The Billionaire Invitation
Crane Brothers #2
by Jessica Lemmon
Blurb:
He left her once. This time, leaving isnโt so simple.
Philanthropist Dante Crane built his life three thousand miles from the woman he left behind. Then a charity event in Chicago drops Honesty Benitez squarely back into his path, and eight years of distance vanish in a single blink of her amber eyes.
Helping Honesty with her charity was supposed to be simple. Falling into her bed was supposed to be temporaryโa fling with a clean end date, right up until his flight back to California.
Somewhere along the way Honesty becomes tangled with his family, slips past the guarded corners of his heart, and starts imagining a future sheโs already grieved. Falling for him again was never the plan.
Now the choice is theirs to make: streamline their lives and put each other first, or part ways and let their story slip back into the past where they left it.
Perfect for readers who love:
โ Second-chance billionaire romance
โ A guarded hero and the one who got away
โ Sexy, swoony, reunion-fueled heat
โ Family entanglements and a future reclaimed
*****
Excerpt:
Honesty peered over the balcony as well, the wind lifting her dark brown hair. She wore it loose in waves, unlike the ponytail she’d favored in college. And that dressโdamn. If she’d wanted to show him what he’d been missing, she had his full attention.
But she was more to him than enduring beauty. He’d admired her poise and confidence while she’d stood at the podium. How she’d managed to keep it together while speaking of a brother she’d loved more than anyone was beyond him.
And he’d died just six months ago. An absolute tragedy.
A pang of regret hollowed out his chest. He wished he would have known. He would haveโฆ Well, he didn’t know what he would have done. But something. Something, rather than nothing.
Honesty turned away from the balcony to face him. Her eyes were like he remembered. Amber, with gold in the centers. Her mouth was exactly as he rememberedโframed by soft, shallow dimples.
“Thanks for the save.” Her tone had changed, though. Gone was the girl who animatedly told stories while he scarfed down the last slice of pizza. The tone she’d been using with him tonight had been polite. Distant.
“People ramble when they’re uncomfortable,” he said. “And when the event is centered around a loss or a tragedy, they get worse.”
“It’s funny how we’re all the same.” She sipped her wine, but her brow wrinkled as if she was reconsidering that observation.
“So. You’re still in LA?” she asked.
A clumsy segue, but he’d take it. “Do I detect a note of hope in your voice?”
Her laugh was more contained than the one in his memory. “Genuine curiosity.”
“I’m still in LA. So is my mom, though she’s heading to New York with a box of couture gowns as we speak.”
“Big film?”
“Always.”
She flipped her hair, revealing one smooth shoulder. He pictured kissing that shoulder like he’d done a thousand times before, a thousand years ago.
“And how is the foundation? Assuming you’re still in charge?”
“I belong on top.”
“Hmm.”
“That’sโ” He shook his head. “Not what I meant.”
She offered a restrained smile as her cheeks blushed pink.
“We’ve seen a lot of growth over the years. I’ve been on a hiring spree to keep up. I have to stay flexible to travel.”
“How is your family?”
“Brody and his fiancรฉe are expecting a baby girl any day now.”
“Brody? Wow. Is this the first baby in the family?” Her smile was more genuine now.
“Yeah, he beat me to it.”
“Well, Uncle Dante. You’d better keep your schedule flexible. How are your other siblings? Or should I ask where are they?”
“Here, actually.”
“Your entire family is in Illinois?”
“Not Dad. And Brody and Reagan are in New York part-time. But yeah, Jaylyn’s in the city and so is Zander, with his first girlfriend since Emily passed.” After he said it, he realized that Honesty hadn’t known that news.
“I’m sorry to hear about Zander’s wife.” Her face fell. “So much has happened sinceโฆ”
Since we broke up, he silently finished for her.
“And your business?” he asked. “Do you have a lot of clients?”
“I did. I used to. I don’t do many one-on-ones any longer. Somehow I went from passionate solopreneur to employing a team. And nowโฆ” She shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s a half-baked idea.”
His ears perked. “Half-baked ideas are my specialty.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Now you have to tell me.”
“It’ll sound silly to someone who runs an entire foundation.”
“You have my undivided attention.” He stepped closer to her. So close, her confection-like perfume tickled his nostrils. His mouth watered as he picked up notes of caramel and almond. A hint of cinnamonโฆ
Was it normal to want to kiss an ex-girlfriend fifteen minutes upon reuniting with her?
“I have an idea for a charity. For veterans.” She wrinkled her nose. “A bit more than an idea. I want to provide meals and teach nutrition and cooking so that they can lead long and healthy lives.”
“That’s admirable.”
“Thanks.” She cupped her wineglass with both hands. “I’m a little shy about the asking-for-money part. I’m no socialite.”
“Philanthropy is more than ass-kissing.”
“I didn’t mean to implyโ” Her eyebrows jumped.
“No, you didn’t.” They were back to being polite. Careful. There was a time when they would have gone to the mat over less and had make-up sex shortly after. “I was agreeing with you in a really weird way.”
A group of women filed out the balcony doors, intercepting their conversation. He had a choice to make. Either wish Honesty well or continue the evening at her side. He knew what he wanted.
Now to convince her.
“Have you talked about your non-profit with any of the guests tonight?” he asked.
“Oh, no. It’s in the beginning stages. Probably too soon to ask for money.”
“First rule of charity.” He offered his arm. “It’s never too soon to ask for money.”
*****
Review:
I so enjoy Lemmon’s writing. It’s so smooth and easy to read, which means I just sail through her stories.
I liked Honesty and Dante and thought they were good together. I was a little confused on Dante’s issues other than … he’s just a clueless guy? He doesn’t see what’s right in front of him? I get that he’s spent a long time putting his own wants and needs last but I’m not really sure why exactly. I guess because he was put in charge of his foundation at a pretty early age and had to completely reorient his life around it … I gotta admire that light bulb moment tho, even if it took him a bit to get there ๐
And I admire Honesty for putting herself first and not settling for less than she deserves. I mean, of course we knew she was going to get in over her head from the moment she agreed to a “fling” … girl, the man is sexy, rich, and throws himself fully into helping you (in and out of bed), your heart was never not a part of the situation! I also love the whole women supporting women vibe with Dante’s family as well as Honesty’s friend Gabby. You know they are going to be there for each other going forward.
You always have to do some suspension of disbelief with romances, especially billionaire romances, but the timeline with this one was a little skewed. The whole book covers like 2 weeks? And the amount of stuff they got done, including a huge benefit dinner … yeah, that’s a little bit much ๐ But hey, if it gets us to that HEA I’ll go with it!
*****
Author Info:
Jessica Lemmon is a former job-hopper who resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dogs. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When sheโs not writing emotionally-charged stories, she spends her time drawing, drinking coffee, and laughing with friends. Her motto is Read for Fun, and she believes we should all do more of what makes us happy.
