you sure I can’t send a donation instead?” Drew grinned.
    I wish I could do that myself. “Not this time. This event means a lot to Jill, Elaine, and Lizette. If you don’t show up, you’ll never hear the end of it.” And neither will I. Besides, why shouldn’t my best friends suffer through this with me? If he remembered clearly, they practically volunteered him for co-hosting the event in the first place.
    “Like the good ol’ days,” Drew said sarcastically.
    God, I hope not. The waitress delivered their breakfast and quickly scooted away. The downside of being alone on a sailboat for a week was the meal plan that came with it: fruit and cold cereal. Cooking was one thing he never mastered nor cared enough to try.
    “So what brings you to the East Coast?”
    Ross wasn’t about to tell him he couldn’t stop thinking of Jill and had every intention of fulfilling his fantasy with her tonight. That type of behavior was what was expected from Trent. At least before he met Elaine. Ross was the level headed one, always in control, very predictable . . . so they thought. “Business.”
    Drew leaned back in his chair, stared at him, then shook his head. “Ross, I was hoping a week at sea would have made a difference. You need to loosen up, start living a bit. I know a girl who—”
    “Not interested.” The last thing he needed was Drew giving him advice on women. Their taste in women was as different as their choice in hair styles. He was clean cut and always had been. Drew’s hair was still as long and unruly as it had been in college. Ross had just turned thirty-four and had experienced more than a few casual encounters with the fairer sex over the years. They were all exactly as he expected them to be: polite. Damn boring.
    That was until he met Jill at Jon and Lizette’s engagement party. There was something about her that screamed wild and hot. Nothing about her was predictable. Tonight they would finalize whatever she thought needed his approval. There was no way the entire night would be spent talking about the upcoming event. I’m not even interested in the details. Knowing me, and knowing her, I won’t be able to say no to anything that comes out of her mouth. He had gone out with similar women to her. Women who were business-oriented. But unlike Jill, they others hadn’t been fun or easy going. They had been uptight and high-strung, just like him.
    Drew raised his hands. “I know. Don’t rip my head off.” Taking another bite of his food he asked, “Have you