Read Online Best Friends With the Billionaire (The Rochesters) by Coleen Kwan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Coleen Kwan
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dance there. Such a beautiful place.”
As Kirk’s father was a PUC member, Kirk could have joined, too, but why would he want to spend his spare time at a stuffy men’s-only club? He chewed on his salmon for a while before answering, “When I’m not working I like playing basketball or watching movies or hanging out with my friends.”
“Oh.” Audrey’s lips pinched as if she was disappointed with his answer, before she lifted her shoulders philosophically. “Are you doing anything next Saturday? We’d love you to come to Lillian and Mark’s wedding.”
He sat back and looked at Cassie. She was plowing through her spinach with a grim expression.
“I’m sure you don’t want me at such late notice. I’ll mess up your numbers.”
“Oh, it’ll be fine.” Lillian waved her hand. “Bring a date, if you want. That’ll keep the numbers even.”
Beneath the table, Cassie trod on his foot. He was pretty sure that was her signal for “no frigging way.”
“I think I have something going on that day.” He reached for his wineglass.
Audrey’s face screwed up in disappointment. “Oh, that’s too bad. But if you change your mind, please let us know. We’d love to have you.”
Cassie’s heel found his toe again.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he muttered noncommittally, moving his foot out of harm’s way.
…
As Kirk put his Aston Martin into gear and drove off, Cassie uttered a half groan half splutter from the passenger seat.
“Oh my God!” She clutched at her hair. “I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for hours and now I want to scream my head off.” She flicked on the A/C and leaned her flushed face toward a vent. “How can you sit there looking so calm? Aren’t you glad it’s over?”
“It wasn’t that bad. I’ve had worse.”
“I have to apologize for my mom. Her family was rich once, and she grew up expecting to be rich, too, but my grandpa lost all his money, and my mom has never really adjusted to her plebeian status. I hope she didn’t embarrass you with her questions.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Kirk hadn’t cared about Audrey’s inquisitiveness, but he did care about her apparent indifference toward Cassie. At times it had verged on dismissiveness. Didn’t she realize what a fantastic daughter she had? And Lillian was just as bad, but she obviously took her cue from her mom.
“I can see why you never want to talk about your family,” Kirk continued. “But you don’t need their approval. They haven’t earned the right to judge you.”
Cassie shrugged. “That’s why it was easy to ignore them when I was younger, but it’s different now. I want to get along with them.” She ruffled her hair again, making it even more untidy. “Oh, let’s forget about them. Where are we going?”
“Home, I thought.”
“I don’t want to go home. I need to blow off some steam before I’ll be able to sleep.” She snapped her fingers, turning to him eagerly. “Let’s stop by Emilio’s place for a drink. I’m sure something’s happening over there tonight.”
Emilio was one of their old college friends who owned a string of bars and nightclubs. It was at his newest bar in North Beach that Kirk and their friends had met Cassie the previous week to welcome her back to San Francisco.
Kirk lifted his eyebrows at her request. “You sure you want to go there now?” Cassie wasn’t an all-night rager, and neither was he.
“One drink, that’s all.” She beamed at him. “Please?”
Kirk blinked, momentarily distracted by her smile. Cassie really had the sweetest smile. He’d forgotten how it lit up her entire face.
“Okay,” he replied.
For a Tuesday night, Emilio’s bar had a decent crowd. They made their way to the counter where Emilio was helping out his bartenders. He shouted out a greeting to them and poured them a couple of beers. Music played, but not too loudly. The clientele were mostly small groups of friends out for a relaxed drink rather
As Kirk’s father was a PUC member, Kirk could have joined, too, but why would he want to spend his spare time at a stuffy men’s-only club? He chewed on his salmon for a while before answering, “When I’m not working I like playing basketball or watching movies or hanging out with my friends.”
“Oh.” Audrey’s lips pinched as if she was disappointed with his answer, before she lifted her shoulders philosophically. “Are you doing anything next Saturday? We’d love you to come to Lillian and Mark’s wedding.”
He sat back and looked at Cassie. She was plowing through her spinach with a grim expression.
“I’m sure you don’t want me at such late notice. I’ll mess up your numbers.”
“Oh, it’ll be fine.” Lillian waved her hand. “Bring a date, if you want. That’ll keep the numbers even.”
Beneath the table, Cassie trod on his foot. He was pretty sure that was her signal for “no frigging way.”
“I think I have something going on that day.” He reached for his wineglass.
Audrey’s face screwed up in disappointment. “Oh, that’s too bad. But if you change your mind, please let us know. We’d love to have you.”
Cassie’s heel found his toe again.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he muttered noncommittally, moving his foot out of harm’s way.
…
As Kirk put his Aston Martin into gear and drove off, Cassie uttered a half groan half splutter from the passenger seat.
“Oh my God!” She clutched at her hair. “I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for hours and now I want to scream my head off.” She flicked on the A/C and leaned her flushed face toward a vent. “How can you sit there looking so calm? Aren’t you glad it’s over?”
“It wasn’t that bad. I’ve had worse.”
“I have to apologize for my mom. Her family was rich once, and she grew up expecting to be rich, too, but my grandpa lost all his money, and my mom has never really adjusted to her plebeian status. I hope she didn’t embarrass you with her questions.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Kirk hadn’t cared about Audrey’s inquisitiveness, but he did care about her apparent indifference toward Cassie. At times it had verged on dismissiveness. Didn’t she realize what a fantastic daughter she had? And Lillian was just as bad, but she obviously took her cue from her mom.
“I can see why you never want to talk about your family,” Kirk continued. “But you don’t need their approval. They haven’t earned the right to judge you.”
Cassie shrugged. “That’s why it was easy to ignore them when I was younger, but it’s different now. I want to get along with them.” She ruffled her hair again, making it even more untidy. “Oh, let’s forget about them. Where are we going?”
“Home, I thought.”
“I don’t want to go home. I need to blow off some steam before I’ll be able to sleep.” She snapped her fingers, turning to him eagerly. “Let’s stop by Emilio’s place for a drink. I’m sure something’s happening over there tonight.”
Emilio was one of their old college friends who owned a string of bars and nightclubs. It was at his newest bar in North Beach that Kirk and their friends had met Cassie the previous week to welcome her back to San Francisco.
Kirk lifted his eyebrows at her request. “You sure you want to go there now?” Cassie wasn’t an all-night rager, and neither was he.
“One drink, that’s all.” She beamed at him. “Please?”
Kirk blinked, momentarily distracted by her smile. Cassie really had the sweetest smile. He’d forgotten how it lit up her entire face.
“Okay,” he replied.
For a Tuesday night, Emilio’s bar had a decent crowd. They made their way to the counter where Emilio was helping out his bartenders. He shouted out a greeting to them and poured them a couple of beers. Music played, but not too loudly. The clientele were mostly small groups of friends out for a relaxed drink rather
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