Page 61 of Forking the Billionaire

Layana’s sisters went with Juno. I declined their invitation to join them.

Oscar offered a nod before throwing Morgan over his shoulder like a caveman. She squealed and laughed as they headed inside. I stared in that direction even after the door shut, my mind flitting back to Esme.

That could never be the two of us. If I flipped her over my shoulder, held tight to her thighs and swatted her ass, shewouldn’t laugh. She’d hiss, punch me in the back, and twist around to bite my neck.

“Jasper?” Layana blinked at me. Apparently she was still here, and she’d been saying something. “Are you all right?”

I had to stop thinking about Esme.

“I’m good.” I smiled with all the warmth I could muster and tried to clear my head.

Gabriel stealthily slipped in beside Layana. “We’re going to get a drink. You should join us, Jasper.”

After the way we’d left things, I really wanted to chase down Esme and offer her a proper apology. But bonding with Gabriel was the reason I was here. And the best way tonotthink about kissing Esme was tostay away from Esme.

“Please,” he said.

“Of course.” How could I say no to that? He hardly ever asked me for anything.

We went up to the roof, ordered drinks, and sat at a table overlooking the ocean. It was a stellar view.

“How’s the blog going?” I asked Layana.

“I’m pleased to sayConfessions of a Serial Mood Killeris going strong. I’ve been posting almost regularly, which is huge for me.”

“Congratulations,” I said. That blog had almost torn the couple apart not so long ago, when Layana’s innermost thoughts had been posted without her permission. “Have there been any further issues with the data breach?”

“Gabriel upped my security for me,” she said with a big smile. “All is well.”

“That’s great.”

“Did he tell you I’m writing a book about all of it?”

“No.” I flicked my gaze to Gabriel. His face was impassive, relaxed. Surprisingly, he didn’t seem concerned about his private life being published for the world to see.

“I have approval rights,” he said.

“Ah.”

“Yeah, I want him one-hundred-percent comfortable with everything,” Layana said. “I’d like your approval, too, Jasper, once it’s done.”

“Mine?”Why?

Layana tipped back her glass and flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. “Well you’re in there, obviously, since you’re Gabriel’s best friend and a key witness to our story.”

“All right. I look forward to reading it,” I said. I wasn’t sure how I felt about being written about in a book. The tabloids had certainly written more than their share about me over the years. This was different though, of course.

“She captures you in a positive light. No need to worry,” Gabriel said.

“Good to know.” I nodded. “This is actually a brilliant idea.”

“I didn’t expect such wholehearted approval before you read it, but I’ll take it, and you can’t change your mind.” Layana chuckled. “No take-backs.”

“People like us don’t usually get our stories told by someone both qualified and close to us. Have you considered if all goes well with your book, branching out?”

“Like become the billionaire biographer of Epiphany?” Layana asked.

“Exactly,” I said.

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