Free INDISPENSABLE: Part 3: A Billionaire Romance by Maryann Barnett Page A

the past they’d given her. “Evie, I appreciate your words. You’re right. It doesn’t change anything. I’m going to move forward with my life.”
    “Goodbye, Sarah.” Her mother stayed seated on the sofa, and she never looked up at Sarah. “I’m glad you came.”
    Was it true? Did her father really want to say sorry? Was her mother being honest now? It certainly seemed so from her body language. Sarah walked out of the tiny sitting room and opened the front door. Her father was dead. His funeral was tomorrow. The question was, did her new life seem so cold that she could just walk away from this?
    She took a couple of steps back. “Where’s the service?”
    “Cremation. Just me. We had no friends, not anymore.”
    “What time?”
    “Ten in the morning.”
    “I’ll pick you up at nine.”

Chapter Nine
    Brock had enjoyed the light-hearted banter between him and Heather on the car ride to Jodie’s place. Heather was just an awesome person, even if he was biased. Of course, she may not feel that way about him once he’d told her why he’d called an emergency lunch. But he’d wait until they got inside.
    Jodie met them in her chair at the door. Her smile was bright as always, but Brock saw the worry in her eyes. He didn’t want to worry her. He’d gotten her into this, and now he’d be abandoning her. Had she become dependent on him? Maybe he’d made it so she didn’t know how to live without being married to him. Maybe he was giving himself a little too much importance.
    He’d bring it up as an open topic for discussion. That way he wouldn’t be railroading Jodie into what he wanted. He’d say it was a possibility, not compulsory. The house smelled divine, and he sniffed the air. “Jodie, you’ve been baking.”
    “I made some quiche, and a cream cake for dessert.”
    “My favorites. Thanks.” He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Then, he followed her into the kitchen.
    “Yum.” Heather picked up a cookie and munched on it.
    “Heather, you’ll spoil your lunch.” Jodie smiled at her daughter.
    “No way. I’ll still eat.”
    “Let’s eat in here at the breakfast bar.” Jodie placed a plate of mini-quiches in front of them and bowl of salad to share. Plates and cutlery were already out. “So, Brock. We haven’t had a lunch emergency since Heather got a crush on that Greenwood boy and wanted to go to a party.”
    “Oh, Mom! Not so graphic please.” Heather screwed her face up. Apparently, a lot changed since the year that young lad was popular with her.
    Brock had to laugh at her reaction. “He was so nice. I loved the way his ears stuck out. Very cute.”
    Heather swatted him in the arm. “Shut. Up. I was thirteen.”
    “Your first love. Positively dreamy.” Brock spoke in a falsetto high pitch and clasped his hands under his chin.
    “Dad!” Heather took another swipe at him, and Brock looked at her with a big grin and batted his eyelids. Heather fought her smile and looked at Jodie. “Mom, make him stop.”
    “Anyway. Brock. Why are we here?” Jodie served herself a quiche onto her plate and picked up her knife and fork. “Not to pick on Heather’s choice of ears…I mean boys.”
    “God. Mom. You too?”
    “Say what it is you need to Brock, before Heather never speaks to us again.” Jodie cut into her lunch and placed a small portion into her mouth.
    Brock and Heather had both just taken huge bites from the ones they held in their hands.
    The flavor was amazing as always, and Brock relished it a minute before he sat it onto his plate. “Sorry, Heather. I can never resist eating these with my hands. So yum.” Brock felt himself stalling, so he pushed the words out of his mouth. “Jodie, we’ve been married a long time. Almost sixteen years.”
    “Yes. We have.”
    “Heather is well adjusted, successful, and happy. I think.” He looked at Heather who nodded and kept eating. Brock pushed on. “I wondered if maybe you thought there was more to life than