When the microwave beeped, I pulled out our plates and handed one to Leah. She grabbed it and walked to the kitchen table where she had set out silverware and glasses while we were waiting. I sat down across from her, and we ate in silence. A few times it looked like she was getting ready to say something, but then thought about it and went back to focusing on her food. I said nothing.

"I'll clean up," she said taking the plates to the sink after we'd finished. I nodded and headed upstairs.

"Hey, Jack!" Riley called as I passed the open door to her room. "What's up, homeboy?"

"Where in the world did you get that?" I laughed as I stopped and peered at the girl sprawled out on her bed, doing homework, and listening to ancient CDs.

"I found a box under the bed that said, 'Do not open upon penalty of death,' so I opened it," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I figured anyone who could kill me over it was too old to care anymore."

"I do believe you're right," I said as Eminem rapped about losing himself in the moment, and I was thrown back to a time when the song resonated. "Other than the new music, how's everything going?"

"Not bad," she said as she sat up and held out the sheet she was working on. "Wanna check this to see if I got it right?"

"Sure," I took the paper, looked it over, and saw that she was doing algebra. I found a mistake and pointed it out. "Do you know why this is a mistake?"

"Oh, wait, it's first inside outside last …" she murmured as she looked at the problem and reworked it. "Is that right?"

"Yep, that's perfect!" I nodded.

"Thanks for checking," she said as she set the sheet down and looked at me seriously. "Have you told Leah that you love her yet?"

"What?" I choked. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh please," Riley said as she rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'm twelve, and even I can see it. You two are nuts about each other. I get it."

"What on earth …" I said as I looked at her, shocked that she was being so blunt, and a little scared that she was right.

"I'm just saying that you guys obviously like each other a whole lot," she continued, unaware of how she'd thrown me for a loop. "Just saying."

"I'm not sure Leah feels that way about me," I said cautiously. I didn't want to have a “he said—she said” conversation with Riley, but I did want to know if Leah had actually told her anything about how she felt. I wanted to kick myself as soon as the thought crossed my mind.

"Dunno," she shrugged. "Seems obvious to me, but I'm just a kid. What do I know?"

"All right, well, I'll take that into consideration," I said as I moved toward the door adding, "Good job on the math homework."

"Night, Jack," Riley said as she rolled back over and returned to her homework.

I closed the door and headed down the hall toward my mother's room. There was one more piece of the plan that I needed to put into place before I put everything into play, and my mother was the only person who could help me make it happen.

I just hoped she'd agree to the plan.

CHAPTER FORTY

Leah

I spent the night tossing and turning as I thought about what Jack and I had done in my new office. I wanted him more than ever, but I also knew that I was playing with fire. My job and my future were on the line if I continued down this path, and I couldn't afford to be another of Jack's discarded conquests.

However, there was something that struck me as different about him. He wasn't the self-centered jerk I'd thought him to be when he'd first returned to run Baby Steps. He'd done much to ensure that I had what I needed to run the warehouse effectively and efficiently, and he'd made sure to build me an office that would make it easier for me to do my job in the future.

And the way he touched me sent shivers down my spine.

I wanted to believe that there was the possibility of something more with Jack, but my common sense told me that to entertain that idea was to dance a little too close to the fire. Besides, I had a lot of things to deal with right now. Adding a romance with a man who seemed incapable of being romantic was more than I could handle. I needed to put this crush to rest and write it off as a brief moment of weakness.

But something nagged at me. What if I was wrong? What if there really was something between us? What if I wrote it off and missed out on something wonderful?

"Argh!" I cried as I flipped my pillow over and tried to find sleep. My mind raced as I sifted through my thoughts, and suddenly I remembered a moment with Molly.

She hadn't yet started drinking or taking drugs, and she'd been getting ready for a date with a boy she really liked. I sat watching as she applied her makeup and fixed her hair, and she'd told me all the secrets that high school girls seemed to magically know.

Tags: Claire Adams Billionaire Romance
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