Page 55 of Baby for My Billionaire Rival

From the way she looks at me in class, I know I could probably salvage this. But every time I consider what I’d say and how I’dsay it, I feel barbed wire encircling my brain. That if I try and cross that line again, I’m going to feel even more pain than I already feel.

I plop down on one of the couches in the seating area just down the hall from Fig’s office and pull out my laptop. As I’m sitting there, working, I see my classmates come and go from her office, appointment after appointment rolling by. They say hello, and ask me why I’m camped out here, I tell them it’s nice and quiet here.

Better than being back at the farm with all my grief.

With my head buried in my laptop, I nearly miss Caroline when she rushes past me. Her head is ducked down, blonde concealing her face from my view. I look at her for a second, pleading with her to look back at me. She doesn’t.

From my seat, I have a full view of Fig’s office door. I watch Caroline rap on it, and hear Fig’s muffled, “Come in.”

And then I see our professor’s expression. A smile that curdles into a look of concern and worry.

“Caroline, what’s –” Fig begins.

Caroline slams the door shut behind her.

I stare at the door like somehow, if I stare long enough, I’ll get some sort of x-ray vision and the hearing will come along with that too.

My meeting is next so I carefully pack my backpack and go to stand against the wall by Fig’s office. But the time comes and goes with no sign of Caroline emerging.

The muffled conversation is urgent. I think she’s crying. What if she’s telling Fig about me? What if she’s saying that I’ve broken her spirit, and ruined her experience? What if she’s trying to get me kicked out of the program? There’s no way that could happen, right?

Caroline isn’t spiteful, not like that. And once I remember her quality of character, my heart expands, wishing it could reach out to her and wrap her up in my safe embrace.

I still care for her. Hell, I still love her, even if we never said the words.

Abruptly, the door swings open and Caroline steps out. When she sees me standing right there, she pales. “Jake,” she says my name, her hand swooping across her face to get rid of the tears. More than anything, I want to hear her call me Jacob Leslie right now.

“My meeting’s next,” I say in an immediate defense. I don’t want her to think I was listening.

Caroline opens her mouth to respond, but instead shakes her head and rushes off down the hall.

“Simmons –” I hear Fig call out.

I poke my head into the doorway. Fig looks just as distraught as Caroline, save the tears. “Are you alright?” I ask.

“Um, no, I think I might need a couple of minutes if you don’t mind us delaying your meeting just a bit longer. I’m sorry, I’m… a bit stunned.”

I glance back over my shoulder, seeing Caroline disappear into the main lobby of Trilby. I should run after her. But I think she’d only run faster. “Is there anything I can do for you? Glass of water or –”

“No, no, I just need a minute to compose myself.” Fig pauses, a lopsided smile on her lips. The usual slyness is betrayed by the weak corners of her eyes. “I know you and Gladstone haven’t always seen eye to eye, but maybe you can convince her not to leave the program.”

My jaw hits the floor. “What?!”

Fig gestures. “The door please, Simmons.”

I close it quickly and turn around to the empty hall. Caroline is leaving the program. Is her heart that broken? Have I hurt her that badly?

I can’t let her get away.

I drop my backpack and sprint after her, not caring about any of the sidelong looks from those I pass. I burst through the front doors of Trilby, spotting her veil of blonde hair several yards away. “Caroline!”

She walks faster.

“Caroline, wait!” I call out. I should have snuck up on her instead. Somehow, she’s faster than she should be in those high heels. But I’ve got longer legs. It doesn’t take long for me to catch up. I finally am close enough to grab her arm. “Caroline, please –”

Caroline whips around, the angry expression of a bulldog on her lips. “What?!”

I stop to catch my breath, licking my lips. I’ve never seen her so angry. “Fig said you’re leaving.”

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