Priceless: Contemporary Billionaire Romance Novel Read Free Page A

bundled herself up in her black wool coat, earmuffs, scarf,
and snow boots. 
    “Girlfriend,
you gotta let Crystal help you find something more stylish than those thangs .”
    Thomas
always made fun of her earmuffs, but Maribel didn’t care.  They protected her
ears from the biting Chicago wind and kept her long hair out of her face.
    “Better
than hat head,” Maribel sassed, tossing a glance over to Crystal.
    “Don’t
you know it,” Thomas agreed. 
    “Bi-aaaaatches,”
Crystal countered, adjusting her rabbit fur cap and matching gloves.
     “You
takin’ the train?” Thomas asked Maribel.
    “Yes.”
    “Wanna
a ride?”
    “No.”
    “Damn,
girl, why can’t you be as independent as Maribel,” Thomas suddenly chided
Crystal.
    “Because
I’m a moocher,” Crystal confirmed.  “And I’m wearing heels.”
    Crystal
compared her stilettos to Maribel’s snow boots.  It was a valid point.
    “Wanna
come over tomorrow, Maribel?” Thomas offered.  “Patrick and I are having a V-day
parteeeee.  He’s making the red Jello punchbowl spiked with a whole lot of
orgasmic berry Schnapps.”
    Maribel
smiled, “Maybe.”
    Everyone
knew Maribel preferred to spend her free days—home and alone.  She simply had
been alone for so many years that she forgot what it was like not to be
alone. 
    “No,
I want to hear a ‘yes’ outta you.  Don’t go spending tomorrow night alone. It’s
Valentine’s Day, for heaven’s sake.  I’ll even let you make out with me, if you
don’t find someone better at the party…”
    “ Ouuuuuwwww ….!”
both Maribel and Crystal squealed.
    “I’ll
close my eyes and pretend you’re Matt Damon,” Maribel joked.
    “ Prrrrr …
although I much prefer the tall and dark Ben Affleck type,” Crystal added.
    “I’m
just sayin’,” Thomas defended his offer, “don’t go choosing to be all by
yourself when you don’t have to be.”
    Maribel
waited to see if Crystal would mention her interaction with Miles Braxton-Worth
to Thomas.  But it had already been forgotten, and she decided not to bring it
up, as if Maribel could preserve her memory of it better without talking about
it. 
    “What
about me, Thomas?” Crystal whined.  “Do I get to come?”
    “Excuse
me, honey bunny?  You’re working tomorrow night.  Didn’t you look at the
schedule?”
    “Well,
that doesn’t mean I can’t come after?”
    “And
what…?  Bring that Frank-Sinatra-karaoke-lovin’ manwhore again?”
    “Hey,
I’ll have you know that I’ve got an even better manwhore now,” Crystal said
with pride.  “And he sings Boy George flawlessly.”
    “Tempting,”
Thomas considered, then turned back to Maribel. “Seriously, think about it. 
Ta-ta…”
    Thomas
and Crystal waved her goodbye as they parted in opposite directions.  Maribel
approached the street corner and heard the cheery “Happy Valentine’s Day” greeting
of a homeless man.  He had carved out a cardboard heart and draped it around
his neck in front of his worn coat.  She peered into her wallet.  She had three
dollars, and she needed two for the train ride home.  She handed him her last
dollar, guilty she didn’t have more cash to offer him.  He nodded with
appreciation and wished her a safe night as she crossed under the “L” tracks
and into the dark streets.
    Yes,
it had already turned out to be a pleasant start to her Valentine’s Day weekend ,
Maribel thought, as she mounted the steps of the elevated train station, and
indulged in the memory of her interaction with Miles Braxton-Worth.
     
    * * * *
     
    Maribel
trudged up the staircase, three flights to her studio apartment.  She wondered
if her used books—ordered last week from her favorite online retailer—were
waiting for her outside her door.
    The
apartment door across the hallway suddenly swung open. “Late, late, late… Little
Miss Maribel Martinez,” Emma Jean cried out.
    “Oh,
did I worry you?”
    “Yes,”
Emma Jean said with serious concern.