Page 18 of Falling for the Billionaire Best Man

I checked the screen and saw Eliza’s name. “If you’re calling to tell me you’re not coming, too late,” I answered. “The cat is already out of the bag.”

She laughed. “Sorry. Cullen wanted to have a little adventure.”

“It’s fine.”

“I have a favor to ask,” she said.

I looked at the bottle of wine. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be opening it. “What’s up?” I asked.

“Can you go check out the mansion Kaisen rented? I’m worried he’s going to turn it into a frat house by the time we get there. We’re supposed to have a couple of events at his place.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “A frat house? What kind of guy is Kaisen, exactly?”

Eliza laughed, but there was a note of exasperation in her voice. “Oh, you know K. His reputation precedes him. You’d think he was still in his twenties the way he dates and parties. I just want to make sure the place isn’t a disaster before my bridal shower.”

I wanted nothing more than to open the wine, eat a plate of tater tots, and veg out with my cat and Netflix. But I couldn’t say no to Eliza. “Alright, I’ll check it out. But if he’s in the middle of some wild party, I’m not sticking around.”

“You’re the best,” Eliza said. “How did the tasting go?”

I didn’t want to put any stress on her. It was her wedding. I was the maid of honor. My job was supposed to be to keep as much of the stress off her shoulders as I could. “It was good,” I lied. “I think we’ve narrowed it down.”

“Good. See, he’s not so bad.”

She had no idea.

“Text me the address,” I said.

“It’s North Cape,” she said.

“Enjoy your trip,” I said. “We’ll be here. I’ll hold the fort down.”

“Let me know how it goes!”

I hung up and stared at my phone for a moment, debating whether I should actually go through with this. Showing up unannounced at Kaisen’s rented mansion felt… weird. He was a grown man. Was it really my place to invade his privacy and check up on him? I wasn’t his mother. But Eliza had asked, and I couldn’t let her down. The wine and tots would have to wait.

I grabbed my keys and headed out, Rick giving me a disgruntled look as I left. Normally, I chose to walk around town. With the narrow streets and limited parking, it was easier to walk than drive. But I was not interested in walking the six miles out to the North Cape area where the house was. I wasn’t surprised they rented such a nice place. I had only ever driven by the houses and never actually been in one.

The drive to the mansion wasn’t long, but it gave me too much time to think. By the time I pulled up to the imposing house, my nerves were on edge. I took a deep breath, smoothed my hair, and walked up to the front door, knocking before I could second-guess myself. I swore if he opened the door naked or with some woman hanging off him, I was never going to forgive my sister.

The door swung open. Kaisen was wearing nothing but a T-shirt and gray sweatpants. He looked sexy as sin, his dark hair slightly messy, his eyes sharp and assessing. “Yes?”

“Eliza wanted me to check the place out,” I said quickly, my words tumbling out in a rush. “She’s worried you’re throwing sex parties here or something.”

Kaisen chuckled and gestured for me to step inside. I walked in, appreciating the homey feel of the place. I didn’t see any whips or chains hanging from the ceiling.

Kaisen closed the door behind me. “The prostitutes won’t be here until later tonight,” he said dryly.

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the way my cheeks heated.

“Cullen called and told me to expect you,” he added. “I think they were worried you might actually catch me doing something.”

“I’ll have to thank him later,” I said.

I bit my lip, unsure what to say or do next. Kaisen was watching me, his gaze intense and unnerving. I felt like he could see right through me. It made me want to squirm. I should have put on some makeup or a decent shirt. I didn’t know what I was thinking.

“Do you want a glass of wine?” he asked, his tone casual. “I’d offer you something stronger, but I’m saving it for my upcoming sex party.”

I couldn’t help it—my lips twitched into a smile. He was kind of funny. And maybe, just maybe, I could tolerate him.

“Wine sounds good,” I said, following him into the kitchen. As he poured us each a glass, I found myself relaxing just a little. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.