Page 140 of The Bluffing Game

“You never lived that life. How’s Brett doing, by the way? You guys grab drinks?”

“He’s living his ex-SEAL life still.” I can’t help but laugh. “We went for a drink and to talk at Kettle King, and within forty-five minutes, he had to leave and just disappeared. I have no idea where he went or how because I had driven us there. Anyway, it was after he left that Ellen offered her services of a massage, and because it had been a long week and she had a massage parlor, I thought it was going to be legit and not an attempt to seduce me.”

“You never used to be that slow, Dalton.”

“I never used to have a son, Roman.” I pull up to the garages and park next to the Rolls, making sure to leave a few feet between the two cars. I look over at the Range Rover, Toyota Tundra, and the Toyota Corolla that belongs to the nanny, Eldora. I’ll have to sell many of these cars soon.

“Touché.”

I know what he’s thinking. He’s thinking I’m in over my head. He’s thinking I’m a soft touch. He’s thinking I’ve lost my fucking mind. I know he’s thinking those things because I am thinking them myself. Have been for the last nine months. I’m out of my ever-loving mind. I don’t even recognize my life anymore.

“You good though?” His tone shifts lower, deeper, darker. “You got any other information?”

“Nothing yet.” I sigh, step out of the car, and head to the door.

I’m surprised when the front door opens, and Toby comes running out, his dark, curly hair wild as he races toward me in just his underwear. Eldora follows closely behind him, looking haggard. My heart sinks at the look on her face. I quickly observe that her blouse is stained blue—from what, I don’t know—her pants are torn, and her hair is out of place, and it’s never normally out of place. She looks frazzled.

“Daddy.” Toby runs straight to me and grabs my leg and holds on to it like he’s never going to let go.

His big brown eyes look up at me sleepily, and I don’t have the heart to lecture him or tell him he should be in bed.

“Hey, Toby.” I ruffle the top of his head and offer him a warm smile.

“Hey, Roman. I’m home now. Let me call you tomorrow so we can make plans for the week—that is, if Eldora doesn’t quit. She’s not looking happy right now.”

“Does she ever look happy?”

“She’s fine. She’s lived a lot of years. She doesn’t have to smile all day, every day.”

“Once a day would work too.” He laughs loudly at his own joke.

“Night, Roman.” I hang up and then pick Toby up and head up the stairs to greet Eldora. “Good evening, Eldora. Did you have a …” My voice trails off as I take in her crossed arms and tight face. I have a bad feeling that I’m not going to like what she says.

“This is unacceptable, Mr. Leone. The boy doesn’t listen to me. He doesn’t eat what I make. He doesn’t go to bed. He’s a terror. I can’t even imagine what will happen when he goes to kindergarten in the fall.”

“He’ll be just fine, Eldora. I’m sorry if the evening didn’t go well.” I think back to the start of this short adventure, to my playful banter with the brunette, and wish I could go back to that moment, when the night was still going well, when I felt a flicker of a spark for the first time in over a year.

“None of the nights babysitting are going well. I’ve been speaking with my husband, Elmore, and he thinks I should retire.”

“But you’re already retired. Did you go back to your day job? Do you need me to pay you more money?” I can tell I said the wrong thing as soon as the words are out of my mouth.

“I quit, Mr. Leone. Effective immediately. I cannot do this anymore. I suggest you find a wife.” She gives me a stern and judgmental look. “Because this is a job that can only be fulfilled by love. No amount of money will be enough.”

“Will you marry me, Eldora?” I joke, trying to butter her up, but the older lady doesn’t succumb to my teasing smile, nor does she look amused. It does hit me, though, that I’m now zero for one on marriage proposals, even if this one wasn’t real.

“Have a good evening, Mr. Leone.” She walks past me, holding her handbag to her side. A handbag that I now notice is packed with every odd item she’d previously left in the house. “You take care of that little boy.” She looks down at Toby and offers him a small smile. “You be a good boy, Toby.”

“Farts,” he calls out and starts giggling.

I don’t blame her as she practically runs to her car to leave. She’s finally making it out of the madhouse, and I know she has no intention of ever coming back.

Chapter 3

SAGE

“So, what’s the plan? How do we meet billionaires?” Rosie’s practically bouncing in her seat as we make our way to the Garden Grove apartment complex to get our keys.

I hope the photos I saw online were real and not artificially lightened or made prettier with Photoshop.