Free Bidding On The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 8) by Christina Tetreault Page A

her mind, she had reservations. She didn’t even know how much she truly liked him yet. How would she figure out her feelings if they had a ten-year-old joining them on outings?
    She pressed the button for the elevator. After the little conversation she needed to have with Trevor, it might not matter anyway. A secret part of her hoped he decided they shouldn’t go out again when he learned about the upcoming fundraiser and her starring role. If he decided they weren’t right for each other, any blame when a relationship didn’t materialize would be his fault not hers, thus getting her off the hook with her dad.
    Guilt or something similar crept into her head. Oddly, the emotion wasn’t as strong as she suspected it should be. Maybe Derek was right. Perhaps Trevor was all wrong for her and somehow on a deeper level she already knew it.
    Inside her apartment, she didn’t even bother changing before she pulled Trevor’s contact information up. The sooner she called, the sooner she could meet him and get everything out in the open.
     
    ***
     
    Relax. Crisis averted. She’s sticking with the plan, Derek reminded himself as he swam toward the shoreline. He’d headed out for a swim right after he got home with the hope it would improve his mood. He’d been in the water for a half hour now, and so far, the only thing his swim had accomplished was to make him wet.
    Dropping down onto the sand, he watched the waves crash against the shore before rolling back out. The sight usually relaxed him; tonight it had little effect. He’d been grouchy since the weekend, but his mood had taken a steep nosedive this afternoon when he’d walked into Brooklyn’s office. He couldn’t blame it on their conversation either, and he wished he could. Actually, he’d expected a similar one before now.
    No, the nosedive that led to his current grouchiness had started the moment he saw the flowers. He’d known without asking who sent them. The flowers only brought up the memory of Trevor standing close to Brooklyn on Friday with his hand on her lower back. A memory that shouldn’t bother him but did, and the more he tried to block it out, the more it reared its head.
    Damn it . He raked a hand through his wet hair, causing water to rain down on him. Who she spent time with should not matter this much to him. They were friends but also single adults who could make their own decisions. Besides, she never stood in his way when he dated. Even when he took out women she thought very little of. She deserved the same consideration from him. In the past, he’d always given it to her, hadn’t he? Like when she’d dated Kevin. Derek paused. No, Brooklyn hadn’t dated Kevin, his cousin Courtney had dated the creep. Okay, but he’d kept his mouth shut when she went out with Matt. Wait, Allison went out with Matt, not Brooklyn.
    Derek racked his head for her past boyfriends. He didn’t count any of the men her sisters had attempted to set her up with. She’d never liked any of them. In fact, after the last one, Seth’s cousin, she sworn she’d never go on another date with someone her sisters recommended.
    “Christ, why can’t I remember anyone?” They’d been close friends for ten years. He would’ve noticed if she never dated in all that time.
    Regardless of her personal life in the past, he knew she didn’t go out often and he couldn’t remember the last relationship she’d been in. Maybe he should let his sister-in-law play matchmaker. From the little she’d described of her cousin, he sounded like a better fit for Brooklyn than Trevor. Of course, almost anyone would be a better choice.
    Derek shoved his feet into his flip-flops and stood. He saw no point in sitting around out here. Despite the wonderful view and pleasant weather, his mood still sucked. In fact, the longer he sat there and considered Brooklyn’s love life, the worse it got. Rather than sit there and contemplate someone else’s life, he should get inside and take