Read Somebody Like You (Starlight Hill Series Book 2) for Free Online

look particularly joyous about it, somehow.
    No, this couldn’t be happening. She’d talked to the bank manager about a loan. She’d crunched the numbers, done her due diligence. Made two or three lists of pros and cons. It looked promising. “But I was going to buy this place. I even talked to the bank manager.”
    “Yeah. I got that idea. And I’m sorry.”
    “What do you want with a vineyard? Have you lost your mind? What happened to baseball, and your contract with the Sliders?”
    He rocked back on his heels. “I’m betting you don’t read the sports section.”
    “Good guess, genius. Did you get caught somewhere with your pants hanging down? Did they suspend you?” Maybe it was unfair to lump Billy into that category but it was all she knew about these athletes that believed they were God’s gift to the world at large, and the female population in particular.
    Billy scowled. “I’m retired. My shoulder gave out on me.”
    A strange thing happened then— Brooke thought she caught something in his eyes that looked strangely— humbled.  “Oh.”
    “Back in Starlight Hill now, with the rest of the family.” He waved in the direction of the picture window where Wallace and Scott had gathered again. Presumably to watch the show, and the fireworks when she found out the news.
    She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. “So you’re back in town, but why buy a vineyard? Why not open up a sports bar?”
    “It’s for my grandfather. It’s always been his dream to own a vineyard. A family business. So I bought it for him.”
    “You bought your grandfather a vineyard?” Brooke managed to say. So typical of athletes, throwing their wealth around.
    “Yep.”
    “Next time buy him a card. It gets the point across with a lot less fanfare. But maybe you like the fanfare. This place is going to be a lot of work. Good luck to you.” She turned to walk back towards her Harley. Another opportunity snatched out from under her, but no point in crying about it. Crying was for girls.
    “Wait,” Billy said from behind her.
    This was where she was supposed to stop and turn around because when men like Billy Turlock said sexy single words like ‘wait’ and ‘stay’ women were to melt in their tracks. Then turn around and ask what Master wanted. So of course Brooke kept walking. She strapped on her helmet only to find him at her elbow.
    “Nice bike.” Now he admired her baby, or in other words, tried to get on her good side.
    “Thanks,” she said, mounting it. And then because she did feel pretty mean at the moment, she made a show of squirming and wriggling into the seat, bucking and gyrating a little bit. She licked her lips seductively (which she hoped he could see through the helmet) and gazed into his eyes.
    He didn’t say a word, and this time he wasn’t smiling.
    Brooke started her bike and roared off, leaving Billy ‘I’m-the-sexiest-man-alive-and-you-know-it’ Turlock in the dust.
    *****
    Billy couldn’t move for several minutes. He could only stare into the distance trying to collect his thoughts. Actually, to have a thought of any kind would be nice. Any thought that didn’t involve mounting Brooke like she’d mounted that bike, where he’d show her how he could relieve the itch she seemed to have.
    Brooke, the prettiest girl he’d ever seen, and the only girl at Starlight High who didn’t think he walked on water. Unless one counted her best friend Ivey, who only had eyes for the point guard on the basketball team. Jeff something. More memories.
    Too bad she hated him because it sounded like she knew the business, and he could use a staff right about now.
    He walked back inside, and Wallace whistled. “Seriously better than TV.”
    “That girl couldn’t be any hotter if she was on fire,” Scott said.
    “You didn’t recognize her?” Billy asked his brothers. He hadn’t either for a second. Back in high school Brooke had unnaturally-black dyed hair— black nail polish, black