Rock Star Billionaire

"But what?"

"But, you know, when you're with me you're really just…" she hesitated and then in a small voice said, "slumming it."

"What the hell?" I blurted. "Who told you that?"

"Sloan," she admitted. "She pointed out that you and I come from very different places, and that to think this was some kind of Cinderella story would be a mistake. We're just too different."

"Leah, listen to me," I said as I slipped my fingers under her chin and lifted her face so that she was looking at me again. "If tonight has taught you anything about me, you should know that Sloan Morgan knows nothing about who I am or what I value. I value you. Both as an employee and a woman, and I want to learn more about you."

Leah shook her head sadly as the tears dripped down her cheeks.

"What? You don't want to get to know me?" I asked feeling my chest tighten as I spoke the words. It hadn't occurred to me that Leah might not want more.

"No, I do, but I just don't see how this could possibly work, Jack," she said sadly. "We can't work together and try to date each other. It'll be too complicated and way too messy, and I don't want the business to suffer."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we can work together, but we can't be anything more than co-workers," she said as she got up from the table and walked toward the stairs. "I'm going to try to find Riley and me a place to live, so we should be out of your way by next week."

"But you're not at all in my way," I thought as I watched her go.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Leah

The next few weeks were a period of adjustment as I settled into my new role as Senior Executive VP. The guys in the warehouse cheered for me and then took me out for drinks after work. They realized that I was going to have a lot more responsibility, and they all signed on to contribute whatever they could to make the whole thing work. Of course, I'd petitioned for and gotten raises for all of them, so the celebration was really for all of us.

The following months were easier as we all settled into a routine. Every day I came in to work and met with Jack. These meetings were difficult at first because I ached to tell him I was sorry and throw myself into his arms, but each night I reminded myself that it was important that I maintain a level of professionalism that would allow me to be taken seriously. Being Jack's girlfriend would never allow me that. I still wanted him with every fiber of my being, but as we worked together, I began to appreciate him in other ways.

Riley and I moved into a nice apartment in Brooklyn near the office, and Betty helped me find a good school for Riley so that she wouldn't be isolated from kids her own age. It was a bit of an adjustment for her after spending all of her time with adults and having a tutor focused on her individual learning. But slowly she began to find her way in the new school. Soon she was hanging out with kids her age as she worked to keep up with her lessons.

We visited Betty regularly. Riley would often hop a cab after school and meet the tutor for individual sessions, and then stay for dinner afterwards.

"Mother likes it when Riley drops by," Jack said after we'd finished discussing the third quarter plan and how we were going to expand the shipping department by hiring more workers to take over the tasks. "I think she's been lonely since you two moved out."

"I thought she was getting ready to do some traveling," I said, surprised that he'd brought her up.

"She is, but I think she really enjoyed having you and Riley around," he said. "Kind of like the daughters she never had, but desperately wanted."

"We can drop by more often if you think that would make her happy," I said. Betty had been so kind to us, and truth be told, I missed her, too. I liked the new apartment, but it wasn't the same as padding around the mansion. Somehow the apartment seemed lonelier.

"I think she'd like it if you moved back in," he laughed as he gathered up the reports we'd been working on and stuffed them into a folder. He looked even more handsome now that he'd relaxed his work wardrobe and wore more casual clothing than the designer suits he'd started out in.

"I think Riley would like that, too," I said laughing with him as I stood and got ready to go back to my office.

"And how about you?" he asked. The question caught me off guard, and I hesitated as I tried to think about how to answer it.

"I miss having all of my meals cooked and my laundry done for me," I laughed, trying to downplay the fact that living in the apartment was lonely. I'd spent my life taking care of my family, so I hadn't developed any close friendships. Now with Patrick in the church and Mama in a retirement home, I only had Riley to look after. She was growing more independent by the day.

"We miss having you in the house," Jack said, and then more quietly, "I miss you."

"Jack …" I said.

"I know, I know," he held up his hand to stop me. "If we're going to work together, it has to stay platonic. I know that."

"No, I was going to say that I miss you, too," I said as I looked into his warm eyes and held his gaze.

"Leah, why are we doing this?" he asked.