Page 21 of A Baby For Her Billionaire BFF

“Oliver insists on providing the best for his staff,” Jenna responds with a hint of pride in her voice. She points out the state-of-the-art computer system, the phone already set up with my extension, and the shelves lined with legal reference books. “If you need anything else, just let us know.”

“Actually, this is perfect,” I say, still taking in the sight of my new professional haven. I’m about to ask Jenna about my first assignment when a soft knock interrupts us.

“Mind if I come in?” Oliver’s voice precedes him, and there he stands in the doorway, every bit the successful CEO in his crisp suit and confident stance. His eyes meet mine, and for a moment, the years fall away.

“Hi, Oliver,” I greet him, surprised at how casually his name rolls off my tongue after all this time.

“Hello, Nora. Welcome to the team.” He steps into the office, his gaze sweeping the space before settling back on me. “I hope everything is to your liking?”

“Absolutely,” I say, and I mean it.

“Good.” He nods, his business demeanor firmly in place.

His lips curve into a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, and it strikes me then — the amount of responsibility he carries on his shoulders. “I trust you’ll settle in quickly. There’s a short stack of contracts on your desk waiting for your expertise. We have our first one-on-one meeting tomorrow morning.”

We?

I assumed my job as a lawyer here would be well removed from Oliver’s position as CEO.

“I’m sorry.” I clear my throat. “We’ll be working together?”

“Of course.” He nods once. “I need someone to go over papers as soon as I receive them.”

“We do a lot in person here,” Jenna inserts. “It saves a lot of time compared to emailing and waiting for others’ responses.”

“Makes sense.” My voice cracks a little bit. I’m already nervous thinking about how it will feel to work that intimately with Oliver.

“Great.” Oliver pauses at the door. “I’ll leave you to get settled in and briefed, then. Our first work session will be tomorrow.”

“I look forward to it.”

As the door clicks shut behind him, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. So much for easing into things.

Jenna clasps her hands in front of her skirt. “You and Oliver went to college together, right?”

“We did. We were regular study buddies.”

Why is she asking about our past?

A sudden wave of jealousy washes over me. Jenna is a beautiful woman. Are she and Oliver a thing? Is she into him?

Almost as quickly as I have the thought, I realize how silly I’m being. She’s just being nice. Even if Jenna and Oliver are involved, it’s none of my business. I don’t have a claim on him, and I never did.

“Has he changed any?” Jenna asks.

I consider that. “I’m not sure yet. He was always serious, but now he seems more… burdened.”

“All he does is work. He even sleeps here sometimes, on the couch in his office.”

“Really?” Still? He’s spent years building this company, which is now a momentous success. Can’t he step away from it for a little bit?

She nods. “He puts in eighty-hour weeks easily.”

My heart stutters at the thought. That can’t be healthy.

“Well.” Jenna claps her hands. “I’ll leave you to get settled. My number is on the desk, and my office is right down the hall. Let me know if you have any questions.”

“I will. Thanks, Jenna.”

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