Mr. Handsome: A Billionaire Romance (5 page)

I called in and begged Jennie to deliver the news that I was sick and couldn’t make it in to work, she begged me not to make her have to tell Kristi or Marissa, so we begged another assistant, who we both owed lunch for the next week.

“Well, Marissa knows, hey wait, how are you calling us right now? Your work phone is here.” I sighed and explained to Jennie that my neighbor was kind enough to let me use his. I also owed him dinner, which I was
not
looking forward to. The guy was kind of a hermit, and not in an okay way either. He looked like he lived on the streets. I was planning to dodge that date until I was on my death bed.

“Oh, well, maybe if you’re up for it, you should buy a phone. Marissa actually wasn’t too upset about you being out sick. She’s given you a bonus and the money should be in your account by now.” I was stunned speechless. She was actually serious about giving me a bonus? Well, dang.

“Wow…she mentioned it yesterday, but I didn’t…I didn’t realize she was actually
serious
,” I said incredulously.

Jennie laughed and wished for me to get better soon before ending the call. I went to give my neighbor his phone back and he actually gave me a weird, nervous smile as I was returning it. Thank goodness he was too nervous to have a conversation and soon I was back in bed. I tossed and turned, mostly from a slight fever and a bad sinus headache.

I needed medicine to help with the symptoms so that I’d be able to beat the cold sooner. But that meant getting out of bed. I sighed heavily, which turned into a coughing fit and then rolled out of bed to change into jeans and a sweatshirt. Yes, it was still technically summer, but I was shivering from fever.

I remembered to drop Jeffrey’s jacket off at the cleaners before I went to pick up some medicine and soup. When I got back home, I drank the broth and took some Motrin and NyQuil to take care of the fever and help me to sleep.

* * *

Thankfully, the cold was only a two-day visitor and I was feeling much better. I was actually a little bittersweet about it because that meant I had to get back to work. Just as I was heading out to my car, I spotted a fancy Audi SUV that was uncharacteristic for my neighborhood, parked right behind my car. I simply glanced at it and then went about my business, because this neighborhood was relatively safe. I hoped that no drug dealers moved nearby.

“Is that my dry cleaning?” his smoky voice came out of nowhere and almost made my heart leap from my chest. I quickly turned around and my eyes widened. Jeffrey Bates was standing on the sidewalk, right there in front of me. I glanced down at the dry cleaner’s bag I held that contained his jacket. I simply nodded and handed it to him.

“Um…uh—what are you doing…here?” I asked, very confused as to his presence. It was still early and my mind hadn’t fully woken up yet, the processing department was lights out. Jeffrey looked amazing for six in the morning. He wore a perfectly tailored, blue pinstriped suit and his hair looked silky smooth and was pushed back out of his face. His green hazel eyes were as intense as ever and completely focused on me.

“I came to see you, actually. Why don’t you have a cell phone?”

My mind was thrown back into error mode. I just couldn’t process this. He came to
see me
?

“I broke mine a long time ago and never got around to getting a new one,” I explained automatically.

“You know, that could be a big factor as to why you’re having a hard time finding a marketing job,” Jeffrey pointed out.

I shrugged.

“I was able to get the job with Marissa Fiore easily enough without one,” I replied a bit defensively. I
did
have a computer and people more often used e-mail and Skype. Jeffrey raised his hands in surrender.

“You’re right, I was just pointing out a crucial point, is all…this isn’t going how I planned it. I’m sorry, I came to ask you if you were going to be busy tonight?” he asked me almost tentatively.

Why on Earth was he asking about my schedule?

“I um…I have to wake up early in the mornings for work, and I’m still getting over a cold, so I’ll most likely be asleep,” I said slowly.

“You work on Saturdays?” Jeffrey asked, seeming shocked. I nodded regretfully.

“Yeah, it sucks, but working weekends is overtime and I need all that I can get,”  I said without thinking.
Why did I have such an urge to just speak so freely around him?
I bit my lip to try and keep my mouth shut.

“Well, how about tomorrow night then?” he asked, this time hopeful.

“Why are you asking me if I’ll be free?”

Jeffrey gave me a look as if to say that it should have been obvious.

“Because I wanted to take you on a date. You ran away from me at the shoot before I could ask you,” he said, almost seeming to be a bit nervous.

I tilted my head at him questioningly.

“You want to…date me?”

Jeffrey’s slightly anxious look turned earnest.

“Of course I do. I…I’m very attracted to you…” he said in all seriousness, his gaze locked on mine.

“I’m not the kind of girl you usually
date
. In fact, I hardly think I’m your type, Jeffrey,” I said, being bluntly honest. I opened my car door and made to get in so I could head to work.  If he held me up outside any longer, I would be late. I didn’t want to take the rest of the week off if I didn’t have to.

“No, no, that didn’t come out right. I meant…I like you and I want to see you again, I want to go on a date with you.” Jeffrey floundered a bit and held my car door open so I was forced to either tell him to leave me alone or accept his offer for a date. I’d be an idiot if I turned him down, but really…he was
way
out of my league.

“Don’t doubt yourself. I really do like you. I mean it’s been two days and I still tracked you down to ask you out. That has to stand for something,” Jeffrey pointed out.

I sighed and then gave in, almost reluctantly.

“Fine, fine. I’ll go out with you Saturday night, then.”

Jeffrey smiled crookedly and stole some of my breath away. He was just a beautiful, beautiful man.

“I’ll pick you up around seven thirty, then…and Christina…?” I looked up at him expectantly.

“Please get a cell phone, it’s unsafe not to have one,” he said.

I sighed, I keep meaning to get one, but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.

“Okay, I’ll get a cell phone after work,” I assured him halfheartedly. Knowing me, I would much rather go straight home after work and pass out on the bed.

“Good, here’s my number so you can put it in your phone and call me when you get it,” Jeffrey placed his card in my hand and then winked at me before walking confidently towards his car. “Oh, and I’ll just show up if I don’t hear from you by the end of the day tomorrow,” he warned, before he got into his car and pulled away.

As his car passed me I could see into the front seat and found that he even had a driver. Yeah, Jeffrey Bates was
way
out of my league. I sighed and then tucked his card into my purse before heading off to work. During the entire ride to work, I couldn't figure out just how this date was going to turn out and I was considering backing out of it altogether.

I at least arrived to work on time, thanks to light traffic, miraculously, and Jennie was surprised to see me in so soon. Her big blue doe eyes widened with pleasant surprise and her exotic Hispanic features conveyed relief.

“You came back early, thank
God
,” she said. She even hopped down from her perch behind the reception desk to give me a hug. “Marissa has been in a mood ever since you got sick. Whenever she needed you for something and you weren’t there, she’d yell and be like, ‘where’s my Target girl!’” We both laughed and I shook my head. Of course Marissa would say that.

“Oh! Oh, Christina! You’re well, you’re back, thank
God
!” Kristi came hurrying out of her office and hugged me, too. Well, has it been that bad without me there? “You know you’re Marissa’s favorite, you’re not allowed to get sick and stay home anymore. It’s for reasons of everyone’s mental health!” We all laughed and then froze as Marissa walked gracefully out of her office in a long flowing summer dress.

“Christina, you’re back. It’s nice to see you are well enough to work again. I’d like my coffee and bagel please,” was all she said, even though she must have heard us laughing about her. I told everyone I’d be back with their coffee and bagels and headed out to get breakfast.

While in line at the bagel shop, waiting for my regular order to be made, I spotted Jeffrey Bates at the end of the line. Two women in front of him were going gaga and obviously trying to get in his pants. They were way into his personal space and touching his arms and chest. I didn’t know how I felt about that.

Then I saw him smiling at them and his hands went a bit low on their waists to take a selfie with them. He was obviously enjoying their attention and had completely forgotten that he ‘liked’ me, apparently, and we were supposed to be going on a date.

My chest felt hot with embarrassment and I quickly turned around so he wouldn’t see me. If he’d rather have fun with two random chicks then, by all means, I definitely wasn’t going to date him. It was already proving volatile to my self-esteem.

“Christina!” Jeffrey called out to me and I closed my eyes briefly in slight dread. I did not want to face him, especially not after what I just saw. “Christina, hey I didn’t know you came to this bagel shop.”  Jeffrey touched the small of my back and I sidestepped his hand so that it fell to his side.

“I come here every morning, to get breakfast for Marissa and the office,” I explained, again giving him more information than I wanted him to know. I was a bit short with Jeffrey and he picked up on that, as his intense gaze studied me, his head slightly tilted to the side.

“You’re not bailing on our date are you?” he asked seriously and I simply shrugged. Why’d he have to be so damn perceptive?

“I really don’t think…” I trailed off when Jeffrey started shaking his head at me.

“You saw me in line with those girls, they just wanted a picture. They were just fans of my modeling. Honestly, Christina, I want to go on a date with you,” Jeffrey said clearly and concisely. I took a deep breath, why was he still trying at this point? Didn’t he see how difficult I was being? Didn’t guys usually like confident girls?

Not shy ones with low self-esteem? My order was called out and I went up to the counter to retrieve it.  Jeffrey followed closely behind me as I maneuvered through the packed bagel shop. I could feel his brush against my back every so often and it sent little thrills through me. Honestly, when was the last time I’ve even touched a guy?

“So I’m seeing you tomorrow, and don’t forget about buying that phone.” Jeffrey walked me to my car and then bent down to kiss me on the cheek. His soft lips felt branded on my skin even after he straightened. I nodded shyly and then carefully got everything in my car because I felt completely off balance around Jeffrey and Marissa would kill me and demote me to K-Mart girl if I was late with her breakfast.

I got into the car without a word to Jeffrey, and my heart was kind of racing in my chest from the effect of his kiss. He watched me drive away and I had to take three deep breaths to center myself. I could still smell the delicious fresh water scent of his cologne.

When I got back to work, I delivered breakfast and was surprised throughout the day that Marissa simply shared Kristi’s work load with me instead of also piling on grunt work. I didn’t have to clean out the coffee machine, I didn’t have to change out the water cooler, I didn’t have to get and deliver anyone’s mail or messages, other than Kristi’s, of course. Most importantly, I didn’t have to clean the bathroom,
nor
did I have to get everyone’s lunch.