Billionaire’s Agreement : Billionaire Bad Boy Romance

By Sandra Cole

Twenty-two-year-old Kayla Lyon is a feisty waitress saving up to live out her dreams of going to school to become a nurse.  Her real dream is to become a doctor, but as a kid who grew up in the foster care system, she's used to facing reality and making due with the hand she's dealt.  Buried in bills and struggling to build her savings and a better life, she picks up extra shifts at the diner to make more money.  But it still isn't nearly enough. 

When a mysterious stranger shows up and starts leaving hundred dollar tips for Kayla, she worries that the man wants more than just good food.  But when Dylan Robertson steps in to protect her from another customer who is harassing Kayla, she realizes that his bad boy exterior and devil may care attitude are hiding a sweeter, kinder man than she imagined. 

---

Standalone Romance Stories With No Cliffhanger!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandra Cole
• Release date: Feb 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386033202

Book preview

Billionaire’s Agreement

Chapter 1

O rder up! Nick yelled , hitting the bell and saving Kayla from the conversation that she was trying to get out of with one of the regular diners.  At twenty-two, with auburn curls that hung down her back and deep brown eyes, Kayla Lyon was a favorite among the regulars at Nick’s Diner in Kirkland, Washington.  The out-of-the-way diner was a favorite with locals, and almost always busy.

Kayla grabbed the hot plate, taking it and a pitcher of water to table four.  James Reeves sat in the same chair he always did, gracing Kayla with the same smile he had been flashing her over the last few months.  Blond haired and blue eyed, James was handsome and available.

And Kayla wasn’t the least bit interested.

Hey, beautiful, James said by way of greeting, putting his cellphone down and giving her his undivided attention.  I see you’re working hard, as usual.

She smiled, doing her best not to slap him upside the head with his plate.

Are we doing this again, James? she asked lightly, trying to hide her irritation. 

Every day until I wear you down and you agree to give me a chance.

I told you already, she said, filling his water glass.  I don’t date customers and I don’t date men old enough to be my father.

He laughed, completely undeterred.

Don’t you think you’re exaggerating?  I’m only thirty-eight.  Hardly your father’s age.

I never met my father, she shot back, her tone still light despite his persistence. "But you’re sixteen years older than me.  It’s not that you’re old, it’s that I’m much too young.  I promise you, we have nothing in common."

He was opening his mouth to argue, but another customer looked up from his meal, a cue to Kayla that he needed something.  She assessed his needs as she picked up James’ straw wrapper from the table and shoved it into the pocket on her apron that she kept paper trash in. 

The man needed a refill and was probably ready for some more pancakes.  Endless pancakes were the bane of Kayla’s insistence, but Nick insisted on them, and the diner made a killing on people buying the platter that they came with.  She smiled at the ridiculousness of it all.  Kayla bought the same box of pancake mix from the store and she knew that the industrial sized box Nick kept on-hand was only five dollars.  It was a smart gimmick, and one that was quite popular with the breakfast crowd.

She refilled the man’s water.

More pancakes? she asked.

Just one, he said, indicating his full belly.

Of course, she said, flashing him a radiant smile.

You sure do make a morning easier to face, the man said, though without any of the creepiness of some of the other compliments that Kayla was often on the receiving end of.  Most of the customers managed to tell her she was beautiful or friendly or whatever they enjoyed about her without being patronizing.  For the most part, Kayla enjoyed the attention.  She worked long hours for less than most of their customers spent in a week on fancy coffees and eating out every day.

Their smiles and occasional flirting made her day go faster, and Kayla was thankful for the distraction they provided.  Spending forty or more hours on her feet each week was hard enough, but hating every minute would have made it downright intolerable.

The morning crowd gave way to the lunch crowd, followed closely by the early bird dinner crowd. 

Nick looked up at her, and Kayla knew immediately what he wanted.  She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the same conversation that they had pretty much once a week.

Sara called in sick.  Can you stay ‘til close?  I can’t afford to pay you overtime, but the tips are always good at night.

Don’t worry about it, she said, happy to make more money, but wondering how she was going to make it through another six hours until ten after working since six in the morning.

She took a short break while things were calm, and Nick hit the floor, making the rounds with the customers and making small talk while Kayla put her tired feet up and closed her eyes for just a moment.  She had fifteen minutes and all she could think of was how soft her bed was going to feel.

Her break ended too soon, the alarm on her prepaid phone letting her know that it was time to get back to it.  Only six more hours to go, and new faces were already piling into the diner, eager to have their stomachs filled and to indulge in a little friendly banter with other locals.

Her feet were killing her when she rushed back to the back, putting in orders and filling pitchers to refill drinks around the dining room.  Nick gave her a smile and a nod.

Doing good, he said, his go-to compliment. 

Kayla was his only full time employee, and he treated her well-enough.  He could be gruff at times, but he worked every day the diner was open and rarely closed the doors.  Since his wife had passed away, the diner was everything, and Kayla imagined that the older man was worn out sometimes.  But being home was lonely, and Nick Stanton hated being alone.

Kayla could understand being lonely.  Her own one bedroom apartment was silent when she finally got home each night, but Kayla was usually so exhausted that she ate a sandwich, took a shower and crashed.  There was no time to be lonely.  Kayla had dreams, and those dreams weren’t going to pay for themselves.

Chapter 2

Kayla walked hurriedly down the dark street, away from the nice townhomes that lined the streets, around the corner and two more blocks to her rundown apartment in the older part of town.  She jogged up the short, cement staircase and unlocked the door to the lobby. 

Her mailbox was full, as usual.  She dumped the sale papers in the recycle bin and took the stack of bills with her, sighing heavily at how many there were.

Another staircase led to the long hall.  Each step was torture on her sore feet, and she was glad that the next day was