Billionaires in New York Boxed Set: Billionaires in the City Books 1-3 by Laura Burton (learn to read books .TXT) 📕

Catherine marvelled at her current situation. Here Edward was, sitting in her apartment, eating pancakes and talking to her brother, as if this was the most normal thing in the world. And it felt like it was normal. Edward pulled up a chair and rested a hand on her knee. She tentatively put her hand over his. The touch sent shivers of excitement through her whole body and it took all of her resolve not to squeal.

“Oh, you’re Edward? We’ve heard so much about you, haven’t we Johnny?” Catherine flinched, but Edward shifted his hand to grasp hers and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Her mother appeared, and a mass of thick brown hair obscured Johnny from view. Catherine caught her own reflection in her mother’s glasses. She and Edward were sat cheek to cheek.

“You have got to be Catherine’s mother,” Edward said with a charming smile. “I see where she gets her gorgeous hair from.”

“She certainly didn’t get it from me.” Catherine’s dad appeared on screen; he was entirely bald with extremely bushy brows. Catherine’s stomach squirmed.

Great. Let’s just meet the whole family, shall we?

Edward was a perfect gentleman. He cracked a couple of jokes; her family laughed. He complimented Catherine’s singing, and appeared to show genuine interest in her family. She sat in silence, listening with admiration to Edward hitting it off with her favorite people.

“I take back what I said the other day,” her mother said, now turning to look at Catherine. “You’ve got a good one, Cathy. Don’t let this one go.”

“Mom,” Catherine said in a warning tone. “We’re not dating.” Edward’s head turned to her so quickly, she was sure he’d crick his neck.

“Aren’t we?” he asked. Catherine faltered. She could sense the hurt in his voice. There was an awkward silence before someone on the laptop coughed.

“Johnny, we’ve got to get ready,” Catherine’s mother said in her fake cheerful voice. They waved and exchanged goodbyes and the screen fell blank. Catherine smiled sheepishly at Edward, who sat with his brows knitted together in thought. Catherine opened her mouth to say something when the doorbell rang.

What now? She thought wearily.

“Sorry about all this,” she said, briefly touching Edward’s shoulder as she passed him. She pulled open the door and groaned.

“Oh great. You’re back,” she muttered. Calvin stood on the doorstep, wearing a black suit and tie, holding a bouquet of red roses. “Who died?” Catherine asked, eyeing his strange attire. He looked far too formal for a sunny Saturday morning. Calvin’s dark eyes widened as they flitted next to Catherine. A rush of movement behind told her Edward was no longer sitting at the laptop.

“Can we help you?” Edward asked. Calvin’s face contorted as he looked wildly from Edward to Catherine.

“In all the time we were together, you’ve never let me stay the night. You said you had boundaries. I respected that. But him. You let him sleep –”

“It’s not like that,” Catherine cut in. “Not that it matters. When will you get the hint? We’re not together anymore.”

Calvin shuffled his feet and held his head up high as if mustering the courage to argue.

“Beat it,” Edward said, leaning towards him. Calvin was no match for Edward. Catherine imagined Edward picking Calvin up with one hand, and Calvin scrambling in the air like a bug.

“Catherine. I came to bring you these,” he held out the bunch of roses with a shaky hand. The petals shivered at her.

“She’s all set, thanks,” Edward said, gesturing to the two bunches of daisies sitting on the breakfast bar.

“I need to speak to you. Alone.”

Catherine looked back at Calvin, his eyes bored into hers and her heartrate quickened.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” she crossed her arms. “If you keep showing up here, I’ll call the cops.”

Calvin’s tongue slid across his thin lips and disappeared.

“Are you serious?” He lowered the flowers and wiped the shine of perspiration from his upper lip. “You mean to say that you’re seeing this guy now? And what about me? Out with the old, in with the new?”

Edward took a step forward, and Calvin backed down a step with his eyes wide.

“Have we got a problem?” he asked. Catherine glanced down to see Edward’s tanned arm bulging and his hand balling into a fist. She brushed her fingers along his arm and as if by magic, his hand relaxed.

“Just leave, Calvin. And don’t come back again,” Catherine said firmly. Calvin’s eyes glistened with tears as he hesitantly looked at the flowers in his hand, hanging face down to the floor.

“So, this is it?” he said weakly. “You never speak to me again?”

“It’s better this way,” Catherine urged. She reached out to touch his shoulder, but he flinched, and his face screwed up.

“Fine.” He cast the flowers into the laurel bush with a growl. Catherine and Edward looked on as Calvin descended the steps with his shoulders slumped. As he reached the sidewalk he turned back.

“Do you know what I left here?” he called up. Catherine shook her head, her arms crossed again. Despite the yellow sunshine, a crisp breeze made the hairs on her arms stand on end. Calvin dipped his head for a moment with an exaggerated sigh, then he looked up at Catherine again.

“My heart.” He placed a pale hand to his chest and a single tear rolled down his cheek. “And you have crushed it.”

Catherine dropped her arms and her mouth fell open as she watched Calvin walk away and disappear around the corner of the street.

Chapter Sixteen

Burning Bridges

Edward wanted to feel bad for Calvin. Seeing the guy walk off in a sorry state, was almost enough to stir up some compassion. But he couldn’t get over the fact that he had behaved like a jerk towards Catherine, and the things he had said in the coffee shop made his blood boil.

Good riddance. He thought. Then he turned to look at Catherine, only to see devastation plastered all over her face. She sniffed.

“I’m a