Final Offer (Dreamland Billionaires, #3)(100)

No big deal. My teeth grind together. “Right. Thanks, Leo.” My finger hovers over the red end call button, but Leo’s voice stops me.

“Just know that your grandfather would be really proud of you. Every choice he made up until his accident was meticulously thought out.”

“Even selling the house?”

“Especially that. For you and Ms. Castillo.”





40





ALANA





Thanks to the Kane brothers’ family jet and Cal’s connections, Cami and I are leaving Michigan for the first time since I brought her home with me almost six years ago. The whole adoption process feels like it happened a lifetime ago. When I met Cami for the first time in the NICU while she was being weaned off drugs, I was barely twenty-four years old and was still nursing a huge heartbreak.

The social worker assigned to her case gave me the easiest choice of my life when I arrived in California.

Adopt Cami or let someone else do so.

Best decision ever, I say to myself as I check out Cami. She has her cat-ear headphones on while she watches an episode of her favorite show on the flat screen embedded into the wall of the jet. I tried to sit next to her, but she wanted the couch all to herself because my girl is a cushion hog, so Cal and I settle into the captain’s seats diagonal to hers.

The flight attendant passes Cami a juice box before placing our waters on the table in front of us. I place my wireless earbuds in my ears only to have Cal steal one.

“I forgot mine.” His fingers lock with mine, sending a blast of warmth up my arm.

“Are you going to play something or should I?” He motions toward my phone on the table.

I hit play and settle into the chair. Cal flips my hand over and starts to run the tips of his fingers across the inner part of my arm.

“Cosquillas?” I gasp.

His lips form into the sweetest smile. “Some things never change.”

My lips purse like I sucked on something sour. “I’ve changed.”

He raises a brow. “How?”

I pause the music to answer him. “Well, for starters, I like country music now.”

“Talk about a metamorphosis,” he replies dryly.

I give his shoulder a shove.

He only laughs as he latches on to my hand again. “What else?”

“I went full vegetarian for a year after watching a documentary.”

His eyes stretch wide. “Was your mother alive at the time?”

“Yes. She was completely horrified by the idea and unofficially revoked my Colombian citizenship.”

He chuckles under his breath. “That sounds just like her. That woman loved her churrasco more than anything.”

“I know. Why do you think I started eating meat again? She didn’t give me much of a choice.”

His smile widens.

“Also, I’m now a morning person. No more snoozing and skipping alarms for me.”

“Shame. I used to love finding new ways to motivate you to get out of bed.” He smirks.

My eyes roll. “More like you found ways to keep me in bed for as long as humanly possible.”

“It was a noble effort.”

“The only thing noble about you was your commitment to making me come first.”

“It’s an obsession, not a commitment.”

We both laugh. I continue telling him about the different things that changed for me, which in reality aren’t many once I list them. The most life-altering event was becoming a mother, and Cal already knows all about that.

“What about you? Anything changed?” I nudge him with my shoulder.

“My life is pretty uneventful.” He sighs.

“That’s not true. You’re a cat dad.”

“Right. The pinnacle of my life right there.”

“No job?”

“Nope.” He taps his fingers against his thigh in a random pattern.

“Come on. Something has to have changed in six years.”

“I’m no longer afraid of clowns.”

“What?” I gasp. “Since when?”

“Since Iris convinced me to go to a haunted Halloween maze. Turns out the theme that year was—”

“Clowns?” My pitch rises.

“I should have known she was setting me up the moment she asked me to go with her. I don’t do horror, but for her, I was willing to put on a brave face and try. Plus, Declan seemed pissed when she talked about us going out together.”

“Why didn’t you turn around and leave when you found out the theme?”

“Because Iris blackmailed me.”

“How?”

“She threatened to release this video if I ditched her.” Cal pulls out his phone and plays a video of him using an umbrella as a weapon against a creepy clown.

“I think I love her.” I wipe the tears from my eyes after the minute-long video finishes with Cal shrieking.

“I’m positive you two will become instant best friends the moment you meet.”

My chest warms. “I can’t wait to share the photo I have of you at your fifth birthday party.”

His eyes bulge. “Tell me you didn’t save that.”

I grin. “Of course I did. It always makes the bad days better.”