Tempting my Billionaire

Unexpected Guests Arrive

★Cassandra★

The morning sunlight spilled through the curtains before I was ready to face it. My head was heavy, and I blamed the fourth glass of wine I had finished last night. I should have stopped at two, but I had needed the extra calm after everything that happened. I told myself that I would not think about Nathan again, that I would start the day fresh. I wasn’t sure if that was possible, but I was determined. I started my day by going for breakfast at the café. And the scent of roasted coffee and sea air already made me feel better. It helped that the café was alive with chatter, soft music, and the clinking of cutlery. It was my favorite place for a reason. The walls were warm shades of honey and sand with natural sunlight that filtered in through the wide windows that offered the perfect view of the ocean. Eli was behind the counter, and I paused as I checked him out. His brown hair was slightly messy, and his apron was already smudged with coffee stains. Still, he was a good-looking man, and he looked over at the door when I walked in. His smile widened as his eyes shone. I hid my blush as I hurriedly took a seat at the closest available table.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up,” he said as he grabbed a menu and walked over to my table.

“I did warn you that I am not a morning person,” I said as I set my purse aside. Eli smiled as he handed over the menu.

“It is nearly ten, Cass. Morning is long gone,” he remarked, and I smirked in response.

“Then I guess I am right on time,” I shot back. He chuckled as he took out the electronic device to take my order.

“The usual?”

“Yes, please. And an extra shot in the coffee. I have a long day ahead,”

“Coming right up,” he said as he finished typing in my order. Then he pocketed the device and smiled. “So, how are you settling in? Still unpacking that palace of yours?” I laughed softly.

“Palace is generous. But yes, I am settling in. Slowly,”

“Good,” he said before he headed back to the counter to assist another customer. I leaned back in my chair and watched him move behind the bar, chatting with the other servers. Eli had a way of making the entire room lighter. He was warm, funny, and so effortlessly charming that it was hard not to smile when he was around. He came back a few minutes later with my breakfast and coffee. “Avocado eggs benedict and a caramel latte with an attitude,” he announced dramatically as he set them down.

“Perfect,” I said. “Just what I needed,” Eli slid into the seat across from me, and I blushed as he rested his chin on his hand.

“You look less stressed today. I take it you survived the dreaded Sunday lunch?”

“Barely,” I replied as I picked up my latte. “It was exhausting,”

“Let me guess…too many opinions and not enough dessert?”

“Something like that,” I said. “Though dessert might have helped,” he laughed quietly, and I found myself relaxing more than I expected. I had not realized how much I missed easy conversations like this.

“So,” he continued. “Are you finally going to show me this famous condo of yours, or do I have to bribe someone to get an invite?”

“You can bribe whoever you want,” I teased. “But the only one who is handing out invitations is me,”

“Hmm,” he hummed as he stood up. “But you may want to reconsider the invite…after all, I have a housewarming gift that I guess is now mine,”

“What is it?” I asked curiously before I took another sip of my drink.

“A vintage record player. But since you have no taste for good music, it is probably better in my hands,” he said, and I raised a brow.

“Excuse me? I have excellent taste,” I argued Eli grinned.

“Oh? Prove it,” he taunted, and I shook my head.

“You are impossible,”

“And that is why you like me,” he said with a wink before he hurried off to serve more customers. I smiled to myself as I finished breakfast. Eli was good company. He was safe, easy, and predictable. He was the complete opposite of Nathan. There was no weight in our conversations, no hidden tension beneath every glance. It was refreshing. When I was done, I paid the bill and waved goodbye to Eli. Thankfully, the warmth of the morning seemed to follow me home. When I got back to the condo, the sun had climbed higher and the sea breeze drifted through the open balcony doors. I changed into something comfortable and tied my hair up before I headed into the kitchen. Cooking had always been my escape. The one thing that allowed me to quiet my mind. I pulled ingredients from the fridge and began preparing the dish that reminded me of summer: lobster salad with lemon dressing and fresh herbs. It was simple, rich, and refreshing. As I worked, I thought about how strange it felt to have family over again. For so long, everything between us had existed through phone calls and emails. Now Timothy was only a few minutes away, and yet it still felt like we were learning how to be around each other again. When the lobster was ready, I chilled it in the fridge and started setting the table. White plates, linen napkins, and a bottle of crisp wine. Everything had to be perfect. It was almost twelve when my phone buzzed. A message from Timothy:

✉Tim: Hey, we are on our way. Sienna insisted on driving…I hope we make it in one piece! See you soon.

I rolled my eyes but smiled. Some things never changed. Ten minutes later, I heard the elevator stop on my floor. The sound of footsteps followed, and the sound echoed down the hallway. I checked the mirror one last time and smoothed the front of my dress before I walked to the door. I expected to see my brother’s easy grin and Sienna’s dramatic sunglasses. What I did not expect was the third person standing beside them.

Nathan.

For a moment, my breath caught. He looked calm and confident as ever, hands tucked casually into his pockets. His shirt was rolled at the sleeves, the kind of careless perfection that made it impossible to look away. Timothy was smiling, completely oblivious to the tension that shot through me like static.

“Cassy!” Timothy said brightly. “You look great. I hope you don’t mind. Nathan stopped by just before we were getting ready to leave and…well, he is family,” I stared at my brother in surprise, and then I glanced at Nathan. He stared back at me, his expression unreadable. I took a deep breath and turned my full attention to Sienna.

“Welcome, please, come in,” I stepped aside to let them in, and I didn’t miss the smug look that passed on Nathan’s face. And as I shut the door behind them, I realized that lunch wasn’t going to be simple after all.

★★★