Page 61 of Falling for the Billionaire Best Man

I didn’t even have to think about it. “Creme brulee. You’ve mentioned it before when we were talking about the bakery.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, wow, you remembered that?”

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. “I pay attention.”

Dorie studied me for a moment, then smiled, the tension in her shoulders easing.

I took another card, scanning the question quickly. “Okay, what’s my favorite color?”

Dorie chewed her lip, thinking for a moment. “Blue. Specifically, a soft blue.”

I nodded, impressed. “Nailed it.”

“Alright, my turn.” She pulled another card. “What’s the name of my pet?”

“Rick,” I answered immediately.

Dorie grinned. “He makes an impression.”

We continued the back and forth, trading questions and answers. I was impressed by how well Dorie knew the random details about my life, despite the fact that we hadn’t known each other long.

At the end of the game, we were declared the winners.

I accepted the gift card with a smirk, knowing full well I didn’t need it, but the look on Dorie’s face made it worth it. She was smiling like she’d won an Oscar instead.

“Alright, next game.” Eliza started explaining how it worked.

I tuned out most of the details, my focus solely on Dorie. She really seemed to be enjoying herself. I was glad to see her relaxing and letting her guard down a bit.

The next game was a trivia one. Eliza pulled out a box of cards with questions from various categories. We divided into teams, and somehow Dorie and I ended up paired together again. Not that I was complaining.

“Alright, first category is Pop Culture,” Eliza announced.

Cullen grabbed the first card and read aloud: “Name the lead actress in the most recent Marvel superhero movie.”

I glanced at Dorie, who looked completely lost. “Any ideas?” I whispered.

She shook her head. “I don’t really watch those movies. I’m more of a historical romance kind of girl.”

I chuckled and took a shot. “Scarlett Johansson?”

Cullen checked the card. “Close, but not quite. It was Brie Larson.”

The game continued, with questions ranging from music to geography to random historical trivia. Dorie was surprisingly good at some of the more obscure questions, particularly those related to food and local history.

As the night wore on, I found myself distracted. Everyone was drinking except me and Dorie. I wasn’t sure if she was holding back because she had to be up early or if she could see everyone else was getting pretty smashed.

During a break between games, I went to the bathroom. When I returned, I noticed Dorie surrounded by Eliza’s friends. They were peppering her with questions about her life, her dating history, and asking her about where to party in Cape May. I could see the discomfort in her eyes, though she was trying to hide it.

Dorie forced a smile, trying to navigate the conversation with Eliza’s friends. They were clearly more interested in judging her than actually getting to know her. I couldn’t stand it.

One of the women—a tall blonde with a sharp smile—leaned in. “You know, if you don’t want to use that gift card with Kaisen, I’d be happy to take him off your hands,” she said, her tone dripping with Mean Girl saccharine. “He’s usually seen with a specific type of woman, if you know what I mean. I’m not sure you’d be comfortable spending time with him.”

I froze, my jaw tightening as I saw the stricken look on Dorie’s face. She tried to laugh it off, but I could tell the comment had hit a nerve. Without thinking, I stepped forward, cutting into the conversation.

“Dorie,” I said, my voice firm. “Can you help me with something real quick?”

She looked up at me, her eyes wide with relief. “Uh, sure.”