Her Billionaire Boss Read online

  “But why? Why don’t you feel the same way about me as I do you?”

  “I told you before; we’re different people. We want different things out of life.” I sighed and rubbed my forehead, then pulled my hand away when I remembered that I was wearing a face mask. “Dang it.”

  “How do you know you won’t change your mind again? You loved me once; maybe you’ll feel the same way again someday.”

  “I’m in love with someone else,” I told him, hearing the sadness in my voice.

  “You’re seeing someone?”

  “Yes. Well, no. But that doesn’t change how I feel.”

  Trevor nodded, his eyes glued to the floor. “Yeah, I can understand that.”

  His words hit home, and I felt my anger melt away. I guessed I understood where Trevor was coming from, in a way.

  “I’m sorry, Trevor.”

  “No, I’m sorry. I just thought that we were meant to be. Destined, ya’ know?”

  “We’re not.”

  “No, I guess not.” He turned and headed to the door. Placing his hand on the doorknob, he turned back around to look at me. “I’ll go home now, back to Clifton. Good luck with everything, Chels. I really do hope you find happiness here.”

  “Yeah, me too,” I said with a sad smile.

  Trevor left, and I rinsed off my face mask before walking back into the living room. As I settled down on the couch and ripped into my ding-dongs, I couldn’t help thinking that love was a complicated thing.

  Chapter 20

  Jay

  Once the shock of Chelsea’s departure wore off, I had to figure out my next move. When Kevin returned to my office in the afternoon, I sorted out a “help wanted” ad with him, even though I found it impossible to muster any enthusiasm for the task. It seemed impossible that someone could fill Chelsea’s shoes. Besides, I wanted her back.

  With that thought in mind, I made my way to my dad’s office toward the end of the day. His office was the largest in the building, of course. Not because he needed so much massive space but because he was the man in charge. It was a status thing.

  The layout of his space was different than mine, with his desk, an antique monstrosity that was made of ornately carved wood, located smack dab in the center of the room. It was the focal point, and for good reason. The thing was a work of art.

  He didn’t have chairs in front of his desk for visitors to sit at. Dad believed that it was rude to have a piece of furniture between yourself and your guests, so all of his interactions occurred near the fireplace in the corner. There was a collection of furniture in that area, including couches, tables, chairs, and even an ottoman.

  Of course, he also had a sideboard with a decanter of bourbon and several glasses. I could remember coming into the room in the evening when I was a little boy and seeing several men in suits sitting around a roaring fire and sipping bourbon while cigar smoke swirled in the air around them. After my similar activities the night before, the memory made me feel slightly sick to my stomach. At least my headache had cleared up.

  I knocked twice on the open door as I hovered in the doorway. Dad looked up, startled, but his face reflected his happiness when he saw me. I felt a twinge in my chest, wondering if I was about to disappoint him with my confession about dating Chelsea.

  I didn’t have much of a choice, though. I needed to know what she told him when she resigned.

  “Hello, Jay. I was just going over the initial financial report from the investment bank. This is looking good. I think going public is destined to succeed.”

  “That’s great, Dad,” I said. He must have recognized the look in my eyes and known something was on my mind because he looked mildly concerned.

  “What can I do for you, my boy?” Dad asked, standing and walking toward the stone fireplace. I followed and took a seat in the chair. Leaning forward, I rested my elbows on my knees and wove my fingers together.

  “I need to talk to you,” I started. “It’s about Chelsea.”

  “Ah, I see. You’re here to tell me that something happened between the two of you,” he said, taking his seat on the couch. He was lounging back, crossing his legs and raising one of his arms up along the back of the couch.

  “How you do know that?” I asked, startled.

  “I’m not blind. I’ve seen the way you look at her. And she’s subtler about it, but she looks at you too. It’s pretty cute,” he chuckled.

  “It doesn’t bother you?”

  “Well, it’s not the best idea you’ve ever had, but I like Chelsea, and I’m pretty fond of you as well,” he smiled at his little joke. “So, I figured I’d just keep an eye on you, and if I noticed it was affecting your work, I’d step in and do something about it.”

  “Wow. I can’t believe I was so worried about keeping it a secret. That caused so much stress, and now you’re telling me it was all for nothing?”

  “Did you guys have a falling out over it? Because I thought she was taking the job at Mobi Play so that you guys could be together without work getting in the way. It seemed like the kind of thing she’d come up with.”

  “It definitely is. But the problem is that we already had a big fallout and…honestly, Dad, I’m afraid that I ruined this.”

  “Say some things you can’t take back?” he asked, and I sighed.

  “That’s an understatement. I really screwed up. Heck, I didn’t even know she had found a job at Mobi Play. I just assumed that she resigned because of me.”

  “Well, that may have had something to do with it, but Chelsea also has a good head on her shoulders. She’s got plans.”

  “I’m well aware of that,” I replied wistfully.

  “The real question is: do you love her?”

  “What? Why do you ask that?”

  “Because if you do, you need to get out there and get her back.”

  I thought about his words for a moment. Did I love her? Wasn’t it too soon for that? Was I even capable of loving someone like that?

  The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I knew the answer. It came as such a surprise that I jolted in my seat.

  “Yes. I’m crazy about her.”

  “Then show her. Get her back and never let her go again.”

  “What if she won’t forgive me?” I asked, voicing my fear.

  “You never know until you try.”

  I nodded and looked out the window, deep in thought. The uncertainty I was feeling right now, combined with my realization of feelings, made me see that my problem with the relationship was never really about keeping it a secret or even jealousy that her ex was pursuing her. It was a fear of my own emotions. I had never felt this way about someone before, having never fallen for a woman like this.

  It made so much sense now. I wasn’t just upset that I had to hide that she was my girlfriend; it was upsetting that I didn’t want to. I wanted everyone to know about it and I couldn’t figure out why, so I lashed out. I had been upset to see her ex send her flowers because it felt like he was laying a claim on her, using the gift to show everyone that she was his, but she wasn’t. She was mine.

  “You know what? You’re absolutely right. I need to get her back. Thanks, Dad,” I said as I stood. I felt energized, armed with the knowledge that I loved Chelsea and I’d make this all up to her. “You said she’s working for Henry now. Right?” I asked, an idea forming in my head.

  “Yeah.”

  “Perfect.”

  I left dad’s office a few minutes later, opening my phone and pulling up Henry’s number. I was going to need a favor from the old man.

  Chapter 21

  Chelsea

  My first day at Mobi Play was going perfectly. I had already gotten to know people and even been invited out to lunch with two women from accounting. They had treated me to a meal at a Mexican restaurant down the street, filling me in on the hottest office gossip.

  “And Alice, the woman that you’re replacing, rumor has it that she quit because there’s a bun in the oven but
her husband’s been sleeping on the couch for the last two months, if you know what I mean,” Nancy told me. She was the older of the two women and a bit of a busybody. I had a feeling she was harmless, just enjoyed being the center of attention, even if she did have to use someone else’s personal stories to do it.

  “Be nice, Nancy,” Claire said, playfully shoving her friend’s shoulder. “You’ll scare the poor girl off with your gossiping.”

  “Okay, okay,” Nancy replied, spearing a bite of her salad on her fork and turning to me. “So, tell us, Chelsea, why did you choose to leave Production, Inc. for Mobi Play?”

  “I was stuck in an assistant job, and I wanted to be an executive. It’s as simple as that,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders. That was a bald-faced lie but I didn’t want to get into my relationship with Jay. If I could, I’d have liked to avoid jumping into the gossip mill with both feet on my very first day.

  “I heard you’re not from around here; is that right?” Nancy asked.

  “I get the feeling you hear a lot,” I said with a smile.

  “Guilty as charged,” she admitted. “But I just happen to overhear things. I get lucky, I guess.”

  “In that case, you’re right. I’m not from San Jose. I just moved here about six weeks ago.”

  “Have you had much of a chance to explore the city?” Claire asked.

  “Not really. I’ve mostly just worked. Besides, I don’t know very many people here.”

  “Well, you know us now. We’re taking you out this weekend.”

  “Really?” I asked excitedly.

  “Of course. Saturday night. We’ll go to the comedy club. It’s a blast.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  As we returned to the office after lunch, I couldn’t seem to stop myself from thinking of Jay. What if I met a man at the comedy club this weekend? What would I do?

  I wasn’t ready to date anyone else, that was for sure, but how would I explain that to the girls? How could I tell them that I was still in love with the boss that I never should’ve dated in the first place?

  When the doors of the elevator opened on the fourth floor, I stepped out with Nancy and Claire, but they immediately separated from me, heading to the accounting department while I walked forward to the executive’s offices.

  Mobi Play was quite different from Production, Inc. It was a smaller operation, with the entire building only being four stories tall. The top floor was for managers, executives, HR, and accounting. The third floor was where the magic happened. The games were researched and developed there.

  Customer service and sales took up the entire second floor. Basically, everyone down there talked on the phone. Many companies outsourced their customer service call centers, but we had everything contained in one building for efficiency and greater problem-solving.

  The first floor was mostly the lobby, except for a few small offices for security.

  The place wasn’t flashy like Production, Inc. either. It had a more basic layout, but it worked well. My office was small compared to Jay’s, as most were, but I had a window that gave me a great view of the city around me. The walls were white, and I had a desk with a big reclining office chair. I couldn’t wait to make the place my own.

  As I reached the office and pushed the door open, gripping my leftover enchiladas in one hand, I was confused by the sight that met my eyes. Jay was there, sitting in my chair and looking right at home. The sight of him caused my heart to skip a beat but I didn’t know if I was happy to see him or not.

  My desk was also gone.

  In its place, there was a large wooden desk, stained dark brown. As I watched, Jay stood behind this new desk, his arms spread out on each side of himself and a large grin on his face.

  “Well, what do you think?”

  “Uh…what are you doing here?”

  “I brought you a desk.”

  “Okay, but why? What was wrong with the one that I had?”

  “It was boring, and this one is handmade by yours truly.”

  I could hear the pride in his voice, so I stepped into the room to get a closer look at the thing.

  “You made this, for me?”

  “Of course. I started it a couple of weeks ago after you saved me from that horrifying blind date. I had intended it to replace your desk at Production, Inc., but then you up and left, so I had to bring it here instead.”

  Guilt filled me as I looked at the beautiful gift Jay had brought. I had just disappeared on him, and he tracked me down for this. I was touched. I also needed to know where we stood because seeing him here like this was making my mind draw some dangerously hopeful conclusions.

  “About my leaving—”

  “No, no need to explain. I drove you away, and I get that. It’s all my fault, but I need you to know that I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking, acting like that.”

  “Well, you were under a lot of stress,” I said, not even sure why I was making excuses for him.

  “Maybe, but that’s no excuse. No amount of stress makes it okay to treat someone you love poorly.”

  I inhaled sharply, filled with shock. My throat constricted, and I looked into his eyes, silently begging for confirmation that he had just said what I thought he said.

  “Love?” I asked, my voice a strangled sort of whisper.

  “Yes, absolutely. That’s what I’ve realized, I love you, Chelsea. I’m in love with you.”

  This felt like a dream, but the moment was so perfect that it wasn’t something my mind could even make up. It was all very real, and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.

  “I love you, too,” I told him sincerely, feeling my nose tingle just before tears welled in my eyes.

  Jay let out a whoop of laughter and threw his arms around me, lifting me off my feet and spinning me around in a circle as I tossed my head back in laughter. Once my feet made contact with the ground again, he swooped in and connected our lips in the most passionate kiss yet, making my head spin. When we pulled away a minute later, I could sense eyes on us. Turning to the open doorway, I saw Nancy standing there with her jaw dropped and paperwork in her hand for me to sign.

  It turned out she really did have a knack for finding things out, even when she wasn’t trying. But I didn’t care. We no longer worked together, so we could make a real go of this relationship thing. We could shout it from the rooftops if we wanted.

  Jay Keller was mine.

  Epilogue

  Jay

  It was crazy to think about how much life had changed in a relatively short amount of time. A year ago, I was finishing up college, partying like a wild animal, and thought I was king of the world.

  Then I had met Chelsea and become a man. Falling in love with her had been easy, I couldn’t have stopped it even if I had tried. But turning myself into a man that was worthy of her love…now, that was a challenge. It had been six months since I had almost lost her over my petty fears and insecurities, and I had resolved not to take her for granted again.

  I was amazingly happy with her. She brought me joy and kept me in line. I needed both.

  Between my relationship with her and the successful IPO at Production, Inc., it seemed that everything was coming up roses for me. Which made this the perfect time to take a chance. Tonight I was going to put it all on the line. I couldn’t wait.

  Waiting nervously, I was standing in the open on top of the roof of Production, Inc. The moon was bright, and the sky was clear, meaning that there was a blanket of stars above my head. I couldn’t have asked for better weather and it made my goal feel that much more ordained. A part of me felt that my whole life had been leading to this.

  I was standing with my back to the door, thinking that it would look desperately suspicious if I were staring at it. Instead, I kept my eyes trained on the dark outline of Mount Hamilton. My hands were in my pockets, and I fiddled with the small object in there, turning it between my fingers once, twice, three times.

  The sound of the metal door openi
ng behind me was a welcome one, and I was wearing a wide smile as I turned around and saw her there. Chelsea’s eyes scanned our surroundings, landing on the table in the center of the rooftop.

  I had set up a small round table with a white tablecloth and long candles in the middle. There was an ice bucket with her favorite sweet red wine and domed metal covers over the food on our plates. I was going for over-the-top romantic, and I was pretty sure I’d knocked it out of the park.

  “Wow, Jay, what is this?”

  “I thought you could use some special treatment,” I said, approaching the table and pulling a chair out for her.

  “Well, I’ll never say no to that,” she quipped, taking a seat. I pushed her chair in, taking advantage of our positioning to place a quick peck on her cheek.

  As I sat down across from her, I reached over and grabbed the wine. I poured each of us a glass before removing the covers from our plates.

  “Chicken alfredo, yes!” she said enthusiastically, drawing a chuckle out of me.

  “I know what your favorite foods are by now,” I told her as she lifted her fork and dug in. She let out a moan, and I knew I had done good.

  “So, how was work today?”

  “Great. The newest reports show that Mobi Play is the leading maker of mobile gaming apps. We’ve even surpassed Whitewall Gaming.” I felt pride fill my chest. She was so good at her job.

  “Congratulations, Chels. You’re killing it over there.”

  “Well, it’s not all me…” she trailed off, her cheeks turning pink.

  “Don’t be silly. They’d be lost without you. And they aren’t the only ones.”

  “You mean you?” she asked with a raised eyebrow and cute little half-smile on her face.

  “You know I do. In fact,” I slid my hand into my pocket as I left my chair to kneel down on the rooftop beside the table. Chelsea let out a gasp, and her big brown eyes widened. “I’d be so lost without you that I have to ask you a very important question.”