Page 42 of Falling for the Billionaire Best Man

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KAISEN

By the next morning, the rain had finally stopped. Last night after dropping Dorie off after midnight, it had still been pouring. I couldn’t believe the woman was going to be heading right back into the bakery this morning.

She said the shop was closed today but she had to go back in to work on some cupcakes or something. The woman was a machine. I thought I was a workaholic but she put me to shame.

I felt bad for my success—almost. Dorie worked just as hard as I did. Maybe harder. And she was still struggling. My work had rewarded me very well. I could stop working today and I would never spend all my wealth.

Giving Dorie a coffeemaker felt like the least I could do.

I rolled out of bed and opened the blinds. I had nothing on my schedule until this afternoon. I could lie around the house or go to the bakery and bug Dorie. I wanted to set up her coffee machine but she was giving me some pushback on that.

I grabbed my phone and texted her anyway to see if she’d let me go to her place. She texted back and said she was already at the bakery and the place was locked. I wasn’t surprised.

Then I texted Cullen and confirmed our lunch date later, which would be followed by the dance lesson.

“Now what?” I sighed.

There really was nothing else for me to do. I wished I had a hobby. Beyond my yacht. With nothing better to do, I put on my running gear and walked across the street to head down to the beach.

The scent of salt and seaweed filled my senses as I jogged down the path toward the beach. The storm had washed everything clean. My sneakers sank into the sand.

The beach was nearly empty, just a few early risers walking their dogs or collecting shells along the shoreline. I could get used to the view. I had to admit, it was nice. A change from Central Park.

By the time I got back to the house, I was sweating. It wasn’t hot by any means, but I had pushed myself pretty hard. The run was filled with thoughts of Dorie. I had so much respect for her and what she did. How she did it. She was an amazing woman.

I met Cullen for lunch at a little café near the waterfront that served overpriced salads and artisanal sandwiches. It was the kind of spring day that made you forget how miserable the rain had been just the night before. I ordered a BLT and Cullen went with a turkey sandwich.

“You’re getting a tan.” Cullen chuckled. “The sea air looks good on you.”

“I had a nice run this morning,” I said. “Did you guys go over the brochure and stuff from the venue?”

Cullen nodded, taking a sip of his iced tea. “Yeah, everything’s set. The venue’s perfect, and the caterer is locked in. Now it’s just a matter of finalizing the guest list and seating chart.”

I leaned back in my chair, glancing around the bustling café. “How’s Eliza holding up with all the planning? I know weddings can be stressful.”

“She’s doing great, actually,” Cullen said with a smile. “I think having Dorie there to help take some of the pressure off has made a big difference. Eliza’s always been a little scatterbrained when it comes to the details, but Dorie’s a rock.”

I nodded, unsurprised. From what I knew of Dorie, she seemed like the type to thrive under pressure.

“Thank you for helping out while we took our time getting out here,” he said.

“Sure.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to be married soon,” Cullen said.

“Me either.”

“But she’s awesome,” Cullen said, his whole face lighting up. His eyes were shining with pure joy as he talked about Eliza. It was clear he was completely smitten. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. To have someone look at you the way Cullen looked at Eliza must be an incredible feeling.

“I’m really happy for you, man,” I said sincerely. “Eliza is a great woman. You two deserve each other.”

“Thanks,” Cullen said, taking another sip of his tea. “I still can’t believe it sometimes. I’m marrying my best friend.”

I nodded along, half-listening, my mind still stuck on Dorie.

“You’ve been weirdly quiet,” Cullen said.