Read A Billionaire for Breakfast for Free Online Page B

That
settled his feathers a bit.”
    The boat ride to Grand Cayman was rough, the sea still choppy from
brisk winds and threatening clouds. Tess hid below in a small cabin, trying to
avoid nausea. And giving reign to a swell of miserable crying. All the mystery
and intrigue surrounding Angel and her new father was getting to her. But she
had to stay calm. Maybe if she tried she could discover whether Patrick was
guilty or not on her own.
    Her phone began to hum, startling
her.
    “Hello?”
    “So, finally! I was beginning to
worry!”
    “Kylie?”
    “Yes, darling. You’ve been gone all
day, and I know you can’t have gone rock climbing that long! How’d it go?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I mean with Diamond! He is a beauty.
So how is he in bed?”
    “You’ve got it all wrong, Kylie. We
only stayed here longer because of the storms. Are Patrick and Mom angry with me?”
    “No, I calmed them down. Then that
gorgeous lawyer, James Fielding, showed up with the marriage license. They’re
giddy as two little lovebirds now.”
    “I can’t imagine my mother being
giddy. I’m glad I’m not there.”
    “Aren’t you okay with all this, Tess?”
    “Oh, sure, I’m thrilled that they got
back together. But I guess I feel cheated somehow. Mom was always so curt and
unyielding with me. But suddenly she’s all light and airy and sweet as honey
with him.”
    “That’s love, darling! Kind of the
way I felt when I met James this morning! Oh my, what a doll! And the
attraction seems mutual.”
    “Now, Kylie, remember what you told
me about losing your heart?”
    “Yes, but that was when I was after
billionaires.”
    “So James isn’t very wealthy?”
    “I haven’t a clue, and don’t care
either way. Ha! Can you believe this is Kylie Preston talking?”
    “Not really, did somebody switch you
out with a clone?”
    Kylie laughed. “Hurry on home,
darling! Toodles!”
    The next day passed like a snail on
valium, as the Mercer household prepared itself for a quick but gaudy wedding.
Tess was frantic, trying to help out, but there were too many wrong orders, too
many assignments, too many fussing phone callers demanding service.
    “God, I am so tired of this!” she
screamed in her head. “If I don’t find something better to do I’m going to go
nuts!”
    Kylie came out of the kitchen,
carrying a mass of bouquets.
    “I’ve got to take all this out to the
veranda.”
    “I didn’t send an order for them.”
    “No, I bought them myself, darling.
The planner called early, said her florist ran out of white roses so I whipped
up a few arrangements and told them I’d help out. It’s a wedding, and you know
how much I love those!”
    She nodded, smiling.
    “Yes, I do!”
    “Poor Tess! I promised you a heart to
heart talk, didn’t I? I’m just sorry things didn’t work out with that hunk. Is
there a chance they still might?”
    “I don’t know. You do mean Diamond,
right?”
    “Who else? Are you holding out on
me?”
    “No, no. But I don’t think Patrick
would approve of me dating his chauffer, anyway.”
    “It isn’t the Middle Ages, darling!
If you want to see Diamond, go right ahead! I would if I wasn’t so hung up on
James Fielding!”
    She flew through the house like a
flowery wind, left Tess catching the scent of white roses on the air. She
savored it, closed her eyes, imagining that she and Angel were standing under a
rose-bedecked arbor, saying vows while a crowd cheered them on.
    The afternoon came and went; Tess
shrugged, everyone else was downstairs at Patrick and Meg’s big engagement
party. She had put in an appearance then took shelter in her room, a gloriously
pink and white boudoir that did not appeal to her at all. She was thinking
about getting a place of her own, maybe some cute little condo in George Town like some she’d seen on House
Hunters International . Patrick had given her a generous bank account but
she hadn’t used it yet. It was going to take awhile to get comfortable