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Chapter One
MARINA’S VOICE ROSE HIGH AND shrill “Oh my God, did you see this?”
Jada didn’t look up from her phone “Yes”
“You did not see it It’s ”
“I know” Jada sipped her coffee and squinted at the small type on her news app She reminded herself to make an appointment with her eye doctor
“Look! Just look”
Hht as she scanned an article, the feds planned to raise interest rates next quarter It’d be a wild day on Wall Street
Marina grabbed her ar Jada’s phone aith it “Seriously Check it out”
Jada sighed, glanced at Marina’s tablet It was exactly what she thought she’d see: a handso a beautiful woossip “Okay, I’ve seen it My o of my arm now”
Marina blew out an exasperated breath and released her “Fine I’d hate to keep you fro economic indicators” She tossed her tablet on the table and sipped her latte, staring out the coffee shop ith a vengeance
Jada didn’t kno her sister did it, but soed to drink coffee in a way that uilty
She set her phone down “I’’s important to you, it’s important to me You have my complete attention”
Marina glanced at her sideways “Really?”
“Really”
Marina srin “Good”
Jada wondered for as probably the millionth time in her life, if Marina had just played her
Marina snatched up her tablet and passed it over “Look at that I can’t believe it Ian Buckley is engaged”
Jada eyed the photo The man certainly was attractive, well-muscled, tanned andto his arel “What show does he star in?”
“What? He’s not an actor” Marina said “actor” the way ht say “septic tank scrubber”
“Oh Sorry Singer?”
“It’s Ian Buckley I-annnn Buck-leyyyy”
“Saying it sloon’t tell me who he is or what he does”
“He’s one of my billionaires Damn, Jada It’s like you don’t listen to me at all”
Uh-oh, Jada thought Marina was going to whip out a pout any second “Oh! THAT Ian Buckley I got confused, I guess Sure, I remember”
“Liar It doesn’t ive you because you’re my older sister and it’s not your fault that your priorities are in the wrong place”
Jada couldn’t resist “Right Focusing onto excel at my career are obviously screwy priorities”
“Exactly” Marina’s finely-shaped brows knitted “I can’t believe Ian is engaged One less billionaire on the market This one hurts especially bad because Ian’s so fine”
Jada studied the photo, read the caption under the picture which nized his face, but she knew Buckley Group Holdings Now that she really looked at his picture, she realized she should have knoho he was on sight, and recalled Marina showing her his photo before Jada sih
“The caption’s only reporting a ruotten confirmation from either camp”
Marina sighed “Oh, I’ Soet, I’m part of the press, so I kno this stuff works”
Jada bit back a grin Marina’s job as junior reporter at their sing to the national press corp “Well, all isn’t lost until official word co ” she scanned the page again for the woive a last name”
“That’s because it’s just Sasha, the supermodel One name You’d think you’d—”
Jada let her ht on Sasha’s resume and how it qualified her to be known by a lone na at Ian Buckley He truly was a handsoht places She liked how his hair was buzzed short on the sides, and she liked the scruff that darkened his square jaw His hair was a dark color, too
He had a long, distinguished nose, and nice lips, defined cheekbones She couldn’t uessed they were blue, because the color would suit him
Ian stood in a loose, liraphers, cola all over his side
Marina’s saga finally interrupted Jada’s exaet just one date with Ian, that’s all I’d need One date, and he’d forget all about Sasha”
Jada took a last glance at the pair in the photo before shoving the tablet away “Marina, billionaires don’t date real women like us”
Marina gasped, covered her mouth, her brown eyes saucer-shaped She shook her head, then dropped her hand “I can’t believe you said that Take it back”
“Nope Sorry, but you have to face the truth”
/> “I’ll do no such thing You’re totally wrong I can’t believe you don’t think I’et a billionaire”
Jada wasn’t falling for it Marina was beautiful, and knew it Jada thought she, herself, wasn’t bad-looking, but that didn’t change the fact that they weren’t ever going to snag any a-rich persuasion As women of color eren’t famous, ere just normal, everyday women, Jada and Marina didn’t have a chance in hell with men like Ian Buckley Facts were facts, and no ae it
“Quit exaggerating,” Jada said “You know you’re hot We all know it But come on, as the last time you saw a man like Buckley with someone like us?”
“If you’re insinuating this is a race issue, I’don, who is the sixty-fifth richest man in the world, married—”
“I know He nate Hasn’t really worked out the way Langdon wanted, I bet, with the war and all Anyway, that was forever ago, and it was hardly a love match”
“You don’t know that”
“Right Anye don’t have a rich daddy to buy us an even richer husband And I’m okay with that Maybe it’s time you should be, too”
Marina crossed her arms over her chest “Never Ian Buckley le billionaires just waiting to sweep me off my feet”
Jada laughed “I’ll give it to you, you’re a determined dreamer”
“Daht And I tell you, Jada, there’s a billionaire out there for you, too I know it”
“If you say so” She took a final swig of her cooled coffee “I’ve gotta get to work See you toym? Six-thirty sharp?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah I don’t have any choice Gotta stay in shape for my man”