Read The Billionaire's Island Romance (The Romero Brothers, Book 3.5) for Free Online Page B

with his cousin and new friends in the Duponte Hotel Childcare Play
Center. Lucas and Maxine cuddled together whispering in each other’s ears.
Maxine had given birth to a baby girl just six months earlier (also being
entertained at the play center) and this was her first time getting
out—so to speak.
    Carl was busy flipping through the screens
on his smartphone—always dealing business as usual. Carl had long been
rumored to be running for mayoral office up in Canada, but everybody told him
it would be a challenge being the first bachelor to run. Most candidates were
married with families. It was all part of the presentation.
    Jules and Dion were by the bar deep in
conversation. Troy was speaking with the Romero family’s press secretary,
Pamela, who had also arrived from Toronto, and Alonso, Dr. Alonso
Romero—that is—was sitting by the side enjoying the music and the
breathtaking views of the red sunset and the calming waves of the sea.
    A pain of longing shot through Christian’s
veins. He’d never really thought of himself as a marrying man but seeing his
cousins so happy—the ones who were hitched or about to get hitched, made him rethink his priorities. He wasn’t exactly
getting any younger. Sure, he’d be thirty soon, but he really had strong feelings
towards Arianna. The question was, did she feel the same about him? She was
still holding back and that bugged the hell out of him. Yeah, she said she
loved his body and the chemistry between them was out of this world. She even
told him that she loved him, for who he was. Yeah, right! Just
not enough to trust him. But man, her body caused a reaction in him each
and every time, but was that enough. He glanced at his uncle who was in his
seventies, married for the fifth time to his young nurse who was in her
forties. Heck, even he was getting some regularly. He was blissfully married.
    “You know,” Toni turned to Shelly, “I love
this.”
    “The vacation?”
    “No. Well, yes, that too, and getting
together with family. It’s one of the most important things to do in life with
those close to you.”
    “I agree. You raised the boys well, Toni.”
    “I tried.” He teetered his hand in a mock
so-so gesture. “Some of them are still a little rough around the edges, you
know,” he teased.
    “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Carl
interjected playfully.
    “Well, so far, Lucas and Antonio and now
Zack will be married. But what about the rest of you? I told you that having a loving wife by your side and a family to call your own
is one of the greatest assets in a civilized society. Looking at little
Alexander today and Mary-Louise made my heart sing for joy,” he said, glancing
up with a sincere smile on his face. “I’m so happy to see Lucas and Antonio
bearing fruit for the Romero family tree.”
    “Granddad!” Carl voiced.
    “Well, come on now. Look at me. Look at my
age. I feel blessed to have two beautiful great-grandchildren. But considering
my age, I should have more.” Toni playfully laughed and winked.
    “Besides,” he continued. “What type of life
do you think I would be having now if I didn’t have any children to begin with?
I wouldn’t have had your father and Antonio’s father. And then there would be
no you or your brothers, Carl.”
    “Okay, Granddad, you’ve got a point.”
    “Life would be so empty without any family
at this juncture.”
    “Yeah, but you still have my brothers, and
me,” Christian chimed in with a wink. He held up his beer bottle to his lips to
take a swig. “I mean , you forgot you have your younger
brother. My father?” Christian cocked a brow.
    “Hmm-mmm. If that’s how you want to look at
it,” Toni fumbled for words for the first time. His younger brother, Jackson,
had quite a few sons who lovingly called him uncle. One of them was Christian.
“But it’s still not the same as having your own family tree growing,” Toni
said, winking back.

 
    Just then, Arianna dropped in to see