Bedroom Rodeo: A Billionaire Romance Read online

  “I’m not the one who needs the money. Look around, do you see any Hermes bags here? No, because I sell them almost instantly. I would love to buy your bag, Summer, but I’m okay if you’d like to keep it.”

  “Of course I’d like to keep it. I wouldn’t be here though if I didn’t have a reason for selling. You’re taking advantage of me.”

  “Summer, I could offer you four thousand, how about that?”

  “That’s less than all the other bags I’ve sold you. I know you can sell it for twice that.”

  “Why don’t you try listing it on one of those websites? I’m sure you could sell it yourself if you’d like to get more money for it. Take a few weeks, get some good pictures, and list it for sale.”

  Bambi was mocking me. She knew I couldn’t wait a few weeks for the money and that was why I was coming to her. I was stuck in the most horrible position, but I wasn’t going to let this jerk swindle me out of a fair price.

  “I’ve probably made you so much money over the last six months that you are swimming in extra cash around here. I need five thousand for the bag, that’s all I’ll take.”

  Bambi rolled her eyes, pretended to write down some figures, and for a minute, I thought she was going to refuse my counter offer.

  “Fine, five thousand,” she said as she smiled. “You drive a hard bargain.”

  It was insane that she felt the need to kick me while I was already down. She always bought my bags for half the retail. There had been no reason to lowball me like she did. But I was a reasonable woman, and I knew it was likely I’d have to come visit her again so I couldn’t punch her in the face like I wanted to.

  “Thank you, Bambi,” I said with as much restraint as I could manage.

  As soon as she handed me the check, I turned around and was out of there. Hopefully, I’d be able to find a decent job before being forced to start selling my beautiful shoes. I didn’t know if I could stand the idea of ever getting rid of those.

  When five o’clock rolled around, I had already landed myself in bed and was in the midst of a nap. After several phone calls, I finally woke up to Amy and Rebecca and had to apologize for sleeping through our juice meeting. It wasn’t unusual for me to forget an appointment or have to cancel, though, and luckily my girls were understanding with me.

  “How about we go to the Stage Coach tonight?” Rebecca asked while I FaceTime’d the girls at their juice stop.

  “Ugh, then I have to wear cowboy boots and jeans, I hate wearing those.”

  “Summer, you can wear whatever you want. You’re not forced to dress like a cowgirl just because we are going dancing at a western bar,” Amy said.

  “I know, but I like to be the cutest one in the place, and if we are going there, it means I’ve got to be the cutest cowgirl those boys have ever seen. I’m fine with landing a rich cowboy to date.”

  “So yes, you’ll come?”

  “Fine, but next time I’m picking the place,” I said grumpily as I hung up and went back to sleep for a little while.

  Four hours later, and with the help of Patrick, I was dressed and ready to head out. My snakeskin gray cowboy boots matched my belt, and I was even wearing a little gray eye shadow to tie it all in. I had on my tiny daisy duke shorts with a white tank top and plaid over shirt which I tied tightly in front. I looked like one of those girls right out of a country music video. There was no doubt in my mind I’d get to have my pick of the boys at the club.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to come?” I asked Patrick.

  “Yeah, I’ve got to work tomorrow. I need my sleep. Plus, I’m not a fan of the country dancing clubs.”

  “Me either. I sort of hate it, but Amy and Rebecca love it, and I don’t want them to hate me for never agreeing to go where they want to go.”

  “Have fun. And, do you think you’ll have the money for the rent soon?”

  “Oh, yes. Of course, I’ll have it by the end of the week.”

  “Thanks, I know it’s tough for you right now, and I don’t want to keep pushing you. But I can’t actually afford this place on my own.”

  “It’s fine; I’ll see you later,” I said and gave Patrick a hug.

  Yes, I had the money at the moment, and I did plan on paying my portion of the rent. I just wanted to make sure I’d finished paying for the other things that I had to do before I threw money at Patrick. I’d get all of that figured out by the end of the week, and then I’d pay the rent.

  Paying rent was one of the biggest bummers in adult life. I was hardly ever at home, yet I had to pay for half the rent, power, garbage, and cable. How anyone found the money to put toward those things on a regular basis was beyond me. It really seemed like the apartment complex was making a killing off of poor struggling people like me.

  “I’m on my way,” I said in my SnapChat video to Amy and Rebecca as I waited for my Uber.

  The two of them quickly snapped me back to show they were already at the club and enjoying a cocktail without me. I couldn’t wait to join them. My day had been horrendous with the whole getting fired thing and trying to negotiate the sale of my Hermes. I really needed a night of relaxation to calm me down and help me focus on what to do next.

  When I arrived at the Stage Coach, I didn’t bother waiting in the line and instead went right up to the bouncer. With a quick twirl in my daisy dukes, he moved the rope and let me in. Waiting in line was for the girls who didn’t add value to the club’s atmosphere. I’d never been turned down walking into a club because I always dressed to impress.

  “Summer, what are you wearing?” Rebecca said as her jaw dropped.

  “My cowgirl outfit. Isn’t it adorable?”

  “Where’s the rest of the outfit?” Amy joked.

  “Um, I’ve got a tank top under here,” I said as I moved my plaid shirt out of the way so they could see my white tank top underneath.”

  “Is that like a children’s tank top or something?” Rebecca asked.

  “Oh, come on. I didn’t just pay all that money for these girls to hide them. All the important parts are covered up.”

  It was true, my tank top was probably a little small, but I loved showing off my figure, and I wasn’t ashamed of it at all. My style wasn’t good for everyone, but that’s why it was mine and not Amy’s or Rebecca’s. Those two were dressed in jeans and button up cowboy shirts that looked like they were made for their fathers.

  “Well, this should be a fun night,” Amy rolled her eyes as a cowboy approached our group.

  “Hi, um … would you like to … um … dance?” the cowboy asked me.

  “I’m sorry darling; I’m visiting with my girlfriends right now. Thanks, though,” I said and gave him a little peck on the cheek.

  “What was wrong with him?” Rebecca asked.

  “Don’t get like that. I just wanted to spend time with you guys.” I smiled.

  “Nope, it was his teeth. He didn’t have straight enough teeth,” Amy added. “Or maybe his boots. They weren’t expensive enough? Or his fingernails weren’t clean enough. Come on, what was it?”

  “Fine, it was his eyebrows; they were disgusting,” I finally admitted.

  Amy and Rebecca burst into laughter as they continued sipping on their drinks and left me to go find the waitress so I could order my own. I was used to them making fun of my choices in men, but it didn’t matter because I absolutely wasn’t going to settle for a guy that didn’t have it all.

  “Can I get a Martini please?” I asked the bartender as I squeezed my way up to the bar. “Sorry,” I said to the man I just pushed in front of.

  “Let me buy that for you,” he offered.

  I quickly looked him over, and he definitely passed the first impression test. He had on nice cowboy boots and a pair of high-end designer men’s jeans. His hat could have been a little better, but his body was on point, and his eyebrows weren’t weird, so I could at least keep talking to him.

  “Sure, thank you,” I replied as I leaned out of the way and let him pay the
bartender.

  He handed the bartender an American Express black card, and my heart skipped a beat. Those cards were only given out to people who had a lot of money. There was no limit on them, and it was a tell-tale sign that this guy was a keeper.

  “Hopefully, you’ll let me take you for a spin on the dance floor later?”

  “I think that might be possible,” I said with a sweet smile.

  His eyes lunged up and down my body as he took in my fabulous curves. It didn’t offend me when a man enjoyed the view. I worked hard to keep my figure and, unlike some women, I appreciated the attention when my work was noticed.

  “I’m Robert Spin,” he said as I shook his hand.

  Robert took my hand, pulled it up to his mouth and gently kissed it. As he smiled back at me, I instantly was turned off. One of his front teeth was clearly yellow. I just didn’t get it – a man who had money should be able to fix his discolored tooth. There was no way I could go out with someone like him. I knew it right then and there.

  “I’m Summer, it’s nice to meet you,” I said as I grabbed my drink with the hand he was holding onto. “I see my friends are here, so I’m going to go hang out with them. Have a good night.”

  I didn’t stick around long enough for him to say anything else as I rushed across the dance floor and over to Amy and Rebecca. The Stage Coach was a big place, and I hoped I’d be able to just avoid the guy for the rest of the night.

  “What was wrong with that one?” Amy asked.

  “Nothing, he was fine. He had a black card.”

  “Oh, he’s rich. Well then, Summer will totally dance with that guy,” Rebecca teased.

  “Actually,” I started to say as I looked around the dance floor and sipped my drink. “He’s got a yellow tooth,” I mumbled.

  “What?” Rebecca asked.

  “He has a yellow tooth, okay. So no, I’m not dancing with him. That’s gross. Who would purposely leave their tooth yellow like that? If he has money, then he should get his tooth fixed.”

  “Oh, Summer, I love you so much, but you’re going to end up an old maid if you don’t stop judging every man you come across.”

  “I’ll find the right one. I promise you.”

  The rest of my night was spent almost exclusively with Amy and Rebecca hanging out and dancing. I successfully avoided dancing with that Robert guy and only saw him one time right before we left. I gave him a quick wave and continued out the door with the girls.

  It wasn’t our best night, but our partying level had declined tremendously over the last few months. Both Amy and Rebecca had jobs and worked five days a week, Patrick worked six and sometimes seven days a week. No one had time for staying out all night drinking and dancing anymore.

  Chapter 2

  Tyler

  “Get your darn backpacks already you two,” I yelled as I stood at the front door. “If we are late, I’m telling your principal it was because you two are the naughtiest kids in the world.”

  “Dad! You just woke us up two minutes ago,” Thomas said as he came down the hallway. “I’m going to tell Mrs. Phillips that you woke us up late,” he said with a huge smile.

  “I think she’ll believe us over you, Dad,” Faith added as she joined us in the entryway. “We are the best-behaved kids in school. Mrs. Phillips loves us.”

  “Foiled again,” I said dramatically as I held the door open for them to head out to our car. “Remember to put your seatbelts on, and take your backpacks off. Seatbelts don’t work if you’re wearing your backpack. And did you get your lunches? Wait, did I make your lunches? Darn, I didn’t, did I?”

  Faith and Thomas were already in the car as I stood in the doorway and tried to decide if it was better to take the time and make their lunches or try and get to school. Since we were already running late, I decided we had to get going, and I’d just let them eat lunch at school that day.

  “Mom used to make our lunches the night before,” Faith said while we drove to school.

  “Um, what was the name of the last nanny?” I asked. “Rosanne, Rita? Rachel, that was it. How did she do it?”

  “She made our lunches before she woke us up. Then she made us breakfast because it’s not good to go to school on an empty stomach,” Thomas added. “I get tired when I don’t eat breakfast before school.”

  “Breakfast, that’s what I forgot. It’s okay; we will swing by fast food and get you something real quick.”

  Faith and Thomas both smiled in the back seat as if they had just won a victory over me. The truth was they had been winning victories over me for the last three years since my wife Claire had passed away.

  We got their breakfast, and by the time we arrived at the school, the normally hectic drop off line was non-existent. I loathed the morning drop off and pick up procedure at Oakwood Christian Academy. The complex process and long list of rules were nearly impossible to remember, and I was constantly getting yelled at by the staff whenever I had to do it.

  “Are you hiring a new babysitter today?” Faith asked while we ran into the building.

  “I’ll start the process.”

  “Maybe you should stop yelling at them and being mean so they would stay around?”

  “Maybe you should just worry about being an adorable eight-year-old and leave the nanny hiring to your old dad?”

  My kids were still pretty angry with me for not being able to keep a nanny around. They had liked all the ladies we hired over the last few years. It was always me who had issues with the children’s care, and I just couldn’t sit back and not tell the nanny what I thought. Honesty was a value I cherished, and being honest with the nannies was the best way for them to learn how I liked to have things done around the house.

  “Bye Dad,” Thomas yelled as he ran off to his classroom and didn’t wait for me to sign him in.

  “Hi, sorry. Faith and Thomas English are here,” I said to the front secretary as I signed the tardy sheet. “I apologize.”

  “Oh, it’s alright Mr. English. We all know how hard it’s been for you and the kids since … well, you know. I must say you look like you’re doing very well, though.”

  “Thank you, Ginger, that’s very nice of you,” I said and then turned to Faith. “I’ll be here at three-thirty to pick you up. Check the back of the line though because these moms arrive way too early for me to keep up with them.”

  “Come on honey, I’ll walk you down to class,” Ginger said as she waved at me and even gave me a little wink.

  The staff at Oakwood had been amazing to us over the last three years as I adjusted to learning how to navigate being a single father. For many years, I just got smiles and waves from the ladies, but lately, it had turned into full-blown flirting. I figured they’d decided that three years was a good enough mourning period, and now they could start hunting me for sport.

  I got out of the building as quickly as I could to avoid any other awkward run ins with the female staff and other parents at the school. It wasn’t that I didn’t mind being friendly – the problem was that I really wasn’t planning on dating anyone, and there was no reason for them to waste their energy flirting with me.

  “Call Rob,” I said to my Bluetooth when I got into my car.

  “Yep, what’s up Tyler?”

  “I’m going to work from home today. I’ve got to call the hiring agency and see if they have any other nannies available.”

  We were partners, and I didn’t need Rob’s approval to work from home, but I always liked to give him a heads up so he wasn’t waiting for me. With today’s technology, there was no reason I couldn’t do all the same work I normally did but do it from the comfort of my home office.

  Of course, the bigger issue was how my time seemed to slip away from me when I was at home. I could swear that there was an entirely different time clock when I was trying to get things done at home compared to in my normal office. Inevitably, I’d get distracted by appointments I needed to be at, yard work, groceries, or any number of other things that had to
be done at home.

  “Tyler, what’s up? That’s like the fourth nanny you’ve fired. This is becoming an epidemic.”

  “Technically, I didn’t fire this one. She just decided she wanted to go back to college.”

  “Yeah, because she realized that working for someone like you was torture, and she needed a real job to fall back on. You’ve got to lighten up on these ladies. None of them will ever be Claire.”

  “It wasn’t like that,” I replied.

  There wasn’t another person I knew that I’d let talk about Claire. But my partner Robert knew Clair well, and we had all double dated and grew into our relationships together. Now I was a widower, and Robert was finalizing his divorce. It was pretty rotten how life had changed for us over the years when it came to the women in our lives.

  “We have that big pitch for the Heir Hotel chain in October. We still need a full video package and the estimates on the marketing broken down per their smaller chain hotels. It’s a lot to do in just two months. You’ve got to get a nanny hired.”

  “I know, I know.”

  “Maybe just keep the next one and try and make it work. Could you try to be nice just a little bit?” Rob said with a bit of a chuckle. “Maybe stay home and teach her how you want things done. You know communication is key in any relationship.” Rob thought he knew everything after going through six months of marriage therapy with his now ex-wife.

  “Says the man going through a divorce.” I laughed.

  “Hey, I’m going to nab me a new wife in no time. You should have seen me at the country dance club last night. I was on fire. Seriously, these girls love an older man. You and I need to go out sometime. I tell you, these ladies would eat you alive. If they’re going after me, I bet you’d get any one of them you wanted. ”

  “I’m sure they do go after you. How do they like that old yellow tooth of yours?”

  Rob had his front tooth knocked out in high school while playing football, and his veneer had been yellow for the last month because he was too busy working and wouldn’t take time off to get it fixed. His tooth had become a representation of his life. Even his ex-wife complained that Rob chose work over her, and that was why she filed for divorce.