The Billionaire's Bidding Read Free

don’t know,” Emma answered honestly with a shake of her head. “I’ll have to call the bank in the morning.”
    â€œAnd tell them what? ” Katie’s voice rose to high C, matching the note of a grand piano tinkling in the corner.
    â€œWe’ll restructure the mortgages, maybe use the Martha’s Vineyard property as extra collateral.”
    â€œYou know that won’t work.”
    Emma didn’t answer, because Katie was right. Equity in the Martha’s Vineyards property wouldn’t make a dent in the amount their father owed.
    Things had been tough for McKinley the past few years. Bookings were down, costs up. Their father was always reluctant to let staff go. And they were locked into major renovations on three ski resort properties, while snow conditions had remained poor two winters in a row.
    They were over a barrel, and Alex Garrison knew it. The man might be amoral, but he wasn’t stupid.
    â€œI’m going to have to marry him,” said Katie, raising her palms in a gesture of defeat.
    â€œAnd what about David?”
    â€œI’ll explain it to him somehow.”
    Emma took a drink from her martini glass, mimicking her sister’s voice. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. But I’m going to have to marry another man for his money.”
    â€œI won’t say it like that.”
    â€œThere’s no way to say it and make it sound good.”
    â€œWell, are you going to marry him?”
    Emma didn’t answer as the waitress set salads in front of them.
    â€œAt least I don’t have a boyfriend,” she hissed, after the waitress left.
    Katie straightened, looking tragically hopeful. “Is that a yes?”
    â€œNo, it’s not a yes.” Then Emma paused, desperately trying to gather her thoughts. “We can’t…” She clenched her jaw. “It’s not right…It galls me to even think about giving in to that man.”
    â€œAt least we’d keep half the company.”
    Fair point. Emma took another sip of her drink. If Alex got the bank to call in the loan instead, they’d be lucky to keep one hotel.
    If only they had more time. If only they knew someone who could underwrite them quickly and extensively. If only their father’s heart hadn’t given out.
    The three of them were a team. They’d weathered storms before, and she was sure they could have found a way out of this maze.
    â€œEmma?” Katie prompted.
    Emma picked up her fork and stabbed into the shrimp salad. “We’ll need to talk to Legal.”
    Katie’s blue eyes dimmed in the lamplight. “To declare bankruptcy.”
    Emma drew a bracing breath. No. They weren’t declaring bankruptcy. Not when they had a slightly more palatable choice.
    They were going to throw their lot in with Alex Garrison. If they didn’t, they’d be out on the street, and he’d be undermining their father’s life’s work by this time tomorrow.
    At least with Alex there was a chance. If they had a few good years, maybe they could buy him out.
    And it wasn’t like Emma had a boyfriend waiting anywhere in the wings. Nor was she likely to have one in the foreseeable future. Plain-looking, plainspoken hotel executives who traveled half the year weren’t exactly hot prospects on dating dot com.
    Truth was, a marriage on paper wouldn’t be that big of an inconvenience for her. A justice of the peace, a couple of publicity snapshots, and they’d barely have to see each other again.
    She looked Katie straight in the eyes, not giving herself time to rethink the decision. “We have to talk to Legal so we can make sure Alex can’t do something crazy with our inns.”
    Katie’s eyes went wide. “You’re going to do it?”
    Emma dropped her fork and drained her glass. “I’m going to do it.”

Two
    M rs. Nash had been calling Alex Alex his entire life. But since he’d