Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 139

Chapter 139

The smell of grilled meat in my parents’ backyard took me straight back to childhood-those Sundays that were practically sacred, filled with family chatter and my dad’s famous barbecue. Today was no different, except now Christian was sitting in one of those old plastic chairs by the grill, listening intently to my dad’s stories.

It was almost funny seeing him there-this man who usually moved through black-tie events and five-star restaurants-so completely at ease in our modest backyard. Polo shirt, jeans, a beer in hand. He looked like he’d been born for it. My dad had insisted Christian stay close to the grill to “supervise,” which, of course, meant being bombarded with anecdotes and unsolicited advice about seasoning.

“Zoey,” my mom called from the kitchen doorway, carrying a tray of salads, “your pregnant-lady food is ready. And before you ask, yes, I washed everything three times.”

I smiled, taking the tray from her. Ever since we’d told my parents about the pregnancy, my mom had somehow managed to become even more protective than usual-something I didn’t think was possible.

“Christian,” I called, walking toward the grill, “come have some salad.

“Zoey, the man’s on barbecue duty,” my dad protested, flipping a cut of picanha. “Can’t abandon his post now.”

“Roberto,” my mom scolded, “let the poor boy eat properly. He’s still recovering from an accident.”

Christian stood and brushed his hands off before leaning in to kiss my cheek and taking the plate I offered.

“Actually, I’m really enjoying learning your dad’s barbecue secrets,” he said, earning a proud grin from my father. “But Zoey’s right, I need to eat well if I’m going to take care of her and the baby.”

My heart swelled at how naturally he said it-our baby. Ever since the ultrasound, he’d been even more attentive, if that was even possible.

“Go easy on the meat,” I warned when he came back a few minutes later, pláte already empty. “Remember what the doctor said about moderation.”

“Zoey,” Annabelle said, appearing beside me with a laugh, “you’re gonna starve the poor man. He’s huge, he needs protein.”

“Thank you, Annie,” Christian said with a grin. “Finally, someone with common sense.”

“The problem isn’t the meat,” I said, smiling despite myself. “It’s the fat.”

“The fat’s the best part,” Matthew chimed in, snatching an especially juicy piece from the grill. “You can’t waste it. That’s a crime against barbecue.”

The afternoon slipped by in easy laughter and overlapping conversations, that familiar feeling of home wrapping around me. Christian fit right in, helping my mom carry dishes in from the kitchen and trading jokes with my dad like they’d known each other for years.

“Come with me,” Annie whispered after lunch, once the guys had drifted into a heated debate about soccer and Mom was cleaning up the plates.

I followed her into what used to be our shared bedroom. It was hers now, but traces of our teenage years still lingered-the photos on the wall, the dresser we’d painted pink when I was sixteen.

“I’ve missed this room,” I admitted, sitting down on my old bed.

“Me too,” Annie said, flopping onto hers. “Especially now that you’re all rich and fancy, living in mansions around the world.”

“It’s not exactly like that,” I laughed, leaning back on my elbows. “By the way, why didn’t you invite Marcus today?”

Annie’s expression shifted slightly, her smile faltering.

“I didn’t want to bring Marcus into the family stuff yet,” she said, trying to sound casual.

“What do you mean? I thought you two were good.”

“We were. I don’t know if we still are.” She sighed. “Honestly, ever since you got pregnant, I’ve been thinking about… finding my own gigolo.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, catching the playful reference to how Christian and I had met.

“Oh, I definitely am,” she said, dodging it and bursting into laughter. “And you won’t be able to stop me, because

I’ll be the favorite aunt.”

“Well, you’ll have competition once Gwen hears about the pregnancy.”

“Yeah, but I’ll be the Verdanian aunt who actually lives here,” Annie countered with a grin. “Gwen can be the classy one. I’ll be the troublemaker.”

We both laughed, and just like that, the heaviness between us lifted. Still, I knew Annie was thinking deeply about what she’d said. Even though she hid behind her humor, I could see this was really bothering her.

“You know what I think?” I said finally. “I think you’ll meet someone amazing when you least expect it. And when it happens, you’ll understand why all the others didn’t work out.”

“My wise older sister,” Annie said, smiling for real this time. “Talking like she’s got a PhD in relationships.”

“Hey, I survived Alex and Elise, and still managed to end up with an amazing husband,” I said, teasing. “That’s gotta earn me some credibility.”

“Fair point,” Annie said, getting up and offering me her hand. “Now come on, before Christian thinks I ran away with you.”

We walked back together and found Christian helping Dad put out the grill while Matthew and Mom were finishing up in the kitchen. The whole scene was so ordinary, so warm, it almost didn’t feel real. For a moment, it was like the world had paused-no investigations, no threats, no ghosts from the past. Just family.

“Ready to go?” Christian asked when he saw me, wiping his hands on a dish towel.

“Almost,” I said, letting my gaze drift over the cozy chaos around me.

It felt good to be there, surrounded by people who loved us no matter how many zeros were in my husband’s bank account. It was a reminder of who I was before everything went crazy-and that no matter what came next, I’d always have this place to come back to.