Page 25 of The Billionaire and I

“Of course. I promise I won’t say anything about either of them,” I said. “I wouldn’t do that to you—you know that. But I have to say, for the hired help, you’re being very protective of her.”

“She needs my protection,” James said immediately. “She’s a sweet girl. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true.”

“It doesn’t sound ridiculous. But what are you going to do after this is all over?” He might not admit it, but it was clear James was into this girl.

He shrugged. “Probably nothing.”

“Thatsounds ridiculous,” I said. “And I’m only saying that because you’re my best friend.”

“Sometimes I think I need to protect her from myself,” James said.

I was about to tell him he sounded doubly ridiculous, but Jenny and Audrey came to the bar then, still happily chatting. James put his arm around Audrey and kissed the top of her head. I watched him, gobsmacked. I’d never seen him like this with a woman before.

“I didn’t know you owned part of the Rhode Island Thunder, Cole. Jenny just told me. That’s so cool,” Audrey said.

“We have box seats tonight,” Jenny squealed. I put my arm around her and squeezed her against me.

“We can have box seats whenever you want, princess,” I said, then kissed her on the nose. Jenny smiled at me happily, and my heart swelled again. We stayed like that, arms wrapped around each other as we chatted with James and Audrey.

Several times, I caught Audrey observing her friend. “Jenny, come to the bathroom with me,” she said after a while, grabbing her by the hand. She flashed a dimpled smile at us. “We’ll be back in a few, guys.”

“What’s that all about?” I asked, watching Audrey drag Jenny away.

“I think Jenny’s going to get a talking to,” James said.

I scratched the back of my neck. “About what?”

“Not getting her hopes up about the billionaire with the box seats,” James said.

“Huh,” I said as I watched them retreat.

Was Jenny getting her hopes up?

And if she was…was that really the worst thing?

CHAPTER 14

Jenny

“I just went pee,”I complained to Audrey. “I don’t really need to go again.”

“Fine. I just want to talk to you for a minute.” Audrey steered me past the ladies’ room down the hall to the empty coat check.

She looked around carefully, making sure that no one was nearby or could see us. “Jenny,” she said gently. “Cole hired you through AccommoDating, right?”

“Of course,” I said.

“He seems like a nice guy.”

“He’sawesome, Dre! We’ve been having so much fun.” I grinned and grabbed her hands. “Thank you for doing this for me. Elena’s so happy that James sent her a referral. I told her I was going to rock Cole’s world and make him a regular.”

“Okay,” she said. “I just want to make sure, though…” Audrey bit her lip.

“What?”

“That you don’t think he’s gonna buy you, or anything,” she said miserably. “The way you were looking at him out there?—”

“Aw, Dre, c’mon,” I said, laughing. “This isn’t my first date. You don’t think I have an actualcrushon Cole Bryson, do you?”

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