Page 5 of Baby for My Billionaire Rival

The feeling doesn’t go away just because I’m grown. I can outwardly say, “Fuck it,” but internally, it still feels like I’m a kid on the edge of the playground.

About halfway up the stairs, I hear Caroline’s voice. It’s hard to miss since it’s been two rows behind me all of class and she tends to raise her hand a lot. “Wait!”

I keep going. She wouldn’t dare talk to me after her earlier embarrassment, would she?

“Simmons!”

Okay, never mind, she’s definitely calling out for me. I’m far enough away that I can pretend I didn’t hear her. I leave the lecture hall and start to hustle down the hallway.

“Jake! Jake Simmons!”

Shit, she’s fast even in those ridiculous spikey heels.

“Jake –” Her hand connects with my arm and I have no choice but to acknowledge her existence.

As soon as I turn around, her nervous smile fades, eyes growing wide. Good. I’m giving her the best stoneface I’ve got. Don’t want to give her any illusions that I’m some nice guy who can laugh off what happened in the bathroom. “Hi, I…” She gulps. “I owe you an apology for what happened earlier.”

I raise an eyebrow. I wasn’t expecting an apology, honestly. Still, though, I won’t allow my façade to melt.

“I thought we could start fresh. Seeing as we’ll be classmates.” She holds out her hand. Long fingernails painted baby blue to match her dress. Bet she’s the type to complain about breaking a nail. “I’m Caroline.”

Daddy told me never to turn my nose up at a handshake no matter how much I hated a person. I take her hand and give it one firm shake. “Jake Simmons.”

“Jake Simmons,” she repeats. I hate that I like the way my name sounds in her accent. Her southern affectation could easily be put aside in favor of something more neutral sounding, whereas mine is so attached to my tongue I could never shake it even if I tried.

I give her a curt nod and start to walk off.

“W-where are you going?” she asks, catching up to walk beside me.

“I’m leaving.”

“But we just started talking.”

I shake my head. “And now we’re finished talking.” I push through the front door of Trilby, thankful to feel the sun on my face and breathe in the fresh air after being stifled in that lecture room.

“Listen, I’m – ah!” Caroline gets caught in the door. I didn’t hold it open for her and I almost regret that. Almost. “I’m really sorry,” she cries out, shoes clicking behind me. I hear her huff. “Jake, I’m talking to you!”

“I don’t think we have a lot to talk about, Caroline, seeing as you’re an heiress and I’m the campus handyman,” I say drolly.

She huffs again. I’m impressed how she’s keeping up with my strides. She’s really not willing to let this go, huh? “It was my mistake. An honest mistake. But I’m sorry.”

I stop. “Do your ‘honest mistakes’ usually involve judging a person based on the way they look right to their face?”

Caroline ducks her chin back, brown eyes dipping down. If I’d passed her on the street or seen her picture, I might say she’s beautiful. But when someone has ugliness inside, it’s hard to get past it. “That’s not usually a habit of mine, no.”

I stare at her, waiting for more.

“Look, you’ve got every reason to dislike me. I get it. I’m just trying to make amends, seeing as we’re going to be in this program for the next two years together and –”

“I didn’t come here to make friends, alright? I’ve got enough of those.”

Caroline stares at me and then laughs.

I frown in frustrated confusion. “What?”

“Sorry, that just makes you sound like a –” She covers her mouth so she’s no longer laughing directly in my face. “Like someone on Real Housewives.”

Caroline wheezes with laughter. Which would be cute. If I didn’t hate her. And her taste in television.

---