Page 21 of Love your Billionaire Boss

He waved her off. “This is great.”

He flipped through the pages as Kenny leaned over and read with him. She liked them. They were nice and weirdly normal for having more money than they probably knew what to do with. Kenny was certainly a surprise, but a pleasant one. She was glad it was these two, and not any of the other players. Some of them gave her the creeps.

“Uh-oh,” said Nico suddenly.

“What?” asked Cleo worriedly.

“You have Kenny’s weakness on here.”

Cleo breathed a little sigh of relief and looked at Kenny curiously.

“Cowboy cookies.” He smiled sentimentally, and Cleo felt lucky just to witness it. “My mom used to make them.”

“Consider them on the menu.” She smiled.

They spend the next thirty minutes finalizing the menu. They settle on a three-tiered red velvet cake with cream cheese icing, cowboy cookies, sea salt chocolate chip cookies, strawberry mini cupcakes, and lemon tiramisu bites. It was the largest order she’d ever done, but she was up for the challenge.

She finished up writing the details in her notebook before closing it shut. Nico leaned back on the couch and put his hands behind his head. He looked to Cleo and then to Kenny with a little smirk.

“So, you never did tell me how this came about.”

Kenny shot Nico a look that Cleo pretended she didn’t see. He seemed flustered, and she fought back a smile.

“Well, I saw her the other day at the café and remembered she was a baker. Just worked out, I guess.”

Cleo was happy he didn’t tell the whole story of her being rejected by the owner. She gave him a look that said thank you. He nodded and gave her a small smile.

“I’ve been baking for as long as I can remember, but am now just dipping my toes into the business side of it,” said Cleo. “I hope to own my own bakery someday.”

“That’s really cool.” Kenny nodded, and Cleo could tell he was being genuine.

Nico checked his watch. “We gotta head to practice, man.” He stood from the couch and held out his hand. “Cleo, it’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”

She shook his hand. “Thank you for the opportunity.”

He looked at Kenny and smiled mischievously.

“Kenny, can you walk her out? I have to get my stuff ready.”

Nico walked off toward a long hallway. Cleo stood from the couch, gathering her things. She tried to calm her nerves, but being alone with Kenny made it almost impossible. He led her to the elevators and pressed the button. Suddenly, he turned to face her. She stopped in her tracks and looked up at him curiously.

“I should probably get your number. You know, for the party.” He slid a hand through his hair and Cleo momentarily wished she was doing the same.

“Oh, sure.” She recited her number and he typed it into his phone.

“I’ll send it to Nico,” he said as he slid his phone in his pocket.

She nodded as the elevator doors opened. She gave a little wave goodbye before sliding past him. It wasn’t until the elevator doors closed behind her that she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She felt hopeful, for the first time in a long time. Was it because of the job or who she just left?

Chapter 8

Kenny

Kenny shoved his duffel bag in the overhead compartment and plopped down in the seat next to Nico. They were heading to an away game on the West Coast. As the rest of the team passed him in the aisle to find their seats, he nodded. Then he pulled his hat over his eyes and leaned his head back against the headrest. He just wanted to get some sleep after staying up late last night. Since Justin was leaving for New York today, they stayed up having a few beers on the patio. Kenny didn’t fall asleep until around three a.m., and he thought he was being responsible by not going out to the bars with the rest of his team.

“You all right, man?” asked Nico as he flipped through the movies on the little TV set in the seat in front of him.

“Yeah. Just tired.”

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