Page 66 of Billionaire Bad Boy Auction

I didn’t respond. The truth was, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing with Portia. She was this force of nature, all fire and determination, and I was me. Grumpy, closed off, and better at fixing machines than people. But every time she looked at me with those green eyes, it felt like she could see right through the walls I’d built.

“I’m not the type to do relationships,” I said. “Besides, her family is never going to want her anywhere near me.”

He chuckled. “I’m guessing she’s a big girl and can make her own decisions.”

“Yeah, but still,” I said.

Darla came by with a pot of coffee in hand. “You guys gonna eat or just shoot the shit?”

Eddie grinned up at her. “We’re doing both, Darla. Bring me the usual. And for him—” He jerked his thumb toward me. “Whatever he wants, as long as it’s greasy.”

I shook my head. “Just a burger and fries.”

Darla raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue, scribbling the order on her pad before disappearing back into the kitchen. Eddie leaned back in the booth, his arms crossed over his chest. “So, what’s stopping you? From going after her, I mean.”

I took a slow sip of coffee. “It’s not that simple.”

“Sure it is,” Eddie shot back. “You either want her or you don’t. And from the way you’re brooding over here, I’d say it’s obvious.”

I glared at him, but he was unfazed. Eddie had always been one of the few people who could call me out without backing down.

“She doesn’t need someone like me,” I said. “She’s got plans—big ones. She’s not looking to stay in Larkspur Lake for long. We’re her fallback. Soon as she picks up the pieces of her life, she’s going to leave again.”

Eddie shrugged. “So? You think that means she wouldn’t want you along for the ride?”

“I’m not exactly good at riding shotgun,” I muttered.

“Sometimes the thing that wrecks you is the same thing that saves you.” He tapped his temple. “But you gotta stop running long enough to figure out which is which.”

“I’m not running.”

Eddie just raised an eyebrow.

Darla came back with our plates, the smell of grease and fries hitting me like a brick. She slid Eddie’s stack of double bacon cheeseburger and fries in front of him with a smirk, then plopped my burger and fries down in front of me like she was daring me to complain.

“Here you go, sunshine,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Try not to scare it off with that face of yours.”

I grunted, grabbing the ketchup bottle and shaking it harder than necessary. Eddie chuckled into his coffee, clearly enjoying himself.

“You know, Darla, if you weren’t already married, I’d say Dean here could use a woman like you to straighten him out.”

She snorted, tucking the tray under her arm. “I’d rather wrestle a bobcat. I’m a little too much woman for this guy.”

Eddie burst into laughter while I shook my head. That was not a scenario I wanted to think about.

We both ate our burgers, neither of us bothering to worry about manners.

“How’s the business going?” he asked.

“Good. Staying busy. What have you been up to?”

He shrugged. “Not a lot.”

“So, what are you doing out here?”

“Just riding,” I answered.

“So, what now?” he asked.