Page 61 of The Billionaire Boss and the Barista

As one, both she and Kyle turned to look at Bethany.

“Hey, I wouldn’t do that!” the other woman snapped.

She shook a sponge at Kyle’s skepticism. “Iwouldn’t. First off, I didn’t know that moving somewhere nicer was a crime—which just figures, doesn’t it? It’s all about the one percent keeping their boot on the neck of the ninety-nine. And with Emma having to drop shifts, Iknowfor a fact she makes less than I do.”

Bethany twisted to face her. “Unless the rich dude has decided to pay you for your services? Have you started hitting that yet?”

Emma’s shift hadn’t started yet, but she was already exhausted. And a little grossed out.

She was honest enough to admit that her relationship with Garrett had more than its share of sexual tension. But it wasn’t sordid. “I’m not sleeping with him.”

Bethany was visibly disappointed. “Why not? It’s been over a month!”

Kyle made a choking noise in his throat, but it wasn’t laughter.

“I know you’re not going to like hearing this, but I think you should tell Garrett right away,” he said. “There’s got to be something he can do.”

Emma rubbed her temple, trying to stave off a possible headache. “He’ll just offer to pay for everything. I don’t want to owe him any more than I already do.”

Bethany pulled off her apron. “Of course you should let him pay. He’ll bend over backward to do it, you know after he bends you over,” she added, thrusting her hips suggestively.

“Bethany.” That was all she managed before the other barista threw her apron on the floor, her face reddening around her piercings.

“I can’t believe how fucking stupid you’re being! You have a gorgeous billionaire at your beck and booty call, but you don’t even entertain the idea of letting him help you. Because poor brain-damaged Emma keeps trying to prove she doesn’t have braindamage. But you do! So take the fucking help! And once you do, give the desperate fucker the reward he’s obviously waiting for—a good long fuck. Maybe if he pounds you hard enough, he’ll shake some sense out of whatever functioning brain cells you have left!”

She stalked out the door, slamming it behind her.

Kyle winced. After a long minute of silence, he shrugged. “Her shift was over anyway,” he said in a quiet voice.

Emma closed her eyes. Then she took a deep breath and stood, picking up Bethany’s apron and hanging it on the hook next to the door.

“I will tell Garrett about the investigator.”

She didn’t have a choice. Folsom would contact him next, wouldn’t he? But she doubted Garrett could get her health insurance reinstated right away. This was state bureaucracy. No, he’d just throw money at the problem.

Did billionaires pay for their health expenses out of pocket?

No, Garrett likely had the Ferrari of health insurance. Paying out of pocket would be like burning money for no reason.

Except hewoulddo that for her.

The idea made her stomach twist up in a huge knot. Garrett was already doing so much for her by letting her live with him.

“I’m sure he’ll find a solution,” Kyle said, his hero worship front and center. “I know Hector told him he couldn’t bump you to a better plan through work, but circumstances have changed now.”

Huh?She blinked up at Kyle’s pale shiny face. “When did they speak about my health plan?”

“It was right after the garage thing. The day after he found out about your accident.”

“I gathered, but why would Hector talk to him about that?”

Didn’t discussing her paperwork together constitute some sort of privacy violation?

That didn’t make sense. Her boss had never met a rule or guideline he didn’t love. It was practically his religion.

“I know he owns the building, but Hector shouldn’t be discussing my insurance with him.”

Kyle scratched the back of his head, the paleness disappearing under a tide of red. “Uh, well, it makes sense in light of…”

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