The Billionaire's Mistaken Match ( A BWWM Romance) by Izabella Brooks Page B

trying to clear them. He had been on a date, he really had moved on and been assigned someone new, and it looked to her like they were really hitting it off. She finally reached the car and uttered a curse when she realized she didn’t have the keys. She was tempted to just walk back to the apartment when she heard footsteps pounding in the sand behind her.
    “Slow down, girl. I got short legs.”
    Paloma spun around to see Kit behind her. “Take me home, Kit.”
    “But, P, come on.”
    “No, take me home, now. Please.” The tears had started to fall and there was nothing she could do about it. She was silent on the drive home and when they reached the apartment, she went straight to her room and locked the door. Curled up there on her bed, she cried out what she had left in her. It really was over. He really was gone.

Chapter 18
     
                  Back at the pier, Reid stood in utter shock at what had just happened. That had been Paloma. How in the world, with all the people in this town, had she found him here? It was one hell of a coincidence. One look at her and all the joy he had felt those couple of days he saw here came flooding back, as did all the heartache her little lies had caused him.
    “Reid, sweetie, are you okay?” Jovie’s voice brought him back to the present.
    Everyone else was over the spectacle of the women fleeing the beer garden, but Reid still stood there like he was expecting something more. He eased himself back down into his seat and pushed the funnel cake away from him. His appetite was gone. He downed what was left of his beer and flagged down a waiter for another one.
                  “I’m okay. The commotion startled me is all.”
                  “Oh good.  Do you mind if I order another glass of wine?” She was on her third, but at that point, he was far from caring.
                  “No, go ahead.” When the waiter made his way back to the table with their orders, Reid took a long pull on his beer. “I’m sorry. What were we talking about?” He tried desperately to focus back on Jovie.
                  “I was just asking you if maybe you wanted to go shopping with me. I know it’s not really a man’s favorite pastime, but I wanted to try on some new outfits and I thought you wouldn’t mind helping me make a choice.”
    Reid nodded absently. He didn’t care about shopping. In fact, he was beginning to grow tired of Jovie. The first date had gone well, but now she would prattle on about a million different things that involved her and her alone. Selfishness annoyed him.
                  “Hey, I’ve got a charity thing coming up next weekend. Would you like to go with me?”
                  “Like a ball?” Her eyes glittered with excitement at the thought of getting to dress up and hobnob with the rich crowds. Reid could almost see diamonds in her eyes as she gazed at all the glitzy gems adorning the ears and wrists of those in attendance. There it was, what he was hoping he wouldn’t see. The more time he spent with her, the more he started to feel like something was off with Jovie.
                  “No, nothing so dull as that. Actually, it’s a basketball tournament for the orphan home. We are holding a tourney of kids against donors to help raise even more money. They are also inviting potential adopters to come out and meet the kids in hopes that a few of them will find homes. It’s going to be fun and the kids are simply amazing.”
                  “Kids? What day did you say that was?”
                  “Saturday. A week from today. At 4:30 is when the games start so I should be there at around two.”
                  Jovie screwed up her face in concentration, then took a sip of her wine. “I’m sorry. I actually have an event of my own that day. We are doing a huge sale in my store and I can’t be pulled away.