The Billionaire's Jackpot: Betting on You Series: Book Four by Jeannette Winters Page A

away to be with the other.”
    “That doesn’t sound like a love story to me,” Drew added. Not that he would really know one. But if he was in love with someone, nothing would stop him from being with her.
    “You’re right. It sounds like two people who loved each other very much but weren’t in love with each other,” Ross responded.
    His arched brow indicated the humor and surprise he found at that moment. “Love, in love. Since when did you get all deep and mushy?”
    Ross and the others didn’t laugh. “Hopefully one day you will understand.”
    “Not if I’m lucky. You guys can have it. I have no problem being the last man standing. I come and go as I please and don’t need to discuss anything with anyone. I do things that make me happy, no worries.”
    “Too bad. Takes One is one man, or should I say one woman short since Jill has been brought into the loop. We were hoping KJ would shake you up enough that you might actually date a woman rather than just sleep with her,” Jon commented.
    He had to admit that fear had crossed his mind lately. Drew didn’t want the other girls talking to Katherine, filling her with hopes and dreams of anything more than what they had. And what they had was more than he had ever shared with anyone since his first love, or what he had thought was his first love. Even his best friends didn’t know about that, and he planned on keeping it that way. If they ever found out he had run away to Las Vegas at eighteen to elope, they’d probably smack him upside the back of his head. At that age he’d thought he knew everything and thought that girl had been madly in love with him. Of course when his father found them waiting at the Justice of the Peace, he’d made it clear in front of her that if they went ahead and got married he was on his own financially. Not another penny. No college. No car. Nothing. When he told his father he didn’t care, that he didn’t need his money, the girl said, “Speak for yourself.” That was the last time he ever saw her.
    The plane ride home with his father had been eye-opening. His father decided it was time to give him “the talk.” Although he was fairly sure his version was not the same as other young men received from their dads.
    “Remember, Drew, they don’t love you , they only love your money. Give them a chance and they will take everything you got.” With that he threw him a box of condoms. “You can’t live without them but you better always use protection or you’ll find yourself trapped like me.” Trapped like me. Those words haunted him even to this day. No woman, especially someone like Katherine, should even consider loving him. He’d never been wanted, simply something that kept his parents together. My father didn’t love my mother at all. I’m probably just as incapable of love as he was. Though he might try to deny it, that conversation helped mold him into the man he was today. A jackass, just like my father.
    Instead of going out, Jill had shown up with pizza for dinner and blueberry cheesecake for dessert. Though everything was perfect, this wasn’t her place, and KJ knew she should’ve asked Drew about it first, but Jill was there and it was too late. Besides Jill’s reasoning for eating in was logical. “Why lock Blossom up all night when we can sit and enjoy the rooftop without all the hassle of city traffic?”
    Going out with a friend to see New York sounded exciting, but she’d never done the club scene back home so she couldn’t picture doing it here. After so many years of traveling all over the world and never really settling in, it was nice set her roots somewhere. Just wish my sister was still with me. Napa happened to be that place, suiting what she needed for now. If she couldn’t be home enjoying her peaceful back yard, then Drew’s rooftop garden getaway was exactly where she wanted to be.
    Somehow what had been a cold, empty house before breakfast had suddenly been filled with enough