Page 15 of Billionaire Daddies Next Door

I’d almost reached my office when I heard footsteps behind me. They were too heavy for the girls and too light to be Mabelle, so I braced myself for battle and turned around in time to see Joanie lifting her eyes from my ass. It was almost enough to soothe some of my jagged edges.

“Hey.” She wrapped her arms around her waist and looked up at me. “I saw you leaving and wanted to catch you before you got away.”

I braced my hands on my hips. “Okay.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Are you okay?”

Nope. I growled under my breath and rubbed at my jaw. “What did you want, Joanie?”

She licked her lips and stared at a space just over my right shoulder. “I wanted to apologize for walking in on you. The girls seem to love pranking me.”

I shrugged. “We’re both adults. I saw you and now you’ve seen me. We’re even.”

Pink tinged her cheeks. “Great. We’re even.”

I watched as she spun around and stomped away from me. The way her ass swayed made me want to drop to my knees and beg her to come back. That was just another reason for me to stay away.

CHAPTER 12

Joanie

Two mornings later, the diner was packed with soldiers from the training facility. Charlie and Aaron were in the kitchen, slinging out food at impressive speeds. I’d managed to get Angie to show up after threatening to fire her if she missed again without at least a call. Even with Angie on the floor, I’d thrown on a uniform and gotten busy waiting on tables.

Of course, Chase, Smith, and Bear had joined the crowd and taken over a table in the middle of everything so I couldn’t avoid them while taking care of my tables. My mood toward them was worse than ever. I could hear them talking about expanding when I walked by and I felt like screaming. After the awkward way Bear had spoken to me at his house, I had no desire to talk to any of them. Yet, there they were, right in the middle of the diner.

We’d just gotten food to most of the tables so there was a lull in the chaos. I stopped at the counter next to Angie and sighed when I saw her staring at the table I wanted to kick out. “I don’t know what everyone sees.”

She snorted and didn’t bother tearing her eyes away from Bear. Or maybe she was staring at Smith, or Chase. I wasn’t sure. “If you don’t see how fine those men are, you’re either blind or in denial.”

I crossed my arms under my chest. “Or maybe I’m just not lured in by a few muscles and cocky attitudes.”

Smith looked over his shoulder at me at that exact moment and the smile he flashed me was a panty-melter. When he hooked his finger at me, telling me to come over, I swore at my own panties for reacting.

“Oh, god. I think I just orgasmed.”

I glared at Angie. “Aren’t you getting married soon?”

She snorted. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m dead.”

I pushed away from the counter and stalked over to the guys I wanted to banish from my reality. “What?”

Smith laughed easily. “You’re all smiles with everyone else, Joanie. Should I be offended you can’t find a single smile for us?”

“Yes.” I uncrossed my arms and glanced around. My four-top of younger soldiers were already finishing up their breakfast. I’d need to take care of them so Smith had less than thirty seconds to talk to me.

“We were talking about the idea of expanding again.” Chase’s voice was hesitant, like he knew he was walking through a field of landmines.

I narrowed my gaze on him and balled my hands into fists. “You’re wasting your breath.”

“Actually, we think—”

“I’ve got work to do.” I walked away from them, my anger boiling close to the surface. Still, when I reached the four-top, I forced a smile. “You boys good? Can I get you anything else?”

The braver of the four flashed me a smirk and leaned towards me. “Your number?”

My smile was genuine as I laughed and shook my head. “You’re cute but I still expect you to pay the whole bill.”

He stood up and pulled out his wallet. “I’m serious, ma’am. You’re beautiful. I come in here once a week and you never look any less appealing.”

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