Page 57 of Billionaire Romance

“It means that I stayed over last night to make sure that she was okay and that this party isn’t a sign of something, and she kicked me out this morning because she needed to prepare for the party.” She sounds frustrated.

“But the party isn’t until tomorrow night?”

“I know,” she says. “Which is concerning. If she needs more than a full day to prepare then this party is going to be bigger than I thought. She’s trying to make it huge.”

Shit. I hadn’t even realized that I voiced that sentiment until Bianca says, “Yeah.”

This is about me. It has to be. My mom thinks that I’m unhappy after what happened with Susan and everything else. She doesn’t seem to understand that I’m fine. That if it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen. But it’s going to happen at my own fucking speed. I’m comfortable enough to recognize that I’m stubborn, and people rushing me just makes me want to slow down even more.

Except for the fact that if I do things the way I want, my mother might spiral again. Think that I’m doing worse than I am and then we’ll all be in a world of trouble and pain. I can’t see my mom like that again. I can’t.

There are few things in life that are as shaking as seeing the vulnerability and mortality of your parents. And once you see it, it’s hard to ignore. “What am I supposed to do here?”

“I’m not sure. Just showing up with a date at all will go a long way to soothing her, I think,” Bianca says. “But also make sure that mom knows that you guys just met. Setting her expectations so that she doesn’t think that it’s more than it is.”

I sit down on the bed, scrub my free hand across my face. “I just don’t understand why she can’t let either of us have time. Accept that things happen naturally.”

“Things happened naturally with her,” she says. “And look how that turned out. I don’t really blame her for thinking that maybe the more aggressive approach is the way to go, even if she is misguided.” There’s a pause, and I can almost hear her thinking. “We’re all she really has left, Eric. She doesn’t want what happened to her to happen to us. For her, seeing us happy is the only goal that she has left since the rest of them are gone.”

“I hate it when you’re right,” I groan.

“That’s why I make a point of being right so often.” I roll my eyes and put the phone on speaker as I finish with my tie. Bianca continues in a different tone of voice. “So tell me how it went last night.”

My cock stiffens at just the thought of Sally. “It was fun,” I say, keeping my tone light. “She’ll do well at the party.”

Bianca snorts. “Okay. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine.”

“If I’m ever actually going to make it to the office, I need to go,” I say.

“Fine. I’ll probably still be here when you get here.”

“Maybe try using your own office,” I say.

“I’ll consider it.”

I hang up and grab the rest of my things, before leaving. Last night Sally and I didn’t make any concrete plans other than her accompanying me to the party. But I don’t think I can wait that long. Besides, I told her that I would take care of whatever she’s going to wear for the party. Just seeing her will help calm the overwhelming urge I’m feeling to ditch the office and find her now, convince her to play hooky with me while I take her to bed and show her just how good sex can be.

I pull into my reserved spot in the garage and pull out my phone.

Are you free today?

I don’t think I’ve ever watched a phone so closely, keeping the screen in the corner of my eye as I head inside. The text bubbles pop up right away.

I have a job interview at ten. But after that I am.

Perfect.

I want to see you, and we need to find you something to wear for the party.

You’re going to take me dress shopping?

I think you’ll find that I have remarkably good taste.

The elevator chimes and Jennifer looks up from her desk. She’s my assistant, but she’s stationed at the elevator so she can be an unstoppable force in front of those people—and there are more than you would think—who try to come and see me just because they feel like it.

“How bad is it?” I ask her.

“It’s been worse.”

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