The Billionaire's Jackpot: Betting on You Series: Book Four by Jeannette Winters Read Free Book Online Page B

was an amazingly strong woman, and seeing her like this was more a shock than just a surprise. Drew didn’t know why, but he couldn’t bring himself to do as she asked, not this time. Her words told him to leave, but her eyes, though tear-filled, begged him to stay. Sitting on the floor beside her, he put an arm around her, coaxing her to him. She instinctively turned and buried her face in his chest and sobbed even harder.
    “It’s okay.” He could feel the tension within her as she shook in his arms. You’re okay, I’m here. Gently he stroked her hair and back until the sobbing ceased. Only when she lifted her face did he break the silence.
    Normally he wouldn’t have even entered the room, knowing a woman was crying. Katherine wasn’t just any woman, and he not only willingly entered the room, but he truly wanted to console her, take her pain away. When did I start to care? Drew wasn’t able to pinpoint the exact moment, but something about her made him forget all his rules of engagement. Damn. He was about to become personally involved. Something he had been able to avoid most of his adult life. Is that why my dad had pulled away? So he didn’t have to deal with anything real?
    The first thing he needed to do was gather the required information, from there he was confident he would be able to provide a simple solution, and they could move on. Please don’t be crying because of something I said or did. Nothing came immediately to mind, but that didn’t mean anything. He wasn’t known for being the most sensitive guy. Maybe she got a call while I was out? It was possible she had received some devastating news. Was not knowing better than knowing? Whatever it was, he was certain she shouldn’t have to go through it alone. Opening this door was as good as saying he was going to be there for her. I hope I don’t regret this.
    “Tell me what happened? Why were you crying?”
    She pulled her T-shirt up to wipe her tear-streaked face. With a heavy sigh she replied, “Drew, you didn’t come all the way to California to hear my problems.”
    You’re right about that. “Does it matter why I came? I am here now and willing to listen.” He wanted to shut his mouth, but the words flowed out anyway. And the worst part? He meant them.
    Katherine lifted a framed picture so he could see what she’d been clutching. He took it from her and looked more closely, noticing it was her in her Marine dress uniform. Drew had never found a woman in uniform sexy, but this was his one and only exception. There was another woman in the picture in civilian clothes who appeared slightly younger.
    “This was taken when I received my nursing degree. That was my younger sister.”
    Was? He could only assume she had died, but looking at the picture again, the girl couldn’t be more than twenty-five. She offered him the opportunity to leave earlier. Was it too late to take her up on her offer?. Everything in Drew demanded him to focus. Think. This conversation was about to turn heavy. Get up, get out, and run like hell, Drew. “Tell me about her.” He wondered when his brain disengaged from his mouth. It seemed when he was with Katherine the words flowed without a filter. He was going to need to work on fixing that issue. Later.
    Katherine, staring off into the distance, let out a heavy sigh. Was he wrong for asking? It really wasn’t his business. Obviously it was extremely personal, and he knew he didn’t appreciate people asking him personal questions. Her expression wasn’t one of anger, more of utter sadness. If he was right in his assumption, and he normally was, there was good reason for her to feel this way. All he could do was be there for her now, not rush her. And then I’ll leave.
    Drew recalled the time after his friend Brad’s death five years ago that, no matter what else was going on around him, he’d felt as though he’d been in a vacant space—just him and his loss. Though Brad and he were as close as